TIPS FOR GRAVEL RACING
My way of doing gravel combines the two: escaping from the routine, discover new trails, being close to nature and the freedom from traffic while competing against some of the best gravel riders in the world.
GETTING STARTED WITH GRAVEL
Expensive tires are worth the money in this discipline. The difference between good and bad tires means having an amazing time out there vs having a bad day. Choose appropriate width, casing type, tread and pressure for your riding requirements and make sure they are tubeless.
HOMEMADE SPORTS DRINKS
Sports drinks are advertised to replenish glucose, fluids, and electrolytes (sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium) lost during strenuous exercise as well as to enhance endurance.
WHY IS HYDRATION VITAL TO OPTIMISE ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE?
The replacement of carbohydrates is essential to bring energy to the body, being the main fuel source during exercise.
They are also the main tool to delay the onset of fatigue & the use of muscle glycogen.
When talking about replacing electrolytes : Sodium is the electrolyte superstar when added to drinks during exercise. It can stimulate the delivery of water to the small intestine and help maintain the volume of extracellular fluid.
HOW TO TRAIN TO BECOME A BETTER SPRINTER
Start with a lighter gear that allows you to accelerate fast and be more explosive. There is no point in starting with the 53×11 and grinding the gear while losing meters from your competitors.
As you pick up the speed, cadence will rise, and that’s the time to change one gear down at a time to keep your suitable cadence and produce more power output.
As we are all different, it is important to keep a cadence that works best for you.
TIPS FOR NOT GETTING DROPPED ON THE BIKE
Getting dropped is not a nice feeling. Here are a few tips to help you avoiding to get dropped.
HOW TO MAXIMSE YOUR RECOVERY
Foam roller is a great self-way to release muscles after a hard training session and make them feel fresh for tomorrow’s ride.
Massage help loosens tight spots, flush toxic chemicals and keep your fibres
THE IMPORTANCE OF A GOOD WARM DOWN AND A GOOD RECOVERY
PREVIOUS STRESS: the warm down must not be an additional load compared to the performance previously carried out, so it must be an undemanding activity.
5 MISTAKE TO AVOID WHEN STARTING A TRAINING PROGRAM
HAVING THE WRONG TRAINING PLAN IN RELATION TO THE TYPES OF PERFORMANCE THAT REQUIRES THE GOAL:
HOW TO IMPROVE ON DESCENTS
Let’s think about the world of MTB: are strongest athletes that win only good uphill? Or do they also have a great technique in downhill? Obviously in the MTB this aspect is more highlighted, but also in the road racing world affects performance; many times you can keep with the best guys uphill, but you lose them because they are better than you descending; other times you are not particularly strong uphill, but thanks to your downhill skills you can fit into a small group that would otherwise be stronger than yourself.