Two weekends in the past, Truckee Tahoe Gravel returned to the northern Sierra for a weekend full of sunny skies, gravel roads, drained legs, and smiling faces. 2026 was Truckee Gravel’s fifth consecutive yr — seventh since 2018 — of gravel racing by the mountains north of Truckee, California. I signed up on the final minute, threw on the Lycra equipment, and remodeled again right into a gravel racer for the primary time in a few years.
After being sidelined from racing in 2025, I’ve been hoping to get again within the combine, and my yard gravel race appeared like the right alternative to do it. Driving away from the beginning with 800+ members on race morning, I used to be rapidly reminded of the significance and fantastic thing about native races. Certain, the large, marquee occasions might get all of the headlines, however native races are the place the magic actually occurs.
Truckee Tahoe Gravel
Truckee Gravel has been happening in a single kind or one other since 2018. Beginning and ending within the stunning mountain city of Truckee, CA, simply north of Lake Tahoe, there’s glorious entry to lots of of miles of gravel roads crisscrossing the mountains, valleys, and meadows of the northern Sierra.
In 2024, Truckee Gravel debuted three new programs — quick, medium, and lengthy — and has caught with them ever since. Not solely do these course choices supply one thing for all expertise and health ranges, however additionally they showcase among the finest gravel roads and using within the space. Right here’s a fast breakdown of the routes:
Lengthy: 101.9 miles, 7,926 toes of climbing, 80% gravel, 20% paved
Medium: 66.1 miles, 4,439 toes of climbing, 84% gravel, 16% paved
Quick: 28.8 miles, 1,810 toes of climbing, 55% gravel, 45% paved
At ~102 miles and 8k of climbing, the lengthy course is loads difficult with out breaking into the realm of complete absurdity — reminder: 100 miles is already actually far. With a shocking route that takes riders as much as and alongside the Sierra Crest to Yuba Move, by the Sierra Valley, and again once more, the lengthy course will get the lion’s share of the eye and arguably attracts the very best degree of competitors.
Up to now couple of years, nonetheless, the medium course has confirmed to be extra well-liked with members. Whereas 66 miles and 4,400 toes of climbing is nothing to scoff at, it’s rather more approachable than the lengthy course. On high of that, the medium route is arguably the most effective gravel loops you possibly can experience out of Truckee, racing or not. The Bear Valley Highway descent is to not be missed.
The quick course is extra of a mixed-surface route, nice for these simply entering into gravel, taking part of their first race, or anybody who merely prefers using a shorter distance. A number of miles by the beginning and end are shared with the medium and lengthy programs, but it surely explores some gravel, pavement, and mountain meadows that the opposite programs don’t.
Race Day and Outcomes
Truckee Gravel occurred on Saturday, June twenty seventh. After weeks of scorching temperatures, a chilly entrance moved by the realm, bringing the daytime excessive all the way down to a really nice 60° F for race day. And regardless of 30 mph wind gusts all through the day, it was a welcome reprieve from the sweltering 95° warmth I skilled on the identical course in 2024.
After the mass begin and impartial rollout resulting in a number of miles of quick pavement, riders hit the filth, and the lead group rapidly established and started pulling away from the plenty. My traditional “I’ll see how I really feel, however this could be extra of a experience than a race” angle lasted about 5 minutes, and I used to be respiratory by my eyeballs for the remainder of the day. I managed to maintain the lead group in sight for the primary 20-ish miles, however in my typical vogue, ended up strung out in no-man’s land.
I settled in with just a few totally different riders over the following 75 miles, catching up with and buying and selling pulls with former rivals and native legends whom I just about solely see at races. I want I might let you know what went down on the entrance of the race, however I positively wasn’t there to witness it. I limped it over the road in thirteenth general, and a decent 2nd within the 40-49 age group. After not racing final season, it felt good to be again and to recollect the masochistic pleasure of pushing my bodily limits for five+ hours.
Again on the end line and expo, I realized that Nor-Cal phenom Alex Wild clinched his third consecutive Truckee Gravel win in decisive vogue. Wild was joined a couple of minutes later by his CycleSport.com teammate Matthew Saldana, adopted by Truckee native Stephen Flynn, former World Tour racer Levi Lepheimer, and Eric Colindres, rounding out the highest 5 general.
Within the girls’s race, skilled racer Jen Tavé repeated her 2024 Truckee Gravel victory with a 24-minute hole to 2nd place. Tavé’s blistering tempo and 6:03:31 end time put her 18th within the general standings. She was adopted by 2x Leadville 100 champ Larissa Connors in 2nd, Eve Nyrhinen in third, Gillian Wagner in 4th, and Megan Brinkmeyer, rounding out the highest 5.
The medium course additionally noticed some aggressive racing. Within the girls’s race, it was none apart from the legendary Katerina Nash taking the win in her hometown of Truckee. Nash was adopted by Truckee native Samantha Shields and Kyndra Riddle in third. Within the males’s race, 15-year-old Nicholas Russell confirmed he’s acquired a future in gravel racing with a powerful victory on the 66-mile course. Russell was adopted by Marek Muller and Todd Harris, each 30+ years his senior.
This Man Races Gravel?
Given that almost all of my gear testing and opinions on BikeRumor are mountain bike and eMTB associated, it could come as a shock to some readers that I’ve additionally been using gravel fairly severely since 2017. I began type of on a whim, signing up for Misplaced and Discovered (L+F) as a result of it was a part of a three-race collection referred to as the Misplaced Sierra Triple Crown. The 100-mile L+F course was my very first style of gravel racing, and an actual dive into the deep finish for a first-timer.
Seems, gravel using and racing suited me nicely and performed to my obvious strengths as a bicycle owner. I suppose I by no means realized it prior, however I realized that I actually benefit from the struggling related to endurance racing. I acquired hooked fairly rapidly, lining up for L+F once more in 2018, and for the Sagan Dust Fondo (the first version of what would change into Truckee Gravel) in my then-hometown just a few weeks later.
Past the love of struggling and pushing my limits, I actually appreciated that I used to be truly aggressive and capable of constantly battle for podiums in my age group. Heck, I caught the gravel racing bug so exhausting that in 2019, I began racing “professional” to see how I stacked up. In fact, I’m not a professional-level racer, and I by no means actually was, however I had enjoyable giving it a go anyway.
And whereas I actually get pleasure from racing, I usually simply enter a few close by gravel races a yr — Misplaced and Discovered and Truckee Gravel — along with another occasions just like the Downieville Basic, and no matter else catches my eye and suits into my schedule. However all through my racing journey, I can’t deny the affect my native race has had on my trajectory as a racer.
My Race Rig
I’m at present in between gravel bikes, and the one drop bar bike I at present personal runs a 12-speed Pinion gearbox drivetrain. Whereas it is extremely low-maintenance, it’s not precisely a high-performance race bike. So, I used to be extraordinarily fortunate to get my palms on a Specialised Diverge 4 Professional LTD. That is the top-tier construct within the Diverge lineup, and, for my part, the best bike for many riders — the Diverge, that’s, not essentially the high-end Professional LTD construct.
Certain, race bikes like the brand new Crux 5 are cool and all, however for those who’re not racing on a regular basis, I imagine bikes just like the Diverge are a significantly better match for many riders. That is the type of bike you possibly can tackle in a single day bikepacking excursions, mellow singletrack, combined floor adventures, and nonetheless toe the road at a few gravel occasions a yr. It’s nonetheless loads gentle for racing, sporty sufficient to combine it up on the high of the outcomes sheet, but it surely’s not so racy that it’s uncomfortable. I’ll select consolation over aerodynamics any day.
At 6’0” with disproportionately lengthy legs, I went with a 56 cm body particularly for the shorter attain, understanding that might stability out barely with the decrease stack top. I ran it in its inventory configuration, which leaves virtually nothing to complain about, aside from possibly the shift paddles on the Shimano Di2 shifters. In any other case, this construct is about as trick as they arrive, weighing in at 19 kilos even, together with two bottle cages and a set of Wolf Tooth DEL gravel race pedals.
I’ll have loads extra to say in regards to the Diverge 4 Professional LTD, the excellent Terra CLX III wheels, and why most individuals don’t want a gravel race bike (until you’re a devoted gravel racer) within the not-too-distant future. For now, I can actually say that is one of the best gravel bike I’ve ridden to this point. It’s good for a rider like me who desires one bike to do all of it, together with the occasional gravel race.
Rubbing Elbows with the Execs
Clearly, racing on my dwelling turf and acquainted roads is at all times a deal with. However racing Truckee Gravel has additionally allowed me to rub elbows with among the largest names within the sport. In actual fact, the primary iteration of the race in 2018 was the Sagan Dust Fondo, headlined by none apart from multi-time Highway World Champion, Peter Sagan. Different notable riders that yr included Katerina Nash and Geoff Kabush, two riders who’re no strangers to the Northern California race scene.
Sagan didn’t return in 2019, and Bike Monkey renamed the occasion the Truckee Dust Fondo. Together with hometown hero Katerina Nash, that yr’s Unbound 200 (DK200 at the moment) girls’s champ, Amity Rockwell, additionally joined in on the enjoyable and the rostrum. This additionally occurred to be my one and solely yr racing “professional,” and by some means I managed to complete 2nd behind former professional roadie and Nor-Cal legend Jonathan Baker, and a few minutes forward of an up-and-coming Brennan Wertz. Wertz finally turned the US Gravel Nationwide Champion in 2024, together with loads of different spectacular performances earlier than and since.
After a two-year Covid hiatus, gravel racing returned to Truckee in 2022, and the occasion was renamed Truckee Tahoe Gravel. Within the years since, Truckee Gravel has actually come into its personal. Bike Monkey has performed and continues to do an exquisite job organizing and selling the occasion. And when racing schedules enable, it typically attracts a few of gravel’s largest names in between among the marquee occasions.
In actual fact, among the world’s quickest gravel racers have proven as much as throw down at our native race, together with Haley Smith, Matt Beers, Peter Stetina, John Borstelman, Tobin Ortenblad, and Lachlan Morton. Enjoyable truth, in 2024, I beat Lachlan Morton in a race — however solely as a result of he flatted, twice, haha… Regardless, it has been superior to look at the occasion mature through the years and line up alongside legends, even when which means I’ll by no means have a shot at an general podium once more.
Lengthy Stay Native Races
In fact, the higher Northern California and western Nevada area is a hotbed for biking expertise, and Truckee Gravel’s skill to attract among the sport’s finest athletes is considerably distinctive. And even when Lifetime Grand Prix athletes aren’t dropping in in your native race, these occasions are vital for therefore many extra causes.
If, like me, you’re the aggressive sort, native races are the place you possibly can lastly put a face to these names you see on Strava and possibly even see the way you examine in actual life, not simply the digital world. It’s the place native legend standing is earned on a outcomes sheet, not an app. Whether or not you’re racing for a podium or simply in opposition to your self, it’s tremendous motivating to be on the clock. And it’s a chance to fulfill riders who reside close by who share comparable pursuits, health ranges, and abilities on the bike. Usually, your closest rival might change into your finest coaching companion or using buddy.
For a lot of younger riders, the native is their first bike race or style of competitors, planting a seed that would doubtlessly develop right into a future as a motorcycle racer. For established juniors, native races are the place they hone their abilities, climb up by the ranks, and duke it out with their friends — or see how they stack up in opposition to the adults. Watching the rostrum shows two weekends in the past, I used to be very impressed by the variety of younger riders and the extent of their using. Not solely are they already quick, however the degree of youth participation additionally factors to a vivid future for the game and biking typically.
And let’s not neglect in regards to the adults popping out for his or her first race and dipping their toes into the aggressive biking pool. Regardless of your expertise degree, racing can present the motivation to experience extra, enhance health, and preserve a wholesome way of life. And in any respect ages, too. My buddy’s 73-year-old dad got here out and crushed the medium course for the third yr in a row (shoutout to Massive Fred!).
However for many individuals, coming into a race or taking part in a biking occasion isn’t about competitors in any respect. Native races are an excellent alternative for riders to get out and push their limits, set a brand new private finest, or simply go for a giant, stunning bike experience — with help stations and mechanical and medical assist, simply in case. And whether or not you’re racing or simply there for time, races deliver the biking neighborhood collectively over a shared love of bikes.
In fact, Truckee Gravel is one in every of my native races, but it surely’s simply one of many many lots of, if not hundreds, of native races occurring throughout the nation and across the globe. Every one a chance for riders to compete (or not), take a look at their limits, discover new trails or roads, meet new folks, broaden horizons, and convey the neighborhood collectively to have a good time the straightforward pleasure of using bikes.
Lengthy Stay Native Races. Massive due to Bike Monkey for placing on an excellent occasion — and quite a few different occasions every year. I’m already trying ahead to 2027.
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