Alison Jackson is set to make her British gravel racing debut this weekend as she lines up for the British Gravel Championship in Galloway, Scotland.
The race is part of the annual three-day Raiders Gravel event, moved up and across the border from Suffolk for this year after organiser RedOn experienced issues with forestry fees.
Jackson, the Canadian winner of last year's Paris-Roubaix, will take part in the elite women's championship race, although won't be eligible to become champion as she is not British. She will go head to head with riders including CiCLE Classic winner Eluned King, National Road Series winner Monica Greenwood and RTTC road bike medallist Rebecca Richardson.
The men's field is also replete with hitters, including former champion Jacob Vaughan, Gralloch 2024 winner Matt Holmes, CX star Cameron Mason and retired WorldTour rider Nathan Haas.
It isn't the first time that Jackson – who rides for EF Education-Oatly-Cannondale – has raced in Scotland. She took part in the Glasgow World Championships and also the Tour of Scotland in 2019, where she won a stage and was second overall.
"The country is beautiful and the crowds are awesome," she told Gravel Champs organiser RedOn. "I'm looking forward to exploring another part of Scotland."
She has only ridden one gravel race before, in Canada, and said: "I love exploring and adventuring and doing something new. So this, you know, it's still bike racing, but in the new and exploring way. I'm looking forward to three days of racing and trying to figure out this gravel thing."
Jackson will be riding all three days of the Raiders event, which begins with stage one tomorrow (Friday Aug 30), called 'Clatteringshaws'.
The British Gravel Championship itself is held on Saturday Aug 31, with elite and junior riders taking on a 87.6km route in the Galloway hills that features 1,399m of ascent. Raiders challenge riders will ride another (mainly downhill) 13km to complete the 100.9km 'Grannoch' route.
Sunday sees the third and final stage, called the 'Skerrow', which is 65.6km long with 858m of climbing.
Raiders Gravel, says RedOn, offers "cyclists of all levels the chance to experience Scotland's breathtaking terrain in a unique and thrilling format. With three days of racing through some of the most picturesque scenery in the UK, (it) promises not only fierce competition but also a chance to connect with the cycling community in a relaxed, social environment."
