Rob and David Do Gravel Burn 2026

Any cyclist who makes a habit of targeting challenging events knows the level of lowkey masochism involved. You circle a date and event on a calendar, you train as hard and as often as you can to be fit for it (always worried it’s not enough), then you arrive and push yourself through the event, which can leave mental and physical scars if it’s hard enough. Once completed, you swear you’ll never do anything like that again, until the good memories overcome the pain, and you find yourself signing up for yet another challenge.

If this sounds familiar, it is something you have in common with Factor founder, Rob Gitelis and Chief Brand Officer, David Millar. They have made a habit of doing hard things together. First it was Migration Gravel Race in 2024, then Unbound in 2025. In 2026 Rob has already faced and accomplished the huge challenge of riding the full route of the Tour de France. And now, he and David have signed up to ride the 2026 Gravel Burn together.

Feel the Burn

Gravel Burn is a seven-day gravel stage race through South Africa's spectacular Eastern Cape, combining demanding racing with an immersive adventure through some of the country's most remote landscapes. Bringing together professional racers and passionate amateurs, the event offers a distinctive blend of competition, camaraderie, and exploration, with riders sharing the experience both on the road and in the event's purpose-built Burn Camps.

The 2026 edition, taking place from 25th to 31st of October, covers approximately 750 kilometres with 8,500 metres of climbing. Starting in the historic town of Graaff-Reinet, the route crosses the vast, arid landscapes of the Great Karoo before finishing in the wildlife-rich surroundings of Shamwari. Along the way, riders will tackle everything from fast, open gravel roads to steep climbs, rocky descents and rough, remote terrain. With stages ranging from 61 to 137 kilometres, the challenge will be as much about managing fatigue and maintaining consistency over seven days as it will be about outright speed.

For Rob Gitelis and David Millar, Gravel Burn represents another opportunity to share the experience of a major African gravel race. Having previously ridden Migration Gravel Race together in Kenya, the pair will once again line up side-by-side, this time aboard two very different bikes from Factor's gravel range. Rob will ride the ELARA, Factor's aerodynamic gravel race bike, while David will take on the challenge aboard the SARANA, developed specifically for long-distance endurance and demanding terrain.

ELARA vs SARANA

The choice of bikes provides an interesting contrast for the conditions they will encounter. The ELARA's aerodynamic efficiency, responsive handling and wide clearance make it particularly well suited to the fast gravel sections, while retaining the traction and control needed when the terrain becomes rough. The SARANA, meanwhile, prioritises stability, sustained efficiency and rider control well beyond the point where exhaustion sets in. Its vibration-damping seat-stay design, equally generous tyre clearance, and an endurance-focused geometry should prove especially valuable on the rockier sections and as fatigue accumulates throughout the week.

Together, the two bikes offer different approaches to tackling the same demanding route, making Gravel Burn an ideal opportunity to explore their respective strengths. It could be an interesting dynamic for the two riders since Rob has been training so much having ridden the whole Tour de France route this July, could this be an occasion where he is the stronger of the two riders? David has admitted that he has had a less focused training schedule these past months. Nevertheless, the pair are looking forward to the adventure with only the mildest hint of trepidation:

“We're hoping this third adventure will be less traumatic than the first two,” David optimistically said.

Expect regular dispatches from the frontlines

During Migration Gravel Race, David's Daily Diaries brought the experience vividly to life for those of us following along from the comfort of our living rooms. With his trademark quick wit, sharp observations and refreshingly clear prose, he captured not only the demands of the racing but also the characters, conversations and unexpected moments that make these adventures so memorable. Now, with Gravel Burn on the horizon, David is preparing to do it all again. Seven days, 750 kilometres and the wild landscapes of South Africa's Eastern Cape promise plenty of material, and David will once again be our eyes and ears on the ground, bringing the racing, the camaraderie and the inevitable mishaps to life in his Daily Diaries. We can almost taste the dust already.

Rob and David share far more than a passion for cycling. Their friendship has been forged over years of shared experiences, mutual respect, and a willingness to take on challenges that test both body and mind. Events like Migration Gravel Race, Unbound, and Gravel Burn demand more than fitness and determination; they call for patience, humour, and the ability to support one another when things inevitably get tough. It's a testament to the strength of their friendship that, having already endured so much together, they're still eager to line up for the next adventure. Gravel Burn’s on the menu and it’ll be well done. 

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