With Belgian Waffle Ride British Columbia, Monuments of Cycling (MoC), a premier cycling events producer best known for its iconic Belgian Waffle Ride California, brings its popular format to Vancouver Island for the second year following a stellar inaugural event.  Created as extremely challenging races in the spirit of the great European one-day Spring Classics, BWR events have a growing cult following and are known as some of the most unique cycling events in the country. Incredibly dynamic, multi-surface ‘unroad’ parcourses replete with single track, sand, rocks, gravel, water crossings, cyclocross features, and even some asphalt. The team at Strambecco considers Belgian Waffle Ride British Columbia, a.k.a. "The Hell of the Great White North," one of the Best Gravel Cycling Events in the Northwest.

The second annual Belgian Waffle Ride British Columbia BWR BC will occur in the Cowichan Valley, around Duncan, BC, 40 miles north of Victoria.  The race venue is Cowichan Exhibition Park due to its proximity to epic singletrack on Mt. Tzouhalem (the Zoo), Maple Mountain, and Mt. Prevost. Monuments of Cycling has partnered with popular Canadian event producer Platinum Racing, who produce some of the best cycling, tri, and run events in Western Canada.   The first BWR BC drew many world-class athletes, current and former pros, including Rob Britton, so you can expect a deep list of hungry amateur riders drawn to the unparalleled opportunity to race alongside some of the best in the sport.

Belgian Waffle Ride Series

The Belgian Waffle Ride Series is a North American series offering some of the world’s most highly respected and well-organized gravel events/races.  The idea of the Series was conceived initially with the advent of Belgian Waffle Ride California (San Diego), well-known among cycling enthusiasts and pros alike as one of the most unique and difficult bicycle races in the US at 140-ish miles, 40 of which are off-road sectors, and 10,000+ feet in elevation gain.

BWR events are unique because they are classic, long bicycle races that feature various off-road sectors emulating the pave or cobblestones of Europe, making the varied terrain a challenge for riders’ technical skills, equipment, endurance, luck, and versatility. While none of the events intentionally feature mountains, they utilize a never-ending collection of punchy climbs that offer extreme physical challenges.  These are not for the faint of heart.   They are designed to challenge riders of all stripes and sizes, which is part of the allure of BWR events:  Extreme challenges that require extensive preparation, training, the right equipment, tenacity, and karma.

Each BWR venue showcases a challenging ‘unroad’ multi-surface course that takes advantage of each beautiful location’s unique topography.  Each route is uniquely designed to include a multitude of technically challenging sectors. Waffle courses range from 120-144 miles, Wafer courses between roughly 68-84 miles, and Wanna Rides, typically around 40 miles. Elevation gain will range from 6,500 feet to 14,000 feet for the various Waffle courses.  The current roster of BWR events in 2024 includes BWR AZ (March 1-2), BWR UT (April 5-6), BWR CA (27-28), BWR NC (June 21-22),  BWR BC (Sept 21-22), BWR Mexico (Queretaro - Nov 23-24).  Monuments are also close to finalizing details of several new events for 2024, including another special event in Mexico.

2024 Course Details