Girona – a small Catalan city set 100 kilometers north of Barcelona – has quietly become one of the gravitational centers of global cycling.

Each May, its network of sun-baked gravel roads and forest trails draws riders from across the world for THE TRAKA, a race that has rapidly expanded from cult favorite to a defining fixture on the gravel calendar, with distances stretching from 100 to 560 kilometers.

What was once a niche endurance challenge now attracts both active and former professional cyclists, all converging to test themselves against the same dust-heavy terrain.

The atmosphere lands somewhere between competition and celebration – reminiscent of UTMB in Chamonix, if you know the feeling – where the energy is collective, slightly chaotic, and deeply immersive. The goal is simple: get dirty, get tired, and come out the other side happy.

Around the race, the industry shows up in full force. Pas Normal Studios leads as title sponsor, while a wide spectrum of cycling brands activate across the city, presenting new gravel-focused collections & gear and supporting riders throughout the weekend. Polymer Workshop hosted a pop-up alongside Safi Works and Endless at Temple Running shop, turning the space into a meeting point for the community, while the Portal team used the terrain as a live testing ground for their cycling range and the upcoming collaboration with MET helmets.

Dust in the air, dirt on the people, bikes on every surface, beers and pizzas circulating between rides. This is Girona at full speed, and these are the moments that defined it. Check the highlights below.