Bend's Sarah Max, right, and Serena Gordon, left, race during the Cascade Gravel Grinder this past weekend in Central Oregon.

Ian Boswell was born and raised in Bend and was a cyclist from an early age, but even he experienced new roads and areas during the Cascade Gravel Grinder race this past weekend.

“It’s just so ironic that I lived here for 18 years of my life, and never rode most of the roads we rode on,” Boswell said. “The views of the mountains were something I had never seen before. It was really eye-opening to see the plethora of quiet dirt roads we have in the area. There’s a lot to explore out there. The Deschutes National Forest is immense.”

The Cascade Gravel Grinder is a three-day stage race on gravel and dirt roads in Central Oregon. Boswell, who now lives in Peacham, Vermont, finished second overall to his friend Pete Stetina, of Santa Rosa, California, who won with an overall time of 7 hours, 13 minutes, 8 seconds. Boswell was just 1 minute, 7 seconds behind Stetina.

Both Boswell, 32, and Stetina, 36, are former Tour de France professional road cyclists who have transitioned to gravel racing.

Bend riders performed well in the women’s race as well, as Bend’s Sarah Max finished second overall in 8:29:36 and Bend’s Serena Gordon took third in 8:33:16. Brazilian and 2016 Olympian Flavia Oliveira Parks won the women’s race in 8:25:11.

The three days included a 6.6-mile time trial near Meissner Sno-park on Friday, a 58.8-mile ride near Kapka Butte Sno-park on Saturday, and an 84.8-mile ride featuring 6,700 feet of elevation gain starting and finishing in Sisters on Sunday.

Boswell raced his first and only Tour de France in 2018, but he retired from road racing in 2020 and announced he would pursue gravel racing after suffering six concussions from violent crashes.

Boswell won Unbound in Kansas, the most prestigious gravel cycling race in the U.S., in 2021.

Stetina put the plan together for him, Boswell and Kiel Reijnen, of Bainbridge Island, Washington, to all meet up in Bend and race the Cascade Gravel Grinder. All three are former professional road racers who raced in the Tour de France and also competed in the junior national championships when they were held in Bend in 2009 and 2010.

“We all have really good memories of racing in Bend,” Boswell said. “We also all brought our families because we’re all parents now. Bend’s a great spot to hang out with families and a great spot to race and ride a bike.”

Boswell said he lost some time in the time trial on Friday, but he did edge out Stetina at the finish line for a victory in Sunday’s long stage.

“I came here to race hard, but really just to race with these guys,” Boswell said. “It’s fun. We’re always competitive. Pete’s a heck of a good racer. Finishing second to someone like him is still an accomplishment.

“It’s cool to come back and see so many familiar faces. There were lots of people doing the masters races that I used to race with.”

Boswell plans to race the Gravel Locos in Hico, Texas, this weekend, and is planning to race Unbound on June 3.

He said the last time he raced in Bend was the Cascade Cycling Classic pro road race in 2012. That race, just like the Cascade Gravel Grinder and the Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder June 21-25, are put on by Chad Sperry of Central Oregon-based Breakaway Promotions.

“Ian and Pete are easily the two best pros for gravel racing right now, which is exploding,” Sperry said.

Sperry’s Oregon Gravel Grinder Series has taken over road racing events as the premiere cycling events in Oregon.

Boswell said he will interview Sperry on his ”Breakfast with Boz” podcast about the evolution of bike racing in the U.S.

“It’s easier, safer and more cost effective to put on a race like this,” Boswell said of gravel racing as opposed to road racing. “You don’t have to close busy roads in town. That’s a difficult feat, especially with the growth of Bend. In a gravel race, you’re in the forest with pretty much no one out there.”