GET A GRIP ON GRAN FONDOS LIKE… LIAM HOLOHAN

Research is key to over coming the challenges g ran f on dos present, as Liam Holohan explains

Despite their sense of inclusivity gran fondos, like marathons, are not to be taken lightly. “Doing your homework and learning about the course, the conditions, the duration and the changes in gradient and road surfaces is essential if you’re going to be spending six or seven hours tackling them among a mass of riders,” explains former Team Raleigh and Team Wiggins rider Liam Holohan.

Gran fondos are often spectacular events to be a part of, so you want to ensure you’re prepared enough to not simply survive them but enjoy them – you want to make it a memorable ride for all the right reasons. If there were such a thing as the prototypical gran fondo rider, for Liam Holohan, Vincenzo Nibali encapsulates all the necessary characteristics. “Think of his ability to cope with the whole mix of a gran fondo’s demands – long climbs, short punchy ones, challenging descents – Nibali pretty much has all you need.”

DIG OUT DATA Early background research into the sportive you’re doing will determine many things for you, from your range of gearing, clothing and tactics, to what you eat and when you eat it on the day. Use tools like Strava and VeloViewer to get to know the route you’ll be facing.

SPOT WEAK POINTS Use your route research to identify any weaknesses you need to work on. If you’re a great climber, but your endurance isn’t so good, then structure your training to devote more time to improving your engine. That way you’ll ensure you don’t run out of gas on the long haul. Research will help but your training makes the biggest difference.

FOCUS YOUR TRAINING Always work back from the event when planning your training. If you need to work on short, steep climbs because they’re a big feature of the route and a weakness of yours, then do so. I’d work on improving my power, for example, by using classic hill repeats and tailor my rides to mimic the times I’d face them in the race or gran fondo. So if, for example, the climbs come late in the race, I’d devise training routes with climbs in the fourth, fifth and sixth hours of the ride.

ASK EXPERTS Courses offered by clubs and British Cycling give you the opportunity to train specific

skills, often on safe, closed circuits. It could be drafting, cornering, descending or whatever. You may be practising as a group of relative newcomers ahead of your first Gran Fondo – so it pays to get some expert feedback to ensure that your practice is perfect

FEEDING TIMES Within the first hour of setting off I’d start taking on food. You can be riding a gran fondo for six hours or more, so you’re always playing catch-up when it comes to replacing energy – especially as the body can only take in around 60-90g of carbs per hour. Eat solid fuels, such as rice cakes, bananas and snack bars earlier in the ride. Then switch to gels and energy drink later on, when it’s crunch time.