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Focal Events has reported that this year’s Panaracer Dirty Reiver was its biggest to date, with an international field of 2,000 riders descending on Kielder Forest to ride between 65 and 200 kilometres of some of the best gravel in the country.
The success of the event, delivered by leading British gravel cycling event organiser, Focal Events, also behind the Scott Frontier 300, crankbrothers Gravel Rocks and the all-new gravel race Dalby Grit, “Is further confirmation of the continued growth and strength of the gravel scene in the UK. A scene which continues to see increasing numbers of both participants and events in the calendar.”
Each year we try to further refine and improve the highly anticipated sell-out event that we know people already love and talk about throughout the year, and this edition was no different. A few small tweaks to our start timings aimed to help those riders travelling from further afield, whilst a couple of adjustments to our course and layout helped further improve the overall rider flow. Sometimes it’s the small details that aren’t noticeable to most which actually make a good experience even better – Co-director Bryan Singleton.
This year’s event sold out in hours when entries went live last November, thanks to its popularity and brand support. The event hosted 18 brand partners and exhibitors at the event’s Gravel Expo.
The Panaracer Dirty Reiver is the start of Focal’s summer of events with the ultra-endurance, coast-to-coast Scott Frontier 300 and inaugural Dalby Grit race taking place this June, followed by the second edition of Gravel Rocks presented by crankbrothers in July.
Entry for the 2026 edition of Dirty Reiver will open later this year, in what will be its 10th anniversary.
We’re already looking forward to next year’s celebrations and the interest from our brand partners and the wider industry to support this event continues to grow. We’ll have a number of extra special celebrations alongside the usual agenda in 2026 – watch this space, added Bryan Singleton
