It started as a single gravel grinding gran fondo with enduro-style racing thrown in for fun, back in Quincy, California in 2015. This year Grinduro had grown to four races on three continents, but it’s not stopping there. For 2020, Grinduro adds another continent with six events planned. And out of those, five Grinduros get all-new venues, so you can race & discover more great places to ride… and party with fellow gravelers…
Grinduro gravel racing expands to 6 countries in 2020
Grinduro has cemented its place as some of the best chances to race gravel bikes and hang out with other gravel riders in the world. Starting in a small Sierra Nevada Gold Rush mountain town in northern California, then expanding to the Isle of Arran in Scotland, Grinduro has mixed gravel racing and off-the bike parties in a way that many have tried to imitate.
But the best imitations seem to have come from Grinduro themselves, expanding to new venues in Québec, Canada and Nagano Prefecture, Japan this year.
In 2020, they are shaking things up again. For the first time they go down under for an inaugural Grinduro Australia in Victoria’s Alpine National Park, then into the European Alps for the first Grinduro Switzerland. Of the carry over California, Canada, Scotland & Japan events from 2019 only one venue remains unchanged. The UK Grinduro will head to Wales in 2020, and the original California trip checks out a new place to ride on Mt. Shasta!
As Grinduro organizers put it, riders from around the globe will have plenty of new places to “refine their party-to-race ratios” in the new year. “I love seeing the same faces year-after-year on the course, but the real magic is in bringing Grinduro to new audiences,” said Giro Marketing Director Dain Zaffke. “We’ve had five great years in Quincy, but on September 19, 2020, Grinduro California will take place in the mystical landscape of Mt. Shasta, where we’ll work with the Siskiyou Outdoor Alliance.”
A lesser known fact about the Grinduro model is that each event also benefits local non-profits. The races so far have raised almost $500,000 for groups including the Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship & Isle of Arran’s Trust. After the crazy typhoon that hit around Grinduro Japan, promoters even delivered commercial & logistical support in their host city for post-typhoon clean up.
“Each Grinduro event will continue to feature Grinduro’s magic formula – a combination of gravel road race and mountain bike-style enduro: one long loop of pavement, gravel, and dirt, where finishing times are based on four timed segments (each roughly 7-12 minutes). As a testament to both the diverse riding skills required and the level of competition, past editions have been won by former professional downhill racers, pro road racers, and current cyclocross pros. But Grinduro is not just a bike race. It’s a celebration of cycling with as much emphasis on the fun as on the ride, with excellent food, an impressive display of art and incredible handmade bikes, live music, camping, and a festival atmosphere.”
Official calendars & registration haven’t opened yet for the 2020 events. All we know besides the Sep 19, 2020 CA date is that all six will be between Jun-Dec 2020. We know that Grinduro Japan sold out in 12 minutes last time, so we’ll try to share registration dates as soon as we hear them.
