LOCATION
The beautiful region of Charlevoix is the host of Grinduro Canada. Stretching along the Du Gouffre River, nestled at the foot of the bare mountains that guard the perimeter of the crater and surrounded by vertiginous ramparts, the picturesque village of Saint-Urbain will be the central hub of this crazy event. This small municipality, located just north of Baie-Saint-Paul, is the gateway to the Charlevoix hinterland and the Parc national des Grands-Jardins, a unique natural setting with magnificent landscapes.
Entrance, parking and camping for event
357 rue Sainte-Claire, Saint-Urbain, Québec
Directions
PARTICIPANT GUIDE
So, what’s the deal?
The fun will start on Friday evening in Saint-Urbain, with the whole village ready to welcome you. Once your car is parked, everything will be easy to access: the campsite bordered by the Du Gouffre River to cool off, the Inter-Marché general store, a snack bar, a restaurant and most importantly, a local craft beer pub to put you in the right mood! Kick back and enjoy the campfire, music, the stars and only a few black flies.
Saturday, everything will be taken care of for you: meals, a great atmosphere and the second night of camping. After your country breakfast in the community hall, we’ll wait for you and your bike near the starting line for announcements, instructions and everything else before you’re on your way.
The race remains challenging (107 km of up and downhill over rough terrain), but the Grinduro is not a festival of suffering. With a mass start in Gran Fondo style, the day then plays out at a moderate pace. You’ll be able to pedal with your friends and your heroes, since the race isn’t timed. Only four segments actually are, and they’re all very different. In this way, the Grinduro rewards the most well-rounded participants.
And what about the Grindurito?
This is the awesome new event of the year. A perfect appetizer to test your limits. It’s about half the course of the Grinduro, including two timed segments. Space is very limited and it comes with a heavy burden: it’s expected that the energy saved will be bravely channeled towards the Saturday night party!
Maxin’ and Relaxin Loop’
As you can see, the people of Charlevoix are very colourful. Make sure you check out the full description of the race...
In short, expect 107 km of pure joy, with a total elevation gain of nearly 1800 m. For those who came last year – expect a different course with new surprises!
For the Grindurito, we cut the route in half to get the last two timed segments.
In terms of timed segments, here’s what to expect:
Segment 1 at km 4.2 – The Entre Deux Bras Hill
A 3.6-km gravel climb, +240 metres.
Segment 2 at km 19.4 – The Cyclotronic Blast of the Astrobleme!
False flat gravel descent over 10 km, +76 metres/-195 metres
Segment 3 at km 73.2 – The Top Speed du Vallon Sprint through the Roads of Saint-Hilarion!
4 km time trial on gravel / asphalt, +51 meters / -44 meters
Segment 4 at km 102.9 – The Ferro-Titanic
A 2.8 km single-track galvanizing dirt descent, -268 metres
Post-race and After-party
You should arrive at the village towards the end of the afternoon. A perfect time for a dip in the refreshing Du Gouffre River. Saint-Urbain will be bustling in a festive vibe with all the exhibitors on site. All this of course with your refreshing recovery beer in hand, provided by the Microbrasserie Charlevoix.
You’ll also get the chance to admire artists at work, since Charlevoix is the refuge of many talented artists. More details to come, and many surprises too!
To end the day in style, you’ll be invited to share in a fantastic feast! As Charlevoix is a popular gourmet destination, the Grinduro is a perfect opportunity for you to taste what the region has to offer.
THE RACE
The people of Charlevoix are very colourful. Don’t miss the poetic description of your future journey in the coming weeks ... Until then, in very very brief, here is an overview.
For the Grinduro, expect 107 kilometers of pure happiness, with a total height difference of almost 1,800 meters. If you were with us for the first edition, expect some changes on this new course.
Segment 1 at km 4.2 – The Entre Deux Bras Hill
A 3.6-km gravel climb, +240 metres.
Segment 2 at km 19.4 – The Cyclotronic Blast of the Astrobleme!
False flat gravel descent over 10 km, +76 metres/-195 metres
Segment 3 at km 73.2 – The Top Speed du Vallon Sprint through the Roads of Saint-Hilarion!
4 km time trial on gravel / asphalt, +51 meters / -44 meters
Segment 4 at km 102.9 – The Ferro-Titanic
A 2.8 km single-track galvanizing dirt descent, -268 metres
As for the Grindurito, the start will take place in the village. From there, it will join the last half of the Grinduro course, with its last two timed stages. Just over 50 km, enough to enjoy a small piece of the astrobleme.
THE PARTY
The perfect party-to-race ratio! That’s the Grinduro motto.
So here’s a quick overview of what you can expect in terms of festivities.
A parterre à bière, our québécois version of a beer garden, will be set up for the event, showcasing local craft beers.
Partner exhibition stands will be set up
Various live artistic presentations, details coming soon
Tasty terroir foods for you to discover
A big show on Saturday night – get ready for an awesome atmosphere!
MORE INFO, MORE FUN!
Enjoy the region’s beauty! Charlevoix offers loads of cultural and sports activities. Need some ideas?
The Baie Saint-Paul Pumptrack
Mountain biking on local trails, access to Le Genévrier camping site
View trails online thanks to Trailforks
Hiking trails – Complete trail guide
Sea kayaking and SUP on the St. Lawrence
The Flavour Trail
Spa and beauty services
Visit countless art galleries
The list goes on!
There is so much to do around here. To maximize your stay, visit the Tourisme Charlevoix website. You’ll also find an array of accommodations, if the camping option doesn’t apply to you.
Rules of the Road
Rules of the Road:
The Grinduro course features a blend of pavement, dirt road, gravel road and single track.
- Riders must obey all applicable traffic laws during the event and are encouraged to
use common sense, keep their head up and stay in their lane of travel. At no time will
there be a closed road or sole trail use.
- Once the route changes to dirt road, riders must obey all traffic laws and use common
sense, keeping their speed under control.
- Riders should expect vehicle traffic on all roads, along with ATVs, motorcycles,
livestock and wild animals. Stay in your lane and follow the rules of the road.
- Once a rider is dropped from the main peloton they must ride as far left as possible
in single formation. This applies to both the pavement and dirt sections.
More rules and common sense
Be cool, have fun and enjoy the ride. Those are the rules!
For those of you who need things spelled-out, here you have it…
- All riders are required to wear an approved helmet and cannot remove it at any time
while riding.
- No support or follow vehicles are allowed. Aid stations will be well stocked and able to handle participant’s needs.
- Riders must ALWAYS obey traffic laws and strictly obey any law enforcement
persons or official event personnel. In the interest of your own safety, you should
always assume the same level of vigilance in riding your bike during the event that you
would under normal circumstances.
- Headphones/ear buds are NOT permitted during a ride.
- Riders must respect the directions of all course marshals, at all times. If you’re told to
stop by a course marshal, forestry official, uniformed officer or otherwise, YOU MUST
STOP!
- All riders must attend the “riders’ meeting” held at the staging area 15 minutes prior to
the event.
- The responsibility of keeping on the prescribed course rests with the rider. A
rider should not leave the prescribed course unless escorted by public authorities or a ride official.
- Shortcutting and/or cutting trail switchbacks or course is not permitted and may result
in disqualification. A rider is required to stay on the designated route. It is the rider’s
responsibility to know the designated ride route. Lack of tape or barriers will not
constitute an excuse for cutting the course.
- Laws and ordinances of appropriate jurisdictions shall be observed during participation
in the event.
- A rider may be disqualified for damaging or destroying public or private property. A
rider may be held liable for all cost associated with the damage or destruction.
- Grinduro officials reserve the right to make changes to the course, delay start times
and/or postpone the event as necessary for safety or security purposes or at the
request of permit issuers.
Recommended Gear
Rules of the Road:
THE BEST BIKE: You can ride any type of pedal-driven bicycle (no electric-pedal assist!), although we recommend a cyclocross bike or mountain bike. The ultimate setup is probably a disc brake-equipped cyclocross bike with fast-rolling, tubeless clincher tires. Be prepared with at least two extra tubes, a multi-tool and mini-pump.
August in Charlevoix is a bit unpredictable weather-wise! Plan on a waterproof coat and the basic stuff (long sleeves and extra legwear), just in case. The river is near, as are the mountains, so it can be hot by day and quite cool at night.
There will be feed zones (and an excellent lunch!), but smart riders will bring at least two water bottles and their favourite nutritional supplies.
You can ride this loop in road shoes with road pedals, but we recommend mountain bike pedals and shoes for their versatility.
And don’t take come to the start line without a helmet on!
Categories and Prizes
Pro men
Pro women
Junior men 13-18
Men 30 & under
Men 31-40
Men 41-50
Men 51-60
Men 61+
Junior Women 13-18
Women 30 & under
Women 31-40
Women 41-50
Women 51+
Singlespeed open ages
Grindurito open ages
Winners of each category will take home a Grinduro trophy and other great surprises.
PARTNERS
If it weren’t for the generosity and efforts of our sponsors, there would be no Grinduro. Thank you to Giro, SRAM, Zipp, Maxxis and komoot.
Big thanks to our local partners that work tirelessly to host Grinduro Canada:
The Saint-Urbain Municipality
VéloCharlevoix
Handmade Bike and art show
Grinduro’s Art Show, sponsored by Columbus is a curated collection of our favorite, mostly-bike-related things. It’s one part art exhibition, and one part bike shop.
It includes some of the most interesting and elaborate works of art in cycling. We showcase the independent artisans and the iconoclasts who rarely get the spotlight at traditional trade shows and bike events. We have a host of custom bike manufacturers coming to our Pop-Up Shop this year, a full listing will be published soon.
In addition to the bike exhibit, we’ll have work on display from some of our favorite artists and photographers, including plenty of locals.
If you’re interested in displaying your work in the Grinduro Handmade Bike and Art Show, drop us a line at hello@grinduro.global