‘For the first time, American gravel racing is the place to be’ — YouTube series 'Call of a Life Time' premiers January 26

As any cyclist knows, biking is so much more than mashing on the pedals. Cycling brings with it a whole host of gritty emotions: elation, frustration, determination and defeat. 

The Call of a Life Time series is releasing its second season on January 26, chronicling the highs and lows experienced by key riders in the past year’s Life Time Grand Prix circuit. 

Debuted in 2022, the Life Time Grand Prix features a cast of handpicked elite athletes, including WorldTour roadies, gravel privateers and a former elite rower, as they compete in the toughest off-road cycling events in the U.S. in pursuit of a very large prize purse.

The YouTube series follows the 2023 season and will feature marquee moments with equal coverage of the men’s and women’s competitions. Watch as Keegan Swenson dominates the Leadville Trail 100 MTB and sets a new course record by 15 minutes or the moment when riders at Unbound Gravel had to contend with soul-sucking mud and rain. 

This docuseries covers four key races: Sea Otter Fuego XL, Unbound Gravel, Leadville Trail 100 MTB and Big Sugar Gravel. There will be dedicated men’s and women’s episodes for both Leadville Trail 100 MTB and Unbound Gravel, a first for the series.

Coverage this year not only includes side-by-side camerawork, but the use of content captured from e-bikes, motos, drones, and even a helicopter, too.

The goal of season one was to raise awareness and interest in the world of off-road cycling, and after “unprecedented fan interest and acclaim,” the second season will go deeper into the lives and personalities of the athletes featured. No emotions are off-limits this season, with cameras capturing an exclusive look at some of the United States’ most popular off-road bike events as well as athletes’ “highs and lows…plenty of drama and competition, [and] heartwarming camaraderie.” 

Season two brings to light the ever-rising level of competition in the off-road cycling world, depicting how some professional cyclists are now focusing their entire careers around the prize purses and fame that come with success at the Life Time Grand Prix, which now sees riders such as Matt Beers and Danni Shrosbee traveling from across the globe to compete.

The 2024 Life Time Grand Prix

The Life Time Grand Prix presented by Mazda kicks off at the Sea Otter classic in April 2024. Next year’s series features 60 elite athletes, seven domestic races and a $300,000 prize purse up for grabs. 

Returning riders on the women’s side include 2023 Life Time Grand Prix series winner Sofia Gomez Villafane, Unbound Gravel XL winner Kristen Legan, Sarah Sturm, U.S. National Gravel Champion Lauren Stephens and Emily Newsom. 

For the men, Leadville Trail 100 MTB course-record holder and 2023 Grand Prix series winner Keegan Swenson, Lachlan Morton, Peter Stetina and Matthew Beers are all returning for their chance at fame - and the prize purse. 

The series begins next April in California at the Sea Otter classic and runs through October, finishing with Big Sugar Gravel in Arkansas.

Athletes will have the option to drop up to two events, entry fees will be covered by Life Time and there will be random doping controls conducted at any round.

• April 19: the Fuego XL, a 100K cross-country mountain bike race at the Sea Otter Classic in Monterrey, California.
• June 1: the 200-mile race at the infamous Unbound Gravel in Emporia, Kansas.  
• July 13: Crusher in the Tushar, a 69-mile, hilly gravel race in Beaver, Utah.
• August 10: Leadville Trail 100 MTB, a 104-mile endurance mountain bike race at high altitude in Leadville, Colorado.
• September 14: Chequamegon, a 40-mile xc mountain bike race in Cable, Wisconsin.
• September 28:  The Rad Dirt Fest, a 110-mile gravel race in Trinidad, Colorado.
• October 14: Big Sugar Gravel, a 100-mile gravel race in Bentonville, Arkansas.