The Lost River Trails Coalition (LRTC) hosted the fifth annual Lost River Classic adventure gravel bicycle race in Mathias, Hardy County, WV on Saturday, August 15, 2026, beginning at 9 a.m.. The race started and ended at the Mathias Community Center, located at 195 Howards Lick Road. The race consisted of three route lengths ranging from 28 to 85 miles, which took cyclists throughout much of eastern Hardy County and north into Hampshire County as far as Kirby. This year’s event attracted about 200 cyclists from around the mid-Atlantic region. The Lost River Classic is considered one of the region’s most challenging gravel races, attracting athletes of all capabilities, from elite professionals to casual recreational cyclists.
This year’s race was accompanied by a farm and craft market at the Mathias Community Center. The market included 12 local vendors, selling numerous products ranging from fruits and vegetables, baked goods, honey, maple syrup, arts and crafts, and more. The farmers’ market was open from 1-5 p.m. on August 15 and will also feature live roots music from CC Nichols and bluegrass musicians, Ben Townsend and Matt Metz. The Lost River Classic bike race is a charity fundraiser for the nonprofit organization, Lost River Trails Coalition. LRTC’s mission is to develop and maintain multi-use trail systems in Hardy County, focusing particularly on building trails in Lost River State Park. LRTC has completed the first three miles of the Jay Moglia Memorial Mountain Bike Trails and will begin the second phase with an additional three miles in the coming months.
The Coalition also supports the Cryptids, Hardy County’s youth mountain bike team. Revenue from the Lost River Classic helps fund this team, as well as routine trail maintenance in Lost River State Park. Please see https://www.bikereg.com/lost-river-classic for more information. Farmers market information: https://lostrivertrailscoalition.org/news/2026/08/01/the-lost-river-classic-is-two-weeks-away/ ABOUT LOST RIVER TRAILS COALITION Lost River Trails Coalition, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) charity that was formed in 2020 to promote the development of a sustainably and universally designed mountain bike trail system in Lost River State Park, WV. https://lostrivertrailscoalition.org.
