106KM Gravel – a world class circuit
Welcome to the Great Otway Gravel Grind (‘the GOGG’) – this is world class gravel riding as you pass along a magical line through the Otways to the Great Ocean Road and back.
NEW 106KM COURSE FOR 2026
The Otway Ranges provide a magnificent backdrop for gravel riding with endless gravel roads, beautiful wilderness and solid climbs / descents that link the hinterland to the coast. The new 106km GOGG combines the best of these features into a world class course, and being conducted in our popular ‘rally format’ with separate timed and untimed segments, the new 106km GOGG is – the perfect gravel event!
“A great way to test my return to cycling on magnificent gravel roads. I climbed better than I expected on “pleasantly painful” ascents and renewed my confidence in my descent technique. I’ll definitely be back!” – T, Boyd, 2021 Competitor
Course Summary
Start / finish: Forrest Football Ground
Date: Sunday 1st March
Ride Start: 8:00am
Length and elevation: 106km with 2,750m ascent
The ride starts at Forrest and soon rolls into a long climb to the top of the Otway Ranges, followed by a spectacular descent down to Apollo Bay on the Great Ocean Road. After stopping for a coffee, lunch (or a swim) the course crosses back over the Otways, summiting Mt Sabine on the way, and finishes with another fast descent back to the football ground at Forrest. With time-out zones at the water points and in Apollo Bay, the course can be divided into 4 racing segments as follows:
RACING SEGMENTS
- 27km leg 1: through a prehistoric forest
Climbing away from Forrest the course ascends Lardners Track (our favourite road in the Otways), weaving through a prehistoric forest of tree ferns, mountain ash and verdant green undergrowth all on fast rolling gravel. Enjoy a timeout zone at the water point at the top.
- 21km leg 2: down to the coast
Cross over the Otway Ranges on Seaview Track and then it’s a blitzing descent to the coast at Apollo Bay where you can enjoy another time out at a café, the beach (or the pub). Cruise 4km untimed along the Great Ocean Road before commencing the next climb.
- 19km leg 3: Wild Dog Road
Wild Dog Road is synonymous in the Otways as an iconic gravel climb to the summit at Mt Sabine, starting at sea level and ascending through farmland and then lush Otway rainforest to the top – it is a climb for the ages. Things get a bit spicy with a 500m section of ‘adventure gravel’ immediately before the time out at the Mt Sabine Summit.
- 25km leg 4: send it home.
Leaving the final time out zone, you’ll ride the Otway Ridge line on Mt Sabine road before turning for home with final, smile inducing descent down Kaangalang Rd to the finish line at the Football Ground. Epic circuit complete – well done.
WATER POINTS AND TIME OUT ZONES
- WP1: 27km pt at the top of Lardners Road. Timeout zone starts / finishes 500m either side of the water point.
- WP2: 59km pt at Apollo Bay. Stop at the water point on the foreshore or at one of the many cafes to refuel. Timeout zone starts at the 58km as you reach the Apollo Bay township and ends at the 62km pt once you’ve turned onto Wild Dog Road.
- WP3: 81km pt at the summit of Mt Sabine. Timeout zone starts / finishes 200m either side of the water point.
- Finish: 106.4km pt.
Double up?!
Make the most of your weekend in Forrest by doing a double and racing on Saturday and Sunday! (and get 40% off the 2nd entry fee!). Here are a couple of double-up options (more details here):
- Line up for the premier King / Queen of the Otways title by riding the 100km MTB on Saturday and the 106km Gravel on Sunday, OR
- Contest the Gravel Gods / Goddess category by riding the 49km Gravel on Saturday and the 106km Gravel on Sunday.
Course Map
The Rally Format and Time Out Zones
Both GOGG races are conducted in a ‘rally format’ where the course includes a mix of timed racing segments and cruise segments where your race time is paused and you can chill or wait for friends without impacting your race time! WHY: We believe the spirit of gravel is equally about: racing your bike and riding gravel roads through the wilderness and sharing the journey with other riders. The rally format achieves all this my making mixing race time with social time. Everyone wins!
The start and end of each time out are clearly identified on the course with signage and timing equipment. Once in the timeout zone you can wait for a friend or consume some calories before restarting your race and your time. The entire Apollo Bay café strip is in the 2nd time out zone so you can source the caffeine you need to get back over the hill.
POINTS TO NOTE:
- Riders crossing any time point with less than 1 second apart will be given the time of the first rider to cross the point (as per the Tour de France). This is to help ensure that riders know they are on the same race time if they entered / exited all timing points together.
- Limit of 1hr30 maximum to be used during the “time out”. Riders stopping for longer than 1hr30 will be given a time penalty. Note, it is not compulsory to stop, just an option as it’s an ‘untimed’ section of the course.
GOGG Course Notes:
- Courses are conducted exclusively on 2WD dirt roads – no single track
- Roads will be dirt roads – predominantly smooth hard-packed earth with some very short sections of looser gravel or slightly rougher terrain
- Require minimal ‘technical bike skills’ to complete and are achievable by all recreational riders
- GOGG courses are designed to be completed on either a gravel bike, CX / adventure bike, MTB or a road bike (with min 32mm wide tyres designed for gravel), or flat handle-bar hybrid bike. Many options!
- All roads remain open to the public. Whilst there are not many cars – everyone must remain aware, stick to your side of the road and always riding in control.
CUT OFFS for 106KM Gravel Riders:
“This is a ride that puts everything into perspective. The course is as competitive as you want to make it, and the time-out zones were brilliant to re-group, eat, and enjoy the stunning environment I was riding in.” M Purdie, 2020 Competitor