Homegrown Gravel Adventure, Franklin GA - February 22nd 2025
United States | Southeast | California >> Dong and Van den Ham take top spots at the Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder

Dong and Van den Ham take top spots at the Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder 

Hundreds of cyclists enjoyed 5 days of the greatest gravel in a fully-supported all-inclusive gravel bike vacation, the best summer camp for gravel lovers

After some 360 miles and more than 30,000 feet of climbing over five days, Michael van den Ham, of Chilliwack, British Columbia, and Evelyn Dong, of Park City, Utah, emerged as the overall winners of the Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder bike race.

The race started Wednesday and ran through Sunday on gravel and dirt roads throughout the Central Oregon Cascade range.

The state of Oregon on the United States’ “Wild West” coast has arguably some of “the best” gravel roads in the world. The Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder firmly established itself as the “Grand Tour of Gravel” with gravel enthusiasts around the world. 

Every year, lead organizer Chad Sperry from Breakaway Promotions spends a considerable amount of time and effort clearing the course of snow and rock falls to make the course safe for participants and allow full access to emergency services with the help of the forrestry commision.

This year’s race saw a wealth of new talent from far reaches of the world.

Canadian Van den ham, racing the OTGG for the first time, dominated the men’s race with three stage wins and two second places, beating fellow Canadian Cory Wallace and Aussie cyclist Matthew Bird in third place.

In the women’s race, Evelyn Dong went head to head with Bend's Sarah Max on the first two stages, second place overall went to Stella Hobbs from Montana and third went to Dong’s teammate Kaysee Armstrong.

Veteran racer Becca Fahringer and newcomer 21-year-old Cassius Anderson finished in the top five every stage.

Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder is the #1 Gravel Ride in the USA, with jaw-dropping scenery, camaraderie, and the legendary tenting and camp fires. Every respectable gravel rider need to add the OTGG to their bucket-list at least once (probably more than once).

Bend's Sarah Max went head to head with Evelyn Dong on the first two stages

2023 Women's Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder Final Overall GC

1st - Evelyn Dong
2nd - Stella Hobbs
3rd - Kaysee Armstrong
4th - Serena Bishop Gordon
5th - Rebecca Fahringer

2023 Men's Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder Final Overall GC

1st - Michael van den Ham
2nd - Cory Wallace
3rd - Matthew Bird
4th - Cassius Anderson
5th - Jesse Moore

Click here for the 2023 Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder Results: https://tinyurl.com/2drlrxqo

Click here for the 2023 Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder Photos: https://tinyurl.com/2ebn5bax

Click here for the 2023 Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder Videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJR-hn5v_bxfv3ucv-F1F25ttMxaxPQA

VIDEO: 2023 Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder Finish Line Photos

About the 2023 Oregon Gravel Grinder Series

The Oregon Gravel Grinder Series showcases the best gravel trails in Oregon with four EPIC Gravel Adventures; the Gorge Gravel Grinder in April, the Cascade Gravel Grinder in May, the Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder in June, and the Ochoco Gravel Grinder and Festival in July.

You can experience miles and miles of the great gravel that Oregon has to offer by signing up for one, two, three, or the full Oregon Gravel Grinder Series.

The series is organized by the amazing team at Breakaway Promotions, well-known for THE BEST race support, the friendliest smiles and huge post-race parties with great food and beer! 

With participant caps of between 400-600 riders per event, Breakaway Promotions has created these epic events, ensuring riders of all abilities achieve accomplishments beyond their expectations, and have an unforgettable experience out of the saddle too. 

The Breakaway Team looks forward to offering outstanding support during your ride at well-stocked aid stations, mechanical support on course and after your ride at the post-ride parties and celebrations.

The series is organized by the amazing team at Breakaway Promotions, well-known for THE BEST race support