If you like your gravel events light on vowels but heavy on race car drivers, boy have we got some good news for you.
FNLD GRVL is a three-day Finnish gravel event complete with races, social rides, an expo, and musical performances. It’s “the brainchild” of Finnish Formula One driver Valterri Bottas and professional road turned gravel cyclist Tiffany Cromwell. The two partnered with the team behind the popular Colorado SBT GRVL to bring the same freewheeling gravel event to Bottas’ hometown of Lahti, Finland, as FNLD GRVL’s spokesperson describes it.
Depending on what you knew already, Bottas might log more miles on the bike than you’d think. He’s long used cycling to cross-train his fitness before getting behind the wheel of some of the fastest racecars in the world. It’s no wonder he wanted to create an event to showcase his town’s (TWN’s?) expansive network of scenic gravel roads.
“A ticket to FNLD GRVL is more than just a race entry,” the Formula One star said. “This event provides the opportunity for people from all over the world to experience my hometown of Lahti. I’m excited to have this chance to show riders what we have to offer here on the gravel roads of Finland and why it is important to preserve these natural resources.”
The event is open to professional and amateur riders alike, with three-course distances and a €20,000 purse split evenly between genders. Per event organizers, there’s only “a handful of spots” still available. You can register at FNLD GRVL’s website.
And if you’re in the mood to treat yourself, check out the VIP packages. Said packages include access to a “VIP lounge” and a ride with Bottas and Cromwell.
Still not fancy enough for your tastes?
Sell a bike from your quiver and use the cash for the VIP Gold Experience. This ticket includes lodging, a dinner with Bottas, and, interestingly, a “one-of-a-kind kart race experience.”
I’m not entirely sure what that means, but anything that combines motors and Bottas is probably pretty fun. The driver’s hometown also plays home to a museum and a concert hall if you’ve got some time to kill before or after you get your GRVL on.
Registration closes on Monday, May 22. Click on over and sign up before space runs out!
