7 Gravel Racing Tips to Help You Ride Strong All Day
Gravel racing demands more than just endurance. It calls for planning, discipline, and adaptability across every mile. Riders face unpredictable conditions, from changing surfaces and sharp climbs to wind exposure and temperature swings.
Performance on race day is often shaped not just by fitness, but by how well nutrition, pacing, and technical skills are managed. Events like SBT GRVL highlight the need for smart decisions, efficient energy use, and the ability to respond to challenges as they arise.
Even small mistakes early in the race can lead to major setbacks later, especially when the terrain becomes more demanding. Whether the goal is to finish strong, set a personal record, or simply complete the course, success starts with preparation and a race strategy tailored to the day’s conditions.
The following seven tips are proven to help gravel racers ride stronger and smarter from start to finish.
1. Eat a Smart, Light Breakfast
The right breakfast sets the tone for race day, but bigger doesn’t always mean better. The body primarily relies on stored glycogen, body fat, and the fuel consumed during the race, not just what’s eaten that morning.
Overeating can lead to digestive discomfort, while underfueling is easier to fix mid-ride with proper nutrition. A light, carbohydrate-rich meal that includes easily digestible foods such as rice, eggs, toast, or oatmeal, paired with water or coffee, is often ideal. Starting the race slightly hungry allows the body to begin fueling early without feeling overloaded.
Managing nutrition in the first hour is easier when digestion isn’t already taxed. The goal is to feel steady and light, not sluggish, rolling into the opening miles.
2. Start Fast (But Not Recklessly)
Gravel races often begin with fast, decisive groupings that can shape the rest of the day. Conserving energy sounds logical, but riding with a strong group early can actually increase efficiency and reduce solo workload. Gaps that open early can leave riders isolated on long, windy sections or stuck with slower-paced groups.
The goal is to position with riders of similar strength, maintaining a manageable intensity that doesn’t compromise reserves. Starting fast helps set a good rhythm, but it is critical to stay within a sustainable effort zone. Going too hard too early can lead to burnout well before the finish. Proper pacing in the opening hour is essential to long-term success.
3. Know When to Ease Off
Pushing too hard in the early phases of a race often leads to diminished returns later on. As lead groups begin to break apart, it is important to evaluate whether the current effort is sustainable. Decisions like letting go of a wheel or backing off on a climb can preserve valuable energy for technical sections, headwinds, or final climbs.
Gravel racing rewards consistency over heroics, especially when conditions become unpredictable. Strategic energy management keeps the legs strong and the mind focused during the second half of the race.
A rider who paces wisely will often make up time on those who burn their matches too early. Efficiency and discipline outperform early aggression in endurance racing.
4. Keep Feed Station Stops Quick and Focused
Time spent at feed stations adds up quickly. If your goal is to finish fast or hit a personal best, efficiency is key. You can make your stops under two minutes by sticking to a simple system:
Drink a full bottle of water while stopped
Refill one bottle with sports drink, one with plain water
Grab familiar fuel
Eat while riding instead of standing around
This approach helps me leave each station fully fueled and hydrated without wasting time.
5. Separate Your Hydration and Fuel
Combining calories and fluids in the same bottle can cause issues, especially in hot conditions or during hard efforts. When intensity increases, the body needs more water than calories, and concentrated drinks can overwhelm the stomach.
Separating hydration and fueling allows for greater flexibility and better gut tolerance. Electrolyte drinks or plain water can be used to hydrate, while calories are delivered through solid foods, gels, or chews.
This approach reduces the risk of nausea and makes it easier to adjust to changing environmental demands. Late in the race, this separation becomes even more critical as the digestive system becomes more sensitive. Simplicity and clarity in a fueling plan promote consistency over many hours.
6. Stay Loose on the Bike
Gravel roads throw a lot at you, loose corners, rough surfaces, and long descents. If you’re stiff and tense, you’ll fight your bike and fatigue more quickly. Worse, overcorrecting for a slide or bump can lead to crashes.
Here are a few habits that help:
Keep a light grip on the handlebars
Let the bike move beneath you, especially on descents
Practice riding technical terrain and cornering at speed
Even if you’re experienced on the road or trails, gravel has its own rhythm.
7. Know the Course and Prepare Accordingly
Each gravel race presents its own set of challenges, and no two courses are alike. Understanding the route profile, terrain types, aid station locations, and weather patterns gives riders a strategic advantage. Reviewing the elevation profile helps identify where to push, where to recover, and when to fuel.
Planning to eat on smoother sections before major climbs or conserving energy for exposed, windy stretches can significantly improve efficiency. Riders should preload the course into a GPS computer and familiarize themselves with key segments, especially any technical descents, long climbs, or remote areas without support.
Knowing where aid stations are located and what supplies are available helps prevent surprises and reduces the need to carry excess gear. Pre-riding key sections or reviewing course previews, elevation data, and past race reports adds another layer of preparation that builds both confidence and precision. The more informed the rider, the better the pacing, fueling, and decision-making will be when the race tests every part of the body and mind.
