Sea Otter Classic, live.

Road and gravel days at Laguna Seca

The Sea Otter Classic is a four day cycling festival at Laguna Seca near Monterey, California, with gran fondos on the roads around Monterey and gravel races in Fort Ord.

The 2027 festival runs from Thursday 15 to Sunday 18 April and holds 14 races across gravel, cross country, downhill, dual slalom, enduro and eMTB, along with a large expo. This page covers the two gran fondos and the four gravel distances.

The gravel race opens the week on Thursday 15 April with the pro field and the Life Time Grand Prix over 90 miles. On Friday 16 April amateurs choose 15, 30 or 60 miles. All four courses are new for 2027 and explore more of Fort Ord National Monument, with gravel roads, climbs, fast descents and a few flowing singletrack sections. The 60 mile race is a qualifier for Unbound Gravel with at least 50 spots, and riders must finish their first lap before 12:40 p.m.

Saturday 17 April is road day. The Gran Fondo Carmelo starts at 7:15 a.m. for 90 miles through the Salinas Valley, past fields, vineyards and small towns, with rest stops at 19.2, 40.2, 64.1 and 83.4 miles and a final climb back to the circuit. The Gran Fondo Pacifico starts at 7:30 a.m. for 50 miles toward the coast. Both start at the Sea Otter Classic Bridge and finish in the Paddock.

The fondos are rides rather than races and suit anyone who can ride a long day at their own pace, with mechanical and SAG support on course. Supporters can spend the day at the festival, with an expo of more than 1,100 brands, the Family Zone and a free Festival Pass for children aged twelve and under. There is no race day registration, so riders sign up in advance.

On Livebib you can follow a rider who chooses to share their own live position from the phone they carry. That position comes from the rider, not from the organiser's timing, and the official results come from the Sea Otter Classic. It is a simple way for family and friends to see roughly where someone is on course and when to head for the finish.