Sunday 24th January 2027
In 2027, once again there will be a women’s Gravel and Tar cycling race. ONCE AGAIN, THE WOMEN WILL HAVE THE SAME PRIZE MONEY AS THE MEN.
Entries are now open!
An opportunity for Cycling Clubs, Elite Cyclists, and Up and Coming Talent, to participate in the internationally recognised Gravel and Tar 2027
Riding in the inaugural Gravel & Tar La Femme cycle race in 2019, our first winner, Brodie Chapman commented on the podium, “That was the most fun I’ve had on a bike – ever!”.
And the Gravel & Tar (Men’s Classic and Women’s La Femme) is considered one of the toughest one-day cycling events in the Oceania region. So how much “fun” can that be? According to Chapman, apparently, quite a lot.
Comprising approximately 75% sealed and 25% gravel roads, it provides riders with the opportunity to test all their skills against other elite and promising cyclists on a variety of surfaces.
Now in its ninth year, the 2027 Gravel and Tar, to be run in the beautiful Pohangina region of the Manawatū (between Palmerston North and Feilding), has some exciting changes. If you’re a keen sports cyclist and would like to test yourself and enjoy the “fun” this race presents, here are what’s on offer.
The event will recognise results for individual “A Grade” cyclists in three categories (Men’s and Women’s):
Under 19
Elite
Over 35
Distances are:
· Men’s Classic - 131.14km with 41.2 km’s gravel
· Women’s La Femme – 92.17km with 23.1 km’s gravel
The Gravel and Tar will be held on Sunday 24th January, starting and finishing in the village of Ashhurst (maps follow).
ENTER THE GRAVEL AND TAR LA FEMME NOW!
Plus – yes, there’s more – on Saturday 23rd January there will be:
The Joe Allen Classic
The Joe Allen Classic is one of New Zealand’s longest running cycling races, having been contested since 1948. Over the years it has been won by many of the country’s top cyclists, including Gary Anderson, Sam Horgan and Robert Stannard.
The race is named in honour of Joe Allen, a life member of the Feilding Cycling Club who dedicated much of his life to the sport and riginated as a Feilding – Apiti – Feilding road race in 1948, covering approximately 90km through the rolling Manawatu countryside.
After being run continuously for decades, the Joe Allen Classic was last held in 2019, when the late Steve Stannard claimed the Thomas Collins Shield as first rider across the line, Winston Briggs recorded the fastest time to win the Joe Allen Memorial Trophy, and Ethan Craine won the McGregor Challenge Cup as the first U19 rider home.
The return of this iconic event in 2027 celebrates the revival of a historic New Zealand cycling event and honours a race that has been a significant part of the Manawatu cycling landscape for more than 75 years.
How to enter
More detail is provided on the Gravel and Tar website www.gravelandtar.com with official entry forms available from our organiser’s website www.greasychain.com Should you require more information, or to express an interest in participating but are not sure of details, please email gravelandtarclassic@gmail.com
La Femme Course Map: more details to come
Terms and Conditions of entry
Available shortly
For an idea of what the La Femme looks like, please see video from the 2019 event below.
