Rain at the start, sunshine at camp. The veloheld Gravel Spartakiade 2026

To be honest, we had expected a few cancellations. But what can we say? Everyone came! In rain jackets, with packed-to-the-brim bikes, in an unbelievably good mood and with such a great thirst for adventure, that the weather somehow became a minor issue .
The starting point for the bikepacking weekend was Dresden, and the destination was in the Bohemian Switzerland. There were two routes to choose from, one of which was just 100 kilometers and once by a narrow margin 130 kilometers. So the participants could choose how much cash they wanted to spend that day.
But we quickly realized that, along the routes, the following applied to the participants: The track is the track. Turning back was not an option even though the rain clouds were getting thicker, the raindrops were getting bigger and things were getting wetter all the time. Wow!
At the checkpoint, everyone was soaked right down to their socks, but still had a huge grin on their face and in high spirits. We were particularly impressed by a father-and-daughter duo, who cycled through the rain together all day long and had a brilliant time doing so. Goodness me, it was all so lovely.
Something we hadn’t expected at all: just how many people ended up cycling the full 130 km route after all, and in that sort of weather!

Amidst small and thick roots, coarse gravel, the Bohemian Mountains, cute wooden figures by the wayside, and the odd little break in small cafés, the sun finally did come out at some point. At last! With the warmth of the sun, the final few kilometres back to camp were all the more enjoyable.
Incidentally, for some of the participants, the real highlight of the day was an old steam locomotive at one of the level crossings. To get a good photo, some even got off their bikes and lay down on the ground.

And this camp – oh, it really was a dream come true. Our home for the night was the Autokemp Jetřichovice campsite, and we’ll give you a quick description so you can imagine just how lovely it was there: a small valley nestled between magnificent mountains, with a little lake right in the middle and vast green meadows all around. Sounds perfect, doesn’t it? We thought so too, so our supply tent was pitched right by the lake and the participants’ tents were set up all around it. Rustic and cosy, just as you’d expect from the Gravelspartakiade.
Also at the camp were our friends from Fernwegs, who, as outdoor specialists, were on hand to answer any questions about equipment.
Anyone who spends the whole day battling their way through pouring rain on their bike is, of course, bound to get really hungry at some point, so we quickly refuelled with cake, pasta and snacks. We’d argue that after such a long day in the saddle, there’s no better meal in the world than pasta with sauce. In the evening, there was also live music to listen to, and everyone sat cosily together and talked about the things they’d discovered along the route. It was really lovely to hear how enthusiastically the participants spoke about the route.

On Sunday morning, a hearty breakfast and hot coffee were waiting for us, which really perked up our tired spirits.And the sun? It was in full swing right from the start that morning.Marvellous!
Afterwards, we packed everything up and headed back to Dresden. Some took it easy on the train, whilst others added the Extra Loop to their trip, as a gravel party at the weekend apparently wasn’t enough. But we can totally understand that – we’d have loved to cycle with the participants for another week as well.

Because the routes have simply become too beautiful to keep for us to keep, they are available here for download. Download them whenever, whenever you fancy doing so, if you’re in any doubt about something better weather than we have – but would it then still be as much fun as it is now? We doubt it! 😀

Phew, we’re really still on cloud nine. A weekend like that isn’t about the routes or a nice campground—it’s solely about the people who are always there. Because lovely people make lovely things.
Therefore thanks to everyone who was there! Thanks to everyone who just laughed off the rain and kept rolling instead of turning back. Thanks also to everyone who waited for others along the way, helped them, or encouraged them. That’s exactly what makes the Gravelspartakiade what it is to us.
We’d also like to thank Fernwegs, who were there at the camp to offer advice and share their knowledge of equipment, and to our friend Thomas Schlorke, who took the beautiful photos.
We’ll see you again in 2027 for the 9th Gravel Spartakiade!Fancy joining us next time? Then follow us on Instagram or sign up for our newsletter. That’s where you’ll be the first to know when registration opens. If you’re still looking for the right gravel bike by then, just drop us an email.