Grinduro looks forward to another successful season in 2024

Grinduro is surging ahead with plans for the 2024 season, brought to life by presenting sponsor Shimano with the global support of Schwalbe, Pro, Wahoo Fitness and Leatt.

From the seventh instalment in California through a return to Pennsylvania, Germany, Italy and Japan, plus a debut in France, riders around the globe can refine their party-to-race ratio.

For 2024, Grinduro continues to grow, with six events planned between May and October.

Most noteworthy is that the event will expand in Europe with three dates in total, with the addition of a new stop in France.

“I love seeing the same faces year-after-year on the course, but the real magic is in bringing Grinduro to new audiences,” said Grinduro global events manager, James Deane.

“We’ve had six great years in the UK, but on June 28 – 30, 2024, Grinduro will take place in the stunning landscape of the Vosges region, France.”

The joy of riding bikes with friends in new places has been at the heart of Grinduro since it was founded in 2015 by Giro Sport Design.

Now, the series is under new ownership, after the acquisition by UK-based Northern Consultancy Co in 2023, who will continue to share their passion with riders across the globe.

Northern has been an integral part of the Grinduro story since it expanded to Scotland in 2017, serving Giro as the event management consultant and growing it into a six event series across the globe.

Paul Errington, founder and owner of Northern Consultancy Co, said: “The deal ensures the continuation of Grinduro and the growth of the series as an inclusive festival, with as much emphasis on the party as the ride.”

Grinduro first landed in California back in 2015, and set a benchmark for what the future of gravel events could be.

Rather than being solely a race, the event set itself apart from rivals by being a combination of a race and a party over three days. The initial event proved to be hugely popular and has now grown into a world series.

Just a handful of riders attended that first event, in Quincy, CA, in 2015, but the appetite for the unique event format soon saw attendance figures rise well beyond 1,000 participants.

Errington has confirmed that Northern has no plans to overhaul the race’s current format.

“We want to continue doing the great things Grinduro has been doing and introduce the format to fresh locations and new audiences,” he said.

Where participants might see a change is in an expanded expo area as Shimano expands its support into the second year as global presenting partner, stepping into the role once occupied by Giro.

Given how quickly gravel racing has grown from its grassroots, some riders might feel trepidation about the new ownership.

Errington knows there might be some questions or hesitation to embrace the change.

However, he is quick to emphasise that Grinduro and Northern are in it for the right reasons.

“2023 was the first year Grinduro was totally independent,” he said.

“We made little fanfare of the acquisition, and no one noticed change at Grinduro events. We are passionate about taking the Grinduro experience to as many people as possible.

“The growth of Grinduro globally is a great indicator that our outlook that cycling should always be about great fun with friends is shared by many.”

Events are open for entries now. Visit grinduro.com for more information.

Sponsorship opportunities are also still available, both at global and regional level. Visit grinduro.com/sponsorship for more information or contact James Deane at: james@northern.cc