Dirty Jutland is one of the oldest Scandinavian gravel events. Since 2018, Uggi and his team have invited riders to ride along the windy west coast of Denmark. 900 riders signed up for this year’s event. Many riders participate in the 130 km “One Thirty” course, some brave souls tackle the entire 460 km XL from the German border. I will share my story from riding the original 223 km Grinder from Klitmøller to Skagen.
While going south of Norway, I expected a warmer climate but it’s quite cold here. The northern breeze is chilling us to the bone. Only 11 riders remain in the front group. Out of the 400 riders starting the Gravel Grinder signed up for the event, we have narrowed down the group to the last few. However, we still have 150k to go.
On Friday morning, I took the ferry from Larvik to Hirtshals with Andreas and Anders, two riders I coach in 101percent Training. Today, Andreas had a strong start to the race but lost the front group with a puncture. Anders should be another few minutes behind him.
CHECK OUT: My race calendar 2024
The group is dominated by nine Danish riders, five from Willing Able. They are pushing a strong pace, as we have been having the whole day. But one fellow countryman is here, Vebjørn Rønning. We rode as teammates in the World Championship last fall. He also raced DNF GRVL two weeks ago in the snow. Now we are here in the cold Danish spring. I felt strong in the beginning, but it’s harder now. The tailwind helps with the pace but not with the drafting. There’s no place to hide.
The route has led us along the beach, on forest roads, country roads, through towns, and mostly on gravel. It’s beautiful and fun. It’s pancake flat. The many twists and turns, but the sharp flints are the biggest challenges.
BAM!
A rider in the group hits something and loses control of his bike. He’s down, and with the high speed, it’s almost impossible for the riders behind to avoid hitting him. It’s a domino effect, and I have first-row access. It’s too late to break. I’m in the middle of the gravel road, and a bike is flying towards me. Another rider on my right crashes into the ditch, and in a quick reaction, I manage to find a tiny gap, dodging the bike and the riders to my right. I’m through! Five riders are down. Vebjørn is one of them. None are seriously injured, and the fallen riders tell us to keep going, so we do. It’s a survival of the fittest. 7 riders left in the front.
We are passing midway, and soon, we catch the riders from the 130k route. This event is inclusive, and you’ll find riders from all levels. The many, some less experienced, riders create traffic jams in the narrow sections. I am doing my best to keep up with the riders, but I have to chase and maneuver gently (and sometimes not so gently) between riders. It’s a chaos.
I hit a rock, and it feels like my front tire is out of air. Panic sets in. Could it be a puncture? As we turn onto an asphalt road, I slow down to check, and to my relief, it’s not. But as I check my tire, a gap opens, and the leading riders pull away. I am getting dropped. I take a deep breath and summon all my strength to make a final attempt to catch up. I sprint with all my might and start counting down the seconds. 50 seconds…49 seconds…48…47. My legs feel heavy and full of lactate, and I can barely push the power. My heart is pounding, but I refuse to give up. I keep pushing, and finally, I start closing down the gap. The wind is howling in my ears as I continue to sprint. I can see the leading riders getting closer and closer. I give one final push.
Finally, I make it as we hit the gravel. Surprisingly, two fellow Norwegian riders from Sandnes are catching up. One of the riders had an early puncture, and they both stopped to fix it. They must have been chasing for hours, but they made it—impressive.
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You don’t get much draft in tailwind on a gravel road. I am still in pain after my last effort. We are heading towards the sea. I had heard about this section, and now we are finally here. We are riding on a 10km stretch of hard-packed beach. It’s an amazing road! The sand is so hard you can ride your road bike. Some cars also drive on it, but you need to be careful because there are occasional patches of loose sand where your front wheel can get stuck, and you may lose control. We also cross rivers and water pits on the beach as we maintain a high pace.
But I am in pain. I am losing the wheel in front of me. The gap is opening up again—5 meters, then 10, so 15. I don’t have another acceleration in my legs to get back up. I have to realize that I will not see the first eight riders again before the finish.
Kristoffer from Sandnes also drops, and we team up. We don’t talk much, but we have a common understanding. We are both exhausted, but we are determined to reach the finish line. Eventually, riders from the 130k group start to pass us. I try to keep up, but I am completely exhausted right now. I haven’t felt this depleted in a long time. My heart rate is high, and I think my body is a little unwell, but I have no choice – I must reach the finish line. There’s no one to pick me up, and my bags are already in Skagen. I have to keep going, and if I can just keep up with some of these riders, it will be over much quicker than if I ride alone.
Three strong masters pass me. They have a good pace but are not trying to drop one another. It’s a perfect trio to follow. The train is moving, and we are getting closer to the end, kilometer by kilometer. Now we catch Kristoffer, too.
The last hours are long. I try to focus on the tasks ahead, my biggest being following the trio. I also make sure I drink and keep eating. I am about to empty my bottles, and the hydration pack has been empty for a while already. I would have stopped at the feed zones, but I didn’t risk getting dropped by the group.
I count down each of the last 20 km. It’s a test of patience, but we are closing in on the final kilometer. Five kilometers to go. We turn into a narrow cycle path crossing some scenic nature. It’s beautiful, but I am not able to enjoy it. Instead, I am getting dropped by the group. They are disappearing, but I don’t mind anymore. I know I am going to make it to the finish in Skagen.
We are in the Northernmost town in Denmark. And there it is—the finisher banner! I cross the line, tired yet satisfied. Despite my weak last hours, I hold on to 10th place in the Grinder!
I love the atmosphere in the finish area after an epic gravel ride. The riders are all exhausted but happy. The organizer serves burgers, chips, beers, cokes, and coffee. Food has never tasted better! Andreas and Anders are joining my table and sharing their stories from the day. We all agree it has been a ride to remember. This was epic! Thank you, Dirty Jutland. We will be back!
READ ALSO: Unbound Gravel 200 – 2023
For my third consecutive year I lined up for the UCI Gravel World Championship for Men Elite. After two editions in Veneto in Italy, it was not hosted in Belgium. As we all know, Belgium is a cycling country and not surprisingly it was definitely one of the biggest and most memorable races I ever did. This is my story from Gravel World Championship 2024.
– Beeeep.
The commissaire blows the whistle for the start. I’m still standing still. I want to get going, but I am in the very back of 294 riders in Men Elite. I know it will be a fast start. In the first line, you’ll find riders like Mathieu van der Poel, Matej Mohoric, and Jasper Stuyven, alongside almost all of the best cyclocross riders. They know how to sprint out of the gate from Halle.
Finally, I see the riders in front of me starting to move. Soon, I can also clip in a start my sprint. The race is 182 km long. Despite the long race, we are sprinting as we were in the final kilometer. Everyone wants to be in the front on the narrow course. We will be racing from Halle in Flanders, 90 km towards northeast to Leuven before two laps of 45k around the town.
I’m not stressing too much; I’m just following the wheel in front of me. After just a kilometer, we hit a 180-degree turn, and I know it will be a full stop.
There it is, but something is happening. Riders are dismounting and taking shortcuts by running up the little hill to gain positions. I don’t need to be asked twice and join the runners. Back on the saddle, I think I gained 50 positions, but I’m still way behind the leading riders. As soon as we hit the gravel roads, the action begins.
People are puncturing, crashing, and stressing to overtake others. It’s as expected. Before the race, I told people I wouldn’t go too crazy at the start but rather accept the fact that I probably wouldn’t be able to make it to the front from my starting position and would instead race my own race. Most riders seem to hope they can get to the front, as they should.
I rarely find myself as conservative as I was before the race. Getting a good result could be a career breakthrough, helping me to find big sponsors and become a professional rider. However, this time I am racing with a sense of gratitude. I had a setback when I punctured in the qualifier event in Halmstad in August and couldn’t finish the race in Wales because I was sick, possibly with COVID. In the past few weeks, I have been feeling fatigued and not fully prepared for the race.
Despite this, when I received a wildcard from the Norwegian federation to race, I couldn’t turn down the opportunity. Upon arriving in Belgium, I realized that I wasn’t on the startlist due to an issue with some paperwork. I started to doubt if I would even get a race number. Finally, I did, but getting my mind race-ready for such a challenging race was not going perfectly.
I have been racing for 15 years, and I know that when the race starts, no matter how I feel, I get excited and will try to race hard. This is exactly what’s about to happen today too. On the tractor double tracks, I am overtaking riders, hitting the ditch, and as soon as we get on a road, I make sure I’m moving up, position by position.
– Don’t get too excited, Jonas. Ride smart and overtake one by one, I tell myself as I see the front of the big group a few hundred meters down the road.
– Stay with this group! I motivate myself.
I knew the strap would eventually break, and the peloton was already shattered into pieces before we hit the forest roads from Halle heading north towards Leuven. I surprised myself by realizing that my legs were not that bad today. After feeling terrible last week, they woke up just in time. I am in a fast-moving group and I am contributing to keeping up the speed. It seems like there are riders everywhere. Sometimes, we catch a small group; other times, somebody rides away. I follow a Frenchman, a Brit, a Pole, and a few Belgians as we fly through the Brabant forests.
The course is challenging as it winds left and right, up and down, on tarmac, gravel, mud, cobbles, and everything in between. It follows bike paths and farm roads and goes through villages to connect the trails. Thankfully, it’s dry. It’s a nice, reasonably warm day, with temperatures around 15-16 degrees and sunny. You can’t ask for more in October.
– Attentie!
One of the road marshals yells in Flemish and waves his hand at us. Around a tight and blind corner, an Austrian cyclist just hits a pole and lies on the ground in pain, with a person comforting him. We are not stopping, he’s taken care of, but it’s a good reminder of being cautious at all times. It’s definitely a different gravel course than what I am used to from the US. It’s almost like an 182 km cyclocross race.
We’re approaching Huldenberg where the first feed zone is located. My friend Lawrie, who is both Scottish and Belgian, is hosting me for the race and is also helping out at the event. I’m very grateful for his assistance. This morning, we practiced handing over bottles, and now it’s time to put our practice into action.
Lawrie has dressed in my Trailblazer jersey to make him easy to spot. He holds his hand straight out with the bottle firmly in his hand. I ride about 40 km/h and realize it will be quite difficult to catch the bottle. I calculate where to catch the bottle, and without being able to calibrate, I go for it.
– Perfect! I think to myself as I catch the bottle with a tight grip.
I have to smile. Even better than during practice, and Lawrie’s worries should be all gone now. He was just like a pro soigneur. I put the bottle into my bottle cage and keep riding on.
– Bam, bam, bam.
The sound of spectators hitting the barriers along the finishing straights gives me goosebumps. There must be thousands of people here, not to mention everyone along the course. At every single cross, there are at least 10 people, and in the hills, there are hundreds. I imagine I am in a Belgium Classic race, just like it feels. This must be like Ronde van Vlaanderen.
– Twee ronden, two laps, the speaker is announcing.
It seems like we’re in the final, but since each lap is 45 km, we still have a ways to go.
We travel through the train station and into the forest loop south of Leuven.
I am trying to keep up with a British rider and a cyclist from the Netherlands. We are going at a high speed, but then a group catches up to us from behind. This group consists of the fastest riders from different age categories and elite riders, mostly from Belgium. The larger the group becomes, the more challenging it is to keep up at the back. In every corner, the group stretches out, and if you are at the back, you have to sprint out of the corner to stay with the group.
The course follows a double track across the fields, where the ideal line is on a 30 cm wide trail in the middle of the wheel tracks. A small mistake could easily lead to a fall. I can see more than just the rider in front of me. I hope he doesn’t make any mistakes, and I follow his wheels without being able to see what’s ahead.
– Ooooohhh yeeeah!
A kindergarten class lined up along the cobblestone road, creating a wave to cheer us on. There were thousands of spectators. At the top of the toughest gravel hill, I saw two Norwegians cheering and waving the Norwegian flag for me. What a motivation boost!
The kilometers are passing quickly, and with the continuous variation of roads and turns, you won’t have time to think about anything more than the next corner.
– Come on! I scream to myself.
I sprint up the last cobble climb on the way into Leuven for the final time. The last lap has been pretty tough, and I am glad we are closing in on the finish. We have been passing strong riders with mechanical issues or just hitting the wall, so I am glad I can still keep a good pace in the last few kilometers. I go all out and get a gap on the other riders. It’s not important to beat them, as we are far back on the result sheet, but there’s no reason to save the legs, and the atmosphere from the spectators is encouraging.
I see the finish line. I’m almost there. I look back and notice a Swedish rider and two others are still a little behind but coming quickly. I try to maintain the gap, but I can’t. I have to accept that I am not in my best shape today, but I still manage to find a little smile when passing the line. I made it!
152nd place, they announce. More importantly, I finish another Gravel World Championship. What a day!
The World Championship is always special, especially when the UCI organizes it in Belgium. It’s a well-organized event and a thrilling race with a large number of riders. Some may argue that there are too many riders, as starting position plays a crucial role and most of the fastest riders had high seeding at the start. The winner was Mathieu van der Poel, with many top cyclocross and road pros following closely behind. I’m not complaining about my start position – I’m just happy to have been a part of this and to have competed in my third Gravel World Championship.
Will I be racing in Nice in 2025? Only time will tell, but this race has inspired me to go for next year’s as well!
It’s a beautiful day outside. Shakira’s “El Jefe” is jamming on the speakers. The speaker is counting down, and you can feel the excitement building up in the 99 elite male riders. It’s like the calm before the storm, and you can sense the tension in the air. It’s a moment that’s both nerve-wracking and thrilling, and you know that something big is about to go down.
The first stage of X Santa Vall and the Gravel Earth Series is starting. I am accelerating and pushing over 1000 watts to get to the front as everyone wants to be in the front before the road narrows for the climb. Stage 1 is considered more of a prologue, and it’s where we put all the hard work done back in Norway to the test. We have focused on building our engine, and here we push it to its limit. It’s a 6 km hill climb with a mass start.
I can see some well-known riders, including Peter Vakoc, Daniel Oss, Chad Haga, Jasper Ockeloen, Mattia de Marchi, and Ivar Silk, among others, ahead of me. The women’s group had already started climbing as they began earlier than the men. The event has attracted many renowned gravel riders along with a large number of high-level amateurs. The race is being held for three days in St. Gregori, outside Girona in Spain. More than 400 riders are here.
I quickly realize that I am not in my best shape for racing. I have to let the first group of riders go ahead of me. Soon after, more riders pass me as well. My legs are not functioning well and are completely blocked by lactate. It’s painful!
Andreas Ohldieck is passing me too. We traveled here together and stayed in an apartment in the center of the cycling capital – Girona.
I crawl towards the summit, with fans cheering me on. Despite their encouragement, I can’t go any faster. Finally, I spot the finish line. I made it!
Now it’s time for the following pizza party at the event arena!
Yesterday’s stage 1 was quite challenging for me. I knew that my preparation was far from ideal, as I had taken a two-week honeymoon break with my wife Hanna and had not been riding during that period. Although it was a planned break and I don’t regret it, the Santa Vall race came a little too early for me. This year, my training has mostly consisted of Zwift, gym work, and skiing. It’s been snowy and cold, and it’s hard to ride outside. However, since this is not an A race for me, it’s all fine. Yesterday was a bit of a shock to my body. This race was a great way to open up my legs and body for the upcoming months leading to the main events.
Andreas is pushing the pace, trying to move us up to the front. Stage two is slightly different from a typical race, as we had two timed segments of around 25 km. We were starting in group 2, and the pace is fast. Even before the timed segment. As I expected, many strong riders are aiming to catch the first group which includes the top 50 male riders from yesterday’s stage. They were starting 5 min before us.
The weather is perfect for riding today. It’s getting warmer. The temperature is close to 20ºC and there’s no wind. I unzip and take off my vest. Once we hit the start of the segment, the speed picks up. Soon enough, we are on a single track and the group is stretched out. Currently, I am in 15th position just behind Andreas. However, gaps are opening and too many riders blocking the track make it impossible to catch up with the first. Honesty, I have more than enough with keeping this pace.
The first five riders from our group slip away. I am about to lose contact with Andreas and the riders around me. The gap grows, from three meters, to five, to ten, to twenty.
– Come on, Jonas, get yourself together.
I gear up, get out of the saddle and make a last effort to stay on, I convince myself to do a 30-sec max effort as a last attempt. The gap is decreasing! I am in pain but I manage to get back in the draft. Thank, God.
We are catching a big group. I did manage to stay with Andreas and the rider through the first segment. We are now in the middle of the two segments. I see a huge group of riders ahead of us. It’s the first group consisting of the top 50 riders, including the elite women riders. I think the organizers are dividing us to prevent having too many riders together at the same time for the segments. Now we are 100 riders together.
The second segment is starting. This part is more technical; we are now lining up on a single track in a forest. The course is fun, but I feel the lactate building up again as the speed increases. This is going to be painful once more!
The segment is 30k and all the way to the finish. The group is split into pieces, and eventually, I find myself together with the German Marius Karteusch, 2nd place from the Unbound XL 2022.
We stick together until the end, greeted by a rider-only area filled with refreshments. It’s a great opportunity to catch up with other cyclists. Being part of Santa Vall is more about the community than the actual race.
– Why am I here?
As I struggled up the longest gravel climb of the day on stage three, the question kept popping up in my mind. Stage three is halfway, and it’s brutal.
It started straight into a 12k undulating climb. Close to the top, the splits started to open up, and I had to let the first 50 riders go. Today, my legs are both tired and stiff. The lactate is building up today, too, making every pedal stroke painful.
The course is 115 km long and really beautiful. There is almost no traffic. A few crashes are mostly caused by overly excited riders taking too many risks. You have to pay attention to the course, but there are not many other obstacles than some rocks and not many punctures.
Finally, I find a group of riders I can follow. The course is flattering out, and getting some drafts is now easier. We are five people sharing the workload against the wind. I feel okay as long as I can ride at my own steady pace. It’s fast enough to be able to contribute to the group. We are far behind the fastest riders, but I am glad I can finally get some momentum here on the gravel.
There is the last feed stop. I’m stopping. The other riders aren’t. I refill one bottle and grab a couple of gels and a handful of candy before I’m back on the horse. But I am once again by myself.
Riding alone while tired feels like standing still. I know I am not very fast, but I can’t go any faster.
As I ride, a group catches up with me. The group is led by Halfstein, a real gravel Viking from Iceland. I accelerate and manage to join them. I am surprised that all these riders are so far behind. As we ride, the kilometers tick away quickly. I soon realize that we are on the last stretch, going in the opposite direction from yesterday’s start. It feels like I can smell the paella they serve at the finish line. I decide to push the pace for the group during the last two kilometers. I don’t feel the pain anymore. Maybe it’s just a mental boost, but knowing the finish line is near gives me a much-needed burst of energy.
There – I cross the finish line.
—
At the Gravel Earth Series, the community and the overall experience are more important than the results. We are spending a lot of time here, enjoying cold drinks, hot coffee, rice, and pasta. Santa Vall is a very welcoming and inclusive event, and it’s easy to strike up conversations with other riders.
As anticipated, my form was not yet ready for the race, but I am not concerned. This past weekend was an excellent training opportunity and a welcome return to the gravel community, and it has provided me with the motivation to work hard to regain my best shape.
Gracias, Girona, and X Santa Vall. I look forward to being back!
Racing is often associated with a narrow focus on competitors, results, and numbers. On the other hand, gravel riding is about broadening your perspective, enjoying the adventure of biking, and appreciating nature and camaraderie. The Nordic Gravel Series Bergslagen is a perfect example of a gravel event that captures the true spirit of gravel riding while still allowing riders to experience the adrenaline and excitement of fast riding.
Over the weekend, I took part in the third Nordic Gravel Series event of the season, which is also a part of the Gravel Earth Series. Now, let’s dive into my 174k experience from Nora, Sweden.
READ FIRST: Nordic Gravel Series Bergslagen 2023
– Wow, I just made it, I think proudly to myself.
It seemed like the final selection was about to happen. We started in Nora at 10 AM, and after the first 4 km of the neutralized start, we moved onto narrow forest roads where the speed increased. I knew it would be easy to get caught behind, so I tried to stay near the front.
A natural selection happened in the early 500-meter powerline climb, followed by 1.5 kilometers of a forest road with a stone surface. It was definitely hard to keep the momentum. Then, we were down to 30 riders, and honestly, I thought that would set the premise for the next 40 kilometers.
While riding along a beautiful lake, we encountered hardpacked gravel that made it easy to coast in the group. I was at the back, recovering, when suddenly there were more attacks. Seeing Michael Ohlsson, my former teammate from People4you-Unaas in 2013, getting away, I knew I had to bridge the gap. It was now or never, so I sprinted to catch up to the 10 riders ahead. It was a big push, but I made it!
We are flying, with a little tailwind. The speed is high, and the roads are now smooth and fun to ride. The 12-man group is riding as a chain, ensuring everyone contributes and keeps up the speed.
After yesterday’s rainfall, some of the roads have standing water and my legs are getting dirty from the splashing. My left leg still has wounds from the crash in Halmstad. It’s healing, but I pray for no infection. There should be little chance of toxins out here. We are barely seeing anyone, just a few farms and a couple of lodgers in the woods. A few people are hiking. It’s a great day to be out, the sun is shining, and the temperature is close to 20ºC. Perfect for riding.
– This is where the climb starts, Ole Bjørn tells me.
My fellow Norwegian riders know the course and give me a heads-up on what’s ahead. The organizer has been talking about some solid inclines on the northern parts of the course, and we are approaching them.
The climb is like a stairway. Some sections have gradients up to 10%, while other parts flatten out. I stay at the front of the group. When I look down at the head unit, I see 400 watts, and in the steeper parts, we are closer to 500 watts. We are definitely going fast, but I feel strong, and make it over the top as the second rider. It’s an awesome feeling.
The climb follows a fast downhill with some bumpy and partly muddy sections. It’s a little sketchy, and one of the riders is starting to pull ahead. At the bottom, we make a hard left turn and encounter a steep climb towards the feed station. I wasn’t aware that this climb would be so challenging, but I push hard to keep up with the stronger riders.
My wife, Hanna, is at the top, handing out a bottle to me. The front group is stretched out as we go over the top. Soon, another climb is coming, and this one takes me by an even bigger surprise. I can’t keep up with the first riders. Luckily, another rider is also having trouble, and I manage to hold onto his wheel. He’s a powerful rider, and in the next downhill, we are again making it up to the leaders.
The whole section has definitely taken its toll on me, and I need to use the next loop until we hit the same climbs again to recover. There are 9 riders left in the front group.
REAL ALSO: 100-mile in the break in Unbound
The front group has been working cohesively, and nobody has tried to stir things up for the last 40 kilometers. We are soon approaching the climbs again. I feel that I have recovered well, and I am ready to give it a go to follow the leaders once again.
As we hit the first ramps, it’s clear that this climb will be a key moment of the race. I take Michael Ohlsson’s wheel and try to find the rhythm. The first ramps are tough, but I make it.
Then, the attacks begin. I try to accelerate to keep up, but suddenly, my legs are overwhelmed with lactate, and I can’t maintain the power. I have no choice but to let go of the riders.
– Come on, Jonas, find the flow and try to make it back up to them! I tell myself.
The headwind is really tough. We’re in the final 10 kilometers, and I’ve been battling against the wind for the last 30 kilometers after falling behind the leaders. I caught up with a rider from the 110-route, and we’ve been taking turns leading. However, our speed and power have decreased. But I still in 9th place in the 174k race.
As I was riding, suddenly two riders came up fast from behind. I picked up my speed and stayed behind them. They were going much faster, so I didn’t take the lead at all. My plan was to hang on and try to out-sprint at least one of them at the end, so I could secure a top 10 position.
We are on a bouncy and tricky double track. I can’t see much more than the rider in front of me. I pray nobody makes any mistakes. I’m grateful to have a race without any mechanical issues, as it’s been pretty rough gravel for lots of the course. My Challenge tires are holding up well.
The guys accelerate on the single tracks, and I realize I can’t keep up. I’m not completely exhausted, but my energy reserves are depleted, and I can’t handle any more lactic acid buildup. I give up and roll through the last kilometer to finish 11th.
Hanna is meeting me with a Coke, and it’s hard not to smile. It’s been a fun race. I had a great ride until the second time up the big climbs. The last 40 km have been harder, but all the suffering is forgotten when making the finish line.
Ole Bjørn is here. He finishes in a strong 6th place. It’s really impressive after his recent win in Mother North, where he covered 1100 km in 58 hours. I didn’t have such a hard preparation, but I assume my body battery wasn’t at 100% after UCI Halmstad and the crash. At least I had the energy for the first part of the race.
I thoroughly enjoyed the Nordic Gravel Series Bergslagen. The surroundings in Nora are stunning, and the gravel trails are fast, fun, and nearly traffic-free. If you’re a rider based in Scandinavia, this event is a must for your 2025 calendar. Even if you’re not from the Nordic region, you’ll still have a great time at this event.
Thank you Nordic Gravel Series for a great event. See you next year!
The Rift in Iceland is known as one of the most epic gravel races in the world. Covering 206 km of volcanic landscape on the continental rift between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates, Iceland’s harsh, cold, windy, and rough conditions make it one of the toughest major gravel events. This was my second attempt at The Rift. In 2022, I finished with four punctures, so this time I was hoping for better luck. Let’s dive into my experience from The Rift.
This is tough. I’m struggling, but we’re only 30 kilometers into the race. Ahead of me, a massive volcano is emerging. It’s Hekla, one of the most active volcanoes in Iceland. As early as the 1100s, Hekla was referred to as the gateway to hell. A poem by the monk Benedeit from the year 1120, about the voyages of Saint Brendan, mentions Hekla as the prison of Judas.
I am not in prison. Riding here feels like pure freedom. Apart from the other riders around me, we are out in a rural area with a landscape that resembles the moon. If it weren’t for the rough gravel road, it seems like nobody would have been here before. It’s surreal.
What’s not surreal is the pain in my legs. Right from the start, I knew I didn’t have good legs. We had a 7 km neutral start before hitting a tough gravel climb that split the main group. I managed to stay with the first 30 riders, maneuvering through rivers and avoiding sharp lava rocks. Now it is time to settle in with this front group. But every time we hit an incline, I have to push more than 450 watts to hang on, and today, that is too much.
I’m not the only one having trouble. Soon, the front groups are divided into smaller fractions. Eight riders are pulling away, while desperate riders try to catch up. I settle in with riders like Vidar Mehl and Andreas Ohldieck. I need to find a pace I can handle, after all, we are just getting started.
– We need to enjoy this! Piotr Havik yell out to me.
He is right. This is amazing. It looks like we are on another planet. We are at the highest point of the course, close to 1000 meters above sea level. The mountain is colored in black. There are no signs of life, not even a flower.
My legs are alive, finally. I had to find my own rhythm, and eventually, I got in a coalition with Piotr Havik and a Belgian rider. Vidar managed to hold on but punctured. We have been catching some riders, and I am happy about finally getting in the flow. We are catching Marius Karteusch.
The roads twist in the hilly terrain, with steep climbs and fast downhills. The loose surface is challenging, but my Challenge Getaway XP 45 tires are holding up well.
We are passing the 80k mark and will soon be out of the lava fields, but first, we have a couple more steep climbs. I dismount and start running up one of the steepest climbs, as it’s unrideable. My group mates are also climbing the hill on foot. From the top, we dive down another 500m downhill before facing another climb, this time at 20% or maybe even 25% gradient. I attempt to ride the whole climb, pushing myself to keep going.
– Come on, Jonas, push! I tell myself.
I make it up the climb, breathing heavily.
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We are finally outside the lava fields. I’m glad to be past the bumpy kickers, but now we’re on a gravel road that’s full of bouncy washboards. The four of us are working together, keeping a steady pace. The wind is picking up, but the weather is great.
We are doing a loop in the Landmannalaugar valley, before going down and starting on the return towards the finish in Hvolsvöllur, where we also started.
We are close to the midway sock change station. With all the river crossings, I assume many like dry feet for the remaining parts of the ride, but I’m not cold.
When we started at 7:30 AM, it was about 13°C. It got colder at higher altitudes, but now in the valley, it’s a comfortable 15°C and rising.
There is one more river crossing to go before the sock station. I let the other go first. Crossing the rivers might be a fun experience, but you never know what’s under the water. That’s why I prefer to follow others’ wheel tracks, rather than being the first one to cross
– Bam!
Marius hits a rock in front of me and flies over the handlebars, laying dead still. He’s breathing, but not moving. The three of us stop and run to him to see how he’s doing. I call the support crew at the check station.
Finally, Marius replies: – Cramps!
I have to laugh and realize the impact wasn’t that bad. Marius gets on his bike and we ride the last 50m to the sock station where he takes a breather while the rest of us keep going.
(Afterwards, I heard from Marius he actually bruised his ribs and got a concussion, as well as he broke his front wheel. That was the end of his race. Luckily, we were close to the aid station).
– Just bottles, a flow flask, and rice cakes, I told my wife Hanna at the aid station at 122k. It was great to see her, but I didn’t have time to talk. It was important to stay with Piotr Havik, who seemed to get stronger with every minute we kept riding.
We left the aid station at the same time, but I didn’t manage to stay with him through the next chunky kilometer with lots of sharp rocks. I didn’t want to get a flat tire, so I played it safe. But now I lost sight of him as I couldn’t keep up.
I’m now all by myself, fighting the wind on a never-ending asphalt road. My lower back hurts, so I have to ride standing to get some variation. It’s still about 70 kilometers to the finish, and it has been an insanely tough 130 kilometers.
After the sock station earlier, we found ourselves on a gravel road with a terrible surface. The washboards were really bad all across the road. It was almost unrideable, but we had to push through the challenging conditions. I think that effort is catching up with me now.
I am on my Felt Breed Carbon with Rocx Shox Rudy suspension fork, which was helping me level out the bumps. But my upper body is tired, and my back is painful. I assume I am in the top 20, so I just have to try to push on. The faster I can get done, the better.
I know the last 25 kilometers of the course. I am now back on the volcanic trails, following the same route we took this morning, but in the opposite direction. We went in this direction on the shake out ride yesterday, and it feels great to know I’m close to completing this challenge.
I’m currently flying past riders on the 100k course. I can see Halfstein ahead of me, but I don’t think I’ll be able to catch up to him. He and another rider recently pulled ahead after setting a high pace for a while.
I got caught by a group of six riders after the asphalt section. It was helpful to have some assistance fighting the wind. The kilometers passed quickly. Just before the last aid station, Halfstein and another rider picked up the pace on a climb, and I struggled to keep up. The other four riders fell behind. I didn’t stop at the aid station, but I gave my wind vest to Hanna. I definitely didn’t need it now as the temperature is around 20ºC. A rare good day for Iceland.
I push through the last two river crossings and fly down the climb back to the last 7k stretch on asphalt. An Irish rider catches me, and we start riding together.
Arriving at Hvolsvöllur will be nice. I love epic adventures, and this has definitely been one of them. I mean, the course: riding on an active volcano with the moon-like landscape and the contrast to the green valleys is something unique. But it’s such a demanding course, and when you finally get out of the hills, you have to fight the washboards or the wind.
It’s a never-ending fight. This time we didn’t have to fight the rain and cold. But I am totally empty.
The Rift is something else
There. I am passing the finish line. 18th place.
I have to sit down. I am exhausted. It might not have been my best day physically, but I am stoked about the overall experience and went smoothly with no mechanical issues.
The local hot dogs taste great, and I enjoy listening to the stories from the other riders. They all have their own unique story.
Thank you, The Rift. This was something truly special, and I will remember it forever.
READ ALSO: Unbound Gravel 2024
The Unbound Gravel 200 is the World’s premier gravel event in Emporia, Kansas. It’s known for chunky gravel, flint stones, heat, mud, and extreme distances. This was my third time participating in the event, and it was one of my most fun days on the bike. Let’s dive into my story from the Unbound Gravel 200 where I was leading the race for more than 100-miles!
The Viking mentality is a worldview that can include a fearless attitude, a belief in pushing limits, and a willingness to use power through aggression and control. It can also involve qualities such as resilience, strategic thinking, and efficiency. – Google AI
Google AI
The street lights are shining in Emporia, Kansas. Except for the occasional horn from a passing train, you’ll only hear a caffeinated race announcer on the speaker. About 5000 riders are lining up, but most are nervous but quiet. They have an idea of what they are about to start, but nobody really knows how the day will unfold.
It’s a 200-mile, 320 km race on chunky gravel in the rolling Flint Hills north of the sleepy student city in the middle of nowhere. Unbound has become the world’s premier gravel race, and Emporia has received a well-deserved reputation as the biggest Gravel City of all.
Ten years ago, I wouldn’t have believed it if someone said I’d be doing this for the third time. In 2021, I raced with a broken hand and struggled with a slow puncture. Last year, I had four punctures and had to run three miles to the aid station. This year, I hope for a clean race without any mechanical issues.
I’ve fine-tuned my Felt Breed Carbon to handle the sharp flint stones by equipping my DT Swiss GR1400 wheels with Challenge Getaway XP 45s. I’m feeling confident, but there are no guarantees out here. It will be a bit of a gamble, and I think many riders will encounter problems.
It’s about 15°C with dry roads. Let’s hope the gravel stays dry. The National Anthem is the last sound we hear before taking off.
The first few miles are chaotic. Everyone wants to be near the front, but nobody wants to face the wind. Last year’s winner, Keagan Swanson, is at the front, led by his teammate, McTubbin. Matej Mohoric, the former World Champion, is positioning himself next to Keagan. It looks like they want to control the race. I maneuver past riders on the edge of the road and reach the front as well.
Without thinking twice, I accelerate. Nobody follows. I quickly create a health gap of 10-15 seconds and settle in at my FTP power. It would be nice that somebody wants to join me, but I guess I’ll just enjoy being in the front of the race for a little. They will probably make it up to me soon.
No wait, I am not in the lead. There is a rider up the road. Let’s catch him!
– Where are you from?
– Denmark. You?
– Norway!
We don’t talk much, but we share a few words here and there. We’re excited to be leading the world’s biggest gravel race. Tobias Kongstad is from Denmark, and the Scandinavians are setting the pace. We’re maintaining a good speed but don’t want to burn out. There’s still another 170 miles to go until the finish.
– Someone are coming up to us, Tobias tells me.
I turn around and see two riders closing in. We wait for them because having four riders is better than just two fighting the wind. To my surprise, the two riders catching up are two of my closest cycling friends in the peloton, Innokenty Zavyalov and Chase Wark. Inno and I had also ridden half of the Gravel Locos together in a group of four.
READ ALSO: Gravel Locos 2024
– This is just like the A-Team, I say to the guys.
It feels like a dream. Being up the road with Inno, Chase, and the fellow Scandinavian Tobias, I could almost swear I was dreaming.
Out here on the prairie, my mind wandered to Little House on the Prairie, a popular TV series about a family growing up in the countryside. I don’t know where the Little House is, but it could be here.
There are no other riders to see. We work as a unit, flying over the fields, up and down the green hills. The course is breathtaking. It looks just like the Windows XP background.
– Snake! I yell as I pass a big black snake in the gravel road. Inno has to jump over it. A little later, I miss hitting a rabbit running across the road as I go down a hill at 30 mph. There are more obstacles than chunky gravel and mud.
We are going hard but sharing the workload. The four of us have a common understanding that even though the peloton will catch us, it’s good for us to stay ahead as long as possible to be able to control the pace up the hills and on the chunky sections so we can stay safe from mechanical issues and not create much lactate.
I believe the peloton behind is doing the opposite – going full gas on the challenging sections to make the competitors suffer, and then nobody wants to pull on the open roads where the others can draft.
We hear from people alongside the course we are up to a 6 min lead. Wow, this is looking good.
We are approaching the first aid station at mile 71. Alan Pocock from Cadence Cyclery, Felt Bicycles, and Flow Formula are all waiting for me.
It’s almost like a Formula 1 pit stop. I change my hydration pack, three new bottles, and stack them up with Flow gel and rice cakes. The Felt machine is lubing my chain. The stop takes about 15 seconds.
We regroup and keep working together for the next 30 miles in terrain with increasingly longer hills and little time to recover.
We are at mile 105 of the course, one of the key points of the race, Little Egypt. It is a chunky gravel climb. As we are near the top, Keegan Swanson, Lachlan Morton, and the rest of the peloton catch us. I have to push the pedals hard to keep up. This is the first time in the race that I really struggle, but I manage to stay with the peloton as we go over the top.
Story continues after the gallery with all photos by Marc from Velophoto.tx
For the next 20 miles, I’m hanging on to the peloton. There are 30 riders left, and the speed varies a lot. They go fast up the hills but totally stop after. It’s like interval training. You follow some moves yourself but mostly try to conserve energy. The first riders wind up a lot of dust, and staying in the peloton makes it almost impossible to see anything.
I haven’t seen the green fields for a while, but as the positioning starts, I understand we are approaching a technical section. In the last few days, I’ve had a sore throat, so I haven’t ridden the course, but I know that we will be encountering a few tough sections before reaching the second aid station at mile 149.
– Bam!
My rear wheel slams into the concrete on a simple bridge covering the creek. I lose all my momentum as we start a rocky climb. Riders are passing me, and I cannot keep up the pace ahead. I pull myself together and fight, but the gaps are opening up.
– Come on, Jonas! I yell to myself.
I fly through the second aid station, including a pit stop, even faster than the first one. I team up with Ted King and a few other riders, and we set a good pace. I know we are never going to see the first riders again, but we’ve got to get to the finish. At this time of the race, I just want to get home. I consider letting the group go, but then I know it will be an even longer ride back to Emporia. I better hold on.
200 miles in Kansas is such a neverending experience. There is always another climb or a mile-long stretch. I eat some gummy bears and focus on my nutrition. It’s not like I am hungry, but I know I must keep eating or I will bonk. It’s a fine line between blowing up and finishing strong this late in the race.
15 miles to go! I am counting each relay I do in the group. I pull for about 30 seconds before I go to the side and move back into the group. We are all sharing turns, and I estimate I have about 10 more relays to go.
8 to go, then 7, soon 6.
I know the last miles from last year’s race. We are riding through an underpass and then into the final hill past Emporia State University. I have not felt like the strongest in the group for a while, but I will go as hard as I can up the hill either way and then see.
I’m approaching the final climb as third in the group. They are all watching each other. I make a quick estimate that it’s about 30 seconds to the top. Then I attack. 30, 29, 28. I count down the seconds as I am going all out. It helps me not to listen to my legs, as they are screaming and want me to stop. I answer them: Just a few more seconds.
The group split up, but Andrew L’Esperance and Declan Irvine are still behind me. I wave for them to take the lead, and Declan moves to the front. We are approaching the last turn, and there is less than a quarter mile to the finish line. Declan starts his sprint, but Andrew overtakes him. My legs are burning, but I try to accelerate. I almost catch up to Andrew, but he finishes in 21st place, and I finish in 22nd.
Wow! 22nd at Unbound is an amazing result I’m really proud of. Most of all, I am proud of being in the lead for 100 miles. I like being a protagonist in the race, setting the pace. I believe it was also a strategic move, allowing me to ride more steadily and not take risks on the chunky gravel—not punctures, not mechanical.
However, the race cost me lots of energy, sweat, and blood. I am exhausted and can barely think clearly, but I am still satisfied. Completing the Unbound Gravel 200 is always great; this time, it was especially enjoyable.
My overall speed was 21.5 mph (34,6 km/h). My normalized power for the race was 258w, and 287w for the first 5 hours. I used 7968 kcal, which is more than a grown man’s three-day daily intake.
Thank you, Unbound, and thank you, Emporia. Thanks to my support team and sponsors. I will be back in Kansas, no doubt about that!
Now, back to Norway, and time to rest before FNLD GRVL.
PS: Kudos to the fellow Norwegian Vikings, Simen (6th) and Torbjørn (11th) for their great results, and also the Felt riders Chad (3rd) Sebastian (9th) and Dylan (10th).
READ ALSO: Unbound Gravel 2023
Traka has become the European version of Unbound Gravel, and it is safe to say that Traka is the premier gravel race in Europe. More than 2000 riders have visited Girona, the self-proclaimed gravel paradise, within the five-day gravel festival. Most of the world’s best-known gravel riders are racing the 360k or the 200k route, while many recreational riders sign up for the 100k or 50k. The bravest riders sign up for an incredible 560k route. As an elite gravel rider, I decided to take on the 200k route, but I also signed up for the 100k. Let’s dive into my 200k experience!
– Swoosh.
The mud is splashing as I try to keep up with Laurens ten Dam’s wheels. The rainfall of the last few weeks has turned the gravel into a dirt road, making it wet and slippery. I have to trust my Challenge Gravel Grinder tires to keep me on the right path. We’ve been going fast all day. The gun went off when the sun rose and we began the trail, starting with a neutral start that quickly became chaotic.
As the car took off, everyone wanted to be at the front into the 4k steep graveled climb that was about to begin. The separation happened instantaneously, and I was around 50th at the start of the climb. I had to work my way up the climb overtaking riders who were getting dropped, but it didn’t work out well. Midway up the climb, the first riders were already gone, and I found myself in group three. The group kept growing, and now we are about 20 riders in total.
It’s a beautiful morning with a temperature of 15ºC and the sun shining. There’s no wind, just the wind resistance. The course is twisty, and it feels like I have to sprint out of every single corner just to keep up with the group. This is a different kind of course than what you’ll find in Kansas; this is Girona.
– Man, if I stay back where tail gunning, I will for sure get dropped as elactic band will eventually snap. I got to get to the front of our group.
– Gogogo, Jonas. 1 min to the next group. Andreas texts me, and it pops up on the screen of my head unit.
Andreas participated in the 360-kilometer race yesterday and performed exceptionally well, finishing in the top 30. Today, he is following my race from his hotel room. He had hoped to support me by providing food during the race, however, he discovered that the rental car his wife used on the gravel roads yesterday had a puncture. It’s even challenging for cars to drive on these roads, not to mention 40 or 42-mm tires. I’ve seen many riders with punctured tires. Fortunately, my tires are holding up well.
There! I spot a group ahead while on the open field. It appears that my group has caught up with them. Unfortunately, I am not with them anymore because I took a wrong turn five kilometers back. The course is not marked, and one has to follow the GPS track. Sometimes, it’s hard to see the details on the little head unit. I mistakenly thought we were headed straight, but we were supposed to make an S-curve and continue on the other side of the creek. I had to turn back but lost about 20 seconds, and I couldn’t catch up with the group. Not yet, anyway.
I’m in time trail mode and catch a few riders while chasing the group ahead.
– Start of the last climb. 7 km.
I don’t know if the sign is motivating or depressing, but I get into a rhythm and try to ride the whole thing as fast as I can. But it’s steep, and the surface is loose or rugged. I see a rider ahead. I am motivated to press on. Let’s catch him!
– Where did my energy go?
I feel completely exhausted. I can’t even sustain 150 watts. I caught up with a fellow rider at the top of the climb and we cooperated for a while. However, I had to stop at the feed zone to refill my bottles. When I resumed chasing, I managed to catch up to him again, but it seemed to take more effort than I anticipated. I think I’m hitting the wall.
I stop to urinate and eat a snack, but I still feel empty. A group of cyclists passes me, and I cannot keep up with them.
– I need a Coke.
There is a small town. I make a quick call to ride off the course to find a place I can buy a drink. I find an open bar and ask the bartender for a Coke.
– Quieres algo mas?
The bartender asks me if I want something more. I get an urge to get some salt. On the shelves, there are small bags of chips. I choose one, pay by phone for Coke and chips. This is a surreal moment. I was in a competitive race; now I am hitting the bar.
But after just a few sips of the Coke, I can feel my energy coming back. I chug the whole can. The chips taste so good. I put my phone back in the hydration bag, grab the bag of chips, and get back on the bike. I return the 250 meters back to the course and keep riding.
A group of riders pass me, and I follow them. The bag of chips in my left hand, the legs pushing the pedals. I am back.
200k on gravel roads is always tough, but this course makes the riders have to fight for every meter. The climbs are steep, the gravel rocky and loose, the course twisty, and the sun is also heating up. Several riders are cramping. I am feeling better again. Not great, but I am definitely back to where I was before I boinked. The group I’m in now has been growing. We are catching dropped riders.
I know the last 20k as I did them in Santa Vall X. It’s wet, muddy, and rocky. I consent to stay on the best line. Please, no punctures or crashes today.
It’s satisfying to know the last km, as I know we are getting close to the finish. The last 5 km are on single track, which can be interesting on the slippy trails.
There is the finish line, I try to sprint, but my legs are not moving any faster. I have to let two riders pass me. Finally, I make it. 63rd.
It’s a bittersweet feeling. On one hand, I am so glad to be back I have been suffering badly. On the other, I would have hoped to be in a little better shape and maybe a little better result. But what an adventure it was. The Traka is something special.
I will do it all again tomorrow with the 100k! I can’t say that I’m looking forward to it right now, but after some finishers’ food and a good night’s sleep, I know I’ll be ready for another adventure. Because if there’s one thing that Traka truly is, it’s an adventure.
Gracias, Klassmark, for a weekend of gravel adventures I’ll never forget! I’ll be back!
Next up, Gravel Locos.
READ MORE: Unbound 2023