If you spend any time around bikes in Canada, you’ve probably heard the name Rob Britton.
Calling Rob strong on a bike is an understatement.
After a long and successful career racing professionally for teams like Rally Cycling, the Canadian-born rider built a reputation as one of the toughest competitors in the peloton. He won the overall title at the Tour of Utah twice, claimed stage wins across North America and Europe, and earned the respect of teammates as the kind of rider willing to take the wind and suffer for the good of the team: the mark of a true “domestique”.
When his road career began to wind down, Rob did what many elite athletes do when faced with the question of “what’s next?”
He went gravel racing.
His reasoning at the time:
“Why not?”
What followed surprised a lot of people.
Going wheel-to-wheel with some of the fastest and most experienced gravel riders in the world, Rob quickly proved he belonged at the front of the race. Then he did something that made the entire gravel community take notice.
He won Unbound XL, smashing the course record along the way.
For those unfamiliar with the event, Unbound Gravel, held each year in Kansas, is widely regarded as one of the toughest gravel races on the planet. The XL category is the most extreme version: roughly 350 miles (560 km) of relentless Flint Hills terrain ridden non-stop, often through brutal heat, wind, mud, and mechanical chaos.
It’s the kind of race that breaks very good cyclists.
Rob won it.
Over the last decade, gravel cycling itself has exploded in popularity across North America. What started as a niche category for adventurous riders has become one of the fastest growing segments in the cycling industry. Bike companies are selling more gravel bikes than traditional road bikes in some markets, and participation in gravel events has grown dramatically as riders discover something appealing about leaving the pavement behind.
As my friend Guri Randhawa, owner of Pedalhead Roadworks in Edmonton, once told me when convincing me to buy my first gravel bike:
“Of all the bikes in your quiver, this will be the one you ride the most.”
That argument didn’t land particularly well with my wife, who believes I need another bike like I need another hole in my head, but Guri was right.
My 3T has become the perfect all-around machine: gravel, trails, dirt, snow, road. The adventures are endless.
I first got to know Rob years ago when I was involved as co-founder (with Alex Stieda) and board chair of the Tour of Alberta: a $5M annual production and the largest professional stage race ever held in Canada.
Even then, Rob stood out.
Humble to a fault. Calm. Personable. The kind of rider who quietly does the work and earns the respect of everyone around him.
More recently, I had the pleasure (and the pain!) of riding with Rob in the backcountry in Kananaskis.
While I struggled to keep up, Rob pedaled effortlessly over mountains, rocks, roots and streams like it was just another Sunday ride.
Somewhere along the way we talked about something interesting.
When you put a group of people together in nature and add a little shared suffering, whether it’s climbing a mountain, pushing through a tough ride, or navigating unfamiliar terrain, something happens.
Strangers become friends.
And sometimes those friendships last a lifetime.
So with that idea in mind, and with the help of some incredible partners: Lift Interactive, Micah Slavens, Jen Ashton, One West Events, the Kananaskis Nordic Spa, the amazing team at Pomeroy Mountain Lodge, and brands like Castelli, SRAM, Muc-Off and The Feed, we created something new.
Part cycling adventure.
Part mountain gathering.
Part shared experience.
A few days in the Rockies riding gravel roads and trails, learning from some of the best in the sport, and connecting with other riders who share the same love for adventure.
There will be group rides designed to match different personalities and abilities.
And plenty of stunning mountain views.
Bring your bike. Bring some old friends.
You’ll likely leave with many new ones.
See you at The Divide.