TIPS FOR GRAVEL RACING

Gravel can be two things: the adventure and the racing.
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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.

Events are becoming more popular, and you can choose the right one for you based on the terrain, distance, competition level, etc.
A great aspect of gravel racing is the community; you won’t be alone.
Riders are there to help each other and enjoy a new route, so it’s a great way to make new friends.

The racing aspect is a step further from the adventure and you need to have gained some skills and be prepared if you are planning on doing some events. Here are my top tips for gravel racing.

1 – Train for the event

Gravel is a new discipline, but the training methodology required is very similar to other discipline. Timing your event with the correct training and periodisation is essential.

Normally gravel races are 3-4 hours long. Therefore, endurance training is a must. Increasing your endurance means work on your FatMax to save as much as possible energy reserves. Spend a lot of time riding at your FatMax, but also include some VO2 Max efforts. This is because in gravel races, normally the first hour is hectic but also in many parts of the race, there could be sections where you will be going all out to keep up with the pace at the front.

Additionally, try to incorporate some low cadence drills as gravel races tend to be lower cadence than equivalent events on the road. Finally, add some upper body and core strength training as the rough roads can be hard on the body.

Of course, based on the event and your strength and weaknesses, training can be tweaked, so that is why is important to know the event you have signed up for.

2- Improve your bike handling skills

Gravel requires great bike handing and if you want to race, these skills should be maximised and improved as much as possible. To do that, include in your training some technical sections or even go out with the mountain bike on some of the most challenging trails that you would not normally do on your gravel bike.

3- Prepare your bike and gear

Do some research of the event and choose the correct tires (width, casing type and tread), appropriate gear ratio based on the terrain, appropriate clothing, and nutrition. Additionally, make sure you have all of the spares that might be needed on race day.

4- Test and test again your equipment

Before heading to the race, make sure you test your equipment and bring them to their limits if you can. It often happened to me that everything was fine in training days coming up to the race, but during the race, something unforeseen happens.

This was simply because I just did not bring my bike to a certain stress in training. So, expect the unexpected is an important rule.

Also, make sure that before going to the event, you check your bike and make sure everything is tight.

5- Do a course reconnaissance if possible

Knowing the course and what expect, is essential for a good performance. If you can go to the event one or two days before to do a recce, it will be in a great advantage, and you can choose wisely your tire pressure and plan your water stops.

6 - Download the route on your GPS bike computer

Even if you were able to do a recce, you still want the route on the GPS bike computer to ensure you don’t make any mistakes but also know the profile of the climbs coming up. Gravel roads are not so straightforward as paved roads, even if you know the course, with dirt or a small distraction, you can easily take a wrong turn.

7- Keep yourself hydrated and fed

Due to the surface, you will spend much more energy pedalling even when drafting in a group. You will therefore consume more calories per mile. Therefore, keep yourself fed and hydrated. Bring extra food with you and start with extra liquids. This is because losing your bidons could happen, even with the best bottle cages.

8- Don’t get upset if something goes wrong on race day

A flat tire, a chain drop, or any other mechanicals are part of gravel game. If problems arise, stay cool, keep your chin up and try to fix them as quickly as possible without giving up.

Remember, gravel races are long and there is plenty of time to recover. Also always think that anything can happen to others as well. In some of the gravel races I have done, I lost a lot of time dealing with mechanicals, but while keeping calm, I fixed the problem and still got great result, even better than what I expected going into the race.

Matteo Cigala
​Founder & Head Coach