“Unlike traditional events, ours is designed as a guided, shared adventure. Over several days, participants will ride together through high mountain pastures, remote valleys and traditional summer farms and stay in handpicked mountain lodges to enjoy local Norwegian cuisine - combining physical challenge with cultural experience.” That is how the organisers of the Mjølkevegen Gravel Collective event, which is being held for the first time this year in September, described their creation. If you would like to find out more, then read on…..
When you combine the talents of route planner/guidebook author Markus Stitz and current cycling-round-the-world record holder Mark Beaumont with the amazing scenery of Norway and the fantastic hospitality of the local people, you (hopefully) come up with a dream combination. The Mjølkevegen Gravel Collective differs quite significantly from many other organised gravel events in that it will be a “guided adventure”, rather than the more usual “here’s a GPX file, see you at the finish” style.
Markus describes the event as a “unique adventure on some of Norway’s finest gravel roads.” The event is being run between 6-13th September 2026 and everything except your transport to/from Oslo and drinks with lunch/dinner is included in the price. Markus goes on to say this about the plans: “Over several days, participants will ride together through high mountain pastures, remote valleys and traditional summer farms and stay in handpicked mountain lodges to enjoy local Norwegian cuisine - combining physical challenge with cultural experience."
Markus and Mark have spent significant amounts of time in Norway – Mark set out from Oslo for a training ride before his first round the world adventure in the early 2000s and Markus splits his time between his adopted land of Scotland and the stunning scenery of Norway. Markus said “The Mjølkevegen is one of my favourite gravel routes in the world, and sharing the adventure with Mark and other riders will be a really special week on the bike. I am also looking forward to sharing my local knowledge from having cycled the route several times myself and my experience from a decade of adventure cycling with all the riders.”
The planned rides include a mix of loops and point-to-points, with distances varying from 24km to 86km. The queen stage offers participants the chance to tackle the spectacular Tusenmeteren climb, which features a chunky 1000m of ascent and an impressive 42 hairpin bends. The routes combine gravel tracks with sections of paved road and some optional sections of more technically demanding trails. The organisers say the trip is “Suitable for experienced riders with good endurance, but who do not want to rush between each destination.”
Places on the Mjølkevegen Gravel Collective event cost NOK 32,900 (approx £2,550). To find out more details, head over to their website.