Before any potential bikepackers get too excited - this is the Tor Divide, not the Tour Divide, but it's still brilliant news! As we all appreciate, getting started in gravel riding and bikepacking can be an expensive business, but it can also be a mental challenge - where do you find advice, what training should you do, how to you make your bike as comfortable as possible? To help reduce these barriers, the organiser of the Tor Divide has set up a bursary to help two riders take part in the event in 2025. Read on if you'd like to find out more. 

It wasn't all that long ago that Valerio Stuart, the organiser of the Tor Divide, was new to bikepacking. He only got into cycling in 2021 and did his first bikepacking trip in 2022 having spent hours and hours gleaning every bit of information that he could from YouTube. Now, not only is he completely and utterly hooked on gravel riding, bikepacking and taking part in ultra-distance events, but he's also set up his own event - the Tor Divide. After a very succesful inuagural event was held this year, it's going to be back for 2025 and is being held over the weekend of 17th & 18th May.

Not content with just trying to make the event as sustainable as possible (event finishers who travel by bus/train to the start receive a £5 refund, the first finisher of each distance to complete the event "plastic-free" get's all their entry fee back and he gives a significant proportion of the income from the event to a local outdoor charity), but for 2025 he's also launched a bursary scheme, aimed at helping a couple of riders new to bikepacking to get involved in this amazing sport.

Valerio gave us an overview of the bursary " For 2025 we aim to support 2 riders in the lead up to the event, providing them with a free entry to the event and some invaluable support from our sponsors and partners. The aim of the bursary is to help people interested in dipping their toes in the self-supported bikepacking world, but fear that the sport might not be for them or outside of their physical or financial reach. We strongly believe Tor Divide can be the stepping stone to bigger adventures and the perfect starting point for those new to bikepacking who are also looking to be challenged."

The details of the bursary are as follows:

What you'll get:

• Tor Divide - An entry to Tor Divide 2025 and tailored advice about the event and route.
• Schwalbe - A pair of Schwalbe tyres to get you rolling over any terrain.
• Peak Bikefitting - Bike fit at Peak Bikefitting (Sheffield) for ultimate on-the-bike comfort.
• Acier - Coaching and advice from coach and ultracyclist Samuel at Acier (remotely) from December 2024 to May 2025.

Requirements:

The bursary is available to TWO individuals:

• Resident in the UK.
• Aged 16 or over.
• With a maximum annual gross income of £23,000.
• Who have not already taken part to Tor Divide.
• Who own an off-road capable bike (e.g. MTB, gravel bike).

If you’re interested in the bursary and meet most but not all the requirements above, please do apply!

‍The bursary is designed to:

• Introduce new people to bikepacking and grow the bikepacking community.
• Make Tor Divide more inclusive and accessible to those who otherwise would not be able to participate.
• Share the story of riders preparing for a bikepacking event to inspire others to do the same.

‍Ideally you’ll be someone who is passionate about cycling, has a positive attitude, and is keen to try bikepacking and riding long distances. Ideally but not necessarily, applicants will be from an under-represented group in cycling. We are looking for someone who can tell their story and take our audience with them on their journey to the weekend of the event.

Applications open on the 1st November and close at midnight on the 22nd November.
Successful applicants can expect to be contacted by the end of November.

If you have any questions in the meantime, please Contact us.

When applying please include:

• a bit about yourself: who you are, your cycling history and why you are attracted by bikepacking.
• why you want to take part to Tor Divide.
• why you would be a perfect candidate for the bursary.
• any of your social media handles (Instagram preferable) or anything showing your ability to tell a story.

To apply, please send an email to this address. Entries close at midnight on the 22nd November.