What riders will get (planned)

The support we plan to give riders across a week in the high country, and what we're still weighing. Each line says honestly where it stands.

Draft. This is a planning list for a race that has not been run. Nothing here is in force yet, and all of it is subject to permits, sanctioning and insurance.

Planned means we intend to provide it. Under consideration means we're working out whether we can do it well. Not offered marks something we don't plan to provide, with the reason. What is included in the entry and what costs extra will be set with the fee, and no fee has been set.

Service	Status	Notes
Neutral aid on course	Planned	Water, electrolyte mix and real food at candidate aid points on each stage, spaced for altitude as in the course design. Cupless: bring bottles or a soft flask and we refill them. The sports-nutrition partner has not been chosen, so we can't say yet which products will be on the table.
Daily aid and drop bags	Planned	One labeled bag per rider per stage, carried to a candidate aid point and returned to basecamp afterward. What goes in it is up to you. Bag size and drop locations will be set with the course.
Luggage between stage towns	Not offered	Not needed in the candidate week, where every night can be spent in Leadville: the Cottonwood stage starts and finishes in Buena Vista, and the final stage rides from Twin Lakes back to town. A day bag rides with the transfer. If the course changes to add a night away, this becomes a planned service.
Transfers to the Buena Vista and Twin Lakes starts	Planned	Rider and bike transport from Leadville to the Cottonwood stage start in Buena Vista and the final-stage start in Twin Lakes. Whether it is included in the entry or priced separately depends on the fee, which isn't set.
Secure overnight bike park	Under consideration	A staffed or locked bike park at basecamp so bikes don't have to go up hotel stairs. Depends on the host site and insurance.
Bike wash	Planned	A wash station at the finish of each stage. The water source and runoff plan come first, since the finish sites are near lakes and streams.
Neutral mechanical help on course	Planned	Pump, basic tools and a hand with a flat at aid points and from the support vehicles. Parts beyond a tube or a quick link are yours to carry.
Paid shop service at basecamp	Under consideration	Evening drivetrain, brake and tire work by a mechanic, billed to the rider. No shop has been named.
Massage	Under consideration	Paid, bookable sessions at basecamp after each stage.
Breakfast	Under consideration	Early breakfast before start times. May be included for riders staying at the basecamp and optional for others.
Post-stage food	Planned	A real meal at the finish of every stage, with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. Other dietary needs collected at registration.
Awards dinner	Planned	One dinner on the last night for riders, with tickets for crew and family. Same dietary options.
Showers	Under consideration	Access at the finish village or basecamp. The site will decide how many and where.
Laundry	Under consideration	A kit wash service or self-service machines partway through the week.
Charging	Planned	A charging station at basecamp for head units, lights, trackers and phones.
All-in entry option	Under consideration	One price covering race entry, lodging, meals, transfers, bag service and daily recovery, so riders arrive and race without organizing the week themselves. Offered alongside a race-only entry. Whether it's offered, and how, depends on lodging capacity and the budget.
Lodging: the ranch lodge	Under consideration	Beds at the Sugarloaf Mountain Lodge basecamp. It sleeps about ten, so this will be limited. How those beds are offered hasn't been decided.
Lodging: town	Planned	Riders book their own beds in Leadville. We'll publish guidance on timing once dates are set; see where to stay.
Lodging: camping	Under consideration	A race campground near basecamp is being looked at. Public Forest Service campgrounds are reservable separately.
Medical on course	Planned	Medics at the start and finish and moving with the support vehicles, under a written plan signed off by an event medical director and local EMS. See medical & safety. No medical provider has been contracted.
Live tracking	Planned	A tracker on every rider feeding a public map, so family can follow along where there is no phone signal. See media & production.
Finisher photos	Planned	Photographers at the passes and finishes, with a gallery for riders. Pricing and rights terms to come.
Finisher recognition	Proposed	Being designed. The concept: a pass-stamp card that is stamped at each summit you cross, and a finisher's claim tag, a stamped metal tag in the style of an old mining claim marker.
Registration insurance	Under consideration	Optional third-party cover for riders who can't start. Offered only if a provider fits; it would be separate from our refund policy.

Grand Tour Gravel is independent and not affiliated with Life Time or the Leadville Race Series. No sponsor, shop, caterer or medical provider has been chosen.

Stage-race packing list

Four bags for a week above 10,000 feet

A suggested way to pack, not a rule. The mandatory kit for each stage will be published with registration and checked at sign-in.

Daily bag

Two bottles or a hydration pack, plus a spare soft flask for cupless aid
Food for the whole stage, in case an aid point runs short
Tube, plugs, pump or CO2, multitool, quick link
Phone, tracker and the printed emergency card
Sunscreen, lip balm, sunglasses

Cold-summit bag

A packable waterproof shell. It can snow in July above 12,000 ft
A warm layer, full-finger gloves and a neck cover for the descent
Arm and knee warmers
A dry base layer for the days over Mosquito, Cottonwood, Hagerman and Weston

Overnight and recovery bag

Warm clothes for evenings in the 30s °F
Sandals, a towel and toiletries
Recovery food and electrolytes you already know agree with you
Chargers and a power strip
Any medication, with enough for the week

Spares for a week

Tires or at least one spare tire, several tubes, sealant
Brake pads (two sets; wet, gritty descents wear them fast)
Chain, quick links, derailleur hanger for your frame
Chain lube, rags, a floor pump and a torque key
Enough kit to wear clean chamois every day, or a plan to wash it

Race week, day by day Athlete guide