2024 was arguably the best gravel season of Peter Stetina’s career, with the American privateer winning the Belgian Waffle Ride (BWR) Series and The Traka 360 in epic fashion. In a season that included most of the biggest gravel races in the world, Stetina and his Canyon Grail CFR set the standard on both sides of the Atlantic, starting with the iconic Grasshopper series in January and concluding in October with Big Sugar.
After a breathless campaign, the 37-year-old found time to take stock, contemplate his gravel journey so far and look ahead to the exciting challenges that await him in 2025.
For those who aren’t aware, Stetina was once a leading US WorldTour rider in men’s pro road peloton. He was part of a Giro d’Italia-winning squad, raced eight Grand Tours in total and represented some of the best teams during a career that spanned two decades.
Then in 2020, he gave it all up for life on the road as a gravel privateer, partnering with brands he shared a passion for off-racing with, like Canyon, and forging a new chapter that has taken him on countless adventures.
Over the last five years, Stetina has established himself as one of the most accomplished racers on the ever-expanding gravel circuit and this season there were several standout results.
“It was a good year and I had a lot of fun,” he tells us in a rather modest fashion. "Traka is arguably one of the biggest gravel bike races in the world, and it’s the one with all the momentum right now with its stunning visual imagery and mix of race distances and terrain. Winning that race was incredible but there were also victories in the Utah round of the BWR, along with the overall in that series, and the Ukiah-Mendo Gravel Epic. I was really happy with my overall consistency because I was on the podium this year more than I was off it."
The Traka 360, which took place in May, was the standout victory of Stetina’s campaign. The race, a 360km trek through Spanish off-road trails, undulating terrain and river-crossings tests competitors and their equipment to the absolute limit and racing on his Canyon Grail, the American came from behind to take a sensational victory.
“The way I won that will probably and forever be the most special win of my entire career,” Pete says. Stetina found himself almost seven minutes down in the race after an early flat tyre and after three hours of non-stop action, it appeared that his race was all but over. However, he found a companion in fellow racer Rob Britton and the pair produced a six-hour two-up time trial to reel in the lead pack.
“For sure I thought we were going to be dropped once we came back to the front group after the long chase but on the most important climb of the day the defending champion attacked and only Rob and I were able to keep the pace,” Stetina recalls.
The win at The Traka 360 was also a landmark moment in the bond between Stetina and Canyon, with the partnership dating back to Stetina’s first full season on gravel.
“I first met Canyon in 2019, just as I started my gravel journey. I’d won the Belgian Waffle Ride that spring and had been introduced to their US gravel team. Canyon were ‘hell yeah’ when it came to going all-in on gravel with me for my first full season the following year, and they were the first partner that came on board with me,” he says.
“Having a big name like that behind me was a really important point and they were a major part of my success when it came to believing in me when some of the rest of the industry didn’t. It felt like, to me, that Canyon back then were seen as the disruptors on the bike scene and that meshed really well with how I wanted to race after road. We’ve had this amazing shared story,” he adds.
The partnership hasn’t just been based on results and racing, either. Stetina has played a role in the development of Canyon equipment too, offering key feedback on the bikes he’s raced across gravel and mountain biking over the last few years. The trade of information has also been a two-way street.
“There are the bikes and the support to make it a full-time profession but beyond that, it’s about learning from the people within the Canyon brand. It’s almost like a mentorship in terms of what they’ve helped me with,” he says.
“It was a privilege to give feedback on the new Grail design. The engineers reached out to me for my take on how gravel racing was changing and what I was looking for in a bike. Being allowed to have that input into their thoughts was really gratifying for me because it felt like I was trusted to speak for myself and also other gravel racers out there.
The future looks bright for Stetina with the American rider using the off-season to rest and enjoy some much-needed family time before it all starts again, and the original gravel privateer has his sights set on a new and ambitious race programme for 2025.
“Gravel racing has always been a continual exploration for me. I came to this by following my heart and wanting a new adventure. As gravel has professionalised I’ve been pulled into the same pro game as my road days by chasing the same wins again and again. It’s become standardised so next year it’s going to be more about quality over quantity and with the focus on races that truly suit me,” he says.
“That’s meant I’ve omitted my name from Life Time Grand Prix because it’s more of a mountain bike series and while I love what they’ve done for the US off-road scene it doesn’t make sense for me to try and and get fifth in a mountain bike race. So I’ll race the Traka, Unbound and some BWRs the Gravel Earth Series and also some new adventures along the way,” Stetina adds.
Overall though, 2025 will be about Stetina finding the joy in racing and his gravel adventures. It’s always about the winning or the success, and more about the journey that he and his Grail can embark on together.
“I always want to bring it back to those roots of what made gravel special in the first place for me, which were the lifestyle and social aspects. The adventure is the best part and I need to let that be my North Star,” he says.
While Pete is taking a well-earned rest for racing, his off-season riding hasn’t stopped with the American flipping between an array of Canyon bikes in his garage.
“I’ll ride anything from the full quiver Lux CFR Full Suspension XC MTB, Grizl SLX with my custom paint job, to the Ultimate CFR road bike, Exceed CFR hardtail MTB, Neuron trail bike or my old generation Endurace, which usually sits on the trainer,” he says.
About Canyon
Canyon is one of the most innovative bike brands in the world. The concept began in founder Roman Arnold’s garage and grew to be the world’s largest direct-to-customer manufacturer of road bikes, mountain bikes, triathlon bikes, gravel bikes, hybrid bikes, and electric bikes.
Canyon have earned their glowing reputation for innovation through consistently using advanced materials, thinking, and technology. The iconic Canyon design is easy to identify. Alongside being boldly competitive and ever-expanding, they are committed to making the global cycling community accessible for every rider.
While Canyon partners with some of the finest athletes on the planet, their mission, ‘Inspire to Ride’, highlights how they work to promote the power of cycling to everyone.
Canyon products are exclusively available online at www.canyon.com or via the Canyon app.
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