2023 UCI Gran Fondo World Champs Thread

Couldn’t find a thread for it. Must be loads of TR users racing in Scotland this summer.

Honestly not sure what I’m going to do about nutrition. I don’t have a team car or anyone that can provide a handup of a bottle in the feed zone, and going into that place will be a black hole that you never return from.

My gut says 5 hours for the 160km. That could just be managed with 2x 1L bottles and a 500ml disposable bottle in your back pocket that you drink before and then chuck at the first feed zone (500ml/hr). Then 240g/bottle and 120g in the back pocket gives you your 120ish/hr. When I qualified in Cyprus we did a 4hr stage but it was the hardest thing I’ve ever done on a bike. Blokes everywhere. .89IF for 4 hours :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes: . That said with 120g in a bottle you aren’t really getting 500ml of water, so maybe a more dilute solution (80-90) and a few gels would be wiser.

Secondly, 5min gapped staggered starts after the first (19-34) group. My gut says you need to TTT onto the back of that group as soon as you can, but it will inevitably be shattered so hard to tell who/where to latch onto.

Qualified for the TT as well but don’t have the time to stay up for the entire event.

are you able to place marked bottles etc at the feed zone? a brief stop will lose you 30 secs but you’ll lose minutes if you go empty.
surely the organisers have this issue covered?

Tech says you can have people in the zone but you won’t be able to set them out yourself. You have to ride in, find a water bowser, wait to fill your bottle, then wait to go.

I think if you’re in a group a stop could lose you minutes.

Hydration pack under the skin suit?

unless you are hoping to place, just stop for water. you can’t bluff fuel and hydration.

It’s a race; if you’re not hoping to place why would you go? :laughing:

Tell that to the hundreds of people who take on challenges like this or the Olympics, and have no shot at the podium.

Point being that there can be more to racing than just those 3 steps for LOTS of people.

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@Neuromancer Hi, in a similar dilemma this year, I was wondering what solution you ended up going with?

Forget stopping. You may as well just go do the route solo if that’s your plan (because you will be left).

Two 900ish bottles, a 500-700 in the back pocket that is to be considered disposable. Drink before the big climbs to ditch weight as that’s where it separates.

Work off 2.5l and do your best not to bonk. A gel flask is a good idea.

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