ATHENS − The Red Granite Grinder, IRONBULL’s signature bicycle race, is moving to a new location this year.

The race, which offers 50-, 100- and 150-mile options, will start and end in Athens, about 25 miles northwest of Wausau, according to a community announcement. The event has attracted gravel enthusiasts from across Wisconsin and beyond since 2019, drawn by the challenging terrain and distances.

The move comes with entirely new routes, designed to address feedback from participants.

“Racers asked for more distance on gravel, less on busy paved roads and fewer interactions with cars,” John Lauer, IRONBULL’s executive director, said in the announcement. “We also wanted to eliminate hazardous highway crossings. All those factors were considered in the difficult decision to transfer th

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