Over 3,000 riders from 47 nations set for The Gralloch as inaugural 323km Ultra joins UCI race this weekend.
Scotland's gravel festival returns to Gatehouse of Fleet 15–17 May 2026 with a deeper international field, the launch of the Genesis Gralloch Ultra presented by Maxxis, and a three-day programme generating £2 million in direct economic impact annually for the South of Scotland.
GATEHOUSE OF FLEET, SCOTLAND. More than 3,000 riders from 47 nations will line up in Galloway this weekend for The Gralloch, Scotland's gravel festival that features the UK round of the Gravelking UCI Gravel World Series. The 2026 edition introduces the inaugural Genesis Gralloch Ultra presented by Maxxis, a 323km self-supported route through the Galloway Forest Park, alongside the Gravelking UCI Gravel World Series race on Saturday and the Gralloch Sportive on Sunday.
Now established as one of the largest gravel events in Europe, The Gralloch contributes an estimated £2 million in direct economic impact to the South of Scotland each year and has become a defining legacy event for the region.
A deep and international UCI field
The Gravelking UCI Gravel World Series race carries qualification places for the UCI Gravel World Championships and European Championships, drawing a start list that bridges the WorldTour, cyclocross, triathlon, and dedicated gravel scenes.
In the men's race, 2023 Tour de France stage winner Michael Woods (Ventum Racing) lines up alongside Olympic medallist Jonathan Brownlee (Alba Rosa), Giro d'Italia stage winner Lukas Pöstlberger (Rose Racing Circle), former ski mountaineering world champion turned WorldTour rider Anton Palzer (Red Bull / Sportful), and Ide Schelling (RNRNYC p/b R1).
A strong international gravel contingent joins them, including Belgian specialist Niels Vandeputte (Alpecin-Premier Tech), Italian ultra-distance racer Mattia De Marchi (The Grip), Icelandic champion Ingvar Ómarsson (Trek Iceland), Mees Hendrikx (Team Boma Join), Freddy Ovett (Zwift Canyon), Danish rider Tobias Mørch Kongstad (PAS Racing), and Benjamin Perry (Guava X Castelli S.O.G).
The British and home-soil contenders are led by cyclocross champion Cameron Mason (Seven Racing), Thomas Mein (Hope Factory Racing), Matthew Holmes (OGT Holmes Cycling), and the Ribble Outliers Gravel Racing Team duo of Harry Tanfield and Ben Thomas.
In the women's race, defending Gralloch champion Tessa Neefjes (Liv Racing Collective) returns to Galloway alongside Paris-Roubaix winner Alison Jackson (St Michel-Préférence Home-Auber93). The women's race, starting as a standalone event and setting the gold standard for women’s gravel racing, fields one of the most competitive gravel start lists in Europe.
International contenders include Swedish gravel specialist Hanna Nilsson (Arvo Collective), Dutch riders Wendy Oosterwoud (PAS Racing) and Geerike Schreurs (Specialized Off-Road), Polish rider Karolina Migon (PAS Racing), and Valeria Kleiner.
Leading the British contingent are former British time trial champion Hayley Simmonds, cyclocross and road talent Anna Kay (Privateer), Danielle Shrosbree (Rapha Cycling Club), and Abi Smith of the Ribble Outliers Gravel Racing Team.
The Genesis Gralloch Ultra presented by Maxxis
Saturday also marks the inaugural running of the Genesis Gralloch Ultra presented by Maxxis: a 323km self-supported challenge through some of the most remote terrain in Galloway Forest Park. Riders will navigate forest tracks, exposed ridges, and country lanes in a single push, in a format new to The Gralloch.
Every finish in 2026 will set a benchmark. Among the names aiming to establish the first Gralloch Ultra FKTs (Fastest Known Times) are two-time Olympic triathlon champion Alistair Brownlee, IRONMAN champion Ruth Astle, Scottish ultra-athlete Donnie Campbell, known for his record-setting round of all 282 Munros, and adventurer and author Jenny Tough, recognised for her solo unsupported running & cycling expeditions across mountain ranges on six continents.
They line up alongside a field in which 37% of riders are taking on their first ultra-distance event. Introducing new riders to the ultra format sits at the heart of why the event exists, and the 2026 start list reflects both ambitions: a stage for the most experienced names in endurance sport, and an open door for those coming to the format for the first time.
More than a race
The Gralloch is a three-day festival. The programme includes panel talks and shakeout rides with Sir Bradley Wiggins, Michael Woods, Alison Jackson, Jonathan Brownlee, and others, alongside the Event Village, expo, live music, family activities, and the Sunday Sportive (111km and 53km) and Kids' and family rides.
Significance for the region
With over 3,000 riders and thousands more spectators, supporters, and visitors travelling to Gatehouse of Fleet, The Gralloch is now one of the most significant sporting and cultural events in the south of Scotland. The event is delivered in partnership with the local community and operates within the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere Sustainable Events Charter.
Maximilian Wussler, Co-founder of event organiser Red On Sports, said, "47 nations on one start line in Gatehouse of Fleet. That tells you what The Gralloch has become. From Australia to Argentina, Iceland to Bhutan, riders are travelling from every part of the world to race in Galloway, and Scotland is being shown on a global stage it has earned. None of this happens without the partners who backed us with conviction from the start, or the riders, at every level, who continue to choose this event."
Vice chair of Dumfries and Galloways Council’s Education Skills and Community Wellbeing Committee, George Jamieson commented ,“The Gralloch is a fantastic showcase of our region, delivering a memorable sporting experience set within exceptional surroundings. Events of this scale bring energy and visibility to the area, encourage repeat visits, and create lasting benefits beyond race day itself. I’m pleased to welcome everyone taking part and hope visitors enjoy exploring the area, supporting local businesses, and experiencing the warm welcome the region is known for.”
Rebecca Edser, Head of Events at VisitScotland, said, “The South of Scotland is hugely popular with cyclists for a good reason. With its mixture of road cycling routes and mountain bike and gravel trails, there’s something to challenge all abilities. Galloway Forest Park offers the perfect spot for gravel riders, and we’ve excited to see the return of The Gralloch.
“The gravel festival has become a key fixture in Scotland’s sporting and cultural events calendar, bringing participants and spectators from across the UK and around the world, and we’re pleased to once again support it through our National Events Programme.
“Events like this not only raise the international profile of Scotland as a destination made for cycling but are important for the local visitor economy, helping to support local businesses and communities while providing experiences for everyone to enjoy.”
Full details about The Gralloch are available at: www.grallochgravel.com
