The 2025 British Gravel Championships have been announced with a new venue and expanded programme.
This year's championships will take place from 12-14 September, bringing the UK's top gravel racers together to battle for national titles in one of the fastest-growing disciplines in cycling.
Organised by Red On Sports, the event will be hosted at Dalby Forest, North Yorkshire, marking an exciting new chapter for the premier gravel racing competition in the UK.
As gravel cycling continues its rapid rise in popularity, the British Gravel Championships serves as the pinnacle event for riders seeking to test their skills against the nation's best.
The British Gravel Championships were first held in 2021 as part of the King's Cup Gravel Festival in the King's Forest near Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk. Following the cancellation of the 2024 festival due to fee increases from Forestry England, the Championships instead took place as part of the Raiders Gravel weekend in Scotland.
This year sees the Championships reinstated as a standalone event, featuring an exhilarating course designed to challenge both seasoned professionals and dedicated amateur racers.
"We are beyond excited to bring the 2025 British Gravel Championships to Dalby Forest," said Malcolm Smith, Co-founder of Red On Sports & Race Director of the British Gravel Championships.
"Over two years ago, we first explored this incredible venue, and we knew right away that it had everything needed to create a world-class gravel race. Dalby's rich history in hosting elite cycling events and its varied terrain make it the perfect setting for our most exciting edition yet.
"Rider feedback and input has been instrumental in shaping this Championship, and we've worked hard to ensure this year's event offers an even better experience for all competitors. We believe this will be the best edition yet, and we can't wait to see riders take on the challenge."
A new venue for 2025
Dalby Forest, nestled in the heart of North Yorkshire on the edge of the North York Moors National Park, is a premier destination for outdoor adventure and a fitting stage for the 2025 British Gravel Championships.
Known for its breathtaking scenery, varied terrain, and rich cycling heritage, including hosting the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup and featuring in the Tour de Yorkshire, Dalby offers a challenging yet rewarding course. With fast gravel tracks, technical sections, and tough climbs, riders will experience an unforgettable test of endurance and skill.
Dalby Forest is also the setting for a new gravel ride by Focal Events, organisers of the Dirty Reiver. The first edition of Dalby Grit takes place on Saturday 28 June 2025, and may offer racers a sneak preview of some of the Championships course.
Forestry England's Will Atkinson, Recreation Supervisor for Cycling at Dalby Forest, comments: "We are delighted to be working with Red On Sports to deliver the British Gravel Championships in September 2025.
"We believe that we have some of the best gravel tracks in England, which sit in some of the most stunning scenery England can offer. Dalby will suit the British Gravel Championships perfectly.
"The relationship with Red On Sports is a new one for us, and one which we hope to grow going forward as the Red On Sports portfolio of sustainable and environmentally friendly gravel races develops, and the reputation of Dalby Forest as a gravel cycling destination grows too."
Gravel time trial
Alongside the new venue, the 2025 Championships will for the first time feature a time trial event.
This individual race format will challenge competitors to tackle a specially designed course that highlights the fast, technical, and demanding nature of gravel racing.
With no pack dynamics to rely on, riders must push their limits in a true test of pacing and power, making for an exhilarating addition to the championship weekend. National titles will be on the line across all Masters age groups and in the Junior & Elite categories.
An action-packed weekend
The Championships will once again feature both elite and age-group categories, ensuring riders of all backgrounds have a chance to compete for national titles.
For the first time the Masters & Junior Championships (Saturday) will take place on a separate day than the Elite Races (Sunday). This follows feedback from age-group racers wishing to spectate more Elite racing. Sunday will see a separate Men's and Women's Elite Race, making for a spectacular day for spectators and riders alike.
The course designs for both the Time Trial and Gravel Races incorporate the best of British gravel, offering a mix of forest tracks, rugged sections, epic climbs and thrilling descents that demand versatility from riders. The Time Trial will test riders of 16.1km with 195m of climbing whilst all age-groups, junior and elite riders in the race will tackle 120km with 2000m of climbing (with racing taking place on a 30km lap).
Beyond the racing action, the event will feature an expanded expo area, demo opportunities, entertainment, and dedicated spectator zones to enhance the experience for fans and supporters.
Building on the roaring success of the Night Ride at previous British Gravel Championships events (pre-2024), this year's event will see a brand new non-Championships challenge added to the weekend schedule. More details to be announced soon.
Get involved
Registration for the 2025 British Gravel Championships is now open, with a limited quantity of early-bird entries available at www.britishgravelchampionships.com.
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