Yuri Hauswald
Class of 2023
Athlete, Storyteller, Promoter
Yuri Hauswald is an icon of the gravel cycling world. His contributions and influence are vast, spanning the entire spectrum, from promoter, to athlete, innovator, storyteller and more.
Yuri believes in sharing the experience of alt-surfaces and as such is the founder and event director for not only his own underground local event, the Bantam Classic, but also has been instrumental in the launch and execution of many other events worldwide.
For more than a decade, the Bantam Classic has celebrated Yuri’s home roads and is named as an homage to the Petaluma area of California… historically known as the chicken capital of the US. The event is a family affair with Yuri’s mom dressing up as a chicken every year and cheering for riders. Results are posted on binder paper on the side of his garage. To this day, it’s an event that defines the original grassroots spirit of the gravel scene.
He was also instrumental in the launch and success of Rebecca’s Private Idaho. His support moved a dream into reality with his encouragement and insights. He contributed on route and event execution, brought in essential financial sponsors like GU and personally showed up for 10 years in a row. As a competitor, he’s been on the podium and in the middle of the pack but is always showering energy and positivity on anyone near him.
He was invited to be the test rider for the Rift Gravel Race in Iceland which became an instant classic. This represents how event directors trust Yuri to give his stamp of approval on a course and gravel experience. He is the holistic marker on which event directors measure the quality of their event, from the course to the expo and festival experience.
As an athlete, Yuri has excelled for more than three decades. While his epic win in the 2015 DK200 – overcoming epic mud conditions and erasing a 20-minute deficit at the last checkpoint to win in a sprint finish – is the stuff of legend, his off-road palmares prove he’s no one-trick pony.
Already an accomplished ultra-endurance mountain bike racer with multiple 24-hour solo mountain bike championships, Yuri took to gravel roads like a duck to water. He first attended and supported the Grasshopper Adventure Series in 1995. From there he went on to compete in every edition of Rebecca’s Private Idaho, including a 2nd place finish in 2013. Yuri has also completed six DK200/Unbound 200s (including the aforementioned win), placed second place overall at the inaugural 350-mile DKXL, and finished third overall in the Spirit World 100 in 2019.
In his role as Athlete and Community Manager at GU Energy, Yuri has been a trailblazer, at the forefront of sponsoring diverse riders, including women, para, trans, and non-binary athletes. By guiding capable athletes to carry the banner of gravel forward, Yuri has used his place in the industry to make more riders feel welcome.
His professional role has also allowed Yuri to push the industry to support impactful events of all sizes. From tiny events like casual weekend rides to massive events like Unbound 200, Yuri has been there with support across multiple entities.
And when the time came to discuss exactly where this sport was headed (and what the “rules” should be), Yuri was there as a steady voice in the dialogue about the healthy growth of gravel.
Yuri has also been at the vanguard of several technological evolutions. One great example is the Camelbak Chase Vest, named for Chase County, KS (home to much of the Unbound 200 route), is a collaborative achievement borne out of real-world experience. After donning a lightweight running vest from sponsor Camelbak in 2015, Yuri helped the company prototype and develop a vest-based hydration system for endurance cyclists. The design has proven extremely popular with gravel and mountain cyclists.
Yuri has also been behind the scenes at countless events, including group rides, fundraisers, and youth coaching leagues. He’s played a part in growing NICA leagues across the country and has dedicated hundreds of hours as an instrumental supporter of his local league, NorCal MTB. He is ever-present: handing out hugs and water bottles. He’s the first and last one at the venue setting up. He’s there when not required to be and when no one is looking.
His efforts as a volunteer include more than ten years of being a dedicated participant and fundraiser for the Pablove Pediatric Cancer Foundation. He also donates time and energy to the Be Good Foundation, and is a celebrated educator, motivator, and team leader for gravel camps including Rusch Academy and the Special Blend Women’s Gravel Camp, among others.
Yuri’s sense of adventure and exploration is an integral part of his gravel character. Always seeking a more interesting route, Yuri has always sought the least traveled path as evidenced by his “Lost On Purpose” series of routes through the Lost Sierra of northern California. This wanderlust is further reinforced by his exploration of Nevada’s interior and his frequent sojourns into northern Idaho.
As a member of the cycling media for decades, Yuri has penned op-eds, event recaps, state of the industry commentary, gear reviews, route recommendations, ride reflections and insights for titles such as VeloNews, Outside, Peloton, Cycling News and many more. His experience as a member of the cycling media and a multi-faceted member of the gravel community have made him a prolific and consistent figure in the gravel cycling world.
Yuri has also been the subject, inspiration and creative contributor for numerous film projects that showcase the diverse reasons people ride gravel. These films illustrate how Yuri encompasses all that is beautiful about gravel; the exploration, competition with self and others, love for the outdoors and the people who share his love of cycling adventure.
