Little Apple Gravel State Championship 2026
Illinois's gravel state championship in Manhattan, with 50K, 100K, and 150K routes running 88% gravel through rolling farmland south of Chicago proper.
The vibe
Gravel grind for state bragging rights
Manhattan, Illinois isn’t a place most cyclists think of first, but Little Apple Gravel has made it the site of the state’s gravel championship. The course runs 88% gravel through rolling farmland south of Chicago, with three distances to pick from depending on how much suffering you’re after: the 50K Little Apple, the 100K Kong, or the full 150K King Kong that stitches both routes together.
It’s the kind of race where the terrain does the talking — few technical features, just miles of exposed gravel roads that test pacing and fueling more than bike-handling. Riders chasing the state title show up for the longer distances, but the shorter route is a legitimate entry point if you’re gravel-curious and want a taste of championship-level competition without committing to 150K.
Registration runs through BikeReg, with the event based out of downtown Manhattan.