GREAT BRITAIN HOSTS THE GRAVEL EARTH SERIES AT GRITFEST
The Wales event proposed a weekend-long festival within the Cambrian Mountains
Tom Couzens and Xan Crees were the best of the seven sections timed by the organization
First held in 2018, Gritfest is a weekend-long festival of offroad cycling where participants could enjoy gravel at its best. An unprecedented adventure within the Cambrian Mountains. The challenge included timed special stages on gravel and over a mixture of terrain. A different event with a different format to welcomed the Gravel Earth Series for the first time in the Great Britain. Tom Couzens and Xan Crees accepted the challenge for win and achive 750 points in the overall ranking while enjoying their sport like never before.
The Gritfest brought together the gravel community in mid Wales, specifically in Rhandirmwyn, during two amzaing days of incredible riding. The bikers faced three stimed stages over mixed terrain. The festival kicked off with a 5-kilometer prologue with 150 meters of positive gain on Friday 21st June. A first contact that would lead to a crazy weekend. On Saturday 22nd June, the participants completed a total of 65 kilometers with 1.600 meters of positive gain, while on Sunday 23rd June the program closed with a track of 57 kilometers with 1.300 meters of positive gain. Of this initial route, the organization has cornometrized seven segments; a total of 40% of the track. The sum of these seves sections determined the overall ranking.
The sum of these sections determined Xan Crees and Tom Couzens as the best cyclists of the weekend. Crees beat Christina Wiejak by just 23 seconds after 2h01m36s of effort. The women’s podium was completed by Rebbeca Richardson; the third place was also decided by a very small margin of nine seconds. On the men’s side, Couzens stop the clock in 1h42m51s to beat Frederick Scheske by one minute. James Philips flanked them in the photo of the best. All of them leave Wales with a good sum of points that they will have to make good in another Gravel Earth Series event.
What we experienced this weekend was spectacular. The atmosphere created was worthy of what the Gravel Earth Series demands: to offer a unique experience to all participants beyond the competition. The circuit is sure to visit Great Britain again next year. Gritfest is not short of reasons.
