Vätternrundan Gravel: First edition with 1,150 participants

The new gravel event in the Vätternrundan series brought cyclists together on gravel tracks on Saturday. The route stretched over 120 kilometres and ran mainly off-road. The route followed the Göta Canal, through the plains of Östergötland and into the region’s forests. The start and finish were at Idrottsparken in Motala.

Oskar Sundblad, managing director of Vätternrundan, described the aim of the event as a community event for the autumn. The aim was for participants to experience the spirit of the traditional Vätternrundan on gravel. Numerous spectators lined the route and cheered on the riders. The route combined trails, gravel sections and tarmac stretches.

Veterans at Vätternrundan Gravel

The Vätternrundan refers to participants who have been lining up at the starting line in Motala for decades. One local celebrity is Stig Johansson: he is the only rider to have taken part in every edition of the Vätternrundan since it began in 1966. For him, the gravel route offered a change from the usual tarmac. He had already gained experience on the Göta Canal on the Västergötland side.

Birgitta Berglund has completed the Vätternrundan 54 times, making her the record holder. She regularly cycles on gravel tracks and signed up for the new event without hesitation. Both veterans were among the pioneers in the first field of starters.

Cycling Week and Sustainability

The Vätternrundan is regarded as the world’s largest cycling event for recreational cyclists. The non-profit association Motala AIF has been organising the event since 1966. The annual Cycling Week comprises not only the 315-kilometre main route, but also the Halvvättern (150 kilometres), the Tjejvättern (100 kilometres), the Vätternrundan 100 km, MTB-Vättern and Minivättern. Tens of thousands of cyclists from all over the world take part in the various races every year.

In 2013, the Vätternrundan became the first sporting event in Sweden to be certified to ISO 20121. This standard sets out sustainability requirements for events. Sundblad awarded the inaugural gravel edition a score of 280 points on a scale of one to ten.