For first-timers

Beginner-friendly gravel races

115 races

Your first gravel race should build confidence, not break it. The events here are picked for shorter route options, smoother and less technical surfaces, good on-course support, and a welcoming atmosphere — the things that make a debut enjoyable rather than intimidating. You do not need elite fitness to start; you need a race that meets you where you are. Each one below shows its distances, difficulty and the W/kg range so you can pick a realistic first goal, then build toward it.

Turnhout Gravel

📍 Turnhout, Belgium

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
22 March 2026
Distance
72km · 144km
Elevation
100 m
Difficulty

Giro Sardegna Gravel

📍 Muravera-Villasimius, Italy

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
01 May 2026
Distance
78km · 110km
Elevation
1,220 m
Difficulty

Niseko Gravel

📍 Hokkaido, Japan

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
19–20 September 2026
Distance
60km · 110km · 160km
Elevation
2,100 m
Difficulty

The Crit 2026

📍 Farum, Denmark

gravelmtbroadBeginner friendly
Date
26 August 2026
Distance
9 km circuit
Difficulty

Pikes Peak APEX

📍 Colorado, USA

gravelmtbBeginner friendly
Date
13-14 June 2026
Distance
135 miles · 65 miles · 25 miles
Elevation
3,353 m
Difficulty

DALSLAND Gravel Race

📍 Dalsland, Sweden

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
19 September 2026
Distance
40km · 80km · 160km · 320km
Elevation
2,000 m
Difficulty

Gravel Arteaga Mexico

📍 Arteaga, Coahuila, Mexico

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
30 August 2026
Distance
35km · 85km · 135km
Elevation
2,200 m
Difficulty

Ruby Roubaix: Gravel Fondo

📍 Nevada, USA

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
27 June 2026
Distance
22mi · 38mi · 62mi · 120.5mi
Elevation
1,911 m
Difficulty

Alentejo Gravel

📍 Baixo Alentejo, Portugal

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
24–25 October 2026
Distance
87km · 119km
Elevation
1,750 m
Difficulty

Les Graviers Roses

📍 Deux-Sèvres, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
11–13 September 2026
Distance
50km · 80km · 110km · 150km · 200km · 500km
Difficulty

MEGRE Gravel

📍 Anykščiai, Lithuania

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
1–3 August 2026
Distance
150 km · 100 km · 50 km
Difficulty

WYO-131 Gravel Race

📍 Wyoming, USA

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
12 September 2026
Distance
21km · 72km · 121km · 211km
Elevation
3,048 m
Difficulty

Beernem Waffle Ride 2026

📍 Beernem, Belgium

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
4 July 2026
Distance
52km · 55km · 75km
Difficulty

Lewis & Clark Gravel Classic

📍 Montana, USA

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
25 July 2026
Distance
116 mi · 62 mi · 38 mi
Elevation
1,995 m
Difficulty

Newport Gravelday 2026

📍 Flanders, Belgium

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
5 September 2026
Distance
150km · 140km · 115km · 80km · 72km
Elevation
500 m
Difficulty

Clarkes Gambit

📍 NSW, Australia

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
21–23 August 2026
Distance
35km · 55km · 100km
Elevation
2,000 m
Difficulty

HeideGravel

📍 Saxony, Germany

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
29–30 August 2026
Distance
30 km · 60 km · 100 km
Elevation
900 m
Difficulty

Magalies Rocks the Cradle

📍 Magaliesberg, South Africa

gravelmtbBeginner friendly
Date
5 September 2026
Distance
100km · 80km · 40km · 25km
Difficulty

Tshipise MTB Challenge 2026

📍 Limpopo, South Africa

mtbgravelBeginner friendly
Date
25 July 2026
Distance
75km · 50km · 35km · 15km · 2km
Elevation
605 m
Difficulty

Specialized Gravel Series Limburg 2026

📍 Limburg, Netherlands

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
5 September 2026
Distance
65km · 125km · 190km · 225km
Elevation
1,400 m
Difficulty

Rennsteig Gravel 2026

📍 Thüringer Wald, Germany

gravelmtbBeginner friendly
Date
11–13 September 2026
Distance
120 km · 96 km · 72 km · 48 km
Elevation
1,900 m
Difficulty

Eager Beaver Gravel

📍 Ontario, Canada

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
29 August 2026
Distance
100km · 40km
Difficulty

Mad Gravel

📍 Colorado, USA

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
5–7 September 2026
Distance
30mi · 50mi · 80mi
Elevation
1,951 m
Difficulty

Kearsarge Klassic

📍 New Hampshire, USA

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
08 August 2026
Distance
35mi · 55mi · 63mi
Elevation
1,189 m
Difficulty

Heck of the North

📍 Minnesota, USA

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
26 September 2026
Distance
105 Mi · 56 Mi · 19 Mi
Elevation
1,036 m
Difficulty

Fairfield Harvest Rush

📍 Iowa, USA

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
3 October 2026
Distance
50KM · 100KM
Elevation
914 m
Difficulty

Camp Michaux Gravel Grinder

📍 Pennsylvania, USA

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
28 June 2026
Distance
103.6km · 72.7km · 38.3km
Elevation
2,198 m
Difficulty

Mid-State Gravel Grinder

📍 Pennsylvania, USA

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
15 August 2026
Distance
46km · 75km · 111km
Elevation
1,659 m
Difficulty

Sherwood Pines Trophy

📍 East Midlands, United Kingdom

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
11 October 2026
Distance
58.4km
Elevation
712 m
Difficulty

Gravel Grind - Fredericton

📍 Fredericton, Canada

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
28 June 2026
Distance
120km · 50km · 80km · 30km
Difficulty

Sherwood Forest Gravel Epic

📍 Clipstone, United Kingdom

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
11 July 2026
Distance
117km · 80km · 55km
Elevation
1,050 m
Difficulty

North Bound Gravel Adventure

📍 Blönduós, Iceland

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
01 August 2026
Distance
175km · 110km · 60km
Elevation
2,250 m
Difficulty

The Wye Divide

📍 Wye Valley and the England–Wales borderlands, United Kingdom

gravelmtbBeginner friendly
Date
4–5 July 2026
Distance
177km · 182km
Difficulty

Sherwood Forest Gravel Epic

📍 Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
11 July 2026
Distance
116km · 80km · 50km
Elevation
1,050 m
Difficulty

JACKALOPE RACE

📍 New Mexico, USA

gravelmtbBeginner friendly
Date
18 October 2026
Distance
12 miles · 29 miles · 42 miles
Difficulty

Gravel Rocks

📍 North York Moors, United Kingdom

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
10 – 12 July 2026
Distance
10km · 92km
Difficulty

The Original Wildevy MTB Race

📍 Limpopo, South Africa

mtbgravelBeginner friendly
Date
01 August 2026
Distance
70km
Elevation
1,000 m
Difficulty

RIDE Essex

📍 Essex, United Kingdom

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
30 August 2026
Distance
36 miles · 68 miles · 100 miles
Elevation
1,321 m
Difficulty

C2U Bosveld MTB Gravel Challenge

📍 Bosveld, South Africa

gravelmtbBeginner friendly
Date
8 August 2026
Distance
156km · 91km · 36km · 8km · 4km · 500m
Difficulty

Macedonia Gravel Grinder

📍 New Milford, Connecticut, USA

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
09 August 2026
Distance
53 km · 100 km · 127 km
Elevation
1,768 m
Difficulty

Exeter Gravel Races

📍 Devon, United Kingdom

gravelmtbBeginner friendly
Date
29 March 2027
Difficulty

PlugPlug 't Zwin

📍 Zeeuws-Vlaanderen, Netherlands

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
18 October 2026
Distance
90km · 135km
Elevation
150 m
Difficulty

Tshipise MTB Challenge 2026

📍 Limpopo, South Africa

mtbgravelBeginner friendly
Date
25 July 2026
Distance
75km · 50km · 35km · 15km
Elevation
608 m
Difficulty

Rooibos MTB

📍 Piekenierskloof, South Africa

gravelmtbBeginner friendly
Date
25 July 2026
Distance
30km · 55km · 80km
Elevation
1,108 m
Difficulty

Nepomuk Narly

📍 North Dakota, USA

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
18 July 2026
Distance
16 miles · 40 miles · 100 miles
Difficulty

Lyons-Heart Gravel Classic 2026

📍 North Dakota, USA

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
11 July 2026
Distance
35-Mile · 65-Mile · 100-Mile
Elevation
1,828 m
Difficulty

Rose Mountain Rumble

📍 New Hampshire, USA

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
29 August 2026
Distance
80 mi · 66 mi · 45 mi · 25 mi
Elevation
2,020 m
Difficulty

Just Gravel Grizedale

📍 Lake District, UK

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
3 October 2026
Distance
15km · 32km · 45km
Difficulty

Osage Passage

📍 Oklahoma, USA

gravelroadBeginner friendly
Date
2–4 October 2026
Distance
14 miles · 40 miles · 61.4 miles
Elevation
803 m
Difficulty

PlugPlug Groote Heide

📍 Groote Heide, Belgium

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
22 November 2026
Distance
80km · 120km
Difficulty

PlugPlug Zoniënwoud

📍 Overijse, Belgium

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
27 September 2026
Distance
70 km · 90 km · 130 km
Difficulty

velotari Jurapark GRAVEL ViBES

📍 Aargau, Switzerland

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
29 August 2026
Distance
60km · 40km
Elevation
1,300 m
Difficulty

BIG Gravel Grind

📍 Ontario, Canada

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
July 4–5, 2026
Distance
20km · 40km · 60km · 80km
Elevation
482 m
Difficulty

La Cycl'Roquefort

📍 Occitanie, France

roadgravelBeginner friendly
Date
5–6 September 2026
Distance
137km · 103km · 60km · 68km
Elevation
2,250 m
Difficulty

Backroads Gravel

📍 Nabawa, WA, Australia

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
08 August 2026
Distance
160km · 100km · 65km · 20km · 10km
Elevation
1,200 m
Difficulty

Serre Chevalier Altitude Challenge

📍 Hautes-Alpes, France

roadgravelBeginner friendly
Date
4-5 July 2026
Distance
109km · 103km
Elevation
3,500 m
Difficulty

Knobby Rock Gravel Grinder

📍 Vermont, USA

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
5 September 2026
Distance
34 miles
Difficulty

Suffolk Gravel X

📍 Thetford, United Kingdom

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
17 October 2026
Distance
96km · 35km
Elevation
500 m
Difficulty

Val d'Orcia Gravel

📍 Tuscany, Italy

gravelmtbBeginner friendly
Date
17–18 October 2026
Distance
39km · 73km · 118km · 220km
Elevation
4,800 m
Difficulty

Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge

📍 Taupo, North Island, New Zealand'

gravelmtbBeginner friendly
Date
28 November 2026
Distance
100km · 60km · 30km · 83km
Difficulty

Irish Hills Gravel

📍 Michigan, USA

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
17 October 2026
Distance
100km · 50km
Difficulty

Rail Trail Run and Ride 2026

📍 Tasmania, Australia

gravelmtbBeginner friendly
Date
18 – 20 September 2026
Distance
54km · 30km · 18km · 7km
Difficulty

Sea Otter Europe Girona - Continental Gravel Ride Tour

📍 Girona, Spain

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
20 September 2026
Distance
78.29km
Elevation
853 m
Difficulty

Cranbrook Gravel Grind

📍 British Columbia, Canada

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
4–5 September 2026
Distance
56km · 101km
Difficulty

Gravel Rallye Black Forest

📍 Black Forest, Germany

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
17 – 19 July 2026
Distance
160km · 300km
Elevation
4,500 m
Difficulty

Storuman Gravel

📍 Kiruna, Sweden

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
01 August 2026
Distance
30km · 50km · 70km · 116km
Elevation
2,100 m
Difficulty

Gravelfondo Vosges

📍 Vosges, France

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
27 September 2026
Distance
40km · 80km · 120km
Elevation
1,500 m
Difficulty

Butternut Valley Gravel Grinder

📍 New York, USA

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
22 August 2026
Distance
45 miles · 15 miles
Elevation
1,448 m
Difficulty

Sherwood Pines Gravel X

📍 Clipstone, United Kingdom

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
10 October 2026
Distance
85km · 60km
Elevation
800 m
Difficulty

Raid des Alpilles - Gravel - Cycling Challenge

📍 Alpilles, France

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
17 October 2026
Distance
34km · 68km
Elevation
1,060 m
Difficulty

Bosque Boneshaker Gravel Grinder

📍 New Mexico, USA

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
24-25 October 2026
Distance
8 mile · 17 mile · 31 mile · 50 mile · 73 mile
Elevation
678 m
Difficulty

Essex Gravel Epic

📍 Kelvedon Hatch, United Kingdom

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
08 August 2026
Distance
104km · 73km · 54km
Elevation
750 m
Difficulty

The Spirit World

📍 Arizona, USA

gravelmtbBeginner friendly
Date
5–8 November 2026
Distance
30 miles · 58 miles · 80 miles · 100 miles
Elevation
1,948 m
Difficulty

Birken Bike Race

📍 Innlandet, Norway

mtbgravelBeginner friendly
Date
29 August 2026
Distance
84 km · 41 km · 100 km
Difficulty

core4

📍 Iowa, USA

gravelmtbBeginner friendly
Date
14-15 August 2026
Distance
193km · 113km · 64km · 32km · 97km
Difficulty

Grateful Gravel

📍 Waitsfield, VT, USA

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
25 July 2026
Distance
21mi · 46mi · 63mi
Elevation
2,377 m
Difficulty

The Lowell Classic

📍 Michigan, USA

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
24 October 2026
Distance
15 miles · 38 miles · 54 miles · 100 miles
Difficulty

Gravel Grovel

📍 Indiana, USA

gravelmtbBeginner friendly
Date
21 November 2026
Distance
100km · 68km · 48km
Elevation
1,311 m
Difficulty

Bovine Classic

📍 California, USA

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
23–26 October 2026
Distance
88 miles · 70.6 miles · 45 miles
Elevation
2,560 m
Difficulty

Cooler’N Hell Gravel

📍 Texas, USA

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
24 October 2026
Distance
100 miles · 50 miles · 27 miles
Elevation
674 m
Difficulty

7ª Gravel del Sale Fantini Club

📍 Emilia-Romagna, Italy

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
10–11 October 2026
Distance
120km · 100km · 60km · 35km · 40km
Elevation
1,315 m
Difficulty

Hellhole Gravel Grind Stage Race

📍 South Carolina, United States

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
2–4 October 2026
Distance
10km · 72km · 121km · 241km
Difficulty

Saugeen Bruce Peninsula Gravel Gran Fondo

📍 Bruce Peninsula, Canada

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
4 October 2026
Distance
115km · 80km · 56km · 30km
Elevation
740 m
Difficulty

Grassroots Gravel 2026

📍 Colorado, USA

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
10 October 2026
Distance
15 miles · 19 miles · 39 miles · 75 miles · 113 miles
Elevation
2,469 m
Difficulty

The Rad Dirt Fest

📍 Colorado, USA

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
26 September 2026
Distance
110 miles · 70 miles · 40 miles
Elevation
2,522 m
Difficulty

Strade Bianche "Peel en Hei"

📍 Brabant, Netherlands

gravelmtbroadBeginner friendly
Date
20 September 2026
Distance
60km · 90km · 125km
Difficulty

Sea2Sky Gravel Fondo

📍 British Columbia, Canada

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
27 September 2026
Distance
25km · 50km · 85km
Difficulty

Twisp River Rambler

📍 Washington, USA

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
26 September 2026
Distance
72 miles · 44 miles · 30 miles
Elevation
1,829 m
Difficulty

Rebecca's Private Idaho

📍 Idaho, USA

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
9–12 September 2026
Distance
31km · 56km · 80km · 90km · 167km · 190km
Elevation
2,371 m
Difficulty

STRUGGLE BORDERLANDS GRAVEL

📍 Yorkshire, United Kingdom

gravelroadBeginner friendly
Date
12–13 September 2026
Distance
50km · 100km
Elevation
1,949 m
Difficulty

Thunder Bay Thriller

📍 Northeast Michigan, USA

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
29 August 2026
Distance
161km · 105km · 50km · 24km
Difficulty

Warburton Gravel Unravel

📍 Victoria, Australia

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
28 November 2026
Distance
99km · 51.1km · 46.7km
Elevation
2,346 m
Difficulty

Morganzo 55 – Double Nickels on the Grime

📍 Montana, USA

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
5 September 2026
Distance
55 miles
Difficulty

The Dirty Dish

📍 New South Wales, Australia

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
18-20 September 2026
Distance
35km · 80km · 100km · 140km
Elevation
1,122 m
Difficulty

Fort Desolation Gravel Fondo

📍 Utah, USA

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
24–26 September 2026
Distance
35.3 miles · 39.8 miles · 50.6 miles · 57 miles
Elevation
1,710 m
Difficulty

D2R2 – The Deerfield Dirt Road Randonée

📍 Massachusetts, USA

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
22 August 2026
Distance
80km · 180km · 160km · 105km · 100km · 92km
Elevation
2,133 m
Difficulty

DGS La Gileppe

📍 Hautes Fagnes Nature Park, Belgium

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
8 August 2026
Distance
70km · 110km
Elevation
1,715 m
Difficulty

Fast Fitty

📍 Michigan, USA

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
15 August 2026
Distance
19 miles · 36 miles · 54 miles
Elevation
777 m
Difficulty

Heathland Gravel

📍 Limburg, Belgium

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
7–9 August 2026
Distance
70km · 110km · 160km
Difficulty

2026 Shawnee Pebble Pounder

📍 Ohio, USA

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
30 August 2026
Distance
45.5 miles · 36 miles
Elevation
1,341 m
Difficulty

Marys Mayhem

📍 NSW, Australia

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
30 October - 1 November 2026
Distance
30km · 60km · 100km
Elevation
1,100 m
Difficulty

Wild Gravel 2026

📍 Western Australia, Great Southern Region, Australia

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
24 October 2026
Distance
420km · 150km · 100km · 95km · 65km · 30km · 10km
Difficulty

The Dirty Docker Festival

📍 Victoria, Australia

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
10th – 11th October 2026
Distance
15km · 65km · 110km · 140km
Elevation
2,100 m
Difficulty

Heart of Gold Gravel

📍 California, USA

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
17 October 2026
Distance
28 miles · 47 miles · 71 miles
Elevation
3,314 m
Difficulty

Royal Gorge Gravel

📍 Colorado, USA

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
22–23 August 2026
Distance
100 miles · 50 miles · 30 miles · 15 miles
Elevation
2,835 m
Difficulty

SBT GRVL

📍 Colorado, USA

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
June 2027
Distance
108 miles · 73 miles · 53 miles · 25 miles
Elevation
2,491 m
Difficulty

Glenwood Gravel

📍 Iowa, USA

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
7–8 August 2026
Distance
50km · 100km
Elevation
1,036 m
Difficulty

Mainely Gravel 2026

📍 Maine, USA

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
8 August 2026
Distance
58 miles · 35 miles
Difficulty

Uncle John's Gravel Race

📍 Michigan, USA

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
September 12 & 13, 2026
Distance
16 mi · 28mi · 57mi
Elevation
126 m
Difficulty

Gray Duck Grit

📍 Minnesota, USA

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
5–6 September 2026
Distance
53km · 80km · 111km · 179km · 357km
Elevation
3,900 m
Difficulty

Lauf Gravel Worlds

📍 Nebraska, USA

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
21-23 August 2026
Distance
35 miles · 75 miles · 150 miles · 300 miles
Elevation
4,572 m
Difficulty

Copley "Moxie" Gravel Grinder

📍 Vermont, USA

gravelBeginner friendly
Date
3 October 2026
Distance
16 km · 40 km · 80 km
Difficulty

Goblin Valley Gravel Ride

📍 Utah, US

gravelmtbBeginner friendly
Date
8 November 2026
Distance
112km · 74km · 61km
Elevation
1,188 m
Difficulty

Octopus Gravel

📍 Andermatt, Swiss Alps, Switzerland

gravelmtbBeginner friendly
Date
26 June 2027
Distance
155km
Elevation
4,450 m
Difficulty

Belgian Waffle Ride México 2026

📍 Querétaro, México

gravelmtbBeginner friendly
Date
21–22 November 2026
Distance
180km · 100km · 50km
Difficulty

Not sure which one?

Answer a few questions and we'll match you to the right race — or compare your W/kg to see what fits your level.

FAQs

What makes a gravel race beginner-friendly?+

A shorter route option, smooth non-technical surfaces, generous cut-off times, and good support. The races here are flagged on those criteria.

What W/kg do I need for my first gravel race?+

Most beginner-friendly events are comfortable around 2.5–3.2 W/kg on the shorter route. Focus more on endurance and fuelling than on top-end power.

How should I train for my first gravel race?+

Build steady aerobic endurance, practise riding on gravel, and rehearse eating and drinking on the bike. Each race page lists its specific training focus.