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South Africa's Gravel Burn Stage Race announces Largest Prize Purse

Pivital moment for International Gravel Racing, as largest single race prize purse of $150,000 moves to South Africa

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Gravel Burn organisers has announced the largest prize purse yet in gravel racing. Scheduled for the last week of October 2025, the race is a seven-day, full-service gravel bike event, routing for 850km (528 milis) across some of the world’s most challenging and inspiring gravel bike terrain. 

South African has awe-inspiring off-road cycling terrain, journeying through deeply inspiring landscapes with an unrivalled distribution and density of wildlife.

The Gravel Burn stage race will be hosted in the Great Karoo, one of the world’s most magnificent semi-desert wilderness areas and amazing South African off-road riding geography, 

Starting in the jewel of the Garden Route, Gravel Burn blazes a trail from Knysna's languid lagoon into the heart of the Great Karoo, towards Graaff-Reinet, the fourth-oldest town in South Africa. Riders tackle many challenging mountain passes along the 7-day route and their just reward comes with the breathtakingly beautiful and contrasting scenery – from coastal forests to arid semi-desert to African bushveld, as Gravel Burn reaches its conclusion at Shamwari Private Game Reserve.

Kevin Vermaak, the event organiser founded the Absa Cape Epic and developed it into the global standard for elite-level stage racing. After laeaving Cape Epic a few years ago, Vermaak’s entrepreneurship and love of South African off-road riding has found new heights in his new Gravel Burn stage race.

The new gravel stage race announced a groundbreaking $150,000 prize purse, making it the largest single-race prize purse in the history of gravel cycling. This milestone has been achieved thanks to a newly secured multi-year title sponsorship, to be unveiled on February 13th, which marks a pivotal moment gravel racing.

“Securing the title sponsor and offering the largest prize purse in gravel racing is a defining moment for Gravel Burn,” said Kevin Vermaak, founder of Gravel Burn. “Our goal isn’t just to host a race—it’s to create a platform that celebrates the best gravel cyclists in the world while inspiring the next generation. For professional riders who make a living in the sport, this prize purse underscores our commitment to setting a new benchmark in gravel racing. And for our amateur riders, who make up most of the field, it’s a unique experience to ride alongside cycling luminaries on the exact same course.”

The substantial prize offering is designed to attract top-tier riders from across cycling disciplines, boosting global visibility for Gravel Burn while solidifying South Africa’s Eastern Cape as a premier gravel racing destination. With world-class television production and media coverage, the event will showcase elite athletes against the breathtaking landscapes of the region, placing Gravel Burn firmly on the international stage.

Gravel Burn is a 7-day, 850 km gravel stage race.

South African gravel and mountain biking champion Matt Beers, a three-time Cape Epic winner, Belgian Waffle Ride champion, and 2024 Lifetime Grand Prix Series runner-up, expressed his enthusiasm, “This changes everything. Gravel Burn is putting the focus on stage-racing in the gravel category. A prize purse of this magnitude shows how serious gravel cycling has become. It’s a big step toward further professionalising the discipline and giving it the recognition it deserves. It will also motivate international gravel racers, especially from the U.S., to come to South Africa to compete.”

Annika Langvad, five-time Cape Epic winner and multiple MTB World Champion, who recently returned to racing on the gravel circuit, added, “This prize purse creates opportunities for both top riders and emerging talent to shine. It’s a major milestone that will undoubtedly attract global attention, setting a new standard for what gravel racing can achieve.”

With the introduction of Gravel Burn, South Africa now boasts two of the world’s largest prize purses in off-road cycling—one in mountain biking and now in gravel racing. This achievement underscores the country’s expertise in hosting world-class events and the commitment of its sponsors to advancing the sport.

Fore more information, please visit: https://gravel-burn.com