Gravel Grinder News: New Minnesota Based Event Series

Image courtesy of the grvlsota site

A new Minnesota based gravel event series has just been announced which will include 12 events over the course of 2026. These events are - for the most part - long-standing gravel events in the state. 

The series will not homogenize each event to fit a mold, and competition, while present, won't be the main focus. The series won't even charge a fee to participate. 

The focus will be to keep each event in the series independent and free to evolve its own identities. Riders can expect an experience at each event not unlike what there was previously. The series will try to enhance participation across Minnesota events, highlighting Minnesota's vast gravel and dirt road network while compiling points for a leader board. Participants who compile the most points will get some sort of season-end recognition. 

Many of the details are being ironed out yet, but you can check in at the "grvlsota" site to see what they end up doing there. 

Image courtesy of the grvlsota site

The current event calendar for the inaugural grvlsota series is as shown below:

May 16 – Spring Valley 100 – Spring Valley
May 23 – Le Grand du Nord Gravel Classic – Grand Marais  
June 6 – Kasners Kick Duchenne (KKD) – Farmington
June 27 – Woodtickr – Hawley
July 11 – Freedhem Gravel – Freedhem
July (TBD) – The Wolf Bikepacking Race – Finland  
Aug. 22 – Hero Gravel Classic – Stillwater
Aug. 30 – River Valley 100 – Mankato
Sept. 5–6 – Gray Duck Grit – Cannon Falls  
Sept. 19 – Rosewood Gramble – Thief River Falls
Sept. 26 – Heck of the North Gravel Classic – Two Harbors  
Sept. 27 – Kato Bike Fall Fest – Mankato

According to the website there will also be a podcast called the "Level Be" podcast which will highlight the events in the series, interview event directors, and cover other event news. 

The grvlsota series is an effort by the non-profit Level Be Adventures organization who aim to promote Minnesota gravel events and tell the stories behind them while tying together a community of riders. They also hope to feature what is good and enjoyable about the courses represented in the series and highlight the small towns and villages these events benefit.  

This will not be the first gravel event series in Minnesota. During the late 2000's Almanzo 100 organizer and Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame inductee, Chris Skogen, started the "Race For The Cup" series, which the Heck of the North was a part of as well. That series was short-lived, however, and happened before gravel events really took hold of the cycling consciousness.