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Looking for a goal race in 2025 that'll stimulate the synapses and live long in the memory? You'd struggle to do better than ENID CRV in Finland

- James Witts

'The Happiest Gravel Roads on Earth,' the tagline read on the FNLD GRVL website. Well, they're certainly having a right laugh now, aren't they? My feet are burning, my back's aching and my legs are cramping.

They can stick their 'happiest place to live title' - seven years in a row - up their collective pakarat. Then again, look around you. No choking cars, pines that visually and aromatically lift the soul, plus a parcours whose challenging credentials are matched by endless, awe-inspiring panoramas. Maybe the FNLD GRVL marketing team had a point, after all...

FNLD GRVL is the brainchild of Coloradobased SBT GRVL, short for Steamboat Gravel, that annually sells out its 3,000 capacity. Its Finnish counterpart, held in Lahti, is only in season two but this year's episode, held in mid-June, attracted 700 riders with aims to double that in 2025.

It certainly has two high-profile figureheads to spread the FNLD GRVL message as the race is co-organised by Australian Tiffany Cromwell, who's ridden for Canyon-SRAM since 2016, and partner Valtteri Bottas. When not spending every Clockwise from top left The event's all very well organised, with activities laid on for several days around race day; Do the Midnight Sun course and the light might begin to fade a little by the end; Flagging? Just think of the after party....

This pair looks like they've experienced the happiest gravel roads on Earth; spare moment on the bicycle, Bottas competes in Formula One for the Kick Sauber team and previously racked up 10 wins and five Constructors' Championships with Mercedes.