SBT GRVL, one of America's premier gravel races, has decided to split the prize money equally between men and women for 2021.

The event, to be held in Steamboat Springs on August 15, 2021, will feature a stellar lineup of pro riders, including former World Tour riders Peter Stetina, Jacob Rathe, Allison Tetrick, Lauren Stevens, and Lawrence ten Dam The event is scheduled to attract 3,000 entries. Also scheduled to compete are Whitney Allison, Rex Albrecht, Casey Armstrong, Sarah Sturm, Sarah Max, Lauren De Crescenzo, Emily Newsome, Colin Strickland, and former Olympian Jeff Kabush.

SBT GRVL's Amy Charity told Cycling News that the event's long-term goal is to have a 50-50 entry ratio between men and women, and that next year's $22,000 prize purse will be split down the middle across the professional field.

"Historically, cycling has been a male-dominated sport, and prize money has traditionally gone to men. Much of the status quo is steeped in tradition, and SBT GRVL, as a race promoter, found itself in a position to change this tradition by investing equally in women and men. This is one way we can impact gender equality in cycling, and Gravel is leading the way," Charity said.

"It's very simple: in a mass start, the distance is the same. Victory should be equally contested and the prize money should be equal. As an example, Brody Chapman completed the SBT GRVL BLACK (distance 144 miles) in 6 hours and 56 minutes at an average speed of 20.3 mph.

The SBT GRVL race started in 2019 but was postponed to 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The race is open to athletes of varying abilities, with several distances available to participants. In addition to providing equal prize money, next year it is partnering with Ride For Racial Justice to provide better race access for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) participants.

The initiative guarantees 25 race slots and also provides financial assistance to cover race entry fees, transportation for each of the 25 athletes, lodging, coaching services, mentorship, and costs associated with gear to compete in the race.