At the 2026 Gralloch Gravel UCI Race, we recently set our very own engineer, rider, and serial overachiever, Lindsay Watson, a challenge. 

We knew he could win his own age group easily, so we decided to give him a task that bordered on impossible. Armed with a blend of off-road skill, time trial power, and road-racing aggression, Lindsay’s challenge was to finish ahead of the entire 19–35 age category despite starting two minutes behind them. To pull it off, he’d have to bridge the gap and pass 286 riders to cross the line first.

To make sure he had zero excuses, he had the ALL-NEW Gravel ULTRA 700C Wheelset, and to sweeten the deal, if he succeeded, Scribe would pay for his flights to the World Championships in Australia.

Full Gas From The Start

Lindsay wasted no time. Setting off aggressively, he caught the tail end of the younger category on the opening climb. From there, as the race blew apart across rolling terrain, he kept slicing his way through bigger and bigger groups at a brutal pace.

By Checkpoint 14, just over two hours into the race, we were glued to the tracker. Lindsay was absolutely flying and had already moved into the overall front end of the event, leading the 35–40 category comfortably with one other rider, with only 31 riders left ahead on the road.

What started as a wild bet was looking very real, & we couldn’t have been more stoked for him.

The Finish

A lead group of seven riders rolled in to fight out the podium for the 19–35 category. Not long after, Lindsay crossed the line. A sprint finish sealed a podium (2nd) position in the 35–40 category but more impressively, his time had eclipsed the younger category winner despite the two-minute deficit. So technically, he actually did it. 😅

Final Times

• Lindsay Watson (35–40 Winner) — 3:23:35 (20.2 mph average)

• 19–35 Category Winner — 3:25:16 (20.1 mph average)

Performance Without Compromise

Beyond the result itself, the ride was a perfect example of what the new Gravel ULTRA was built for: uncompromising speed, aerodynamic efficiency, stability, and reliability over demanding terrain.

When the pace rises and fatigue sets in, marginal gains become real gains. And on this occasion, Lindsay put on a masterclass, and while he didn't quite get the physical win, his corrected time was unreal. A bet's a bet, but we’re undecided. Did Lindsay do enough to earn those flights to Australia? We’re leaving this one up to the Scribe Collective.

What do you think?