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Gravel<\/a><\/p>\n Europe’s biggest gravel race had plenty of drama in 2026, almost none of it about the racing.<\/p>\n Harry Talbot<\/p>\n Joe Laverick is a pro gravel racer, writer, and semi-frequent Escape contributor. He wrote a piece on his Substack<\/a> that caught our eye, diving into some of the controversies bubbling up around The Traka gravel event in Spain. So we asked him to expand upon it for us here.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Traka is the biggest gravel race in Europe, and has quickly grown to international prominence. First \u2018raced\u2019 in 2019 with around 100 local riders, the 2026 edition saw 5,000 riders at the start line, and with it, international coverage. The organisation behind it, Klassmark, remains small relative to behemoths like Life Time and should be commended for creating, in just a few years, what is now a mainstay of the European gravel calendar, generating buzz and sitting at the center of a humming gravel economy. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Traka 100 finally gave me the gravel bug<\/p>\n Sceptical, soaked, and slightly convinced: Europe\u2019s premier gravel event (mostly) won me over.<\/p>\n Interestingly, the main comments leaving The Traka this year were not about the winners, but the larger situation around the race. Gravel has experienced myriad growing pains since it took off in the middle of the last decade; The Traka, it is clear, is experiencing some as well. Many top pros, including Nino Schurter and Romain Bardet, discussed their concerns around safety, and there have been questions raised by the race organisation\u2019s treatment of the media around the race.<\/p>\n Escape Collective reached out to Klassmark last week with a list of specific questions and requests for comment on the topics below, but has not yet received a response. <\/p>\n Concerns around safety are what have gained the biggest traction. The Traka has changed. When it first started in 2019, it was a small local event; now, in 2026, it is an internationally recognised event. With that change comes new requirements for safety. The speed at the front of the race is much higher, and with success at The Traka equalling big contract dollars, risk is on the table. Safety is non-negotiable.<\/p>\n The debate around safety is two-fold: one argument around the course itself, and another that looks at the environment that exists around the course. The course does have many areas that are best described Gravel++, and it\u2019s very easy to argue that many parts would be much better ridden on a mountain bike. However, safety of the terrain itself will largely be a matter of personal opinion. Those with a mountain bike background will argue it\u2019s not bad at all, those with limited technical experience will argue it\u2019s dangerous. The truth sits somewhere in the middle.\u00a0<\/p>\n Away from the course, the main safety argument is the presence of open roads. In an interview after the race, Romain Bardet said: \u201cI think gravel needs to find [its] own rules. You know it\u2019s getting more and more competitive. The way it works right now, it\u2019s not good enough for the safety of the riders.\u201d Nino Schurter<\/a> also commented on his Instagram: \u201cBut in all honesty, this race needs to address rider safety. Too many sketchy moments!\u201d<\/p>\n This post is for paying subscribers only Already have an account? Sign in<\/a><\/p>\n Did we do a good job with this story?<\/p>\n \n \ud83d\udc4dYep![\"Joe](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Joe-aspect-ratio-99-99-150x150.png\")
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The safety question<\/p>\n
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