Announced today by SBT GRVL…a partnership w/ Bottas to bring a gravel race to Finland.
Having done The Rift last year in Iceland, and being a convert to F1 over the last few years, this may have to go on the list.
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Looks real nice.
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This is really cool. I remember on an episode of drive to survive, they were at his garage at home and he had a few Canyons in there. Didn’t realize there was more to it than just liking to bike here and there!
He is dating Tiffany Cromwell and has done SBT GRVL (red course) the last 2 years and finished in the Top 5.
Briefly talked to him this year in SBT…super nice guy, vey low key. I don’t fanboi over much, but that was pretty cool.
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What’s with removing letters from a word in ALL CAPS and calling it a bike race? Stop the discrimination against vowels, I think that’s something with which we can all get on board.
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He totally seems like the kind of “celebrity” that just wants to hang out and drink cheap beer with the boys.
People underestimate racing drivers. They’re professional athletes and train damn hard. Not even remotely shocking he can ride at this level. Looks like we know his F1 retirement plans! Haha
It’s Wahoo appropriation and I won’t stand for it! Haha
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The War on Vowels has been going on for decades….it really all started with the Motorola Razr phone. 
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Registration secured!!! 
Can’t wait for this next year…should be awesome.
Registration is still open if anyone is interested.
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Race is this weekend…we fly out on Wednesday, land Thursday afternoon. Then taking the train up to Lahti.
Really excited for this…not quite in the form I was hoping for, but good enough to hopefully ride a decent tempo all day. Besides, spending the day with my tongue in my spokes and not taking in all the beauty seems kinda dumb.
Will probably do the Friday afternoon shakeout ride…
If you see a guy in ENVE kit riding an Aspero, say “Hi!”
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The weather forecast for the weekend looks quite nice. It has been very cold and rainy here, but it seems it will be around 20 deg C and no rain for the weekend. Not really summer temperatures, I know.
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I’ll gladly take 20* and dry…when we did The Rift, it was 10* and raining most of the day.
And coming from Chicago, we only really got warmer than 20* in the last week or two, so it sounds delightful.
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In general, if there was any (even a long one) period of rain, gravelroads around here are not going to collapse, no mudfest like Unbound.
In heavy rain periods top layer, like first cm, of bigger gravel roads typically gets soft sticky and heavy rolling resistance but not deeper that that. Smaller road segments, that connect bigger roads, may have variable surface, sand, crushed rock gravel, clayish sand with grassy stripes aso but overall stiff structural frame.
But as said, forecast is very positive normal atm and it’s very fresh green here now. The amount of daylight is almost at yearly maximal too. Sun up 3.47 am, sun down 10.46 pm.
Very high level pro riders start list, friendly euro pro vs. us pro game it’s going to be. 
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Thanks for the details…good info.
Do you know if there are any stream / river crossing on the 177km route?
None, if you mean riding through the water. Several, by going over small road bridges.
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Yes, riding through water was what I meant…thanks, that solidifies my decision to use a waxed chain.
Thanks for all the details!!
Yeah waxed chains are quite common around this area in gravel and xc cycling. Actually there’s one factory close north making chain waxes, as they are some slippery people in xc skiing…
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Please do a recap or at least post pics! I really wanted to go but couldn’t get my wife onboard. This looks like such an awesome event.
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