TOP GRAVELRIDING ADVICE
Plan ahead with your strategies, from gearing to when to eat
01 Be ultra prepared
● Expect the unexpected and be prepared for different scenarios. “You’re completely self-supported out there [in ultras such as Dirty Reiver], so having tubeless plugs, canisters and tubes easily accessible is crucial. With a mechanical, you can easily lose five minutes,” explains Andrews. “Before a big gravel race, I study the course and figure out where I could make an attack or even take an energy gel. You can only plan so much, so it’s best to just go with an open mind and enjoy yourself.”
02 Sharpen your skills
● “The difference between winning and losing is pretty much down to technique and skill. In races, I’ve put time into pro riders simply by hammering a technical section harder. Having said that there are risks involved with it, such as a mechanical or even falling off,” warns Andrews. “Spend some time on technical terrain. It’s all about taking the right line with confidence. Putting in the hours here can give you an advantage over most riders.”
03 Go tubeless
● Reduce weight, rolling resistance and punctures with a tubeless set-up. “They allow you to run lower tyre pressures, which will make riding on rough roads much more comfortable, stable and confidence-inspiring,” advises Andrews. “Tubeless tyres are also less prone to flats because there’s no tube to get pinched and deflated. Even if you do get a small puncture from sharp rocks or other debris on the road, the sealant will do its job, and most of the time you can just keep on riding.”
Find your hourly rate
● IOC Sports Nutritionist, Jenny Rutter advises that 60-90g carbohydrate per hour is needed for higher-intensity training and races depending on your individual tolerance. “Once you’ve established this, work out how you want to fuel it,” explains Rutter. “Look at food packets for amounts or use an app such as Nutracheck.”
05 Maximise your bottles
● “Use drinks more, take bigger bottles and carbohydrate packets to add to your bottles,” says Rutter, who’s raced internationally herself. “Electrolytes aren’t just for hot days, they allow water to stay in your body
“IN GENERAL IN ENDUROS THERE’LL BE FOUR TIMED SECTIONS LASTING BETWEEN TWO AND 10 MINUTES”
and keep you hydrated. Take tablets wrapped in clingfilm for refills.”
06 Fast fuelling
● “Don’t wait for the pavement picnic!” says Rutter, describing a common ultra-cycling scene, where you get to the point that you have to stop for a decent fuel-up. “I advise riders to prepare their baseline fuel ahead of the event. A mixture of real food that’s high in carbs, and gels. Lay out four hours of food and make up one sandwich bag for each hour. There’s nothing wrong with topping up en route.” “ENSURE IMPORTANT ITEMS LIKE SNACKS, SUNSCREEN AND WATER ARE EASILY ACCESSIBLE SO YOU CAN LOCATE THEM WHEN TIRED”
07
Time your tactics
● Study the route and plan your tactics for enduro events to make the most of the terrain. “In general, there will be four timed sections lasting between two and 10 minutes,” explains Andrews. “You can work with a small group and take turns drafting, which usually leads to a last-man-standing scenario, or you can race solo and push yourself to the limits.”
08 Bags of speed
● Creating hierarchy in your packing will save critical time and keep you rolling for longer. “As a smaller rider, I was conscious of the weight of my equipment. When getting off and pushing or carrying, weight becomes a big problem, so a lighter bike is more manoeuvrable,” says Hughes. “Put things in reliable places so you can locate them quickly when you’re tired. Ensure important items like snacks, sunscreen and water are the most easily accessible.”
09 Refine your set-up
● Finding the right bike and gearing is essential to tackle technical terrain efficiently. “The beauty of gravel is that it’s probably 50% rider and 50% bike. Whereas on the road having a nice aero bike can definitely give you an advantage. This makes gravel racing accessible to a wider audience,” believes Andrews, who raced the 2022 season on an aluminium bike (see our gravel gear buys overleaf). “Select the right gear ratio based on the distance and terrain. There were times when I wished I had taken this into account.”
10 Routing for success
● Keeping on route and navigating without glitches is key to moving quickly on gravel. “Have the route on a GPS device in front of you but also have a back-up and check the route ahead of time,” says Hughes. “It’s important to download the route to your phone because you could be out of signal for long periods of time. Know where re-supply points, water points and tricky technical sections are and write these in a notebook to avoid using your phone.”