Former professional road cyclist Damien Clayton (Scott x Spatzwear) defended his Dalby Grit title in dominant fashion and Honor Elliott (Specialized UK) claimed victory at the second edition on Saturday 21 June and Sunday 22 June 2026, further cementing the North Yorkshire event’s status as one of Britain’s premier gravel races.
Clayton, a former professional road cyclist who won the UCI Grand Prix des Marbriers before stepping away from full-time racing to pursue a career as an architect, backed up his victory at the inaugural 2025 edition with another commanding performance. Racing 115 kilometres across Dalby Forest’s punchy climbs, fast descents and rolling gravel tracks, the 33 year-old soloed to victory in 03:20:14, finishing 2 minutes 35 seconds ahead of Connor Sens (VIA Racing). Paddy Chapman (Tekkerz CC) completed the podium in third, crossing the line at the same time as Sens.
The women’s race was decided by a much narrower margin. National-level cyclocross racer Elliott took victory in 04:14:05, edging Nicola Lynch (Jadan Vive Le Velo Glasdon) by just 16 seconds after a race-long battle across the 115-kilometre course. Ewa Mitka completed the podium in 04:15:13, 1 minute 8 seconds behind Lynch.
Co-Race Director Neil Atkinson described the weekend as validation of the event’s growing reputation, highlighting both the quality of racing and the positive response from riders to the course.
Organised by Focal Events, the team behind Dirty Reiver and Gravel Rocks, Dalby Grit is staged in Dalby Forest on the southern edge of the North York Moors National Park and features a demanding mix of terrain with approximately 1,800 metres of climbing.
Photo Credit: supplied
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