Grinduro Canada #2
Posted By Gravel Union
On the 11th September 2019
Event Title:
Grinduro Canada
Date:
August 17th 2019
Distance:
104 km
Location:
Saint Urbain, Quebec
Country:
Canada
Altitude Gain:
2000m
% of Gravel:
80%
Bike Ridden:
Devinci Hatchet Carbon
Tyre Width:
35c
As the Grinduro event series grows in size, now 4 events for 2019, the creativity of the event locations continues to shine. Starting out in Quincy, California then to its debut outside the US on the Scottish island of Arran … each location very different and in their own way very unique.
In 2019 Canada and Japan were added to the calendar.
Grinduro Canada was produced in conjunction with Canadian bike brand Devinci so it was no surprise they chose an east coast location not too far from their home in Chicoutimi, Quebec.
Saint-Urbain was the town chosen, a little way outside the bigger town of Baie St Paul, itself 90 minutes east of Quebec City. Natively French speaking with a definite European hue to the architecture and culture … a far cry from the mental image of Canadian cycling so many international riders have. But that is the beauty of Grinduro, it is a destination event so it overcomes the preconceived notions.
Driving to the town from Quebec City initially the land is flat but then the undulations start to gather pace until you are on a tarmac roller coaster sampling the profile that will have to be covered on bike, both on and off road, to tackle the course.
A Grinduro event village is always set up to deliver a full sensory experience … live music venue, pop up shop with sponsor brands, local interest businesses not to mention the tiny house, home to the Devinci crew for the weekend.
My bike was as standard these days to be a loaner allowing me to dodge the hassle and expense of travel with bike. No ex demo or last year’s stock here though … fresh 2020 model Devinci Hatchet gravel bike ... freshly built with Shimano GRX. No need to worry about the ride just the rider.
The ride itself was one of the toughest 100km I have ever ridden … delivering somewhere just north of 2000m of climbing and predominantly on gravel, often with a fair dose of sand, we worked for our beer in the hot sun.
The four stages as are now part of the Grinduro race experience were varied:
Stage 1: A predominantly downhill wide and fast gravel blast. Just enough cheeky uphill to sting a little.
Stage 2: OUCH! A tarmac climb … we hit gradients that had me wondering how they got the tarmac to stick to the hill! Any effort as the stage started to ‘race’ soon subsided to just surviving.
Stage 3: Enduro! Part of the local Enduro race course was used to form an ‘on the edge’ of bike and rider capability singletrack experience. I cruised down keen not to damage bike or body.
Stage 4: Keep it pinned! 10km, perhaps the longest stage in Grinduro history. Undulating but with enough recovery on offer to prepare for the final climb to the finish.
The riding in between those tests of rider ability was fantastic. A beautiful part of the world, even riding through the endless sand section failed to permanently lower the mood.
The rest of the event was typical of what is now a defining event experience … drinks, food, haircuts, live music, outdoor games … in every direction people were partaking in their own version of fun, rest and relaxation.
Grinduro is now a well-known event and format and even though this was year one in Canada it had the feel and execution of a well versed set up, a credit to the Canadian promoters and Devinci.
Roll on 2020 when we venture back for more of the same.
Thanks too,
https://grinduro.com/
http://www.devinci.com/