FNB Wines2Whales
A three-day mountain bike stage race for teams of two, linking the Lourensford and Oak Valley wine estates with Benguela Cove on the coast. It runs as three separate editions (Chardonnay, Pinotage and Shiraz) on the same route over roughly ten days, mixing gravel roads with flowing singletrack.
Iceman Cometh Challenge
Point-to-point 30-mile mountain bike race from Kalkaska to Timber Ridge Resort in Traverse City, held in early November when snow or cold is common. Amateurs start in waves in the morning, with the pro race later in the day; a shorter Slush Cup is also offered.
Tour de Okinawa Citizen Road Race
Amateur races held alongside the Tour de Okinawa, with the longest citizen category covering 200 km through the forested Yanbaru region of northern Okinawa. Categories are split by age and gender; most long-distance classes are listed for men only, while women race a 50 km category. Entries are capped per class and the 2026 entry window closed on 19 September.
L'Étape Ciudad de México by Tour de France
Mexico City edition of the Tour de France-licensed L'Étape amateur series. The 110 km long route climbs 936 m, with 60 km and 40 km options. Visitors should allow for Mexico City's high altitude.
Ride Ballarat
A fully supported charity ride, not a race, from Mars Stadium in Ballarat through rolling farmland towards Daylesford, raising money for cancer research at the Fiona Elsey Cancer Research Institute. The Long Mac (103 km, 1,333 m) and Short Mac (55 km) both include short sections of unsealed road, under a tenth of each course. It is the new form of the Ballarat Cycle Classic, and the weekend opens with a cocktail party on the Saturday night.
El Tour de Tucson
Large charity road ride that has run since 1983, starting and finishing at the Tucson Convention Center. The longer routes loop through Sonoran Desert country past Colossal Cave and Old Spanish Trail, with aid stations roughly every 12 miles.
Belgian Waffle Ride México
Mexican edition of the Belgian Waffle Ride series, held around Tequisquiapan in Querétaro state. Routes suit gravel or mountain bikes and follow the BWR Waffle/Wafer/Wanna distance format; check the event site for this year's course lengths.
947 Ride Joburg
A large closed-road ride through Johannesburg that starts on the M1 highway and finishes at the Kyalami Grand Prix circuit. Start groups are seeded on recent race results, and seeded entries close earlier than unseeded ones.
TAC Great Victorian Bike Ride
A multi-day touring holiday rather than a race: riders camp together in a moving tent city with meals, luggage transfer and on-road support included. The 2026 route runs from Bendigo to Creswick over five days, and there is a one-day option from Castlemaine.
Lake Taupō Cycle Challenge
New Zealand's biggest mass road ride, looping all the way around Great Lake Taupō on the headline Round the Lake course, with shorter road, gravel and mountain-bike options on the same weekend. Round the Lake riders must pass Tūrangi by 3:15pm and finish by 7pm or may be pulled from the course.
UCI Gran Fondo Colombia
A UCI Gran Fondo World Series round based in Medellín that doubles as a qualifier for the amateur world championships. Riders choose between a gran fondo and a shorter medio fondo, both starting in the city. This is the event's second edition; it moved to Medellín after a first running in Bogotá.
Ride High Country Tour of Bright Fondo
A new non-competitive companion to the Tour of Bright stage race: two supported rides over consecutive days, up Tawonga Gap and then to The Horn on Mt Buffalo. Tawonga Gap is closed to traffic and the up lane on Mt Buffalo is closed; the last part to The Horn is gravel.
Pokhara Enduro
Six timed gravity stages over two race days in the Arba Hills above Pokhara, with a shuttle-assisted practice day first. The trails mix technical forest singletrack with flowing corners, and the Annapurna range sits in the background the whole way. It is one of the few organised enduro events in Nepal and draws an international field.
Chiang Mai Gran Fondo
The established mass-participation gran fondo in northern Thailand, part of the Gran Fondo World Series, starting from PAO Park with four distances. December puts it in the cool, dry season, which is why it works.
Santa Vall by The Traka
A two-stage winter gravel event in the Vall de Llémena, north-west of Girona. Stage 1 runs 139 km from Sant Gregori to Girona and stage 2 is an 83 km loop from Sant Gregori, on forest tracks, trails and some tarmac. It sits in the Gravel Earth Series and is a common season opener.
Spinneys Dubai 92 Cycle Challenge
A 92 km closed-road ride starting and finishing at Expo City Dubai, now in its 17th edition. It counts as a qualifier for the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships, so the front of the field races hard while most riders ride it as a sportive. Family and junior rides run on the day before.
Otway Odyssey & Great Otway Gravel Grind
A long-running marathon mountain-bike race on the singletrack and forest roads of the Otway Ranges, based in the small town of Forrest. A separate Great Otway Gravel Grind (106km and 50km) runs the same weekend, so it suits both MTB and gravel riders.
Transandes Challenge
A five-stage mountain bike race based around Lonquimay and the Corralco ski resort in Chilean Patagonia, now in its 18th year. Riders cover native araucaria forest, volcanic sand and technical singletrack beneath the Lonquimay and Sierra Nevada volcanoes, with one stage including a time trial. Most entry packages include accommodation at Hotel Corralco.
Motatapu Mountain Bike
A one-way backcountry mountain-bike crossing through private high-country stations between Wanaka and Arrowtown, on land that is normally closed to the public. It runs alongside trail-running events and an e-bike ride on the same route.
Peaks Challenge Falls Creek
The ride Australians just call Three Peaks: 235 km from Falls Creek over Tawonga Gap, Mt Hotham and back up Falls Creek itself, with a 13-hour cutoff. It is the longest, hardest one-day mass-participation road ride on the Australian calendar, and the last climb starts when you have already ridden 200 km.
TransTasmania MTB
A fully supported, week-long enduro stage race moving across Tasmania from the Central Highlands to the West Coast and back via the East. Only the descents are timed, over 28 stages in six race days, and the trails are pitched at intermediate to advanced riders.
Belgian Waffle Ride Arizona
The desert edition of the BWR series, starting from McDowell Mountain Park near Scottsdale. The 122-mile Waffle is 58% unpaved, mixing rough dirt roads and washes in the Tonto forest with singletrack and some steep paved climbs. Shorter Wafer and Wanna routes are offered.
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Gran Fondo Strade Bianche
The white gravel roads of the Crete Senesi, on the same course the professionals race, finishing in the Piazza del Campo in Siena. Mixed gravel and tarmac with a firm seven-hour cutoff on the long route.
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Cape Town Cycle Tour
A fully closed 109 km loop of the Cape Peninsula, run every year since 1978 and the largest timed individual cycling event in the world. A 42 km option covers part of the same coastline.
Le Race
A point-to-point road ride from Christchurch over Banks Peninsula via Little River to the harbour village of Akaroa, with roots going back to 1935. Riders can enter solo, as a tandem, in relay pairs or in teams of four, and there is a king and queen of the mountain contest.
Absa Cape Epic
Eight days and roughly 650 km through the Western Cape, ridden in pairs who must finish together. UCI hors catégorie, and generally treated as the hardest mountain bike stage race in the world.
L'Étape Cunha by Tour de France
A Tour de France–branded sportive in the hill town of Cunha, where L'Étape Brasil held its first three editions. The long route has a lot of climbing for its distance, and a much gentler short route is also offered. The event runs across a weekend.
We Ride Flanders
The cobbled bergs of the Tour of Flanders — the Oude Kwaremont, the Paterberg — ridden the day before the professionals race the same roads. Every route finishes in Oudenaarde; the longest starts in Antwerp.
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Nova Eroica Buonconvento
A gravel fondo on the white roads of the Crete Senesi, south of Siena, for gravel, cyclocross or modern road bikes. On the medium and long routes, timed sections alternate with untimed stretches. There is also a 290 km Epic Route that starts at 4 am.
Sea Otter Classic
Part bike festival, part race meeting: an enormous industry expo at Laguna Seca alongside road, cross-country, downhill, enduro and gravel racing plus two gran fondos. The trade sees it as the season's product launch; riders see it as a weekend of racing anything they own.
Beechworth Granite Classic
A deliberately podium-free gravel weekend around Beechworth, mixing sealed roads with granite gravel through farmland and around Mount Pilot. The 115 km route carries up to 60 km of gravel, and the routes interlink so you can step up or down on the day. People come for the riding and the weekend rather than a result.
Barry-Roubaix
One of the largest gravel races in the US, run on rolling dirt roads out of Hastings in rural Michigan. Four distances from 18 to 100 miles; the 100-mile Psycho Killer is capped at 400 riders. Registration opens 14 November on BikeReg.
Amstel Gold Race Toerversie
The amateur version of the Amstel Gold Race rides the South Limburg hills the day before the pros race them, starting at the Shimano Experience Center in Valkenburg. Six distances make it one of the more accessible spring classic rides. Registration for 2027 opens on 1 October 2026 and stays open for one month.
Dirty Reiver
The UK's classic long-distance gravel ride, on forest roads through Kielder Forest on the English–Scottish border. Four distances are offered, and the new 280 km Epic is ridden in pairs. The routes have between one and four feed stations.
Mallorca 312
A closed-road day around much of the island, with three distances starting together from Playa de Muro — the 312 km option rolls out before dawn. Around 8,500 riders, mostly international, and it sells out quickly.
Levi's GranFondo
Sonoma wine country and the coastal ridgelines above it — King Ridge and Meyers Grade — with five distances from a family ride to the 119-mile Growler. Founded by Levi Leipheimer and still one of the harder one-day road routes in the United States.
Škoda Titan Desert Morocco
A six-day desert stage race run by a Barcelona-based organiser, with riders living in a shared bivouac camp. For the first time, the 2027 edition has separate gravel and MTB routes. Expect long days on sand and rough tracks.
The Traka
Europe's best-known gravel race, run over a long weekend out of Girona with several distance options. The 100 km route is roughly four-fifths unpaved, and the longer routes are much bigger days. Riders from the Santa Vall satellite event get priority entry.
Whiskey Off-Road
Three-day mountain bike festival in downtown Prescott with amateur backcountry routes of about 15, 25 and 50 miles through Prescott National Forest singletrack, doubletrack and gravel. A pro race, expo and street party run alongside. Registration opens on Black Friday.
Mudgee Classic
A two-day wine-country festival: gravel rides on the Saturday and road rides on the Sunday, on the quiet farm roads around Mudgee. The shortest road option suits families and newer riders.
Bike Marathon — BIKE Festival Riva del Garda
The marathon on the final day of the Riva del Garda bike festival, starting from the town centre on the north shore of Lake Garda. Riders choose from three loops, from a beginner-friendly option to the steep 84 km Ronda Extrema. The festival itself runs for three days.
Nova Eroica Prosecco Hills
A gravel fondo through the vineyard hills of Conegliano–Valdobbiadene, which are UNESCO-listed. All three routes combine timed sections with untimed riding. Gravel, cyclocross and modern road bikes are allowed.
KAP sani2c
A three-stage mountain bike race from a farm near the Sani Pass in the southern Drakensberg down to Scottburgh on the Indian Ocean. It runs as two staggered editions: the OG, which includes the UCI race and allows e-bikes, and the Adventure. The event is closely tied to community development projects along the route.
The Gralloch
A gravel festival in Galloway Forest Park, based at Gatehouse of Fleet. It has a UCI Gravel World Series race over 111 km, open to amateurs in age-group categories, plus a 323 km ultra and two non-competitive sportive routes. The race route is more than 80% gravel.
GFNY World Championship New York
A timed mass-start road race that begins on the George Washington Bridge and heads into Bergen and Rockland counties before finishing in Fort Lee. It is the final of GFNY's global qualifying series, and riders come from more than ninety countries.
Gran Fondo Nove Colli
A granfondo running since 1971 that starts on the Cesenatico seafront at sunrise and heads into the Romagna Apennines. The long route is 200 km and the medium 137 km, and a 107 km gravel option has been added. Entries for 2027 open on 5 December 2026.
BC Bike Race
Five-day all-inclusive mountain bike stage race moving between Whistler, Squamish, Cumberland, Parksville and North Cowichan, using BC Ferries between venues. Riders choose a classic XC or an enduro format. For 2027 the race moves to late May from its usual July slot.
Unbound Gravel
Gravel racing's biggest day, on the flint-studded roads of the Kansas Flint Hills, with the 200-mile distance as the one everyone means. Entry is by lottery, drawn the November before, and the rock is famous for destroying tyres.
La Stelvio Santini
An untimed granfondo from Bormio built around the Passo dello Stelvio (2,758 m), with the Mortirolo also on the programme. All three road routes involve serious climbing even at the shortest distance. Gravel routes of 44 km and 70 km are being added for 2027.
Milano–Sanremo Amatori
An untimed ride over the full classic route from the outskirts of Milan to San Remo, crossing the Turchino before the coastal Capi, the Cipressa and the Poggio. At about 296 km, it is one of the longest one-day amateur rides anywhere. Riders need a valid sports licence or a day licence, which requires a medical certificate.
HERO Südtirol Dolomites
A high-mountain MTB marathon around the Sella massif, starting and finishing in Selva Val Gardena. It has three distances, the longest being 86 km, and a team category has been added. Entry is through the Datasport portal.
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Dragon Ride
Wales's big sportive starts and finishes at Margam Park near Port Talbot and heads into the Brecon Beacons, with four routes from the short Cymru Classic up to the Dragon Devil. The Gran Fondo is the most popular choice and climbs Rhigos Mountain. The organiser says the 2027 routes are still to be confirmed.
Styrkeprøven
A point-to-point ride from Trondheim to Oslo that has run since 1967, with starts from Munkegata square in the early morning and a finish in Groruddalen, Oslo. Shorter options start in Lillehammer (176 km) and Eidsvoll. Plan the logistics carefully, because the start and finish are in different cities.
Vätternrundan
A lap of Lake Vättern from Motala that has run since 1966 and bills itself as the world's largest recreational cycling event. The 315 km ride starts on a Friday evening and continues through the night into Saturday, with depots such as Jönköping and Hjo. Shorter options include Halvvättern (150 km, on 12 June 2027) and 100 km rides, plus separate gravel and MTB events.
Lost and Found Gravel
Gravel race and ride from Portola in the northeastern Sierra, with 99, 58 and 40-mile routes on forest roads. It is run by the same trail group that organises Grinduro California, so the two events share organiser and region.
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Mondsee 5 Seen Radmarathon
A lake-country marathon in the Salzkammergut that links five lakes around Mondsee. About 2,500 riders take part, and it is gentler than the Alpine events: the 75 km route has only 400 m of climbing. There is also a handbike category.
TOUR Transalp
A seven-stage road race across the Alps from Lienz to Riva del Garda, ridden in teams of two. The organiser puts the total at around 750 km and 17,000 m of climbing. Riders need a partner and the ability to cope with back-to-back mountain days.
SBT GRVL
High-altitude ranchland gravel out of the ski town of Steamboat Springs, graded from a 25-mile green ride to the 108-mile black course. Places are allocated by random draw in an open registration window rather than first come, first served.
Dreiländergiro
A cycling marathon from Nauders that crosses Austria, Italy and Switzerland in a single day, with the Stelvio Pass as the high point on both routes. The Vinschgau route is 120 km and the Engadin route is 168 km. Each includes more than 3,000 m of climbing.
Maratona dles Dolomites
Seven Dolomite passes — Sella, Gardena, Campolongo, Pordoi, Falzarego, Giau among them — on roads closed to traffic for the day. Entry is by public ballot and heavily oversubscribed, so plan a year ahead rather than a month.
Megavalanche Alpe d'Huez
The original mass-start downhill marathon, starting on the glacier at Pic Blanc (3,330 m) and dropping 2,600 m to Allemond. Qualifying runs early in the weekend decide who starts in the main Sunday race, and there are separate amateur, women's and e-bike races.
Triple Bypass
One-day supported road ride from Evergreen to Avon over Juniper, Loveland and Vail passes: 110 miles with more than 10,000 feet of climbing at high altitude. A Double Bypass from Empire covers Loveland and Vail only.
RAGBRAI
Week-long ride across Iowa held every year since 1973 in the last full week of July, with overnight stops in host towns and a new route each year. Daily stages range from 35 to 85 miles. Entry is first-come, first-served from 15 November, with weeklong and day-rider options.
Arlberg Giro
A loop that starts and finishes in St. Anton, going over the Arlberg Pass, down the Klostertal and Montafon valleys, and over the Silvretta High Alpine Road. It covers Tyrol and Vorarlberg on a single route. Riders come from more than 30 nations.
Breck Epic
Six-day mountain bike stage race at high altitude, with each backcountry loop starting and finishing near downtown Breckenridge. Loops run between 35 and 50 miles on trails across Summit and Park counties; a three-day version is also offered.
Swiss Epic
A five-day MTB stage race for two-rider teams, based in Davos for 2027, with a new route each year. Amateurs race alongside professionals over mountain passes, flow trails and bike parks. Past riders got early registration before general entry opened.
Grand Raid BCVS
A point-to-point Alpine MTB marathon that finishes in Grimentz, with shorter versions starting in villages along the way. The full route from Verbier goes over the Pas de Lona at more than 2,700 m. There are strict intermediate cutoffs, and riders who miss one are taken out of the race.
Ötztaler Radmarathon
A single, very long Alpine loop from Sölden crossing four Alpine passes, widely treated as one of the hardest one-day amateur rides in Europe. About 4,000 riders take part. There is one route only, so riders need to be ready for the full distance and climbing.
Swiss Cycling Alpenbrevet
A non-competitive ride over the high Swiss passes from Andermatt, with four tiers from Bronze (two passes) to Platinum (five passes). The focus is on finishing, not racing. Registration for 2027 opens in autumn 2026.
The Big Lost (Rebecca's Private Idaho)
Rebecca's Private Idaho now sits inside a multi-day gravel festival based in Sun Valley and Ketchum. Two shorter stages lead into the Saturday main event, where riders choose from four distances up to 118 miles on high-desert backcountry roads.
RBC GranFondo Whistler
Traffic-free ride from Stanley Park in Vancouver up the Sea to Sky Highway to Whistler. The 122 km Gran Fondo climbs 2,300 m; the 146 km Forte is capped at 600 riders, and a 55 km Medio starts in Whistler. The 2026 edition sold out.
Chequamegon MTB Festival
Long-running mass-start mountain bike race in the northern Wisconsin woods between Hayward and Cable. The Chequamegon 40 uses the Birkie ski trail, forest roads and snowmobile routes; the Short & Fat covers 16 miles. Entry opens via registration or lottery, with early access for Life Time members.
L'Étape Campos do Jordão by Tour de France
The season-closing L'Étape Brasil event, held in the mountain resort town of Campos do Jordão. Both routes are hilly, and the long course has a lot of climbing for its distance. Registration for 2027 is listed as opening soon.
Amy's Great Ocean Road Gran Fondo
Run on closed sections of the Great Ocean Road between Lorne and Apollo Bay — one of the few chances to ride that coastline without traffic. A timed 122 km gran fondo sits alongside shorter recreational options and a 3 km family ride, in memory of Amy Gillett.
Around the Bay
A ride around Port Phillip Bay from Melbourne, with six options from a short family ride up to the full 220 km circuit. Flat, coastal and aimed at every level of rider — for many Victorians it is the first big day they ever ride.
Belgian Waffle Ride California
The original Belgian Waffle Ride: tarmac, dirt, sand and singletrack stitched into one deliberately awkward day out of the Del Mar Polo Fields. The headline Waffle route runs about 106 miles with 7,500 feet of climbing.
Big Sugar Gravel
The gravel season's closer, on the loose, sharp limestone roads of the Ozarks north of Bentonville. The 100-mile route carries about 6,200 feet of climbing and often decides the Life Time Grand Prix standings.
Bob Cook Memorial Blue Sky Hill Climb
Timed road climb from Idaho Springs to the 14,130-foot summit of Mt. Blue Sky (formerly Mount Evans), on the highest paved road in North America. The 27.4-mile course gains 6,714 feet. Open to amateurs in age-group categories from 15 up; no USA Cycling licence needed.
Bowral Classic
A road gran fondo on rolling Southern Highlands roads south-west of Sydney, run with road closures. It is ridden as a timed ride with three distances.
Cape Pioneer Trek
A mountain bike stage race around Oudtshoorn, taking in the Karoo desert landscape, the Klein Karoo mountains and Garden Route forest. The relaunched event now runs on a shorter route than the original Cape Pioneer. Stage details for future editions had not been published at the time of checking.
Cape to Cape MTB
Four days and roughly 200 km of coastal singletrack, farm tracks and forest through the Margaret River region, with daily stages of 34–59 km. Not especially technical, and the format deliberately builds in the breweries and wineries the region is known for.
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Come! BikeDay Sun Moon Lake
A government-run cycling programme around the 30 km lake loop rather than a single race, with an annual carnival and a cross-lake ferry return. Worth knowing about if you are planning the ride rather than chasing a number.
Cycling Shimanami
The one day the Shimanami Kaido expressway itself closes to cars so riders can use the main carriageway across the islands between Onomichi and Imabari. Several course options are offered; the bridges are the reason to come.
Cyclotour du Léman
A lap of Lake Geneva from Lausanne that passes through Switzerland and France, with shorter one-way options between Évian and Lausanne. It is mostly flat lakeside riding past vineyards, with only 890 m of climbing on the full lap. The organisers present it as a pace ride rather than a race.
DerbyFest — Tas Gravity Enduro
A community mountain-bike festival at Blue Derby built around a public enduro round of timed stages across the trail network, with a non-competitive Come & Try category alongside the graded fields. A downhill time trial and a billycart race run the same weekend. This is the one anyone can enter, as distinct from the professional World Cup rounds Derby has hosted.
Gran Fondo Il Lombardia Felice Gimondi
The amateur ride linked to the autumn Monument is now based in Bergamo and named after Felice Gimondi. It takes in the Valico di Valcava and Selvino climbs, with gradients up to 17%. It runs the day after the pro race, and the field is about 2,000 riders.
Gran Fondo Nairo Quintana
The eighth edition of Nairo Quintana's festival ride, based in Cartagena this year, with point-to-point routes linking the city to towns across Bolívar department. The climbing is modest for the distance, so heat and humidity are likely to be the bigger test. The festival weekend also has running races and an XCO mountain bike race.
Gravel n Granite
A weekend of gravel and mountain-bike riding through the granite country and national-park back roads around Tenterfield, near the Queensland border. It has an event village with local food and music, plus an adaptive-friendly course and a family ride.
Gravelista
A UCI Gravel World Series round, now based at Seymour Racecourse, with UCI age-group racing and recreational categories on the same courses. The top quarter of each UCI age category qualifies for the 2027 world championships, and e-bikes are allowed only in the recreational rides.
Grinduro California
Gravel-and-dirt event based at the fairgrounds in Quincy in the northern Sierra. Only four short timed segments count toward results, so most of the 51-mile loop is ridden at your own pace. The shorter Grindurito has two segments.
Grinduro Scotland
A mixed-terrain gravel and MTB weekend at the Drumlanrig Castle estate. Everyone starts together for a loop of about 100 km, but only four short timed segments count towards the result. Camping, music and food are part of the weekend.
Haute Route Alps
Seven timed stages across the Alps with a race convoy, mechanical and medical support and controlled roads — closer to a stage race than a sportive. Around 800 km and 19,000 m of climbing over some of the biggest passes in the range.
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Hotter'N Hell Hundred
Long-running late-summer century in Wichita Falls, held since 1982, known for the North Texas heat. Road distances run from 10 miles up to 100, and the weekend also includes gravel and mountain bike routes plus a trail run.
L'Ardéchoise
A huge multi-day festival of mountain-road riding based in Saint-Félicien; the organisers counted 13,137 participants in 2026. The Saturday gives a choice of cyclosportive and cyclotourist routes, and there are 2–4 day formats as well as a separate gravel weekend in April. It suits groups whose riders want very different distances.
L'Eroica
The original vintage-bike ride, held in Gaiole in Chianti since 1997, on a mix of Tuscan tarmac and white gravel strade bianche. Bikes must be built in or before 1987, with down-tube shifters and toe clips or period pedals rather than clipless ones. The long route is 211 km with over 3,700 m of climbing.
L'Étape du Tour de France
Ride a genuine Tour de France mountain stage on closed roads, weeks before the professionals race it, with the race village and full support. The route changes every year, so check the official site for the current edition.
La Marmotte Granfondo Alpes
177 km and 5,000 m from Bourg-d'Oisans over the Glandon, Télégraphe and Galibier, finishing up the 21 hairpins of Alpe d'Huez. Shorter companion rides run the same weekend for anyone not ready to commit to the full day.
La Ruta de los Conquistadores
A three-day mountain bike crossing of Costa Rica from the Pacific to the Caribbean, first run in 1993. Stages run Jacó to San José, San José to Turrialba, then a loop from Turrialba down towards Limón, climbing from sea level to above 3,000 m past volcanic terrain, jungle and river crossings. Full stage distances had not been published at the time of checking.
Leadville Trail 100 MTB
An out-and-back between Leadville and Twin Lakes entirely above 9,200 feet, topping out at 12,600 on the Columbine Mine climb. Entry is by lottery, and finishing inside the cutoff earns the belt buckle the race is built around.
Liège-Bastogne-Liège Challenge
A Saturday ride over the climbs of 'La Doyenne' in the Ardennes, starting from Banneux the day before the pro race. Climbs include La Redoute and the Roche-aux-Faucons, with the 250 km route taking in 12 climbs. Expect short, very steep ramps as well as the distance.
Masters Tour of Chiang Mai
A four-day stage race for masters-age riders, run in age categories on the roads around Chiang Mai; no UCI licence is needed, though it is sanctioned by the Thai Cycling Federation. The 2025 edition combined road stages, a circuit race and a closing individual time trial up Doi Suthep. Categories are competitive, so this suits riders who want to race rather than tour.
Mazda Signature Ride
A gran fondo through the mountains north-east of Medellín, climbing through Barbosa, Girardota, Santo Domingo and Cisneros with three timed mountain primes on the long route. The 127 km option carries 2,600 m of Andean climbing and some fast technical descending. It first ran in March 2026, so it is not yet an established annual fixture.
Mt. Fuji Hill Climb
A timed mass-participation climb up the Fuji Subaru Line from Fuji Kitaroku Park to Mt Fuji's fifth station, with the road closed to traffic on race day. The gradient is steady rather than steep, so it attracts first-timers as well as fast climbers. Entry is online through RUNNET, with the 2026 window running February to March.
Paris-Roubaix Challenge
An amateur ride over the pro race's cobbled sectors that finishes at the Roubaix velodrome. The 170 km Hell of the North route starts in Busigny and takes in 30 cobbled sections, while the 145 km and 70 km routes start in Roubaix. Pick a bike and tyres that can cope with long stretches of rough pavé.
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Pisgah 111
Tough backcountry endurance mountain bike race in Pisgah National Forest near Brevard, based around Davidson River Campground. The 65.1-mile course packs in 10,200 feet of climbing on rocky, rooty trails and forest roads, with four rest areas.
Quebrantahuesos
Spain's best-known Pyrenean marcha, based in Sabiñánigo, with the 200 km Quebrantahuesos and the 85 km Treparriscos. Places are limited and handed out by a draw that needs a small paid pre-registration. The 2026 edition had a 07:15 start and a 19:30 finish cutoff.
Roc d'Azur
A five-day MTB festival held at Fréjus on the Mediterranean coast, with races, recreational rides, gravel and e-bike events. The Sunday highlights are the 100.6 km Roc Marathon and the 55 km Roc d'Azur race. It is one of the largest mountain bike gatherings in Europe.
Salzkammergut Trophy
Austria's biggest MTB marathon, based in Bad Goisern and passing through the lake country around Hallstatt. Its 202 km extreme route is one of the longest one-day MTB marathons in Europe, and there are many shorter options. Registration for 2027 is open, but the date is not yet published.
Santos Tour Down Under Group Rides
The public riding programme that runs alongside the professional Tour Down Under — guided social rides out of the Tour Village in Victoria Square, a carpark climb and a family ride, on the Adelaide Hills roads the race uses. Successor to the old Bupa Challenge Tour. Routes and distances for 2027 have not been published yet.
Sea Otter Europe Girona Gravel World Series
A UCI Gravel World Series qualifier on the Costa Brava gravel that made Girona a cycling town, run as part of the Sea Otter Europe festival. Distances are published in the technical guide each year rather than on the front page.
SEVEN Gravel Race
A hilly one-day gravel race between Nannup and Balingup in WA's South West, with route names that match the number of gravel sectors each one includes. It is a UCI Gravel World Series event, and the same region hosts the 2026 UCI Gravel World Championships.
Škoda Titan Desert Almería
A four-stage MTB race, open to the public, through the dry, varied landscapes of Almería. The entry fee covers lodging, meals and safety equipment. It is the European, shorter sister event of the Morocco race.
Sunny Coast Century
A timed gran fondo from Eudlo in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, about 45 km south of Noosa, on a course laid out by former professional Henk Vogels that takes in the Montville and Postmans Track climbs. Open entry, with part of the fee going to its charity partner.
Taiwan KOM Challenge
From sea level at Qixingtan Beach to 3,275 m at Wuling, Taiwan's highest paved road, climbing the whole way through Taroko Gorge. Around 7% for 90 km, then ramps past 20% at the top — one of the hardest single climbs anywhere.
The Devils Cardigan
A UCI Gravel World Series qualifier on forestry and back roads between Derby and Branxholm in north-east Tasmania, with the long course taking in the long climb to Ralph Falls. The short course has more bitumen and is open to e-bikes, singlespeeds and para riders.
The Mid South
Early-season gravel weekend on the dirt roads around Stillwater, with 12, 50 and 100-mile rides plus a half marathon and 50K run. Weather in March can change conditions a lot from year to year. Entry is by ticket; transfers close on 1 March 2027.
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Thunderbolts Adventure
A gravel weekend based in Gloucester, heading up into the Barrington Tops, with the long Monument course being one of the country's hardest one-day gravel routes. There is also a self-supported bikepacking option on set routes.
Tour de Bintan
A three-day road weekend on Bintan with five formats from a 17 km time trial to a 150 km gran fondo, carrying UCI Gran Fondo World Series status. An easy ferry from Singapore, which is much of its appeal.
Tour de Brisbane
A closed-road mass ride through inner Brisbane that finishes by crossing the traffic-free Story Bridge. It has been linked with the UCI Gran Fondo World Series, and there are three distances.
Whaka 100
A marathon mountain-bike weekend built on the singletrack of Rotorua's Whakarewarewa Forest, with distances from a short family loop up to the 175km Giant Miler. It draws thousands of riders and includes e-bike categories.
Yak Attack
A multi-day mountain bike stage race in the Nepal Himalaya, billed as the highest MTB race on earth, with the route crossing the Thorong La pass at 5,416 m in past editions. Expect rough trails, suspension bridges, possible snow and big temperature swings. The organiser only accepts riders with solid mountain bike experience.