19th, The Rift Iceland

This was no ordinary gravel event. It was 200km across lava, rivers and snowfields, set in one of the most remote landscapes on the planet. Held in the tectonic heart of Iceland, The Rift has quickly earned a reputation as one of the most epic stops on the Gravel Earth Series.

idk what i’m doing with my hands

Pre Race

The Rift begins in Hvolsvollur, a small town in southern Iceland. The course is as surreal as it is savage: volcanic gravel plains, glacial rivers, snow-capped ridges, and wind-blasted highlands. The course was to cover 200km and 2600m of climbing, with weather that can shift from freezing fog to blazing sunshine in the span of an hour!

Ella and I landed in Reykjavik a few days before the race, collected their campervan (home on wheels), and settled in, just kilometres from the start line. The backdrop? Snowy mountains, active volcanoes, and strangely, a golf course.

I previewed sections of the course and was left in awe. One moment I was climbing through misty green mountains, the next riding across black volcanic gravel and icy rivers, and then suddenly crossing bright white snowfields under the sun.

Race Day

With my classic breakfast of 6–7 Weet-Bix and a strong coffee down, I rolled to the start line for the 8am flag drop. I attacked immediately out of the neutral zone, joined by an Icelandic rider on a dual-suspension mountain bike. Together we rode clear, handling sketchy crossings and jagged rock with confidence. For 50km, it looked like a dream start.

River Crossing 10km in

The Hike-a-Bike

But at 60km, reality bit. A 25-strong chase group reeled them in on a steady climb. Soon after came the brutal hike-a-bike section: steep pitches, sharp descents, and terrain that scattered the peloton. Riders were left strung out across the landscape. I dug deep, clawing back positions through open black roads, glacial streams, and endless gravel.

Mechanical Mayhem & Recovery

At 178km in, disaster struck. A sharp volcanic rock sliced my front tyre open. Luckily, Ella and their campervan were waiting just ahead at the feed zone. In less than three minutes, I somehow managed to swap out my tyre and tube, rejoined the course, and turned the final 22km into a solo time trial.

F1 Style Pitstop

Crossing the Line

Six hours and fifty minutes after rolling out, I crossed the finish line in 19th place. A top-20 result in one of the world’s toughest gravel races!