Former teammates Boyd Johnson and Ben Renkema have teamed up to expand on the successful Southeast Gravel series that featured three events in the inaugural 2019 season. The two former pro road-racing teammates who share a penchant for solo exploration and the community aspect of gravel riding are putting five new dates on the 2020 calendar for the Carolinas. The first of five is slated for February 15 in Clinton, SC.
The five-event gravel series will be held throughout upstate South Carolina and western North Carolina showcasing, according to Boyd Johnson, “the best gravel riding you can find anywhere.”
The Southeast Gravel series is open to all riders, regardless of ability or experience. “In organizing these events, we wanted to provide an opportunity for all cyclists. Our first organized event saw 30% of our participants doing their first ever gravel event where they had the experience of lining up next to some of the best pro cyclists in the country. The competition and energy from the start forced new gravel riders to push themselves harder and further than they might otherwise. Everyone came away feeling tested, tired – and thirsting for more,” commented Ben Renkema.
The 5 events of the Southwest Gravel series are:
The five-ride courses range from rolling terrain for the first two events to mountainous terrain for the final three. Course routes were chosen to take cyclists away from traffic to allow competition in a safe environment. Each event will feature two distances with multiple age categories providing riders with plenty of options to be competitive.
Each event will be punctuated with a catered southern style BBQ lunch and beer will be provided by Charlotte North Carolina’s Unknown Brewing. Vision Screen Printing based in Greenville, SC will provide course markers to allow cyclists to maximize their suffering without expending energy on navigation.
Information for the Southeast Gravel series including dates, registration, images, downloadable GSP routes, and results can be found at: www.southeastgravel.com.
Come out and get dirty in 2020!
Boyd Johnson is the founder of Boyd Cycling, some of the finest USA-built bicycle wheels. He has been racing gravel events since before it was trending on a road bike with 22mm tubular tires pumped up to 110PSI. He’s the creator of the infamous “Boyd Rides” where you are likely to end up riding through dead dnds, walking in the woods, and almost always trespassing.
Ben Renkema is a former professional rider, national champion, and current coach for Red Rocket Revolution. Enjoys helping developing riders and all aspects of cycling. He spends more time riding wheelies than Peter Sagan and hasn’t found a “Road Closed” pile of dirt that he can’t ride over.
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