4 cycling, mountain biking, and hill climb events in Waitsfield, Vermont

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Grateful Gravel is the proud creation of Deadhead gravel bike riders from the Mad River Valley, combining their love of long bike rides and music festivals into one long strange event. Two entertainment endeavors that collide to move you brightly. Grateful Gravel provides a challenging cycling event featuring some of Vermont's most picturesque landscapes and gravel roads that segues into a face melting gathering of community and friends to enjoy the song catalog of Hunter, Garcia, and the rest of the Grateful Dead.

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The day begins with a 21, 46, or 63 mile gravel ride that makes your legs scream louder than Donna Jean during a mid-70’s Playing in the Band. An epic after party at Cousin's Brewing starts at 2:00 PM with music, food, beverages, and bar games. Weather-permitting, we'll have an outdoor stage and beer garden on the beautiful lawn out back.

All riders can refuel after the ride with a small meal provided by Silk Road and a beer compliments of Cousin's Brewing. Additional food and beverage will be available for purchase.

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NEW THIS YEAR - Mountain Bike Option! If you prefer dirt to gravel, we are offering several guided rides of the incredible Mad River Riders trail network. There will be options ranging from kid-friendly short spins to epic adventures with huge climbs and everything in between. Mountain bike rides leave the brewery at 11 AM. Come early to peruse your options and sign up for the perfect ride. Some of the rides will be shuttle-supported. Shuttle rides are included, but capacity is not infinite. Sign up for shuttles and rides in the morning before the 11 AM departures.

Thank you for your interest in the Green Mountain Stage Race. In 2023 the GMSR was the largest stage race in North America! Velo has selected the GMSR as one of the top ten stage races in the US two years in a row! Come experience what it is like to be treated like a Pro regardless of your catagory. This will be the twenty-fifth edition of the GMSR! We hope you can join us.

For 2026 the GMSR has been selected to be the final event in the USAC Juniors Cup! GMSR race results will help identify American juniors for USA Cycling team camps. While the GMSR always attracts a world class junior field we expect an even stronger turnout for this year's race. Junior men will have a standalone event. Junior women will be competing in either the open women's field or the 3/4/Novice field based on age and results will be broken out and reported to USAC.

Racers must be a Cat. 4 or higher to enter all stage race events except the Women's 3/4/Novice, Men's 4/Novice and Mad River Open Road Race.

The Event Flyer is posted for your review. If you would like to see how the race will operate you can review the 2025 Tech Guide. The 2026 Tech Guide is in the process of being updated but the 2025 Tech Guide will give you good insight into the event except for Stage 4 where we plan to return to our much loved and thrilling downtown Burlington criterium. One of the few remaining downtown crits.

Please note: refunds will NOT be issued if you cannot attend the race. The only exception to this is for racers who sign-up prior to June 1. Those racers will be eligible for a no questions asked 80% refund but they must notify us by August 17th that they are withdrawing from the race so that we can try to fill their spot.

We strongly advise you to purchase the registration insurance offered through Bikereg at the time you register. Please read what is covered by the insurance to be sure it will work for you. The GMSR does not benfit in anyway from the purcahse of this thrid party insurance.