Thinking of trying ultra-distance cycling? The UK's biggest gravel event could be the place to start

The Gralloch, the UK's biggest gravel event, has taken its offering to the next level with the addition of a 330km (205-mile) ultra-distance option that is set to feature a whopping 5,000m of vertical ascent.

The Gralloch Ultra will be held next Saturday May 16, on the same weekend as the event's original 111km (69-mile) race, which is part of the UCI's Gravel World Series and was won this year by Petr Vakoč (Canyon Isadore) and Tessa Neefjes (Liv Racing) in the men's and women's events.

“The Ultra is a natural extension of what The Gralloch stands for,” Maximilian Wussler of Red On Sports, said. “It’s a chance for riders to push their limits, ride self-supported, and experience Galloway in its rawest, most beautiful form.”

In fact, the event describes itself as 'semi-supported', and there will be feed zones along the way, medical assistance available and event control oversight. All of which, organisers reckon, makes the Gralloch Ultra the perfect place for those new to ultra-distance riding to dip a toe in for the first time.

Additionally, the Gralloch Ultra will be run as a challenge ride rather than a race, at least for this first edition.

The organised by Red On Sports, the original UCI World Series Gravel event was inaugurated in 2023, and has been won over the years by riders including Connor Swift (Ineos Grenadiers) and Matt Holmes and Tiffany Cromwell.

But even for those unlikely to challenge for the podium don't necessarily walk away empty handed – because of its Gravel World Series status, the top 25% of finishers automatically qualify for the World Championship later in the year. The same is true of the Graen Cymru in Wales, another UK World Series event.

The Gralloch also offers non-competitive sportive options for those who don't fancy racing, with 111km and 53km distances to choose from.

The Gralloch events are held in the Galloway Forest in southern Scotland, based out of the town of Gatehouse of Fleet. The events are run almost entirely on the sort of gravel double-track that is not easy to come by in the UK, at least in long, joined up stretches.

Organisers wax lyrical about the area, saying: "From the pine trails of Laurieston Forest to the ridgelines of the Ayrshire Alps and the shores of Loch Doon, every turn reveals another layer of Scotland’s raw beauty and history."

Red On Sports are also the organisers of the annual British Gravel Championships, and co-founder Max Wussler spoke to Cycling Weekly's Going Long podcast earlier in the year all about their approach to this niche of the sport.