We’re out of summer season and into autumn, which implies the street season is coming to an finish and the cyclocross season is about to begin in earnest. However cyclocross isn’t the one drop-bar type of off-road using that individuals do now. Lately gravel using has taken the biking world by storm with most manufacturers having a number of gravel particular bike fashions of their line-up. Each gravel and cyclocross appear in concept very related. They’re each principally off-road, each require wider knobbly tires than street bikes, each use drop-bars relatively than flat, and each bikes can be utilized on the street in addition to off it. However is that the place the similarities cease?
To seek out out extra in regards to the variations between cyclocross and gravel using, I spoke with British Gravel Champion Xan Crees, who can also be an Elite cyclocross rider having received Nationwide Trophy rounds and competed within the fabled Superprestige occasions in Belgium. There are few folks as certified to speak about the best way to excel in each disciplines as she is.
Crees racing the 2024 British Nationwide Gravel Champs
(Picture credit score: Gina Ball, Spectra Racing)
What ability crossovers are there between CX and gravel?
Abilities smart most elements crossover. Sure, you are unlikely to must do a full cyclocross dismount mid gravel race however being able to react shortly to obstacles and different riders is essential in each disciplines. Descending, cornering and dealing with completely different terrains is an important ability for cyclocross riders and when transferred throughout to gravel makes using a lot smoother and offers the rider with a bonus.
Personally coming from a cross background has made the transition to gravel racing a lot simpler as that fundamental ability set is already there. A couple of riders I’ve seen who’ve come to gravel from the street have taken a short while to adapt to using pure gravel programs.
What are the primary variations between the 2 within the races themselves?
The space. A cross race is just one hour whereas gravel is usually 100km/60miles, if no more. As soon as you progress on to a number of the massive iconic races such because the Traka (360km/223miles) and Unbound (321km/200miles) the space is insane and the race turns into far more of a survival mission the place pacing, fueling and hydration is vital. But at a cyclocross race, just a few riders will even take a gel in the course of the period and it is even rarer to see a rider with a bottle on their bike.
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Every week in coaching for Xan Crees
(Picture credit score: Gina Ball, Spectra Racing )
Cyclocross focus
Mon: Relaxation day
Tue: Abilities session and cross bike efforts and run
Wed: Endurance Journey ( ~3 hours)
Thurs: Restoration Spin ( ~1 hour)
Fri: Cross particular efforts (Normally quick sprints)
Sat: Endurance Journey (~3 hours) or activation if racing (~1.5 hours)
Solar: Endurance Journey (~4 hours) or Race
Gravel focus
Mon : Relaxation Day
Tue : Threshold efforts (~20 min efforts in a 4 hour experience)
Wed: Endurance experience (~4 hours)
Thurs : Shorter interval efforts ( ~2 hour experience)
Fri: Restoration experience (~1.5 hours)
Sat: Endurance experience (~4 hours)
Solar: Endurance experience (~4 hours)
How does coaching differ for you from CX to gravel?
While there are definitely components that overlap, my gravel coaching contains getting ready with for much longer endurance rides and dialing in fueling methods. Coming from cyclocross, I needed to follow and get comfy with fueling whereas racing and simply what number of carbs I wanted to abdomen every hour. Whereas, for cyclocross my coaching is way larger depth and expertise based mostly. There’s a whole lot of hours on the turbo coach attempting to duplicate muddy slogs and training remounts and begins.
For each disciplines although, I favor to spend most of my time on the bike I will be racing on, to essentially get used to my race bike.
How do you put together for a gravel season or for a cyclocross season?
For each seasons I say preparation at all times begins with an low season! You’ll be able to’t make progress with out being rested first. As soon as I’ve recovered from the stress, that is when the arduous work begins. It is also sometimes the place the planning begins. Personally, planning a cyclocross season is way simpler because the races are far more standardised with race size at all times being between 40 minutes – one hour at a most. So then it is simply choosing which races, whether or not it is native leagues, the nationwide sequence or Belgian races. Whereas a gravel race might be two hours, or it might be 12.
On the subject of on-the-day preparation, for now, gravel is way easier. There are far fewer tyre combos wanted and as gravel at the moment would not allow spare bikes, there isn’t any want for second bikes and spare wheel units. As an alternative, it is about ensuring you have received sufficient spares and gels to get round no matter distance you have chosen to sort out.
What classes can novice riders take from the elite expertise?
Xan has competed in gravel races for Nice Britain
(Picture credit score: Gina Ball, Spectra Racing)
Crees’ expertise clearly exhibits that cyclocross and gravel racing require very completely different kinds of coaching and groundwork. However do amateurs must make use of the identical stage of targetted focus? The trustworthy reply is that it relies upon how ready you need to be.
For many who have been doing gravel this summer season and are switching the cyclocross within the winter, there are a few necessary issues. Primarily, the depth might want to improve. Whereas longer gravel rides require much more cardio endurance work, the shorter sharper cross races depend on bursts of excessive energy and coping with a really excessive depth for only a single hour. The aforementioned Traka and Unbound are 360km/223miles and 321km/200miles respectively.
An novice week in coaching
(Picture credit score: Future)
Cyclocross focus:
Mon – Relaxation day
Tue – Abilities session off-road or 5 x 4 min VO2max efforts with 5 min relaxation (~1 hour)
Wed – Zone 2 experience (1-2 hours)
Thurs – 3x(40/20s for 10 min with 5 min relaxation) (~1 hour)
Fri – Relaxation day
Sat – Activation session or regular endurance (~2-3 hours)
Solar – CX Race day or expertise session (~1 hour)
Gravel focus:
Mon – Relaxation day
Tue – 3x(15 min sweetspot, 5 min straightforward) (~1 hour)
Wed – Zone 2 experience (~1-2 hours)
Thurs – Two units of 3x(1min over threshold, 2min underneath) (~1 hour)
Fri – Relaxation day
Sat – Lengthy endurance experience, follow fuelling (~3-4 hours)
Solar – Gravel experience outdoor (~2.5-3 hours)
As a biking coach myself, I work with a spread of various riders throughout numerous disciplines. If you have a look at the physiological necessities of the occasions, they differ drastically. As Xan talked about, the necessity for fueling turns into crucial in gravel occasions. Intestine tolerance to larger carbohydrate hundreds turns into a significant a part of coaching and requires longer hours.
There’s additionally the necessity to improve the cardio capability, fatigue discount, lactate clearance, but additionally higher physique and trunk power. These occasions require a very long time within the saddle, and the terrain might be punishing. Making certain that the remainder of your physique can endure the occasion is simply as necessary and so particular power and conditioning work turns into one other consideration.
For cyclocross, fueling in the course of the race just isn’t required. However then different technical components are wanted reminiscent of dismounting, and expertise reminiscent of jumps are essential to be as quick as doable. There’s additionally extra of a necessity for explosive energy, particularly off the road the place place firstly could make a big impression to the tip outcome. There’s a purpose that cyclocross stars reminiscent of Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert are such good sprinters on the street. This additionally modifications the main focus of off the bike work, with extra explosive actions required within the health club. Whereas on the bike sprinting is an element, restoration from repeated efforts and the capability to keep up a excessive coronary heart charge for a protracted time frame can also be of significant significance.
A very powerful takeaway. nevertheless, is the necessity for an low season break. Even riders who race only one summer season self-discipline take a break earlier than getting caught into winter coaching; an low season is crucial to mentally and bodily get better and recuperate. Throw in a winter season of racing and journey and this turns into much more necessary. It might be tempting to modify coaching focus from one self-discipline to the opposite right away, however excluding an low season is commonly a surefire solution to result in early burnout and onset of extreme fatigue. That is one thing that I insist upon for all of the riders I coach who compete in races or different occasions. The main target, self-discipline, and vitality required to spend a lot time racing, coaching and coaching might be very draining. Making certain the riders have time to get better from that is very important for long run efficiency and success in addition to enjoyment and psychological well being.
