The Hills gravel 2026 @Borgoluce (TV)
Second year of The Hills, our second participation. A rather unique gravel race event in Italy, with an international feel boosted by its affiliation with the Gravel Earth Series. Regardless of one's inclination (race or not), it's one of those events worth observing closely: for participants and organizers alike. A concrete reference for how new formulas can be built even in the Italian landscape.
Yes, it's a race: but the spirit remains one of fun. Not just for the many amateurs, but also for the elites, who come here not only to win but to be present. Because The Hills manages to combine two things that often don't coexist: competition and the pleasure of being part of an event. The organization is solid and precise; Mattia De Marchi and his team know this world well, probably because they experience it firsthand. And this is evident in the attention to detail, as well as the course. This year, The Hills took place in Borgoluce, an extensive agricultural area in the hills of Susegana, in the heart of the province of Treviso. Vineyards, white roads, woods, and rougher sections create a perfectly functioning flow: continuous, dynamic, and never dull.
The course, according to those who experienced it firsthand, was truly tough. 125 km with over 2000 meters of elevation gain: single tracks, river crossings, technical climbs and descents. It's not the classic smooth gravel; at The Hills, you need to be a complete athlete. It's not enough to just push the pedals; you need to know how to ride and stay focused on a course that offers no breaks. That's where you understand what a gravel race truly means, at least in my view.
Three well-organized feed zones, with neutral or team support. This also contributes to creating an almost motor racing atmosphere: people ready in the "pits," quick interventions, tense and focused gazes. Then something simple happens: even if you're not racing to win, you play. Like when you were a child and imagined yourself as someone else—your idols, superheroes, anyone. The same thing happens here: for a few hours, you are part of that story. You're no longer just you on a bike; you're a rider, you have a role, a mission: a race to complete. And you want to believe in it to the end.
Even when your legs start to give out, when your clarity fades, and fatigue tries to bring you back to reality. The illusion risks breaking, and this is where the spell cracks, and it's important to have many people around you yelling at you not to give up. We had also added our own "solution": a Squame energy drink, gin and tonic-based. Not to go faster, but to stay in the game. A way to extend that thin line between reality and imagination, to continue feeling part of the race even when the body started saying otherwise. To prevent that spell from breaking just when it was at its best.
Along the route, there were also open wineries and tastings offered by the region. Not everyone stopped—probably—but they remain part of the story, maybe for next time. Our guys challenged themselves, many for the first time in such an event, with a simple result: suffering and fun.
And that's what remains. So much so that the next one is already being discussed, and new events with the same mood are being sought. Another weekend spent together, as a group even before as a team.
Next stop: Traka 360. The illusion continues. Racing Dreamers.
Words and Photos: Fabio Conti
