After three hard-fought days through British Columbia’s remote mountain terrain, the 2025 Gravel Royale wrapped up its final edition with one last ride: Stage 3’s Ravenshead Route. With nearly 90 kilometres of scenic doubletrack, a punishing 10-km climb, and a fast descent back to Nipika Mountain Resort, it was a fitting finale for one of Canada’s most unique gravel stage races.
And in keeping with the script, the same names that led early stayed on top. Lindsay Glassford and Nicolas Kleban both completed their wire-to-wire victories, claiming the overall elite titles and cementing their place in Gravel Royale history.
Glassford goes three-for-three
Lindsay Glassford capped off her dominant weekend with a third straight stage win, crossing the line in 3:29:12 on the final day. Behind her, American rider Emma Maaranen stayed consistent with a strong second-place finish, while Natascha Piciga rounded out the top three; both on the stage and in the general classification.
Glassford’s total time of 11:44:45 over three days put her comfortably ahead of Maaranen (11:58:58), with Piciga completing the GC podium in 12:56:12.
Kleban owns the men’s race
On the men’s side, Nicolas Kleban made a statement across all three stages, winning each one with a blend of fitness, finesse and flat-out speed. He posted a 2:58:18 on Stage 3 to take the final stage and seal the GC in 10:04:56 overall.
Andrew Fast, true to his name, kept the pressure on all weekend and secured second place overall with a 10:45:45 finish. Jason Linder stayed consistent as well, riding to third on all three stages and finishing with a time of 11:11:55.
Royal course, royal effort
Gravel Royale’s reputation for adventure and challenge was on full display this year. From the heat and dust of Stage 1’s Palliser River Route, to the creek crossings and jungle track of Stage 2’s Miller Pass loop and finally to the climbs and sweeping views of Ravenshead, the 2025 edition delivered everything a gravel racer could ask for.
Stage distances hovered around the 90- to 110-kilometre mark, with thousands of metres of elevation gain. Riders tackled old forest roads, freshly cleared trails and alpine passes.
One last ride together
This year marked the final running of Gravel Royale. As riders rolled across the finish line at Nipika for the last time, there were big hugs, high fives and a few…
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