Even though pavement makes up the majority of the BWR course, miles of rocky sections like this encourage knobby tires. Photo: Danny Munson/@pinnedgrit
Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members!
Download the app.
Despite the early morning start, the crowds were thick for the rollout of the 2018 race. Photo: Brett Rothmeyer/@pinnedgrit
Waffles are an appropriate start for the day at the Belgian Waffle Ride. The 133-mile ride ahead will take thousands more calories though. Photo: Wil Matthews/@pinnedgrit
SRAM Neutral Support was on hand with two vehicles to compliment two other support vans. They were kept busy all day with lots of flat tires on the rough course. Photo: Wil Matthews/@pinnedgrit
As an extra precaution for the rough roads of BWR, Brian McCulloch taped his cycling computer. Photo: Wil Matthews/@pinnedgrit
Despite holding defending champion status, Larissa Connors was humble at the start line when asked about her competition. Photo: Wil Matthews/@pinnedgrit
Alison Tetrick has defined a new role for herself in gravel and mass-start events following a successful road racing career. In 2017, she won Dirty Kanza 200 and Gravel Worlds. Photo: Wil Matthews/wilmatthewsphoto.com
The first wave of the Belgian Waffle Ride rolled out for a neutral seven miles on pavement before the first dirt section. The select group would be down to two dozen within the hour. Photo: Jake Orness/@pinnedgrit
Though San Diego is predominantly a desert landscape, the event seeks out as many different elements as possible for 200-plus kilometers, including the odd stream crossing. Photo: Topher Riely/@pinnedgrit
Erik Zabel with Bob Stapleton before the BWR. When asked about the day ahead, Zabel said “I have a dozen times Paris-Roubaix-— I hope this isn’t harder.” He made his day easier by riding the shorter course, although he did suffer three punctures. Photo: Wil Matthews/@pinnedgrit
Routes often stayed in the dirt even when a pavement option was available, making the most of a multi-surface course. Photo: Topher Riely/@pinnedgrit
Amanda Nauman arrived prepped with color-coded route notes for the multiple dirt sectors and climbs. Photo: Wil Matthews/@pinnedgrit
Riders hit the first dirt sector below Lake Hodges. The terrain diversity in BWR ranges from lush to high desert. Photo: Wil Matthews/@pinnedgrit
The Highland Valley Road climb separated the hundreds-strong field to a couple dozen. Photo: Jake Orness/@pinnedgrit
VeloNews editor Spencer Powlison found himself in a very strong chase group at Belgian Waffle Ride, following Jake Wells, a national cyclocross champion in both the singlespeed and masters categories. Photo: Wil Matthews/wilmatthewsphoto.com
Flat tires and champagne, somewhere in east county San Diego. Photo: Wil Matthews/@pinnedgrit
Bandy Canyon has often been the spot where race-winning moves have been made McCulloch stretched the lead group to its breaking point on this climb. Photo: Wil Matthews/@pinnedgrit
Dirty Kanza winner Alison Tetrick had strength on the road but challenges on the dirt, with two crashes in rocky terrain that set her back from second place. Photo: Wil Matthews/@pinnedgrit
BMX and MTB legend Tinker Juarez didn’t give in once he lost contact with the lead group, but instead stayed gritty to the end to finish 10th. Photo: Wil Matthews/@pinnedgrit
Larissa Connors came through the final aid station with a hefty margin of more than 20 minutes over second-place women’s rider. Photo: Wil Matthews/@pinnedgrit
Laura King entered the Oasis aid station. Photo: Wil Matthews/@pinnedgrit
A rider passed by Del Dios Nature Preserve, an example of how well the event has established relations with the San Diego communities it uses for its routes. Photo: Danny Munson/@pinnedgrit
Lake Hodges-area trails are verdant and cool, and nothing like what the riders saw on the other side of the BWR course. Photo: Danny Munson/@pinnedgrit
Professional triathlete and ITU world champion Jordan Rapp singlehandedly set the pace up Black Canyon and much of the following 40 pavement kilometers, reducing the lead group to about 10. Photo: Jake Orness/@pinnedgrit
Even though pavement makes up the majority of the BWR course, miles of rocky sections like this encourage knobby tires. Photo: Danny Munson/@pinnedgrit
The climb up to Lake Hodges Dam concludes the first dirt section, and is only a hint of the climbing to come. Photo: Wil Matthews/@pinnedgrit
Alison Tetrick led Laura King up the Black Canyon climb. Photo: Wil Matthews/@pinnedgrit
McCulloch tested the remaining dozen riders in the lead group on the final climb out of Black Canyon. Photo: Wil Matthews/@pinnedgrit
Colin Strickland took time to offer a hand to Brian McCulloch following a tumble in a rock garden. Photo: @pinnedgrit
Bacon before the final climb at the Oasis aid station in 2018. Photo: Wil Matthews/@pinnedgrit
Ted King set a hard pace on Black Canyon but was unable to create a split in the group. Photo: Wil Matthews/@pinnedgrit
The chase group headed up by Wells and two-time BWR winner Neil Shirley make their way out of Black Canyon. Photo: Jake Orness/@pinnedgrit
King was in hot pursuit of leader McCulloch on the last climb, closing down a near two-minute gap in just three miles. Photo: Brett Rothmeyer/@pinnedgrit
McCulloch made it through the final aid station with a minute-plus margin, but would soon see a resurgent Ted King on his wheel. Photo: Danny Munson/@pinnedgrit
King, right, made his way up the final climb of the day on Double Peak. Photo: Jake Orness/@pinnedgrit
McCulloch and King entered the final turn before the finish, with King making a last-ditch effort which nearly put him into the barriers. MuCulloch’s margin was just a half-second over King. Photo: Topher Riely/@pinnedgrit
McCulloch was helped from the finish following a narrow win after 212 kilometers of hard racing. Photo: Topher Riely/@pinnedgrit
Larissa Connors was greeted at the finish. Photo: Danny Munson/@pinnedgrit
Larissa Conners is consistently one of the most energetic personalities in cycling, so when she’s on the ground following a race, it’s clear it was a tough day. Photo: Jake Orness/@pinnedgrit
Lost Abbey created a special-edition BWR beer for the finishers. Photo: Jake Orness/@pinnedgrit
Ted King welcomed back wife and second-place women’s finisher Laura King after his own second-place finish. Photo: Wil Matthews/@pinnedgrit
The Lost Abbey Brewery serves as the start and finish of the BWR. Photo: Wil Matthews/@pinnedgrit
Ted and Laura King posed for a post-race social media update following their matching second-place finishes. Photo: Wil Matthews/@pinnedgrit
Salt and dust on Amity Gregg following her fourth-place finish. Photo: Wil Matthews/@pinnedgrit
The men’s BWR podium hosted Michael McCulloch on top, Ted King second, Ulises Castillo third, with Bryan Lewis and Colin Strickland. Photo: Danny Munson/@pinnedgrit
McCulloch’s race-winning bike. Photo: Jake Orness/@pinnedgrit
Women’s Belgian Waffle Podium topped by winner Larissa Connors, Laura King second, Alison Tetrick third, and Amity Gregg and Pia Smith rounding out the top five. Photo: Danny Munson/@pinnedgrit
The winning bike of Larissa Conners. Photo: Jake Orness/@pinnedgrit
There were times when it felt like a gran fondo. Other parts felt like a cross-country mountain bike race. The Canyon Belgian Waffle Ride runs the gamut, with practically everything in between. I can’t verify the claim that it is “the most unique cycling race in the country,” but it is damn close.
