Welcome to Rapid Ascent
Regarded as Australia’s leading Adventure Sports Event Management company, Rapid Ascent organises off-road, adventure and niche sports events across Australia ranging from mass participation adventure races (the world’s largest!) to boutique mountain bike festivals.
. "𝑇𝑜𝑜 𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒, 𝑡𝑜𝑜 𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑏𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑟𝑦... 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑎𝑛 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑠 ℎ𝑎𝑠 𝑝𝑎𝑠𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑏𝑦"
That's 👆 the opening line from a 1999 classic. Can anyone name the film?
The reason it's relevant to Odyssey is because merch orders for these events will strictly close on the 19th Jan.
After that it'll be "too late, too late".
(Merch for these events will ONLY be online (to reduce/eliminate wastage) so there won't be stock available at race day).
So...
If you want a t-shirt, please put a reminder in you calendar – or better yet, enter and order your merch now.
You can do so here: bit.ly/41mTj1o
𝐏.𝐒. If you miss out on this "𝑦𝑜𝑢'𝑙𝑙 𝑏𝑒 𝑐𝑟𝑦𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑠 𝑎𝑠 𝑏𝑖𝑔 𝑎𝑠 𝑂𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑐𝑎𝑏𝑏𝑎𝑔𝑒𝑠" come race day (that's another hint about the movie...)
We’re LIVE!
ENTRIES FOR THE 2025 SHIMANO GRAVEL MUSTER ARE OFFICIALLY OPEN!
And in BIG NEWS for next year’s event – another Tour de France Yellow Jersey holder will be riding – SIMON GERRANS!!
Get the details and enter here:
👉 bit.ly/3VjaxbV
𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞'𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬:
The Shimano Gravel Muster is an all-inclusive, 4-day gravel stage race set in the wild and atmospheric landscapes of the East MacDonnell Ranges (NT).
As Australia’s only gravel stage race, the Gravel Muster perfectly embodies “the spirit of gravel” – wide open roads, shimmering horizons, campfires & camaraderie with a healthy dose of competition.
𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐬:
WHAT: 4 day gravel stage race (all inclusive)
WHEN: Thurs. 21 August to Sun. 24 August 2025
WHERE: Alice Springs, East MacDonnell Ranges, NT
STAGES:
👉 Day 1: 4km Prologue + 47km stage, including 1 racing segment of 17km
👉 Day 2: 148km total, including 2 racing segments of 84km
👉 Day 3: 90km total, including 2 racing segments of 47km
👉 Day 4: 95km total, including 1 racing segment of 43km
TOTAL: 384km riding, including 191km of timed racing segments / 193 untimed cruise segments
WHY: For a gravel experience like no other with all the logistics taken care of!
𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞'𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬:
𝟏) 𝐄𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝟒𝟓𝐤𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝟏𝟒𝟖𝐤𝐦
– taking in the Aussie outback’s finest gravel roads. (TOTAL 384km).
𝟐) 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐈𝐍𝐆 & 𝐂𝐑𝐔𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐬𝐞𝐠𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬
– Hit the pedals hard when you’re on the clock ,then back off, chill and chat when the timing stops.
(There's a total of 201km racing & 179km cruising over the 4 days).
𝟑) 𝐖𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞 (𝐚𝐥𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭) 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐘𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆
– Meals, accommodation, bag transfers, on-course food, bike-maintenance supplies + more. Everything is provided so you can soak up the experience without worrying about logistics. SEE INCLUSIONS HERE >
4) 𝐈𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬, 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐥𝐥 𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐞 & 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐩 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬.
Here you’ll enjoy a yarn under the stars in a magical and safe setting (it’s like a mini traveling festival of like-minded riders!)
𝟓) 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐒 𝐀 𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐄 (𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞)
Your cumulative time for all race segments will become your overall racing time with various categories and awesome prizes (thanks Shimano). Or you can cruise it all if you want to just for the experience.
𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞'𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐨𝐰:
𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐎𝐍 #𝟏: 𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐧𝐨 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫...
The Gravel Muster is a once in a lifetime mission into a remote corner of the earth with an entire cohort of like minded riders.
It’s something you’ll likely never do alone, but at the same time, something you’ll think back on for the rest of your life.
𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐎𝐍 #𝟐: 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝟏𝟎𝟎 𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬...
Due to accommodation limits, we need to keep this small and intimate.
Think Cape Epic or Migration Gravel Race – it's small enough to make it feel like you're riding with mates, but big enough to be buzzing with a festival-like vibe.
We have no idea when this will sell out, but it's first in, best dressed.
𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐎𝐍 #𝟑: 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐧𝐨𝐭?!
Have you ever undertaken a wild, outdoor challenge like this and regretted it??
Enough said 😜
Get the details and enter here:
👉 bit.ly/3VjaxbV
We'll see you in the outback!
The Rapid Ascent Team
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“𝐼 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑠𝑡 𝑐𝑟𝑎𝑠ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑡” – Richie Porte
It’s not everyday you get to ride next to one of the GOATS of Aussie cycling for 4-days straight.
It’s even rarer to get to dine, chill and share a beer with them beside an outback pool.
Yet, that’s exactly what we were treated to at the 2024 Gravel Muster when Richie Porte jumped at the opportunity to ride.
Not only did he impress onlookers with a few turns of speed on the front...
He's also just an awesome, down to earth bloke who was a heap of fun to hang out with.
Check out the video to hear about his experience at the Muster.
Once you’ve done that…
𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑: 𝐄𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐨 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐭 𝟏𝟐𝐩𝐦 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐩.
There are only 100 spots.
So, if you want an experience like no other, we highly recommend you get ready to enter asap.
ALL DETAILS HERE: bit.ly/3VjaxbV
The Rapid Ascent Team
𝐏.𝐒. Rumour has it we’ll be greeted with ANOTHER member of Aussie cycling royalty in 2025. Any guesses who?
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It was such a pleasure to have you in our back yard.
Barry Stevens
Shane Blacket
𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐒 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐎 𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐋 𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐍 𝐍𝐄𝐗𝐓 𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐃𝐀𝐘 (𝟗𝐭𝐡 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫)!
If you’re an adventurous cyclist looking for something bigger… more wild… and more social than your average bike race…
"IT'LL LEAVE YOU TIRED, DUSTY AND BEGGING TO GET OUT THERE AND DO IT AGAIN!" (as one rider from the 2024 event said).
Here are 6 "top level" facts to help you prepare:
1) 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝟐𝟏𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝟐𝟒𝐭𝐡 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓
2) 𝐈𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 but takes you DEEP into the desert for the middle 2 days (staying on iconic cattle stations)…
3) This year, 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝟏𝟎𝟎 𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 (we have no idea how quickly they’ll fill, so safest bet is to get in early)
4) There will be some 𝐛𝐢𝐠 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 coming (stay tuned to learn who)
5) This is an two-wheeled adventure NOT to be missed…
As Richie Porte said after the 2024 event:
“𝑰𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒔𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒂𝒏 𝒂𝒘𝒆𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆 4 𝒅𝒂𝒚𝒔.. 𝑺𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒂 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒘 𝒐𝒇 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆… 𝒊𝒕’𝒔 𝒏𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒊𝒕 𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒂 𝒇𝒆𝒘 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒂𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒔.𝒏 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒂𝒘𝒆𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆… 𝑰’𝒗𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒂 𝒃𝒂𝒍𝒍.”
Get all the details & get ready to enter here:
bit.ly/3VjaxbV
We can’t wait to share another outback adventure with you all.
The Rapid Ascent Team
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[𝐎𝐓𝐖𝐀𝐘 𝐎𝐃𝐘𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐘 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝐊𝐌 | 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐒𝐄 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐒 | 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝟒 | 𝐅𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐎𝐖 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐎𝐆 (𝐄𝐓 𝐀𝐋)]
Ok…
You’ve got through the first big fire track climb or Kaanglang Rd (www.facebook.com/share/p/1BBXH2ihwQ/)…
Survived the undulating descent (and the Noonday climb! www.facebook.com/watch/?v=558410659993919)…
And displayed some flare on the Red Carpet timed descent (www.facebook.com/share/p/1EqaXDhVQA/).
Now it’s time for the single track to kick off in earnest at Forrest’s newly refurbished Southern Trail Network (at the 27km point of the race).
First, you’ll climb for approximately 2km on “Stomp Wallaby”, before joining “Third Time Lucky” and “Follow the Dog” for a fun rollercoaster of trails.
This is a magnificent, weaving and flowy section of track through the rich-green ferns – complete with rollable jumps, sweeping berms and enjoyable climbs (just watch out for loose sections of gravel).
You can watch the Flow MTB crew shredding this section:
youtu.be/7tiiqgXEMPA?t=218
After 12km of leg pumping action, it's back onto the Yaugher Rd for a cruise/TT back to the Footy Oval (Race HQ) for your first re-fuelling (and cheers from the crowd).
Now, for the Strava stalkers and KOM hunters…
The Segment to chase in this section is “Forrest 6 Follow the dog”.
(www.strava.com/segments/767928).
No surprises that Tali Lane-Welsh holds the men’s KOM (13:42) and Peta Mullens holds the women’s (16:38)... or at least they do until next February (?).
For more info about the Odyssey…
GO HERE:
bit.ly/4dZm4Vf
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