In Defense of Gravel
by Ryan Steers
We ride gravel because we eschew the rules. We’ve chosen a subset of a subset of a sport not because we dream of chasing pro peloton glory, but because we want a break from it. Gravel has exploded in recent years despite the lack of a governing body. USAC, USADA, WADA, and the UCI have no jurisdiction over our sport and it’s grown exponentially largely in part to its lack of regulations and self governance and has attracted top talent as a result.
Gravel is one of the few domains where cyclists of all abilities can line up together, bar to bar, and spend a day in the dirt regardless of age, gender, race, or ability level. Does that leave room for interpretations regarding strategy or code of conduct? Yes. Each race has its own set of ground rules in place in the interest of fairness, but it’s up to each rider to navigate their own moral compass. Last weekend at SBT GRVL I chose to sit on the front and drive, stop at aid stations, and pull for dozens of other racers, including Black Course riders who were in a different category. Did I give them an advantage? Absolutely. But, I made a lot of friends. It was the best race experience I’ve had in years and I wouldn’t change a thing.
SBT GRVL reminded me that gravel cycling is more than an activity; it’s a community. I had the chance to talk to and ride with the most diverse group of cyclists I’ve ever seen at a bike race. Many of them were participating in their first race and they felt comfortable and accepted in a sport that’s known for being judgemental and unwelcoming. It was the first time at an event that I felt proud to be a cyclist, and bought into the mantra that bikes can truly bring about change and promote equality.
And yet, here we are; distracted in discussions about perceived inequality; who can draft behind whom, whether or not cyclists can help each other out, and if team affiliations should disqualify what defines ‘neutral’ support. The questions we should be asking are: Who did we introduce to this sport at our last event? What communities are now connected through the pure joy of riding bikes? How many riders finished and immediately signed up for their next gravel race? As long as competition exists we will find ways to attempt to disqualify those we feel undeserving to be crowned champion. In turn we will create more rules and invent more ways to circumvent them, which ultimately leaves us with the very facets of a genre we are trying to escape.
Photo Credit: Ryan Steers