The Idaho gravel race will continue under new ownership and a new name following its 14th edition in September.
KETCHUM, Idaho — Rebecca Rusch will step away from Rebecca’s Private Idaho after the gravel event’s 14th edition, scheduled for Sept. 9-12, 2026.
The event will continue under new ownership and a new name, while its courses and connection to the Be Good Foundation will remain in place. Rusch did not identify the new owner or announce the event’s future name.
“It’s time for us to say goodbye to this iconic gravel cycling adventure and let the event evolve under a different name and ownership,” Rusch wrote in an email announcing the change. “It’s also time for me to blaze another trail.”
Rusch launched Rebecca’s Private Idaho in 2013, before the rapid growth of gravel racing produced a full calendar of professional events, gravel-specific equipment and dedicated professional athletes. She envisioned an event that combined elements of road and mountain bike racing with the exploratory character of backcountry riding.
Rusch traced the idea to two races she entered during the 2012 season: one on the road and another on dirt roads. Although she approached riding drop-bar bikes reluctantly, she won both events and began thinking about how she could combine cycling disciplines in a single event.
“I dreamed of combining different elements of cycling disciplines to create something adventurous, challenging, inclusive, and impactful,” she wrote.
Rebecca’s Private Idaho grew into a four-day gravel festival based in Idaho’s Wood River Valley. Its courses attracted thousands of professional and amateur riders while retaining an emphasis on endurance, adventure and community involvement.
The event also expanded participation beyond traditional racing categories. Rusch said Rebecca’s Private Idaho became the first large gravel event to offer paracycling categories and one of the first to add nonbinary categories. Female participation consistently exceeded gravel-industry averages, according to Rusch.
Over its 14-year run, the event supported cycling nonprofits including World Bicycle Relief, PeopleForBikes and Rusch’s Be Good Foundation. The foundation will remain an event beneficiary following the ownership transition.
“As I roll toward the close of this chapter, I am extremely proud of what we’ve achieved together,” Rusch wrote. “I’m proud to have been a trailblazer in gravel cycling, but RPI’s impact was never mine alone.”
Rusch plans to turn her attention toward athlete mentorship, peer support, mindset training and performance education after leaving event production. She said the work will continue her broader mission of using outdoor sports to foster resilience and personal growth.
“My goal for Private Idaho was to get more people exploring on dirt,” she wrote. “And that’s exactly what happened.”
The September event will mark the final edition held under the Rebecca’s Private Idaho name and Rusch’s final ride as its leader. Registration remains open for the four-day event.
“The iconic courses will still be there,” Rusch wrote. “The event will roll forward under a different name and leadership, and the Be Good Foundation will still be a beneficiary.”
