Matt Acker

Spent Saturday morning up at @harthillsrace again this year! The weather was great for a race and for getting photos in the back woods. Little chill in the air at starting time, and instant gravel with the downtown construction, but by the time the finishers were eating pizza and getting on the podium the sun had broken through the clouds and the temps had risen. 📸 taken on 2026.05.09 #gravel #gravelride #gravelracing #gravelraceseries #michigangravelraceseries

🎤 Is this thing still on?? A day late and a dollar short for some MidSouth goodness, but socials took a backseat while life required more focus the last couple months. I’m finding my groove again now, and social media time is a construct anyway… The @midsouthgravel was the weird, wonderful vibe we know and love it to be. With the addition of separate Pro fields on Friday, I got to pin it early then really enjoy the weekend. I had the pleasure of having a D&C the week prior because my uterus is a bit defective, so all bets were off as to how I would feel on race day. This will be the final stop gap for me before an off-season hysterectomy in the next year or two if I want to keep racing, so I wanted to get it out of the way before the year really got underway. After tailgunning the lead group HARD for the first 10 miles, I rolled off the back and eventually joined forces with former Shadow teammie @beccabook . A few miles later, we picked up @softlyspinning too. The three of us rolled the next 90+ miles together, trading pulls and keeping each other honest. It was such a treat to spend the day with them and even hit a 3-up sprint at the finish. I was happy to have blown out the cobwebs in the first big event after the longest winter of my life 😂 I’m grateful to have gotten to spend MidSouth with the incredible @salsacycles crew, catching up with good friends and getting to know the new folks. If you’ve slept since then, Salsa officially debuted the Flyway platform, and having spent a couple few thousand miles on it, I can attest that Salsa continues to raise the bar with their design and innovation. I absolutely love the Flyway and where it has taken me thus far.

@barryroubaix1 is without a doubt one of the biggest Michigan hitters every year. Although it doesn’t have the sparkle leading up to race day as the Lifetime events, it more than makes up for it with dedicated staff, community, and an afterparty that would make Motley Cru do jumping jacks. We were so stoked to see our riders take on the challenging conditions this year, and even more proud to celebrate their success afterwards. Great riding to our riders and competitors, let’s keep the party going! #michigandirtriders #cycling #team #cyclinglife #race

Over the weekend, thousands of riders lined up for Michigan’s premier gravel race, the Barry Roubaix. It’s the kind of event people train all year for, a chance to test yourself against a deep, competitive field. I came in hoping to chase a top 10 in the 100-mile, but things don’t always go according to plan. About an hour in, I watched the rider in front of me crash hard through a rutted section at over 20 mph. When I reached him, he was unconscious, eyes open, barely breathing. I yelled for help for over a minute while dozens of riders passed by. Some came dangerously close to crashing into us, but kept going. Thankfully, my friend @stokedonbikes answered my pleas for help, and we did what we could to keep the rider safe. Soon after, another racer, @cameronkortes who happened to be a doctor joined us. We called 911. The rider eventually regained consciousness, and we stayed with him for nearly an hour until the ambulance arrived. It was a tough situation. Not because my race was over, or because I was cold and soaked, but because it felt like a clear example of the bystander effect in action. Seeing so many people ride past someone in serious need was honestly disappointing. I’m sharing this to start a conversation about race etiquette in moments like this. What do we owe each other out there? Is it okay to assume someone else will stop? Or do we have a responsibility to act when it matters most? Please look out for one another. Results matter, but not more than people. There will always be another race, and most organizers will make things right if you stop to help. If you were the one lying in the road, what would you want others to do? @barryroubaix1 @attackeracker @michigan_gravel_race_series Thanks to MI-XC on YouTube for letting m share the footage.

We thought about putting trending audio over this compilation of our favorite day of the year, but then you’d miss out on the ASMR of hoots, giggles, heckles, cheering, and bike noises. What a weird, wonderful, windy, slightly wet day. Thanks for making the 2026 Barry Roubaix everything it could be, we miss you already.

Barry Roubaix DetermiNation 2026! Epic Day! Small but mighty team over $17K for the fight!

Race week keeps rolling Friday with B4 Barry pre-race party! Barry, Bikes, Bonfires, Buds, Blackrocks Beers, and Bundles of prizes… ok ok, maybe there’s more than 4 things starting with B, whatever the number you won’t want to miss out on any of it! Come spin out your legs and give your bike setup a shakeout, check out parts of the course, and hang with good people before the weekend ramps up. Big thanks to @ian_boswell @wahoofitnessofficial and @indigocyclingchicago for leading the group shakeout rides! Come enjoy some @blackrocksbrewery beer and food trucks, stretch sessions p/b Eversource and @strengthstretchwellness and music provided by @jtreelife , roll out on some group rides, meet some new riding buddies, and test your luck at the great gravel gear giveaway and try to win a raffle prize from one of our awesome sponsors. Solid way to loosen up before race day! Hope to see you all there! More info and links to routes at link in bio #barryroubaix #blackrocksbarryroubaix #barryroubaixraceweek #gravelcommunity #grouppreride 📸: Claire Paniccia

The @barryroubaix1 packet pick-up party is underway until 5pm! Come hang and try the special @blackrocksbrewery collab beer Apres Roubaix Hoppy Lager! $7 drafts and six packs to-go. Get some while ya can! Only available today and at the race next weekend! Come on out! It’s a great day for a ride and good hang on the patio with all your biking buddies! #barryroubaix #blackrocksbrewing #packetpickupparty #cannonsburg

We’re so grateful for all the volunteers who help make Barry happen each year, and we’re still looking for a few more helping hands! If you have friends or family coming to town who aren’t racing but still want to be part of the weekend, we could use support on Saturday April 18th with: • Morning wave sign holders • Packet pickup and merch sales • Awards distribution • After party support We truly appreciate every bit of help. As a thank you, all volunteers receive compensation and a Barry T-shirt. If you’re interested, or have a group that would like to get involved, we’d love to have you. Please fill out the volunteer form through the link in our bio or at /volunteer-opportunities Thank you so much!

Ever wonder how the Barry-Roubaix awards get made? No? Well we’re gonna show you anyway. They’re lovingly crafted by Nelson Wood Products and @attackeracker , using only the finest* premium gravel. We’re talking elite stuff here. Harvested straight from the Three Sisters, with tiny, perfectly curated granules plucked from the top of “the Wall,” plus a delicate sprinkle of the highest grade gravel, a.k.a. “sand,” hand-picked at peak ripeness from Sager Road. Very fine. Very exclusive. Fueled by drinking some @blackrocksbrewery beer Matt lets the mixture cure overnight, then reveals the incredible masterpieces! Who will win these coveted awards? We’ll find out on April 18th! *gravel may or not have been picked from these locations…we’ll never know the truth 😂 #barryroubaix #blackrocksbarryroubaix #gravelforall

Well, we can't let this little clip get lost. @justjacobi76 said that he and @sjaned3 would be willing to wear costumes at this years @barryroubaix1 and that @buttcrackjenny could pick them. We found the evidence!!

What makes Arcadia Grit & Gravel so special? You. 📸 @robmphoto @michigan_gravel_race_series