8th annual June 13th 2026

Ionia Michigan

Sign up to race and camp for free!

The 8th Annual Cow Pie Classic is more than a bike race, but it is one heck of a race! riders will have the option to sign up for the Free range flyers wave or the finishers wave. this is different from previous years where we had elite and sport. the Finisher waves will get a participation medal for your race and we are excited to celebrate your accomplishment with you. the free range flyer waves will compete for over $10,000 in cash prizes in addition to overall and age category medals. additional medal categories included in the free range flyers wave are Single Speed, fatbike, mountain bike, tandem, athena and clydesdale riders. We hope this helps the cow pie classic continue to be a race for everybody. big news for 2026 is our moved starting line into ionia’s social district. a social district is an outdoor public area where people can purchase an alcoholic beverage and walk with it outside. The taco bar add on and your included beer will be inside the steele street hall just 200 meters from the finish line. #RIDECOWPIE will leave you with a smile ear to ear whether you want to come out and push your limits with Michigan gravel race series riders or join family and friends to pose for that perfect farmland pic from Rob Meendering. We can’t wait to see you in June!

Cash prizes and medals

bodacious century: $1,000 for firST

long Haul men and women: $1300 for 1st; $600 for 2nd; $300 for 3rd, $200 4th, $100 for 5th

short haul men and women: $700 for 1st; $300 for 2nd; $200 for 3rd, $100 for 4th, $50 for 5th

rec ride men and women: $200 for 1st, $100 for 2nd, $50 for 3rd

CHIP TIMED kom pRIZES ON COURSE:

riders in the long haul, the “Darin elliot” short haul, and “Reach your peak” Rec Ride compete with riders in their distance for the dash for cash prizes. fastest man and women to the top of welch wall from the start line will win $200! one prize for men and women in the 3 race distances listed.

there will be a 600 meter segment coming out of the powell farm called “shake rattle and roll” with a $200 cash prize for the fastest man and women of the day. https://strava.app.link/fkbtz72bxEb

all awards will be held ACROSS FROM STEELE STREET HALL

we hope you join us to celebrate every finisher with our: calf race, overall, age category, Mountain bike overall, fat bike overall, Single speed overall, tandem overall, Clydesdale and athena podiums

TOP 5 OVERALL AND TOP 5 IN AGE CATEGORIES in the free range flyers wave WILL GET A MEDAL IN THE bodacious century, LONG HAUL, short haul and rec ride

TOP 5 OVERALL FOR TANDEMS, FAT BIKES, SINGLE SPEEDS and mountain bikes.

CALF RACE WILL AWARD all participants with a place medal. note start time for calf race is 8:15am this year.

COURSE SAFETY:

we put at least 50 volunteers on course!

10 policed intersections.

three AID STATIONS ON COURSE.

THIS IS AN OPEN COURSE PLEASE GIVE VEHICLES THEIR SPACE AND STAY ON YOUR SIDE OF THE ROAD

FREE TENT CAMPING AVAILABLE ON A FIRST COME FIRST SERVE BASIS.

all photos from rob meenderings expert lense

Offerings

free 13 and under calf race

A fun, safe, and free 2 mile race and .5 mile stryder ride (you must register ahead of time) This is a Family fun ride and we hope to see some of you riding together along with kids. we will have a new course and start time of 8:15am. the course will use the city rivertrail. Starting and finishing at the big arch this year

10 mile grind

The 10 Mile Grind is a great way to get your toes into gravel racing and see if its your cup of tea! our 10 mile race comes at half price but does not include category medals or particpation medals.

reach your peak Rec Ride: $700 in cash prizes

The rec ride is 20 miles with 6 miles of pavement, 12 miles of gravel, 2 miles of farm. Mile for mile the rec ride presents a challenging route, making the step up to our short haul very achievable after completing your first rec ride.this route is a great first race for anyone with enough challenge to keep the cycling vets happy! The 20 mile is part of the mini course series in the michigan gravel race series.

Short Haul: $2,700 in cash prizes

presented by Darin Elliot Greenridge Realty

The 34 mile race is 80% gravel, 10% pavement, and 10% farm! After leaving the 1st farm you will be 9 miles from the finish but wait, there’s another farm! No “Bull” in 2022 we replaced 2 miles of fast pavement still in the rec ride and 10 mile. the short haul gets another private property section and two dead end roads with farmland 2 track and fred meijer trail. the short haul boast multiple dead end roads, 2 seperate farm sections, limestone rail trail, a 800 meter 2 track section that will give you single track smiles, and plenty of fast gravel roads!

Long Haul: $5,000 cash pURSE

The Long Haul will share the short haul route until 3 miles past Woodard lake where you make a break north and go past a cool long haul only farm. miles 20-50 will be secluded gravel roads and Jessup road! around 50 miles in the route re-joins the short haul course by turning south on Powell, Then the farm! 9 miles to go to the finish including another farm! the long haul comes at you with multiple dead end roads, jessup kom, 2 seperate farm sections, limestone rail trail, a 800 meter 2 track section that will give you single track smiles, and plenty of fast gravel roads!

new for 2026

bodacious century: $2,000 cash pURSE

aptly named after “the worlds most dangerous bull”. the bodacious century is 105 miles of the best gravel around the Grand and maple river. tons of tree covered hardpacked roads with private property sections scattered in at 6.5, 85 and 92 mile marks. hyde, tallman, jessup and welch will be difference maker hills that take the rolling out of the continuous rolling gravel this route offers. are you up for the bodacious challenge?