Cycling, Haas and Morton, from the road to the love for gravel bikes

From the road to the dirt road, to rediscover freedom and connection with nature by bicycle. Lachlan Morton and Nathan Haas were never two conventional riders, even when their only commitment was the road. Both Australians, who grew up grinding kilometers on the pedals on and off the asphalt. For some years now, they have decided to devote more and more time to gravel, a specialty that is slowly spreading also in Europe. And this is the week of the Strade Bianche and Sunday’s Granfondo in Siena with 6000 cyclists.

The reason

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“Gravel is rediscovering one’s contact with nature, our connection with the world, with who we are, with our freedom – recognizes Nathan Haas, who finished his professional career at the end of 2021, at the age of 32, to devote himself to his other passion, gravel – it’s simply a different way of cycling. On the road you don’t feel so much like you’re going on an adventure, you get from point A to point B. The dirt road is a continuous discovery. Safer, more intimate and less conventional, if you like. “” Yes, for a child I would prefer gravel a thousand times, there are now many more cars on the street, it’s too dangerous “adds Morton, who hasn’t stopped road cycling yet At 30, he will race with the EF in the World Tour, also passing by Coppi and Bartali.

In Europe

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Nathan Haas and Lachlan Morton talked about their experiences and their love for gravel at “L’Eroica Caffè” in Padua, in the Fizik event. A way to spread a growing discipline in Italy, but still not practiced: “Europe has beautiful paths, it’s just a question of culture, but the paths and structures are there – the two Australians agree – we love coming here to ride. Today Europeans go to America to do gravel, in the future it will be the other way around ”. Haas spent several weeks in Italy on his new gravel bike, Morton showed his love for unconventional travel with a personal Tour de France last summer, 5,510km alone, anticipating the stages of professionals to raise funds to donate bicycles to children: “A wonderful experience. But I think anyone can do it, you don’t need to be very trained. All you need is time and passion “. Theirs is not just a message for gravel: “Does the presence of professionals and former professionals in gravel help its development? Yes and no – Haas reflects – for sure we talk about the event, but gravel is a sport for everyone ”. “People do it even if we don’t do it – specifies Morton – because it is a different way of relating to the bicycle and to nature. It’s not just a performance ”.

Advice

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But can gravel really be the discipline of the future? Potentially, yes. Several multi-day bicycle trips, even for amateurs, are safer and more exciting on dirt roads. But Haas has one important piece of advice for starters: “Don’t go beyond your means. Both in the choice of the bicycle and in the first experiences. Then it is a constant challenge “. “Gravel is also beautiful because it makes you rediscover yourself. At some point, the sky is the only limit, ”concludes Morton. The sky as a limit and the countryside around the roads as a landscape. A perspective that Nathan and Lachlan, from Australia, try to bring to Europe.