Bicycling Australia is thrilled to announce the addition of a gravel event to the popular Clare Classic Gran Fondo for South Australia.
Known as the Dirty Clare, the ride is proposed for Saturday, 4 April, the day before the ever-popular Clare Classic Sunday rides.
The Clare Valley features some of South Australia’s most exciting gravel with stunning views and challenging yet easily accessible backroads.
Event director Pat Jonker – a 5-time Tour de France participant and absolute gravel connoisseur, has devised a thrilling 80km back road route that showcases the best of the Clare Valley. Couple this with one of Sunday’s three Gran Fondo courses – 50km, 110km & 160km – and April 4 & 5 will be the cycling weekend of the year.
Finishing at Clare Town Oval, the gravel event is expected to take riders between three and four hours to complete and will pass through some of the best scenery the Clare Valley has to offer. With varying surfaces and over 1000m of elevation, the Dirty Clare is not only an exciting challenge but the perfect warm up for Sunday’s main event.
The course has been designed with riders’ convenience in mind. Pat Jonker said 28mm tyres are recommended for the gravel event and participants without the luxury of a gravel-specific bike can take on both the Dirty Clare and Clare Classic courses on the same bike. Those with a gravel, CX or MTB are encouraged to bring it along!
Register for both the Saturday Dirty Clare and Sunday ride to receive discounted entry!
