In being a gravel race, the rules for the MGR are mostly intuitive and fairly straightforward.

MGR is a four-stage team race through some of the wildest and most spectacular riding country in Kenya.

Each stage will be timed. Teams will consist of three or four riders, and the third rider across the finish line determines the team's stage time.

The team's cumulative time across all four stages determines the General Classification.

There is no individual GC.

Riders who are not competing as part of a team, or who are scratched from the team competition, may continue riding for the MGR Finisher Award.

We've kept the MGR tradition of ten rules.

They should tell you almost everything you need to know.

And when they don't, Rule #10 probably will.

RULE #1

Race as a team. The third rider counts.

MGR 2027 is a team race.

Teams may consist of three or four riders.

The team's official stage time is taken from the third team rider across the finish line.

For a team of three, all three riders count.

For a team of four, the first three riders across the line determine the team's time.

Your fourth rider gives you options.

They can work for the team early in the stage, help with navigation, assist with mechanicals, carry supplies, or simply have a bad day and ride home more slowly.

That's part of the tactics.

To remain an active member of the competitive team, however, each rider must start and finish the stage.

If a four-person team loses one rider through a DNS, DNF, cut-off or withdrawal, the remaining three riders may continue in GC.

If a team falls below three competitive riders, its GC race is over.

A scratched rider may still ride subsequent stages for the MGR Finisher Award, but may not rejoin the team's GC.

Three riders make the race. The third rider makes the time.

RULE #2

Drafting is permitted.

This isn't triathlon. Draft your teammates. Draft another team. Form a massive gravel peloton. Attack it. Sit on. Do what bike racers do. Drafting behind vehicles, motorcycles or anything with an engine is obviously not permitted.

RULE #3

Fix your own problems.

Mechanical problems are part of gravel racing. During a stage, bike repairs must be carried out by the riders themselves. Your teammates may help you. Other competitors may also stop and help if they choose. That is very much within the spirit of gravel. Tools and spare parts carried by the riders may be used. Neutral assistance may be provided at designated checkpoints where Race Management has specifically made it available.

Calling the race organisation, your support crew, your mate in a Land Cruiser or anyone else to rescue your competitive race because you've broken something is not part of the deal.

If Race Management has to provide outside assistance to get you moving again, you may be scratched from competition. If the bike is repaired and Race Management considers it safe, you may still continue the MGR as a non-competitive rider. Preparation and self-reliance are part of the race.

RULE #4

Make the cut-offs.

Each stage may have one or more cut-off times. These exist for one reason: safety.

We're racing long distances through remote areas, wildlife country and big African landscapes. We need riders through certain parts of the course before dark.

If you fail to make a cut-off, Race Management may stop you, redirect you or transport you forward.

If this happens, you will be scratched from GC.

If you're part of a four-rider team, your remaining three competitive riders may continue racing.

If your team is reduced below three competitive riders, the team's GC ends.

Being scratched does not necessarily mean your MGR is over.

Where Race Management allows, you may continue subsequent stages with the non-competitive riders and still ride for the Finisher Award.

RULE #5

Food and water are your responsibility.

Outside official camps and designated checkpoints, feeding yourself is your problem.

Competitors must carry enough food and water to safely complete each stage.

There will be official water and food points, but don't build your entire race strategy around them.

Some very long kilometres may still remain after a checkpoint.

Every rider must have the capacity to carry at least three litres of water.

You may share food and water with your teammates.

You may also help another rider who is genuinely struggling. We're still human beings.

But calling external support because you didn't carry enough food or water may result in you being scratched from competition.

Planning and preparedness are part of gravel racing.

Bring enough.

RULE #6

Leave no trace.

The MGR passes through the Maasai Mara ecosystem, the Loita region and land belonging to local communities.

We intend to leave as small a footprint as possible.

No gel wrappers.

No bottles.

No tubes.

No CO2 cartridges.

No food packaging.

No rubbish.

If it came with you, it leaves with you.

Dispose of waste at camp or at designated race points.

See Rule #10 if you're still unclear.

RULE #7

Respect the land, respect the people, respect each other.

MGR brings together riders from Kenya, East Africa and around the world.

We race through land belonging to and used by local communities.

People live here.

Children walk to school here.

Livestock graze here.

Wildlife moves through here.

We are guests.

Be courteous to local communities, race staff, volunteers and other riders.

Don't photograph people without permission.

Give livestock space.

Close gates where required.

Listen to rangers and local scouts.

If wildlife, livestock, vehicles or people mean you need to slow down, slow down.

You may lose ten seconds.

You'll survive.

For further guidance, see Rule #10.

RULE #8

Choose your bike wisely and live with the choice.

No tactical bike changes during MGR.

You don't get one bike for the fast stage, another for the rocks and another for the mountains.

Choose your weapon before Stage 1.

You may repair your bike and replace damaged or worn components using your own permitted spares.

You may not swap complete bikes, wheels or major components between teammates simply to gain a tactical advantage during a stage.

If your frame or another major component suffers catastrophic damage, Race Management may approve a replacement where it is necessary for you to continue riding.

The Race Director's decision will be based on one simple principle:

Are you fixing a genuine problem, or trying to gain an advantage?

Choose your tools wisely.

Then let the Mara decide.

RULE #9

Race the course. Race honestly.

MGR is a GPS-based gravel race.

Follow the official GPX route.

No shortcuts.

No jumping into vehicles.

No disappearing down a clever-looking track and magically appearing 15 kilometres further up the route.

If you accidentally leave the course, return to where you left it before continuing, wherever reasonably and safely possible.

Riders must carry their official tracker and timing equipment for the entire stage.

Race Management may review trackers, timing points and GPS data.

If something doesn't look right, we may ask to see the activity file from your Wahoo, Garmin or other GPS device.

This race works because riders can be trusted.

We don't want marshals every kilometre.

We don't want lawyers writing fifty pages of regulations.

We want people to race hard and honestly.

If nobody saw you do it, it still happened.

If you know it wasn't fair, neither was the result.

RULE #10

Don't be a dick.

The MGR tradition.

Rule #10 has been part of the Migration Gravel Race almost since the beginning.

We thought about changing it for 2027.

We decided not to.

It is the general, omnibus rule that applies to every other rule, the Migration Gravel Race and, frankly, life in general.

MGR is a hard race in a wild place.

Things will happen.

Wildlife may stop the race.

A herd of cattle may decide that today's racing line belongs to them.

Rain may turn a perfectly good road into something resembling a swamp.

A bridge may disappear.

A community event may appear where yesterday there was an empty road.

Race Management may need to neutralise part of a stage, change a route, move a checkpoint or make a decision that wasn't covered in the rulebook.

Go with it.

It's part of racing in Kenya.

Race hard, but don't cheat.

Help a rider who's genuinely in trouble.

Don't trash the Mara.

Don't disrespect the communities whose land you're riding through.

Don't abuse volunteers because your bottle wasn't exactly where you wanted it.

Don't endanger someone for 47th place.

Don't use a technical loophole to justify something you know wasn't fair.

And don't forget that the people you're trying to destroy on the bike today are probably the people you'll be sitting around the fire with tonight.

Being part of the Migration Gravel Race should leave you with more than a finishing time.

Hopefully you'll leave with stories, friendships and memories that last considerably longer.

So we've kept Rule #10.

We expect we'll keep it forever.

Don't be a dick.

It's really not that complicated.

THAT'S IT.

Ten rules. Four days. Teams of three or four. The third rider counts. Race hard. Look after your herd. Respect the Mara.

Don't be the rider who needs another 20 pages of rules written because of what you did.

And remember Rule #10.

Race hard. Race fair. Look after your teammates. Respect the spirit of gravel.