On 15 November, Marathon writes a new chapter in its long history. For the first time, Greece will host a round of the UCI Gravel World Series — and the starting line could not be more symbolic.

Some places need no introduction. Marathon is one of them. A word that travelled the world and became synonymous with endurance, with perseverance, with the effort that carries on even when everything inside you says “stop”.
Every time someone, somewhere in the world, runs 42 kilometres, they carry with them — knowingly or not — a piece of this place. So when we asked ourselves where the first UCI gravel race in Greece should take place, the answer came almost instinctively.
Where else?

From the battlefield… to the gravel

Gravel shares something with the spirit of the original Marathon. It is not only about speed. It is the road that keeps changing beneath your wheels, the rock you did not see coming, the climb that seems never to end, the sun — or the wind — that puts you to the test. And above all, it is the decision to keep going.

At The Gravel of Marathon, that decision carries something more: a place at the 2027 UCI Gravel World Championships. The race is part of the UCI Gravel World Series, the international race series through which amateur riders from around the world compete for qualification to the Gravel World Championships. In other words, on 15 November, the road to the Worlds runs through Marathon. The event features two race routes of 95 and 65 kilometres as well as an 8-kilometre Fun Ride, EYDAP Fun Ride.

A race with a clean footprint

We did not want Marathon to be merely the backdrop, however. We wanted the race to leave something behind. Something good. That is why The Gravel of Marathon will be the first “Plastic Free” race in Greece. There will be no plastic bottles at the feed stations; water will be served only into reusable cycling bottles.

A small step, perhaps, but anyone who has seen the plastic bottles left along the roadside after a race knows how much it matters. And for every participant, a tree will be planted, in cooperation with We4All and with the support of EYDAP.One rider, one tree. I like to think that in a few years, when someone passes by, there will be a small forest there — a reminder that one November morning, many people lined up together at the start in Marathon.

Starting in the heart of Athens

The celebration will not begin on race day. On 13 and 14 November, The Gravel of Marathon EXPO will take place in Kotzia Square, in the heart of Athens, in cooperation with the Municipality of Athens. This is where participants will collect their race numbers — but, above all, it is where we will start to feel the atmosphere. To meet one another, to talk about bikes and tyres, to swap stories and, yes, to feel a little nervous about Sunday… The main sponsor of this effort, which already has a truly international reach — at the time of writing, more than 100 riders have registered from Europe, the United States and Canada alone — is EYDAP., the Athens Water Supply and Sewerage Company, as much of the race takes place on its land.

EYDAP supports The Gravel of Marathon both materially and morally, and its representatives have already shown, in practice, their interest in and confidence in this venture.

The Gravel of Marathon is held under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism, the Greek National Tourism Organisation, the Municipality of Marathon and the Municipality of Athens, and is co-organised with the cycling club “Kronos Nikaias” and the Municipality of Marathon.

For all who dare

The most beautiful thing about gravel is that everyone races their own race. Some will come to chase qualification. Others to see how far they can go. Some to finish alongside a friend, or to prove to themselves that they can. And some simply to be there, at a historic moment for Greek cycling. All of us, however, will share the same starting line. Some 2,500 years ago, a story of endurance and triumph over limits began in this place and travelled the world. On 15 November, together, we will write one more small chapter. This time, with gravel under our wheels.

The bottom line

Marathon is waiting for you. The gravel, the climbs, the dust, the friends at the finish line… and perhaps a ticket to the World Championships. All that is left is to make the decision. The rest… we will talk about at the start line!