July 23, 2018 (Kinburn, ON) – The West Carleton Gravel Series gets underway on Aug. 5 at the Kinburn Community Centre. The three-race Ontario Cycling Association sanctioned road cyclosportif series has courses that range from 80 to 90 km.

Organizers Brendan Gorman and Alain Villeneuve are hard at work organizing the first event and just rode the first course, which is 87 kilometres with 430 metres of elevation, two-thirds gravel, one-third pavement and includes a 700 metre unmaintained road climb.

“The fastest riders will be able to complete the course in about two hours while others may take as long as three or four hours,” wrote Gorman, in a blog post describing the course. “Regardless, it will be a challenging course for all and will appeal equally to those wanting to race and those looking to ride some great roads in a challenge type event. No doubt the beauty of the course will at least initially stave off the fatigue of completing the inaugural event of the West Carleton Gravel Series.”

Gorman says, he and Villeneuve are hoping to attract adventure and racing cyclists.

“I sincerely feel that the expansion of gravel racing/riding will be good for everyone and anyone whose lives are intertwined with cycling,” says Gorman. “The ability to attract the adventure and racing cyclists under one umbrella creates so much opportunity to grow the sport.”

Gorman, a former national team member and Junior road race champion (1996) who currently races Masters 1, is a big fan of the terrain near his home in the area.

“West Carleton has some of the greatest gravel roads in the area and I know them all,” says Gorman, who also blogs about gravel racing and the routes in the area at Nine2fivepro.com.

Gorman also recently launched the Kinburn Kermesse gravel cycling race series in Lanark County outside Ottawa, Ontario,

The West Carleton Gravel series is $20 per race, or $50 for all three races.

Gorman’s blog on the first course here.