Ridley gravel bikes are increasingly being used by both amateurs and professionals. Swedish champion Michael Tjulander recently got his hands on a specially designed ASTR RS model.
"I found out about gravel riding through friends. Some of them were already doing it, and once I tried it, I was immediately addicted. Gravel is gaining more and more popularity in Sweden," confirmed Tjulander.
Sweden is also part of the UCI Gravel World Series, hosting the Gravel Grit 'n Grind event in Halmstad. "The area here is not as big as in the US or southern Europe, but it is growing every day. For many Swedes, gravel racing is still primarily a leisure activity and a way to stay in shape. But we have incredible landscapes, especially in the north - so much is still undiscovered," he said.
Together with his friend Filip Thunberg, Tjulander founded the 444 Cycling Club, a gravel-focused club. They collaborate with the WestCoast Bikes store on Brålandsvägen, which allows them to purchase bikes at a lower price.
Tjulander's bike setup reflects his racing style and technical preferences. He typically uses 165mm cranks, a 48-tooth front chainring and a 10-51 cassette at the rear. He prefers Schwalbe Thunder Burt 29x2.1 tires, and his handlebars are 380mm wide and his stem is 100mm.
After winning the Swedish championship, Tjulander received a lot of positive attention, but his ambitions are much higher. He has previously achieved 32nd and 51st place in the gravel world championships. "This year I'm aiming for a TOP 20 place. If everything goes well, it's completely realistic. Next year I want to reach the top ten. To do that, I need to collect more UCI points to secure a good starting position. That makes a huge difference," said Tjulander.
