Petty Bickering Stains Gravel Event's Good Works

Moo! You Ruined My Race!

Another gravel race, another gravel related rant. They said this would happen back in the day......

And if you don't want to read about what I think concerning some complaints coming from sponsored, Pro level racers, then you should turn this off and go for a ride right now. This is your cue. (Have a great one, by the way!)

For the rest of you out there with your steaming cuppa whatever in your mitts, read on....

One of the great things that has come of the gravel scene since I've been around is social awareness and efforts to change "How Things Have Always Been Done". These efforts are plain to see these days within the organizations of several events, most notably the Mid-South, SBT GRVL, and Gravel Worlds, but certainly, those are not the only events pushing major changes that reflect social causes and issues to the forefront. Their efforts are to be commended, and are celebrated in some news articles here and there. Awareness and actual discussion and changes are occurring due to these events and riders who are taking up those issues are making differences. It's pretty obvious to see if you pay even a little attention. 

This isn't "new", but our efforts in the gravel scene weren't always so overt and noticeable. For instance, as far as I am aware, gravel race prizing has ALWAYS been equally shared across genders. Men and women got the same rewards. This was never really questioned, and much to our discredit- to be honest- it is something we did not trumpet loudly enough back then. But of course, if you take things in context of the day, we were really not caring if anyone else noticed! And that's another great thing about the early gravel scene- We didn't care about getting published, getting "likes", or satisfying sponsors with "engagement". We were 100% focused on the participant's experience. To the credit of the gravel scene, still to this day, I feel that great gravel events make an effort to do just this. 

The thing is, the gravel scene has always been subtly "political" and an agent of social change. We went out of our way to eschew the trappings of traditional road racing, and we certainly did not want to see any "attitudes" which were seen as a turn-off to participation in events. We took the stance also that "Prizing" and "Money" weren't what the riders should be vying for, but that personal growth, overcoming challenge, and becoming accepted into the community of gravel riders were the "rewards" for participating in events. The idea that "one" winner dominated over the rest of the "field" and that "second place was the first loser" were not acceptable to many of the early modern day gravel pioneers. 

Now, in 2022, we have Pro level, sponsored riders with "beefs" to air because early practices of the gravel racing scene are being bastardized to the benefit of certain, clever Pro sponsored riders. This is not in the vein of "Pro racing etiquette", and as such, a few racers are grousing and airing their complaints on social media. This has already manifested itself as "#gravelbeef" as a hashtag. 

Obviously, all that nonsense is getting amplified by social media which is, ironically, very divisive and doesn't promote community. Meanwhile, all the "good" socially conscientious activity and progress gets overshadowed by that crap. (Or since it is #gravelbeef, maybe "B.S." is better as a descriptor here) 

On the one hand, it is sad and I shake my head. On the other hand I think, "What did we expect?" When the game changes, and it becomes about the economic status of individuals- whether or not that they can maintain their station as "sponsored Pro riders", well then the results we have witnessed should be obvious. 

I wrote about how I think Pro Level Road Racing On Gravel" should be separated out from "gravel races" and that the two things are inherently incompatible with each other. This is true because at its heart, Pro level racing and events are structured completely differently than the gravel races which have spawned this explosion of popularity now. They are socially and politically completely different animals. At the heart of Pro level racing is a focus on selfishness, personal gain measured by prizing and sponsorship, and growth is measured by power meters. The gravel scene was never about any of that. Where we were saying, "You will discover you can do more than you ever thought you could!", this Pro gravel thing seems to be about elevating individuals and corporate windfalls instead. 

What gravel events did before was different. Gravel was about "Everybody". It meant that EVERYONE was capable of reaching that "prize' and equity and acceptance was central to building a "gravel family" which was stronger because of its inclusion and diversity than the old ways of doing events were. 

And again- to be crystal clear- those efforts to be inclusive still are out there. They matter, but they are overshadowed by this Pro level racer mentality and social construct that should be summarily rejected by events and done away with. But, it won't be because of  the way the way the industry has structured its sponsorship of events, the athletes, and how corporate America has latched on to the gravel scene as a way to pad their coffers with millions of dollars in event receipts. 

In other words, it's like Joel Dyke, co-founder of the DK200 told me years ago,"When the money comes in, it'll ruin everything."

I don't think it has to be that way, but that's up to all the rest of you out there to decide.