Nedbank Gravel Burn to introduce teams classification for October race

The second edition of the seven-day Nedbank Gravel Burn stage race in South Africa, scheduled for October 25–31, will introduce a teams classification with points and prizes, marking a first for gravel stage racing, cyclingnews.com reported.

Trade teams of three to four riders alongside alliances of independent participants become eligible for the new standings format. Under the rules developed for the Eastern Cape event, the top three riders from each squad contribute points to the daily team standings across 750 kilometers and 8,500 meters of elevation gain.

Organisers formulated the classification structure in partnership with figures including pro road and gravel veteran Peter Stetina of Canyon x DT Swiss ATR and Adam Hansen, president of the Cyclistes Professionnels Associés, both of whom competed in the inaugural event. Race founder Kevin Vermaak explained that the addition rewards team investment while addressing the rise of professional superteams. Independent privateers established gravel racing culture, and the open teams classification seeks to balance the field by allowing ad-hoc groups to compete against formal outfits.

Several major teams have committed rosters to the upcoming South African competition. Canyon x DT Swiss ATR brings a women’s squad headed by former Unbound Gravel 200 winner Carolin Schiff alongside two men’s teams, featuring former US gravel champion Bradyn Lange. Scott-SRAM enters single teams in both divisions, fielding Life Time Grand Prix contender Alexis Skarda in the women’s lineup and Filippo Colombo, winner of the UCI Gravel World Series Ceder race, in the men’s division. Toyota Specialized Imbuko enters two all-South African men’s rosters, while Mattia De Marchi captains a three-rider men’s group for The Grip.

The solo competition remains the core of the event, supported by a $150,000 US prize purse divided evenly between pro women and pro men categories. The payout structure includes daily awards for the top three finishers and overall distributions for the top ten. The individual start list features elite debutants such as two-time Marathon MTB world champion Henrique Avancini, multi-time Japanese XCO champion Kohei Yamamoto, and 18-year road professional and former Cape Epic winner Jakob Fuglsang. Defending men’s champion Matt Beers, runner-up Simon Pellaud, women’s champion Axelle Dubau-Prevot, and third-place finisher Hayley Preen also return to the field.

Belgian Waffle Ride Reveals 2027 Schedule and Colorado Plans

Registration opened October 13 for the upcoming Belgian Waffle Ride series, which confirmed five events for the following year alongside a late-season race in Mexico, cyclingnews.com reported. The series begins in Arizona on March 6, 2027, before moving to Southern California on May 2 for its sixteenth season. The Utah race in Cedar City shifts from June to May 15, and the Bozeman, Montana event moves from June to September 18. Event organisers Monuments of Gravel are currently seeking to fill a summer slot with a new event in Colorado, though specific location details and series inclusion remain unconfirmed.

The final mixed-surface ride in Mexico takes place on November 21 but stays outside the elite series. The Quad-Tripel Crown of Gravel series returns to calculate elite winners based on the best three out of four US events. While Utah has traditionally featured in the crown, organisers indicate it could transition into a standalone race by 2027 and pursue UCI Gravel World Series qualifier status. Hayden Christian and Cécile Lejeune secured the elite titles for the crown this past season.

Grasshopper Adventure Series Releases 30th Anniversary Calendar

The Grasshopper Adventure Series announced its 2027 calendar for northern California, marking its thirtieth year of operation, cyclingnews.com reported. The five-race schedule opens on January 31 with the Low Gap event in Ukiah, covering 59 miles with 95 percent dirt tracks. Subsequent stops include the Huffmaster mixed-terrain ride on February 28, the climbing-heavy King Ridge road event on March 20, and the Jackson Forest singletrack challenge on April 10. The series concludes on May 23 with the Ukiah Mendo Epic, a 70-mile mixed-terrain adventure. Elite divisions last year were won by Jen Tavé and Cassius Anderson.

Registration remains open with series passes priced at $675 plus fees, while individual race entries cost $155 before rates increase following November 30.

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