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Illustrative race week
Race week, day by day (illustrative)
How a week at Grand Tour Gravel could run, from arrival to the last night. It is a sketch to help you plan a trip, not a schedule.
Before it starts
Arrive early to acclimatize
Leadville sits at 10,152 feet and the stages go higher. Most riders feel better racing after several days at altitude than after one night. If you can, come a few days before check-in, ride easy, drink a lot and sleep. The athlete guide covers timing, pacing and fueling at altitude, and visiting Leadville covers travel and beds.
Day 0
Check-in, briefing, shakeout
ProposedCheck-in
In person, with photo ID. Collect race numbers, the tracker and your bags.
ProposedKit and bike check
Mandatory kit is checked against the published list, and bikes are looked over for anything unsafe before the first stage.
ProposedRider briefing
Mandatory for every rider: course, cutoffs, weather protocol, radio and medical procedures, crew rules.
ProposedBag drop
Hand in the week's bags, labeled, so they are ready for stage one.
Under considerationShakeout ride
An easy, unofficial spin from basecamp to loosen the legs and check the bike at altitude.
Every stage day
The daily loop
An example of how each racing day could run. The order is the useful part; the clock times will be set with the course and the medical plan.
| Part of the day | What happens (example) |
|---|---|
| Before the start | Drop bags handed in, gear check at the start pen, tracker on. |
| Early start | Roll out early enough that the back of the field clears the high ground before afternoon thunderstorms build. The actual start times come from real back-of-field paces. |
| The stage | Neutral rollout where needed, then the timed stage with aid points and the sweep behind the last rider. |
| At the finish | Post-stage food, drop bags back, bike wash, then mechanical service or your own wrenching. |
| Afternoon | Rest, eat again, massage if offered. Provisional stage results and the overall are posted. |
| Protest window | A set window after provisional results for riders to query a result. Then results go final. |
| Evening | Jersey presentation for the overall leaders, and the briefing for tomorrow: course changes, weather, start time. |
Proposed The overall is computed on the stages completed. Candidate cutoffs sit before the big passes so riders clear them before afternoon storms; the times will be set in the course design with the medical plan.
Transfer days
Two starts away from Leadville
Buena Vista, for Cottonwood
The Cottonwood stage starts and finishes in Buena Vista, about 35 miles south of Leadville on US-24. Planned: rider and bike transfers there and back. Expect an earlier alarm on this day, since it is the longest stage of the week.
Twin Lakes, for the finish
The final stage starts in Twin Lakes village, about 20 miles south of Leadville by US-24 and CO-82, and rides back to town. Planned: a transfer to the start that morning.
The last day
Finish in Leadville
The final stage ends on Harrison Avenue. After it: the overall classification, awards for the leaders of each classification, finisher recognition, and a celebration for riders, crews, volunteers and the town. Finisher recognition is being designed; the concept is a pass-stamp card and a stamped metal claim tag. Proposed
Plan to stay that night. Driving over a mountain pass after a week of racing at altitude is a bad idea.
When the mountain says no
What happens when weather or smoke changes a day
Every stage morning, the race director, medical director and course chief make one call: go, delay, shorten or cancel. It is based on the forecast, lightning, road conditions and air quality. See how smoke decisions are planned and the medical & safety plan.
- Proposed A delayed start is announced at the briefing or by message that morning.
- Proposed A stage can be shortened on the day, for example by turning riders at a lower point instead of the pass.
- Proposed A stage stopped mid-race is neutralized, and results are taken from a point every rider has reached, or the stage is cancelled.
- Proposed A shortened or cancelled stage isn't refunded per stage; the overall is computed on the stages completed.
- Proposed After a fire or closure, an alternate route on open roads may replace a stage.
Proposed policy, not yet in force. The binding terms will be published with registration, subject to permits, sanctioning and insurance.