Start wave selection

Race or Ride? Raiders Gravel is all rides to all riders – you can race it or you can ride it.

That means we have two start waves (RACE and RIDE), Racers starting 15 minutes before the Riders. Both roll out of Raiders Gravel Event Village in Garries Park, Gatehouse of Fleet.

All registered riders will receive an email asking them to confirm their selected start wave. If you have registered and not received this email, please contact us.

NOTE: All E-Bikes will be allocated to the Ride.

RIDE

you’re just out to ride the event and not compete that’s fine – it’s simple too! On each of the three days your time will start when the flag is waved in Garries Park, Gatehouse of Fleet. Your time will stop when you get back after a fabulous day on the trails. Easy.

Your time will be published but won’t be included in the race results.

RACE

This is a little more complex, you roll out of Garries Park for a neutralised section but your race time does not begin then.

So you can compete on what is some of the best gravel in the UK it is inevitable that each stage covers some road sections. These are open roads and in order to prevent racing on these road sections we have created timed sectors which are entirely on gravel.

So your race starts when the first competitor crosses the line for the first timed sector. It finishes when you personally cross the line at the end of the timed sector.

For both Stages One and Three that’s simple, they both only have one timed sector, your time stopping when you have complete the timed sector.

However, Stage Two has three timed sectors where racers’ times are recorded and the times added together to calculate the overall stage time. Your time for the second and third sector only begins when you cross the start line of that timed sector.

For those riding in teams, the time of the slowest rider in your team will count as your teams’ time for each timed sector.

The winner of the overall classification in each category is the rider or team which covers all three stages in the shortest time.

The timed sectors for each day are as follows.

Stage	Timing Start	Timing End
The Grannoch: Stage One	11.3km	60.8km
The Clatteringshaws: Stage Two	11.3km	25.0km
	30.5km	48.0km
	53.6km	77.8km
The Skerrow: Stage Three	6.7km	61.4km

Can I swap from Race to Ride or the other way?
Of course you can!
If, after a day or two you decide racing is not for you your result for the stages you have competed will be shown, but you won’t be in the overall classification.

It’s the same the other way round. If it’s going really well, you can move across from Ride to Race and your results will be published for those stages you race but not in the overall.

All you need to do is head to the Event Info Desk and tell us, we do the rest.

Can I swap from Race to Ride or the other way?
Those riders selecting the Race category will be ranked in one of the following categories (based on their age & team format). Teams are assigned based on the age of the youngest rider in the team. All ages are calculated on 31.12.2023:

SOLO RIDER CATEGORIES

Men (Up to 39 years old)

Women (Up to 39 years old)

Masters Men (40-49 years)

Masters Women (40-49 years)

Grand Masters Men (50+)

Grand Masters Women (50+)

TEAM (2 RIDERS) CATEGORIES

Men (Up to 39 years old)

Women (Up to 39 years old)

Mixed (any age, one woman required per team)