BaseCamp athlete Nathan Trachta shared his experience at the 2024 Tour de Steamboat event in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
Came up to Steamboat Springs to do the 50 mile (80km) gravel event. Half the ride is paved, the other half is gravel (you can do it on 28s but hard, 32s are better, but 42, oh yeah). I did it last year, forgot to start the computer at the very start so not a perfect comparison for that but still good for how I feel.
In the off season I'd done Basecamp [winter group coaching], an online training using Zwift and professional trainers; focus was to improve outdoor and longer ride performance and this was one I'd know pretty easily.
As for event prep, I'd packed my stuff and made sure pretty well (I did forget two minor items, ugh) and on the way I picked up a Monica's Bacon Breakfast Burrito (about 3 inches round, potatoes, bacon, and eggs with salsa verde) for the ride breakfast. Merge that with coffee and then a soft ride to the star line.
We took off at 7am, and while it wasn’t a race, you're still racing your past ride, or at least I am. Nothing is hard in the beginning, a ride thru the eastern part of Steamboat Springs. After maybe 8 miles (say 12km) things change as you hit the gravel. Now it's about focus and keeping your breathing under control (thank you, Basecamp). After all, we're above 6000 feet (2000 meters), and I'm pushing a little or more.
Part of my measurement is stoppages, where I paused or chose to walk a bike for whatever reason (there's a few parts where it approaches 8% according to RideWithGPS, I say 10%). As for those, this time it was great! The hard gravel climbs were work, but I was finding line better, and the power was there better along with gears.
As for the the results… this year's move time was 3:19 and change, last year, starting the bike computer almost 3 mile (5km) in was 3:47 and change. I'll take it!
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