Peter Stetina and Amity Rockwell are among an all-star cast of pro riders opening the US gravel racing calendar on February 27 when Low Gap opens the Grasshopper Adventure Series in northern California. They will take on a 48-mile course from Todd Grove Park in Ukiah, California, with 6,664 feet of elevation gain, the majority of dirt, or mud, and climbing packed into the final 22 miles.
Stetina, last year’s Low Gap pro men’s winner, will be joined by Tyler Williams (Miami Nights), who was third last year, Ian Lopez de San Roman, fifth last year, and Brennan Wertz (Mosaic Cycles), who was second in 2022. Former WorldTour pro Levi Leipheimer, who lives in Olympic Valley, California, and Canadian cross-country mountain bike rider Geoff Kabush will also make a start with the pro men.
In addition to Rockwell, who was fourth in 2022, there is a strong field of pro women, all based in California, led by multi-discipline rider and Olympian Katerina Nash, who won the 2021 Belgian Waffle Ride in California. Also expected to start are Six Sigma Hopper winner Flavia Oliveira Parks, Anna Yamauchi, Alison Tetrick (Specialized) and 2023 podium finishers Niky Taylor and Maude Farrell (Pivot / Easton / Pas Normal Studios), second and third, respectively.
Organisers of Low Gap still had spots open for the series at the beginning of the week, with all juniors receiving a customary 50% discount. It is the 27th year for the Grasshopper Series and Sportful returns as a sponsor for a fourth consecutive edition.
The fourth event in the series, Ukiah Mendo Epic on May 11, is one of the races added this season to the global Gravel Earth Series, where Rockwell finished second overall in the elite women’s standings.
Roxo Racing rebrands to Boneshaker Project p/b Orange Seal
Roxo Racing, which began as a domestic elite team for women in 2021, returns for a second season on the Continental level and will rebrand as Boneshaker Project p/b Orange Seal.
While the name of the team changed for the 2024 season, the 12-rider roster will continue to be anchored by Canadian Emily Marcolini. She’ll be supported by returning US riders Marjie Bemis, Jaime Larmer, Jacqueline Larouche and Kira Payer as well as Canadian Ariane Bonhomme, Mexican riders Ana Belen Garza and Romina Hinojosa.
New to the team are Canadians Ngaire Barraclough, who was a two-time U23 ITT national…
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