Shimano Gravel Muster 2025
Entries Open To The 2025 Shimano Gravel Muster Stage Race
Press Release / 12.12.2024
Entries have opened for the 2025 Shimano Gravel Muster Stage, the event that revolutionised the Australian gravel racing scene last August.
The four-day, four-stage race will take place on the 21 – 24 August 2025, and is set against the backdrop of the East MacDonnell Ranges in the Northern Territory.
Securing two of the 100 places on offer are Simon Gerrans - Australian professional cyclist and Tour de France yellow jersey holder; and international sports journalist Rupert Guinness.
A host of the country’s top gravel riders have also shown strong interest thanks to the inaugural 2024 competitors expressing unanimous agreement on the exceptional experiences the event offers.
“This whole experience is not something you’ll get anywhere else in the World - and this race really does take you places you would never, ever go otherwise!” said Marathon MTB’s Imogen Smith.
Shimano athlete and inaugural winner Ella Bloor said, “The beautiful thing about gravel is that there is so much variety – and the outback offers so much of this and more!”
Offering an all-inclusive gravel riding experience with an unparalleled blend of "fast-bunch-racing" with timed racing segments within each stage, and “social riding with friends” during the untimed cruising sections within the course.
Evenings are spent together in outback cattle stations in the heart of Australia's stunning Outback. Some accommodation, along with most meals and all logistics are included in the entry fee, providing an opportunity for riders to relax, share stories around the campfire, and forge lifelong friendships beneath a star-studded sky.
Former professional cyclist and Shimano ambassador Richie Porte also embraced the experience earlier this year, on and off the bike;
“That’s what it’s all about at the Gravel Muster - pushing hard on the bike when it’s timed, and chilling out in the other segments!” said Porte. “And then to just sit around after each stage with the riders is just awesome.”
Bloor concurs; “It’s one of the more unique races on the calendar; an immersive experience where you’re camping out with all the competitors and eating meals under the stars. There’s nothing else like it!”
Following the success of its first year, organisers Rapid Ascent have set a limit of just 100 riders to compete in the 2025 event; a move that will preserve the event’s quality and ensure a unique, authentic atmosphere for all participants.
“It’s not just a race, it’s an experience,” said Race Director Sam Maffett of Rapid Ascent. “Competitors spend the day riding these amazing gravel roads in the outback and then share their experiences and get to know one another in the evening. To bring people to this remote part of Australia around the shared love of cycling is really cool.”
The stages vary in length from 47km to 148km; each one showcasing the sheer beauty of the central Australian landscapes, on true outback gravel roads that snake through spectacular gorges and vast open plains.
Shimano’s Marketing Manager Toby Shingleton is looking forward to the next edition of the event,
“When Rapid Ascent first came to me with this proposal – this one really stood out as something that was unique and different,” said Shingleton. “This is a race, not a Grand Fondo; and it’s something we’ll continue to support in the years to come.”
With temperatures hovering around the comfortable low 20s, it’s the ideal winter escape for gravel riders seeking quality racing and riding in a fully supported event environment.
The event is supported by the NT Government which has assisted Rapid Ascent to design, develop and deliver this pioneering event at a national level.
For entry details, and more information on the Shimano Gravel Muster Stage Race please head to the official website at www.gravelmuster.com.au.
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