The Centurion CYCLINGFESTIVAL17TH & !8th July 2027 | ThruxtonGRAVEL: DOUBLE CENTURION208km | 2,550mBook nowGRAVEL: CENTURION97km | 1,200mBook nowROAD: double CENTURION200km | 2,400mBook nowROAD: CENTURION120km | 1,300mBook nowOVERVIEWWHAT TO EXPECTROUTESFAQsLocal areaMAKE A WEEKEND OF ITPACKING LISTOVERVIEWOne of the biggest cycling weekends of the year!Join us for one day, two days or all three days of epic riding around Salisbury Plain & the Wiltshire Countryside:Friday afternoon / evening features track racing on Thruxton Circuit, music, food, free mechanic & first aid courses and more.Saturday is all about the gravel with a 100km & 208km route around the Plain. Come back and watch the TdF on the big screen.Sunday is on the tarmac with a 120km & 200km route taking in the beautiful back roads & challenging climbs of Wiltshire!RIDE HIGHLIGHTS:Your choice of gravel, road or both with two epic days of riding!Saturday is one of the biggest gravel rides of the year on some of the best off road trails in the UK.A packed weekend with free first aid & mechanical courses, track racing, camping, food, music & more...What to expectThe medium route is a great first gravel century and suitable for most riders with lots of smooth, flowing sections and a rolling course but no major climbs. This should take 4-6.5 hours.The long route is a big day, expect to be out from 9 to 12 hours.Ride difficultyThere are a few climbs on both routes normally to get onto the Plain or onto the ridges. The main challenge is the overall length of the route and the regular change of surface combined with the lack of many flat, recovery miles. You will need to be in decent shape to finish the long route.Long Route *****Medium Route ***Rider difficulty explained***** Reserved just for our hardest routes. Expect long distance & lots of challenging climbs both on and off road.**** Typically longer rides with regular climbs which could be both steep & long. Suitable for regular riders with some training.*** A mix of terrain & elevation. A decent day out with some tricky sections but still suitable for regular riders.** Some harder sections but suitable for all regular cyclists* Easy, suitable for all riders. Mostly flat route.Technical difficulty30% of the route is on tarmac and the remainder is on a mix of tank tracks & smooth fire roads, singletrack and doubletrack on the ridges. Its not all champagne gravel but its suitable for newer gravel riders.Long Route ***Medium Route ***Technical difficulty explained***** A challenging route suitable only for experienced riders. Expect short hike-a-bike sections, a mix of terrain & loose climbs and descents.**** Suitable for regular off roaders, the route may contain rockier sections, technical descents etc.*** A mix of off road conditions with some more difficult sections.** More typical UK gravel which may be muddy when wet but no challenging sections* Smooth terrain suitable for all riders.TYRE & BIKE RECOMMENDATIONSThis route is designed for gravel bikes but you will be fine on a hardtail MTB. We do send out tyre recommendations closer to the time. A slightly wider gravel all-rounder tyre (40-50mm) will be ideal for the long route & standard 35-45mm for the medium.Included in entryFully Signed RouteOur team work tirelessly to create the best gravel routes in the UK. All courses are fully signed so you can just enjoy the ride.Checkpoints with proper foodAn epic ride deserves proper support. We have tea, coffee and cake at the first feed and sandwiches & crisps at the main feed. Checkpoints are approx every 30-40kmAccurate GPX FilesA few days before the ride, we will send GPX files for all of the route options so you can follow the course on your GPS as well as the signs.Mechanics AvailableAt the rider village & at selected feed stops we have mechanics available to help with any bike issues. We also have spare inner tubes, CO2 &more.Rider Support VansWe are here to make sure you have a great day on the gravel. If you have any major mechanicals or need collecting, support vehicles are a phone callaway.Beer at Finish LineYou will be greeted at the finish line with a beer & food available from our food truck. Perfect to chat about your day with fellow riders.Fully Signed RouteOur team work tirelessly to create the best gravel routes in the UK. All courses are fully signed so you can just enjoy the ride.Checkpoints with proper foodAn epic ride deserves proper support. We have tea, coffee and cake at the first feed and sandwiches & crisps at the main feed. Checkpoints are approx every 30-35kmAccurate GPX FilesA few days before the ride, we will send GPX files for all of the route options so you can follow the course on your GPS as well as the signs.Mechanics AvailableAt the rider village & at selected feed stops we have mechanics available to help with any bike issues. We also have spare inner tubes, CO2 &more.Rider Support VansWe are here to make sure you have a great day on the gravel. If you have any major mechanicals or need collecting, support vehicles are a phone callaway.Beer at Finish LineYou will be greeted at the finish line with a beer & food available from our food truck. Perfect to chat about your day with fellow riders.EVENT PROGRAM10th July: GPX files and pre ride briefing sent by email to each rider.16th July: Join us on Friday afternoon / evening for food, courses, track racing, a pub quiz & fun under the stars. Camping available on Friday & Saturday night.17th July: 6.30am: Ride village at Thruxton Circuit opens. Collecting your ride number takes approx 10 mins.17th July: 7am Double Centurion starts. 8am Centurion starts. We will give you a short ride briefing and set you off all together.17th July: 8pm: Finish line closes18th July: 6.30am: Ride village for the road race opens18th July: 7am Double Centurion starts. 8am Centurion starts. We will give you a short ride briefing and set you off all together.18th July: 7pm: Finish line & Ride village closes.ROUTE DETAILSGRAVEL: DOUBLE CENTURIONOne of the biggest rides of the year!Starting at Thruxton Circuit at 7am, we warm up with a short tarmac section and then head onto the gravel before a sharp climb onto Salisbury Plain. After a great flowy section we get to our first feed stop at 40km for some extra breakfast.Not long after this we branch off the Plain and head South West for some stunning off road sections on rolling hills and farmland. After the second feed at 90km we hit one of our favourite gravel section in the country on the ridgeway doubletrack with lovely views over the countryside.Our penultimate stop is at 140km before a couple of sharp climbs as we head back North towards Salisbury Plain.Stopping at 180km for a final stop and pep talk, we roll back on the flowy gravel & tank tracks before finishing back at Thruxton. An epic day out!Percentage of Route Off Road: 70%Distance: 208kmElevation: 2,550mDifficulty:Technical Difficulty:GRAVEL: CENTURIONWe start from Thruxton Motorcircuit and head west to the Plain. Our first off road section is at 7km and we head towards Stonehenge for an early sighting of this ancient monument.From here, we head onto the Plain for a long, glorious section on the gravel with a feed stop at around 40km, a climb at 54km and then a long, fun descent off the Plain.The second feed comes at 75km before a mix of rolling gravel & off road sections through the woods to get back to Thruxton.Percentage of Route Off Road: 70%Distance: 97kmElevation: 1,200mDifficulty:Technical Difficulty:GRAVEL: CENTURIONWe start from Thruxton Motorcircuit and head west to the Plain. Our first off road section is at 7km and we head towards Stonehenge for an early sighting of this ancient monument.From here, we head onto the Plain for a long, glorious section on the gravel with a feed stop at around 40km, a climb at 54km and then a long, fun descent off the Plain.The second feed comes at 75km before a mix of rolling gravel & off road sections through the woods to get back to Thruxton.Percentage of Route Off Road: 70%Distance: 97kmElevation: 1,200mDifficulty:Technical Difficulty:Road: Double & centurionTwo route options taking in the delightful back roads of rural Wiltshire and some of the tasty local climbs!Both leave Thruxton and head north, with the Centurion peeling off after 27km and heading due west for the biggest climb of the day.The Double Centurion continues north for a big loop with 4 hills packed into 15km before rejoining the Centurion just before Westbury Hill. This is one of the most famous climbs in the area clocking in at 1.4km and a sharp 9% average!Not long after this the Double Centurion peels off again for some rolling hills close to Longleat before rejoining the 100km riders for the last leg east back to Thruxton!Distance: 120km or 200kmElevation: 1,300m or 2,400mDifficulty:FAQsWHERE DOES THE RIDE START & FINISHThe ride starts and finishes at Thruxton Circuit. There is free parking onsite as well as toilets & refreshments. We will send the ride village address by email.HOW DO I BOOK CAMPINGCamping is available for 15 per night per tent or per campervan at Thruxton Circuit. Add this in the checkout when you book your entry.HOW DO I JOIN THE ACTIVITIES ON FRIDAYWe will send out a form two weeks before the ride where you can sign up for the pub quiz, track racing, first aid course & mechanics course.ARE E-BIKES ALLOWED?Yes, e-bikes are allowed on all Glorious Gravel ride. These must comply with UK law.WHAT HAPPENS IF I HAVE A MECHANICAL OR ACCIDENT?We have first aiders & mechanics at the feed stops. There will be a phone number on the back of your ride number call this if you need collecting.LOCAL AREAThe Salisbury Plain Easter Epic starts at Thruxton Circuit, just off the A303 and within 1hr30 of West London.The nearest big town is Andover which has plenty of accommodation options.Camping is available on Friday & Saturday night at Thruxton Circuit.The nearest train station is Andover (6 miles away) with trains from London Waterloo.Make a weekend of itOn the bike, come on Friday afternoon and camping under the stars at Thruxton Circuit. In the ride village you will find plenty of options for food & drink.After your ride on Saturday, stay and watch the Tour and explore the ride village.On Sunday, join us for a coffee spin in the morning to Stonehenge.Make a weekend of itOn the bike, come on Friday afternoon and enjoy camping under the stars at Thruxton Circuit. In the ride village you will find plenty of options for food & drink.After your ride on Saturday, stay and watch the Tour and explore the ride village.On Sunday, join us for a coffee spin in the morning to Stonehenge.Packing listThe route takes in some remote sections. We have support vans available but we recommend you are as self sufficient as possible including:Bike spares2 x inner tubes suitable for the size of your tyreIf running a tubeless set up, have a tubeless repair kit including plugs and spare sealant.Multitool | Chain link specific for your bike chainSmall pump | Brake pads (especially in wet conditions)Personal Medical kit1 x crepe roll bandage | Gauze or similar absorbent dressingAssorted plasters | Antiseptic (spray, cream or wipes) | Prescribed medicationOTHER RIDES YOU MAY LIKEThe post The Centurion Cycling Festival appeared first on Glorious Gravel Off Road Adventures in Cycling.