Valtteri Bottas is not only a Formula 1 driver, but also a passionate gravel cyclist. He loves riding on the dirt roads of his native Finland, especially with his girlfriend Tiffany Cromwell, a pro cyclist for Canyon-SRAM.
Bottas wants to share his passion with the world, so he is launching FNLD GRVL, a new gravel event in the Finnish sports haven of Lahti, on June 10, 2023. He is teaming up with the organizers of SBT GRVL, one of the most popular gravel races in the U.S.
Bottas and his Alfa Romeo F1 Team KICK have also announced a partnership around the event, making it the first F1 team to sponsor a gravel race. The partnership aims to attract F1 fans to gravel cycling and to promote the sport to a wider audience.
“The gravel bike has become an important tool for my physical and mental health outside of the race car,” Bottas said. “With this partnership between Alfa Romeo F1 Team KICK and FNLD GRVL, I’m excited that these two worlds now exist in tandem.”
The Alfa Romeo team said they are proud to support their driver and his personal endeavors.
“Gravel cycling has become an important part of Valtteri’s life off of the racetrack and we are thrilled to support what is sure to be an exciting event,” said Stefano Battiston, Head of Marketing & Communications of Alfa Romeo F1 Team KICK.
FNLD GRVL is set in the beautiful Finnish Lake Region, just an hour from Helsinki. The region has more than 55,000 lakes and forests that offer varied and scenic terrain for gravel riding. The event will have three course distances with a 20,000 Euro pro prize purse, split evenly between men and women. The courses are The Midnight Sun Route (177km), The Lake Route (77km) and The Forest Route (40km).
The event will also have entertainment and activities from June 8 to June 11, including a coffee ride with Bottas and Cromwell. Travel logistics are easy with public transportation from Helsinki to Lahti.
Registration for FNLD Gravel will open on November 15, 2022 on BikeReg. Fees range from $100 for the short course to $1000 for a VIP package.
