The Otway Odyssey weekend is a celebration of gravel and mountain bike riding scheduled for the weekend of 28 February. But with bushfires currently blazing just 25 kilometres away, many riders are worried it won't happen.

We asked organiser Sam Maffett of Rapid Ascent (see photo) for the inside scoop on his team’s plans.

“It's far too early to change anything,” Sam told CycleHub. “There might be 50 millimetres of rain between now and then.

“We will monitor and be willing to pivot depending on the circumstances, with the view of running the best possible event we can.”

Sam himself is looking forward to the events because he rides both mountain and gravel bikes. His favourite is a Cervélo ZFS MTB, with 120mm front and back.

It's Much Too Early to Call the Race

As Sam pointed out, the fact that there are bushfires in the area today tells us nothing about conditions on the day of the event, which is still nearly a month away.

The bushfires could be extinguished in plenty of time. They may never come near the race route. And, rain and cold weather could put them out.

If the worst happens, the event would have to be postponed or cancelled, but there are many more likely outcomes in which it goes ahead.

“Last year in 2025, Saturday was an extreme fire risk day, and it was going to be really hot on race day,” Sam said. “But in the Otways, the fire risk and heat only get intense after about 2 p.m."

In the morning, it's usually quite beautiful, cool, and safe to ride. So Sam’s team came up with a plan to move the start time earlier, shorten the course, and tighten the cutoffs. They managed to get everyone off the course by 1 p.m.

“We still ran the race,” he explained. “It was a little bit shorter, but it was a good race, and everyone got what they wanted. The community got visitors, the riders got to race, and we got to host the best event we could.”

The lesson for riders worried about this year's event is that Sam's team will pursue every option they can to ensure the race goes ahead in some way, but without putting anyone at risk.

One of Australia’s Top Off-Road Events

The Otway Odyssey and the Great Otway Gravel Grind or “GOGG” are sister cycling events based in Forrest, Victoria, in the Otway Ranges. Sam’s company, Rapid Ascent, runs them both.

The Otway Odyssey is one of Australia’s best-known mountain bike races, built around fast, flowing singletrack, punchy climbs, and a festival-style weekend with multiple MTB distances for elites, amateurs, juniors, and adaptive riders.

The Great Otway Gravel Grind takes riders across similar Otway's terrain but on gravel roads. The route is through deep forest roads, rolling hills, and remote backcountry areas, and the course is longer and endurance-focused.

Together, the two events showcase the Otways as a premier off-road riding destination. One is technical and trail-driven, the other expansive, scenic, and gravel-pure.

Any rider will agree that these events are crucial to the annual cycling calendar. It would be a shame if they had to be cancelled, but it seems Sam and the team at Rapid Ascent will do everything they can to make sure they go ahead.

As the event gets closer, check out their website or their Facebook page for the latest updates on the bushfires.