Together with the MANIFESTO, the GUIDELINES bring all key information on Gravel Birds Ultracycling 2026. The goal is to informe you about the event and registration process, helping you to prepare your application. We have limited spots available and a selection procedure of participants. This page can also be useful for those who want to know more about the event.
Gravel Birds Ultracycling is not a race. It is a self-supported challenge and cycling adventure. A chance to test your physical and emotional limits while riding alongside other adventurers of the same spirit. Each participant rides independently, yet part of a larger community.
There are no cash prizes or podiums. Finishing times will be collected and published solely for reference and recreational purposes. This event should not be considered or interpreted as a competitive race.
The Gravel Birds Ultracycling routes are demanding and designed to challenge both body and mind. Previous participants have often found them tougher than expected, with profiles that go far beyond a simple ride.
Unsupported ultracycling is what sets Gravel Birds apart from traditional sports. It is about adventure, independence, and self-reliance — and it guarantees equal conditions for every rider. This event is about your own experience and pushing your personal limits. For that reason, excepting commercial services available to all riders, external assistance is not allowed. This includes:
Only what you carry or commercially purchase on your own is permitted.
Participants can choose between three categories of entry, reflecting different approaches to the Gravel Birds experience:
The Touring category also ensures transparency within the community, by clearly showing each participant’s approach. During the event, riders may be moved from SOLO or PAIR to TOURING if the organization identifies non-compliance with the unsupported rules, or if the participant requests to change. Reverse exchange - from TOURING to SOLO or PAIR - is not possible under any circumstances.
Note: On L’Abetarda, all participants will be riding in Touring category.
Participation spots in Gravel Birds Ultracycling are limited to protect the environment, respect local communities, and keep the event sustainable. Because demand often exceeds the available spots, we use an application system to ensure a fair selection.
We are not necessarily looking for super athletes. Experience has shown that the key to a successful journey lies in a mix of factors: physical capacity, emotional strength, route knowledge, planning skills, and the ability to anticipate adversities. Above all, we seek riders who understand the type of challenge ahead and who respect the principles of unsupported ultracycling.
Applications open on 1 September 2025 (00:01 local time) and close on 30 September 2025. The online form, available on our website, will include personal details and a few questions to help us understand your preparation and motivation. Pair category: each rider must apply individually.
Results will be announced on 10 October 2025 by email.
Selected riders must confirm their place by paying the entry fee (via bank transfer) between 10–31 October 2025. Only after payment is the registration complete, with a welcome email from the organization.
Pair entries: if both are selected, they may register as a pair (paying together or separately). If only one is selected, the rider may still participate individually.
Change route after registration: participants can change category (Solo, Pair, Touring) or route (L’Abetarda, Classic, XL 1000) until one month before the event.
The value of the participation fee for L'Abetarda is 240€, for Gravel Birds Classic is 260€ and for Gravel Birds XL is 280€. All fees include:
Helmet, reflective vest for nights and poor visibility conditions, frontal and rear lights (including backup kit) and emergency blanket. Riders without all mandatory items will not be allowed to participate.
The organization provides personal accident insurance in accordance with Portuguese law for amateur sports events, covering treatment, repatriation, disability, and death during the event time window. This insurance does not cover leaving the route, damage to third parties, or bike damage.
We strongly recommend all participants to have their own cycling insurance, and international riders are advised to also have travel insurance.
The closest airports are in Faro and Lisbon. The nearest train station to Castro Verde is Funcheira, located 30 km away:
Accreditation for tracker and rider pack deliver will take place on Friday, 8 May 2026, from 14:00 to 19:00 local time.
Attendance at the full Briefing Session is mandatory on the same day, 19:00–20:00 local time. The briefing will cover the rules, spirit of the event, last-minute instructions, and key information about participation, departure, and the route.
After the briefing, the organization will host a dinner for all participants to celebrate the spirit of the event and the community. The dinner will be vegetarian, with vegan options available.
Organizing an ultracycling event requires months of preparation, as well as commitments with suppliers and partners. These rules aim to balance fairness to participants with the need to cover expenses that are already incurred well before the event. Participation cancellation and refund:
Event cancellation by organization: event takes place in the period with the most pleasant expected cycling conditions in Alentejo. In the unlikely event of war, natural disaster, or other force majeure, participants will be refunded as follows:
The event lasts seven days across all routes. The finish line in Castro Verde will close at sunset on Friday, May 15th.
Time limits for each Check Point will be proportional to the overall event limit.
Gravel Birds is designed for a diverse range of participants: from those who will push their limits to those who want to fully enjoy the landscapes and the territory. We embrace and encourage the philosophy that “slow is okay.”
We aim to provide balanced event coverage. In self-supported ultracycling, we admire and respect both faster and slower riders.
We recognize that some solo riders will push to complete the route as fast as possible, which naturally sparks enthusiasm within the community. At an initial stage, we will highlight the performances of the fastest riders (women and men) participating in the solo category.
At the same time, our media team will be present throughout the entire event, following and sharing the journey of the slower participants, whose experiences and stories are equally important to the spirit of Gravel Birds.
Unsupported ultracycling has an international scope. English is the official language of the event, ensuring the widest understanding among participants. To support the development of the Portuguese community, key information will also be provided in Portuguese (website, information support, adventure manual). During the event itself — including the briefing session and organizational announcements — English will be the only communication language.
Despite the event’s name, MTB bikes are just as welcome as gravel bikes. The vast majority of the routes run on pure gravel tracks, where gravel bikes are the perfect machine for bikepacking adventures in Alentejo. We recommend tyres of at least 40 mm. Still, there are several sectors with harder and more irregular terrain, where MTB bikes can have an advantage and provide extra comfort. Ultimately, bike choice is part of the challenge — route research and personal preference play a key role.
Integrity means adhering to a specific code of moral principles: being truthful and honest, and doing what is right — in other words, what you do when no one is watching.
It is impossible for the organization to control an ultracycling event with numerous participants across hundreds of kilometers. You are the judge of your own actions, and it is up to you to uphold the principles of our MANIFESTO, ensuring a level playing field for all participants.
Accreditation is mandatory, as well as attendance at the entire briefing session.
Gravel Birds is a non-profit event, organized since 2022 by ACAN – Associação Ciclismo Aventura e Natureza, with the mission of promoting adventure cycling in Portugal. We are guided by environmental values and committed to territorial cohesion, supporting the development of Portuguese regions that are lagging behind.
Since the first edition, Gravel Birds has benefited from the support of the Municipality of Castro Verde and local nature conservation entities. A portion of the entry fees is donated to these entities to support nature conservation actions.
ACAN also organizes Heading SouthWest, an unsupported on-road ultracycling event across Portugal.
