2020 Gravel Worlds Goes Virtual

Riding Apart, Together

2020 was a year nobody could have predicted. As the global pandemic made mass gatherings impossible, the Gravel Worlds team made the difficult decision: no in-person race. But they didn’t simply cancel and wait. Instead, they pivoted—with creativity, heart, and a commitment to their community—to keep the spirit of Gravel Worlds alive.

Going Virtual for a Cause

Rather than let the year pass quietly, Gravel Worlds launched a virtual challenge, open from August 1 through August 31, 2020, inviting riders everywhere to participate from wherever they were. The challenge offered three distance options—150 miles, 75 miles, or 50 km—or even all three for those feeling ambitious. Distance was flexible: participants could ride on gravel, pavement, or local routes—anywhere in the world.

To register, riders committed to a minimum $10 donation to the Randy Gibson Memorial Fund at the Lincoln Parks Foundation, tying the event to a cause deeply meaningful to the Gravel Worlds community. Randy Gibson, a beloved member of the Gravel Worlds family, had tragically passed away in 2017. The funds raised were earmarked toward a memorial shelter in downtown Lincoln and other tributes honoring his legacy.

Sponsors rallied in support, contributing prizes that were raffled among participants who completed their rides and submitted proof. Through the generosity of riders and sponsors alike, the 2020 virtual event raised over $14,000 for the Randy Gibson Memorial Fund—enough to fully fund the memorial project slated for a park south of downtown Lincoln.

What It Meant for Riders & the Gravel Family

For many in the Gravel Worlds community, 2020’s version of the event was less about racing and more about solidarity. Riders logged miles on hometown routes, with no grand start line or cheering crowd waiting at the finish. Still, the connection carried meaning.

Some chose the full 150-mile challenge, riding solo or with small groups, chasing their own finish lines. Others took on the 75-mile or 50 km options—just enough to feel part of the tradition in a less intense way. Conversations on social media threads and within regional riding circles turned the virtual format into a connective thread: sharing splits, route stories, photos, struggles and joys.

A rider posting on GravelCyclist reflected on this version of the event:

“Gravel Worlds Virtual allows cyclists from all over the world to participate … raising funds for a good cause.”

Volunteers and organizers also embraced their roles differently—communicating virtually, coordinating submissions, verifying results, distributing prize drawings, and keeping spirits high. For a community built as much on relationships as competitions, 2020’s pivot reinforced that Gravel Worlds was more than a race—it was a resilient network of people who care.

Legacy of the 2020 Virtual

Though the 2020 event lacked the fields, the finishers, and the energy of an August race around Lincoln’s gravel roads, it did something equally powerful: it preserved continuity through uncertainty. It sustained the bonds among participants, volunteer crew, sponsors, and local supporters. It honored the memory of Randy Gibson in a way that felt deeply aligned with the event’s roots. And it reminded everyone that Gravel Worlds could adapt without losing heart.

In future years, when riders return to the roads, the story of 2020 will remain a testament: when the world paused, the Gravel Family still turned pedals, giving meaning to miles even when the start line was only a memory.