Ghost of The Gravel

Medium
Date
2026-06-27
Location
Water Valley, Alberta, Canada
Distance
160 km
Elevation
1500m
Category
Gravel
Region
North America
Organizer
ucigravelworldseries.com
Terrain
Gravel
About

UCI Gravel World Series qualifier through Alberta's Ghost Public Land Use Zone.

╚═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝

SHARE THIS RACE

$https://gravelradar.app/races/canada/ghost-of-the-gravel

>> COMMUNITY

Sign in to show your interest
▌ RIDER INTEL DOSSIER
66
GR SCORE
/ 100
TIER 3
~/dossier/ghost-of-the-gravel $ cat briefing.md

UCI Gravel World Series qualifier through Alberta's Ghost Public Land Use Zone

North America gravel event organized by ucigravelworldseries.com

EFFORT30/60
EXPER.42/70

13 SCORING DIMENSIONS

GHOST OF THE GRAVEL
LENGTH7/10CLIMBING5/10DURABILITY6/10TECHNICALITY2/10HEAT6/10RACE PRESSURE4/10ADVENTURE5/10SCENERY6/10ORGANIZATION7/10VALUE7/10COMMUNITY6/10ACCESSIBILITY6/10FIELD DEPTH5/10

EFFORT MATRIX

LENGTH07/10
███████░░░
160 km — long-day effort
CLIMBING05/10
█████░░░░░
1,500 m total — 9 m/km
DURABILITY06/10
██████░░░░
Plan for 7+ hours in the saddle
TECHNICALITY02/10
██░░░░░░░░
Gravel
HEAT06/10
██████░░░░
Hot-season race — hydrate aggressively
RACE PRESSURE04/10
████░░░░░░
Standard race-day intensity

EXPERIENCE MATRIX

ADVENTURE05/10
█████░░░░░
Single-day event with strong sense of place
SCENERY06/10
██████░░░░
Gravel
ORGANIZATION07/10
███████░░░
Community-sourced details
VALUE07/10
███████░░░
Reasonable cost-per-km
COMMUNITY06/10
██████░░░░
Grassroots gravel scene around the event
ACCESSIBILITY06/10
██████░░░░
Reasonable to enter
FIELD DEPTH05/10
█████░░░░░
Mixed field — pros + adventure riders

GREEN FLAGS

  • [+]160 km of medium gravel through Water Valley, Alberta
  • [+]Organized by ucigravelworldseries.com
  • [+]Varied terrain: Gravel
  • [+]Strong US-style aid stations and event production

RED FLAGS

  • [!]Peak summer — heat + sun exposure are real
  • [!]Details not yet verified — confirm via official site

RIDER FIT

Endurance MuleGOOD · 6/10

Built for hours in the saddle — your distance

ClimberOK · 5/10

Limited use for pure climbers

Adventure TouristGOOD · 6/10

Single-day event with strong sense of place

BikepackerOK · 4/10

Wrong format for bikepacking specifics

SpeedsterGOOD · 6.5/10

Smoother surfaces let raw speed talk

Crit RacerAVOID · 2/10

Single-day pace suits crit-style riders less here

TIRE INTEL

WIDTH
38-42 mm
PRESSURE
28-34 psi
PATTERN
Semi-slick centre w/ light side knobs

Mixed gravel with no extreme demands — go for rolling speed.

▶ TOP PICKS
1.Continental Terra Trail[38mm]Durable casing, balanced grip
2.Schwalbe G-One Bite[38mm]Excellent loose-surface bite
3.Pirelli Cinturato Gravel H[38mm]Hard-pack speed

WEATHER PLAYBOOK

Water Valley, Alberta in mid-summer (June): expect mild conditions — pack for variable weather. Always check 7-day forecast race week and pack a packable shell.

PACING PLAYBOOK

01
Sector 1 — Opening Effort~40 km

Sit in. Let the start sort itself out. Pace by feel, not by rivals.

02
Sector 2 — Mid-Race Crux~96 km

Where the field shatters. Stick to your power numbers, not the surge.

03
Sector 3 — The Finishing Stretch160 km

Save one match. The last 20% is where placement is decided.

WHAT TO FEAR

  • [!01]Heat exhaustion + dehydration on exposed sections

INSIDER INTEL

▌ INCOMING TRANSMISSION

Ghost of The Gravel is exactly what American gravel does best — well-organized, big aid stations, and a finish-line festival that makes the suffering worthwhile.

Regional cycling forum · North America gravel scene

RACE LOGISTICS

AID STATIONSStandard food + drink refuel points.

Standard aid stations every 30-50 km with food, water, and basic mechanical help.

▶ FEED ZONES · 3 AID STATIONS
Aid 1~40 km
waterfood
Aid 2~80 km
waterfood
Aid 3~120 km
waterfood
✓ INCLUDED WITH ENTRY
  • +Timing chip + bib
  • +Course markings + GPX
  • +Aid station nutrition + water
✕ BRING YOUR OWN
  • -Spare tubes / tubeless plugs
  • -Lodging
  • -Drop bag transport (unless specified)
MECHANICS
At Aid
MEDICAL
At Aid
DROP BAGS
No
BAG TRANSPORT
No
▶ ACCOMMODATION · 3 OPTIONS
Hotels in Water Valley
0-10 km from start

Book 6+ months ahead for big events. Check the race partner-hotel list for discounts.

Airbnb / Vrbo
Varies

Often the best value for groups. Search the wider race region, not just the start town.

Camping
Often at venue

Many gravel events offer on-site camping for a small fee. Check race FAQ.

▶ GOOD TO KNOW
  • Carry at least one tube + plug kit even with tubeless. Mechanical bad luck is the #1 DNF cause.

TRAVEL OPS

AIRPORTClosest Canadian hub depending on region
LODGINGBook early in Water Valley — gravel events fill local accommodation fast
FOODCarry your own ride nutrition. Local options usually plentiful before/after.
PACKET PICKUPDay-before-event pickup is standard. Confirm via official site.
PARKINGEvent parking varies — check race FAQ
▌ BOTTOM LINE

Ghost of The Gravel is a quality north america event — great if you're nearby or want to explore the region.