The team behind the venerable BC Bike Race is announcing the addition of a second event scheduled for this fall. 

The Gravel Explorer, or BCBR Gravel, is a new five-day stage-race set for the Okanagan region and will run from Sept. 26 to Oct. 1. 

“Adding another event to our roster bookends BC’s riding season with a race in the early summer and now a race in the fall,” says Dean Payne, president of BCBR. “We will add BCBR Gravel to our roster along with BC Bike Race the “Ultimate Singletrack Experience.”

According to BC Bike Race, the new event is about the spirit of adventure, a gravel grind with grit.

“Who else would you expect to throw all-terrain adventure, multi-day gravel routes and everything under the beautiful Okanagan sky into a blender?” says Jon Bula, co-owner of Bicicletta, the founding sponsor of the event. “Add hints of the Naramata bench wineries and a dash of singletrack then uncork with panache — only the BC Bike Race.”

The new race has some similarities to the BC Bike Race, including a multi-day schedule, and a variety of terrain. The region near Penticton and Kelowna includes, well, lots of wineries, the Kettle Valley Railway and excellent off-road access.  

Categories include Open Men, Open Women, 30+, 40+, 50+, 60+, and teams of two. Registration for the new event opens on Feb. 9 at noon (PST) at Bcbrgravel.com. 

The 15th running of the seven-day BC Bike Race, a mountain bike stage race, is scheduled for July 4-10.