We've long been fans of the Orro Terra C, but mating it with Campagnolo's 13 speed gravel groupset results in an irrestistable package.

It's been a good few years since Campagnolo fans could head offroad without having to hold their noses and "make do" with Shimano or SRAM components, but now our friends from Vicenza make it possible once again with their latest groupset offering. Don't think that it's aimed solely dyed-in-the-wool Italiophiles, though, because the Ekar gruppo (named after Mount Ekar, where much of the development testing was carried out), boasts some unique features that will appeal to any gravel enthusiast.

Most notable, of course, are the 13 speeds on offer. "Not more sprockets!?" we hear you cry, but on a 1x set-up it makes perfect sense because it means a really wide range of gears doesn't come at the cost of unacceptable gaps between ratios. Crucially, the 9t small sprocket means you can keep applying meaningful power as things speed up without spinning-out, a drawback on many 1x rigs.

As well as the headline features, there are other nice touches in Ekar's design, such as crank protectors (pictured above) to protect from the inevitable impacts with rocks, and a new shape upshift lever designed to be more accessible from the drops and provide a more positive shift.

You can find out more about the Ekar's full feature list by heading over to us now, because we have our first examples in stock. Mounted, as mentioned, on an Orro Terra C frame with Fulcrum Rapid Red 300 wheelset, Ekar contributes to a stunning combination, and we think the £3499 price tag looks like pretty good value too.