What they have in common
A sportive, an MTB ride and a gravel ride are not races. There is no ranking and no timing. The organiser marks out a route with signs or a GPX file, sets up food stops along the way and lets you choose from a few distances. You usually set off whenever you like within the start times, not all at once.
The roads are not closed. So you follow the normal traffic rules, even when you ride in a group.
Road sportive
A sportive, called a toertocht in Flanders, follows paved roads. You ride a road bike, and the distances range from a short loop to long rides of 150 km and over. In the Flemish Ardennes and the Westhoek you will find routes with climbs and cobbled sections; in the Kempen and the polders, flat rides with more wind.
MTB ride
An MTB ride follows forest tracks, narrow trails and farm tracks. You ride a mountain bike. The distances are shorter than on the road, because you go slower. After rain the course can be muddy, so check the practical information to see if there is a place to wash your bike.
Gravel ride
A gravel ride mixes tarmac with gravel, dirt roads, forest tracks and cobbles. You ride a gravel bike, but an MTB works too. Gravel sits between a sportive and an MTB ride: faster than in the woods, more adventurous than on the road.
What to bring
- A helmet, even when it is not compulsory.
- A spare inner tube or repair kit, a pump and the right tools.
- Water and something to eat, even though there are food stops.
- Your phone, charged, and your ticket in your email.
- Lights if you set off early or come back late.
Signing up
For a ride through Revena you sign up online, without an account, at the all-in price. Your ticket with a QR code arrives in your inbox, and the organiser scans it at the start. With the free Revena pass you earn points at every ride through Revena, towards a discount on your next entry.