It’s easy to shorthand to “gravel racing is the new road racing stateside”, but many events like the Rasputitsa Spring Classic or the Belgian Waffle Ride have been running for longer than your 23c’s have been out of fashion. Their names also give you the hint that they’ve taken inspiration from the most beautiful of traditions.

Anthony Moccia and Heidi Myers are the organisers of the Rasputitsa Spring Classic, and in their words:

We are unsanctioned. No license. No prize purse. Have a bike and the will to race and you are a match for our races. We attract road, cyclocross, singlespeed, mountain bike, tandem, and fatbikes. But we are a race. We are timed. We have podiums. And mostly our winners have bragging rights.

They also give back to grow the sport by channelling proceeds to JAM Cycling and Little Bellas, two organisations helping the next generation of cyclists along in their own ways.