If you're toeing the line at SBT GRVL Black 2026, you've signed up for one of the most celebrated gravel races in the United States! It's got 108 miles of Routt County's finest champagne gravel, 8,189 feet of climbing, and a start-finish in the heart of downtown Steamboat Springs, Colorado. This isn't a road race with dirt mixed in. It's a full day in the saddle across working ranches, mountain plateaus, and remote high-country gravel roads that reward fitness, smart pacing, and a power plan built for the long game.
Race Overview
SBT GRVL® presented by Wahoo is held annually in Steamboat Springs, Colorado and draws up to 2,750 riders and racers across four course distances. The Black Race Course is the flagship, the longest, most demanding, and most competitive format, featuring separate starts for Elite Men/Open, Women's Elite, and Amateur categories, a rolling safety enclosure at the front of each group, and a $22,000 prize purse split evenly between the top Elite Men's/Open and Women's Elite fields.
For 2026, all courses start and finish on Yampa Street in downtown Steamboat Springs and route exclusively through remote Routt County roads, bypassing highways and keeping riders deep in the ranch country and high-country terrain that defines this event. The Black Course carries a 10 mph average pace cutoff; riders falling behind that threshold will be redirected to a shorter course.
Course Description
The 2026 Black Race Course rolls out from Yampa Street in downtown Steamboat Springs and immediately begins climbing Zipp Cow Creek, a steep, chunky gravel ascent that serves as the first real test of the day and a reliable separator of the field. Cow Creek is not the place to warm up gently. It's loose, it's steep in sections, and it sets the tone for everything that follows.
From Cow Creek, the course ascends toward Trout Creek and then to Wahooligan Pass, threading through the open ranch land and aspen-lined ridges of remote Routt County. The terrain in this section is quintessential SBT GRVL: long rolling climbs on fast champagne gravel (fine-packed gravel that pedals quick but turns filthy the moment dust kicks up) punctuated by sweeping plateau views and the kind of remote scenery that makes riders forget they've been in the saddle for four hours.
After Wahooligan Pass, the Black Course extends toward Hayden, taking a partial lap of the 2025 race course before turning back toward Steamboat. The return leg retraces Zipp Cow Creek (this time as a descent), before finishing on Yampa Street. New for 2026, outside and team nutrition support is permitted at the Hayden Gun Range aid station and spectator zone, making it a key checkpoint for supported racers.
Approximately 70% of the course is gravel, with the remainder on paved county roads. Total elevation gain is 8,189 feet over 108 miles, with a maximum altitude of around 8,500 feet. High enough that riders not acclimatized to elevation will feel it in their power output, especially in the back half of the race.
Forecasted Weather
Late June in Steamboat Springs means warm, dry days with afternoon temperatures typically reaching 75–85°F (24–29°C) at valley elevation. At altitude on the high-country sections near Wahooligan Pass, temperatures will be cooler, but exposed plateau riding in the midday sun adds a heat component that compounds fatigue on long climbs. Thunderstorms are possible in the afternoon (a common Colorado summer pattern), though the course's early start time means most riders will be well into or past the back half before afternoon build-up develops.
Wind is a real variable on the open ranch land sections. The plateau terrain between Cow Creek and Wahooligan Pass is exposed, and a headwind on those sections at altitude (where power output is already suppressed by elevation) can make watt targets feel harder than they appear on paper. Building a BBS plan with realistic wind assumptions for those exposed stretches is worth the extra setup time.
Why This Course Rewards a Best Bike Split Plan
Gravel racing at SBT GRVL is a different pacing problem than road racing or triathlon (there's a group dynamic), an altitude penalty, surface variability, and a 108-mile duration that makes early pacing errors expensive. The champagne gravel is fast, the start is electric, and Cow Creek comes before most riders are ready to climb at their limit. The combination is a recipe for going out too hard. A BBS race plan for SBT GRVL Black 2026 will:
- Set an altitude-adjusted power target — at 7,000–8,500 feet of elevation, your FTP is meaningfully lower than at sea level. A BBS plan built with your actual athlete profile accounts for this, so your watt targets reflect what you can actually sustain in Routt County, not what you can hold at home.
- Model the elevation profile segment by segment — Cow Creek, Trout Creek, and Wahooligan Pass each have distinct gradient signatures. A segment-level power plan tells you exactly how hard to push each climb so you arrive at the Hayden turnaround with reserves, not regrets.
- Flag the exposed plateau sections — the long gravel stretches between climbs are where pacing discipline matters most. Too easy and you're leaving time on the table; too hard into a headwind and you're digging a hole you'll spend the final 40 miles trying to climb out of.
- Give you a head unit target for race day — so when the Elite field surges off Yampa Street and the energy of 2,750 riders is pulling you faster than your plan, you have a number to ride to, not just a feeling.
Interactive Race Plan and Course Map
This power plan was modeled for an athlete with an average CdA of 0.3421, an FTP of 280 watts and weighing 165 lbs. Want to see what your time would be on the Black Race 2026 SBT GRVL course? Try the Time Analysis feature below, where you can quickly adjust Drag, Power, Weight and Crr to your own values. Check out our demo race plan to see what a premium race plan looks like.
| Interval | Int. Time | Total Time | Int. Dist. | Total Dist. | Grade | Speed | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | 00:06:38 | 00:06:38 | 2.18 mi | 2.18 mi | +0.41 % | 19.69 mph | 179 w |
| #2 | 00:04:23 | 00:11:02 | 1.72 mi | 3.90 mi | -1.33 % | 23.56 mph | 118 w |
| #3 | 00:03:54 | 00:14:56 | 1.22 mi | 5.12 mi | +1.12 % | 18.70 mph | 197 w |
| #4 | 00:01:00 | 00:15:56 | 0.37 mi | 5.49 mi | -2.82 % | 22.31 mph | 26 w |
| #5 | 00:00:07 | 00:16:04 | 0.05 mi | 5.54 mi | -0.64 % | 24.07 mph | 149 w |
| #6 | 00:26:33 | 00:42:37 | 6.42 mi | 11.96 mi | +2.40 % | 14.50 mph | 226 w |
| #7 | 00:02:37 | 00:45:15 | 1.32 mi | 13.28 mi | -5.59 % | 30.10 mph | 1 w |
| #8 | 00:01:27 | 00:46:42 | 0.63 mi | 13.91 mi | -2.04 % | 25.78 mph | 109 w |
| #9 | 00:00:08 | 00:46:51 | 0.06 mi | 13.97 mi | -3.22 % | 25.07 mph | 25 w |
| #10 | 00:02:49 | 00:49:40 | 0.93 mi | 14.90 mi | +0.40 % | 19.82 mph | 187 w |
| #11 | 00:03:07 | 00:52:47 | 0.69 mi | 15.59 mi | +3.65 % | 13.28 mph | 238 w |
| #12 | 00:01:30 | 00:54:18 | 0.95 mi | 16.54 mi | -7.73 % | 37.76 mph | 1 w |
| #13 | 00:00:20 | 00:54:39 | 0.20 mi | 16.74 mi | -1.09 % | 34.75 mph | 127 w |
| #14 | 00:06:32 | 01:01:11 | 1.62 mi | 18.36 mi | +2.52 % | 14.84 mph | 223 w |
| #15 | 00:01:25 | 01:02:36 | 0.49 mi | 18.85 mi | -1.44 % | 20.58 mph | 135 w |
| #16 | 00:04:18 | 01:06:54 | 0.89 mi | 19.74 mi | +3.65 % | 12.45 mph | 244 w |
| #17 | 00:02:31 | 01:09:26 | 0.72 mi | 20.46 mi | +0.52 % | 17.18 mph | 198 w |
| #18 | 00:00:09 | 01:09:35 | 0.05 mi | 20.51 mi | -2.42 % | 19.11 mph | 96 w |
| #19 | 00:06:24 | 01:16:00 | 1.50 mi | 22.01 mi | +2.73 % | 14.01 mph | 231 w |
| #20 | 00:05:05 | 01:21:05 | 1.36 mi | 23.37 mi | +1.19 % | 16.08 mph | 207 w |
| #21 | 00:01:09 | 01:22:15 | 0.38 mi | 23.75 mi | -1.30 % | 19.52 mph | 149 w |
| #22 | 00:02:02 | 01:24:17 | 0.36 mi | 24.11 mi | +5.04 % | 10.70 mph | 252 w |
| #23 | 00:01:45 | 01:26:03 | 0.65 mi | 24.76 mi | -3.70 % | 22.18 mph | 1 w |
| #24 | 00:25:44 | 01:51:47 | 5.97 mi | 30.73 mi | +2.62 % | 13.92 mph | 230 w |
| #25 | 00:05:50 | 01:57:38 | 1.36 mi | 32.09 mi | +3.55 % | 13.99 mph | 222 w |
| #26 | 00:01:01 | 01:58:40 | 0.32 mi | 32.41 mi | -1.25 % | 18.37 mph | 141 w |
| #27 | 00:01:43 | 02:00:23 | 0.28 mi | 32.69 mi | +6.12 % | 9.92 mph | 255 w |
| #28 | 00:01:10 | 02:01:33 | 0.71 mi | 33.40 mi | -7.90 % | 36.42 mph | 0 w |
| #29 | 00:04:42 | 02:06:15 | 0.68 mi | 34.08 mi | +9.64 % | 8.71 mph | 258 w |
| #30 | 00:00:56 | 02:07:12 | 0.43 mi | 34.51 mi | -6.53 % | 27.65 mph | 0 w |
| #31 | 00:01:50 | 02:09:03 | 0.82 mi | 35.33 mi | -2.34 % | 26.64 mph | 91 w |
| #32 | 00:01:44 | 02:10:47 | 0.90 mi | 36.23 mi | -4.63 % | 30.93 mph | 2 w |
| #33 | 00:01:29 | 02:12:17 | 0.68 mi | 36.91 mi | -2.55 % | 27.21 mph | 79 w |
| #34 | 00:00:44 | 02:13:02 | 0.44 mi | 37.35 mi | -7.01 % | 35.28 mph | 0 w |
| #35 | 00:01:25 | 02:14:27 | 0.37 mi | 37.72 mi | +3.98 % | 15.60 mph | 245 w |
| #36 | 00:01:01 | 02:15:28 | 0.29 mi | 38.01 mi | +0.31 % | 17.21 mph | 190 w |
| #37 | 00:05:35 | 02:21:03 | 0.77 mi | 38.78 mi | +7.57 % | 8.27 mph | 257 w |
| #38 | 00:01:01 | 02:22:05 | 0.60 mi | 39.38 mi | -8.59 % | 35.49 mph | 0 w |
| #39 | 00:02:44 | 02:24:50 | 1.19 mi | 40.57 mi | -1.70 % | 25.97 mph | 120 w |
| #40 | 00:00:04 | 02:24:55 | 0.03 mi | 40.60 mi | -2.65 % | 24.76 mph | 65 w |
| #41 | 00:01:24 | 02:26:19 | 0.22 mi | 40.82 mi | +7.39 % | 9.34 mph | 262 w |
| #42 | 00:00:55 | 02:27:14 | 0.29 mi | 41.11 mi | -0.94 % | 18.61 mph | 152 w |
| #43 | 00:01:47 | 02:29:02 | 0.91 mi | 42.02 mi | -4.50 % | 30.49 mph | 2 w |
| #44 | 00:01:42 | 02:30:44 | 0.48 mi | 42.50 mi | +2.12 % | 17.05 mph | 227 w |
| #45 | 00:00:12 | 02:30:57 | 0.06 mi | 42.56 mi | +0.06 % | 16.82 mph | 183 w |
| #46 | 00:01:11 | 02:32:09 | 0.63 mi | 43.19 mi | -5.83 % | 31.94 mph | 0 w |
| #47 | 00:01:35 | 02:33:44 | 0.73 mi | 43.92 mi | -2.14 % | 27.81 mph | 99 w |
| #48 | 00:02:06 | 02:35:50 | 0.82 mi | 44.74 mi | -1.04 % | 23.30 mph | 148 w |
| #49 | 00:00:08 | 02:35:59 | 0.05 mi | 44.79 mi | +1.13 % | 21.58 mph | 209 w |
| #50 | 00:02:18 | 02:38:18 | 0.95 mi | 45.74 mi | -2.48 % | 24.50 mph | 78 w |
| #51 | 00:02:41 | 02:40:59 | 0.94 mi | 46.68 mi | -0.13 % | 21.08 mph | 177 w |
| #52 | 00:00:06 | 02:41:06 | 0.04 mi | 46.72 mi | -3.93 % | 21.55 mph | 0 w |
| #53 | 00:01:23 | 02:42:30 | 0.34 mi | 47.06 mi | +3.05 % | 14.85 mph | 239 w |
| #54 | 00:00:29 | 02:42:59 | 0.28 mi | 47.34 mi | -9.24 % | 34.67 mph | 0 w |
| #55 | 00:02:36 | 02:45:35 | 1.07 mi | 48.41 mi | -1.43 % | 24.59 mph | 131 w |
| #56 | 00:00:06 | 02:45:42 | 0.04 mi | 48.45 mi | -2.83 % | 23.15 mph | 51 w |
| #57 | 00:19:25 | 03:05:07 | 4.17 mi | 52.62 mi | +3.23 % | 12.88 mph | 237 w |
| #58 | 00:03:29 | 03:08:36 | 1.90 mi | 54.52 mi | -5.63 % | 32.71 mph | 0 w |
| #59 | 00:17:07 | 03:25:43 | 6.86 mi | 61.38 mi | -1.33 % | 24.04 mph | 125 w |
| #60 | 00:00:07 | 03:25:51 | 0.05 mi | 61.43 mi | -3.18 % | 23.69 mph | 1 w |
| #61 | 00:19:25 | 03:45:16 | 4.97 mi | 66.40 mi | +1.61 % | 15.35 mph | 214 w |
| #62 | 00:14:49 | 04:00:06 | 3.46 mi | 69.86 mi | +2.39 % | 14.00 mph | 227 w |
| #63 | 00:12:10 | 04:12:16 | 2.67 mi | 72.53 mi | +2.83 % | 13.14 mph | 233 w |
| #64 | 00:02:21 | 04:14:38 | 1.00 mi | 73.53 mi | -4.55 % | 25.33 mph | 1 w |
| #65 | 00:01:12 | 04:15:51 | 0.50 mi | 74.03 mi | -1.72 % | 24.79 mph | 135 w |
| #66 | 00:01:13 | 04:17:04 | 0.54 mi | 74.57 mi | -4.55 % | 26.27 mph | 0 w |
| #67 | 00:01:30 | 04:18:34 | 0.49 mi | 75.06 mi | +0.50 % | 19.39 mph | 196 w |
| #68 | 00:01:38 | 04:20:13 | 0.67 mi | 75.73 mi | -4.06 % | 24.65 mph | 0 w |
| #69 | 00:05:09 | 04:25:22 | 1.98 mi | 77.71 mi | -1.04 % | 23.04 mph | 150 w |
| #70 | 00:02:50 | 04:28:13 | 0.83 mi | 78.54 mi | +1.51 % | 17.53 mph | 216 w |
| #71 | 00:00:54 | 04:29:07 | 0.37 mi | 78.91 mi | -3.72 % | 24.75 mph | 2 w |
| #72 | 00:00:04 | 04:29:11 | 0.03 mi | 78.94 mi | -1.60 % | 28.30 mph | 118 w |
| #73 | 00:01:25 | 04:30:37 | 0.49 mi | 79.43 mi | +0.76 % | 20.42 mph | 200 w |
| #74 | 00:00:06 | 04:30:44 | 0.04 mi | 79.47 mi | -2.11 % | 20.05 mph | 76 w |
| #75 | 00:00:39 | 04:31:23 | 0.33 mi | 79.80 mi | -5.19 % | 30.33 mph | 0 w |
| #76 | 00:03:12 | 04:34:36 | 0.59 mi | 80.39 mi | +6.13 % | 11.05 mph | 259 w |
| #77 | 00:00:12 | 04:34:48 | 0.05 mi | 80.44 mi | -0.32 % | 13.34 mph | 160 w |
| #78 | 00:01:47 | 04:36:35 | 0.72 mi | 81.16 mi | -2.39 % | 24.04 mph | 62 w |
| #79 | 00:00:08 | 04:36:44 | 0.06 mi | 81.22 mi | -1.32 % | 25.68 mph | 119 w |
| #80 | 00:02:19 | 04:39:04 | 0.76 mi | 81.98 mi | +1.43 % | 19.57 mph | 203 w |
| #81 | 00:00:46 | 04:39:50 | 0.38 mi | 82.36 mi | -4.56 % | 29.06 mph | 0 w |
| #82 | 00:03:58 | 04:43:49 | 1.71 mi | 84.07 mi | -0.94 % | 25.83 mph | 123 w |
| #83 | 00:03:22 | 04:47:11 | 1.16 mi | 85.23 mi | +0.96 % | 20.67 mph | 191 w |
| #84 | 00:01:15 | 04:48:26 | 0.48 mi | 85.71 mi | -2.57 % | 22.88 mph | 6 w |
| #85 | 00:02:18 | 04:50:45 | 0.86 mi | 86.57 mi | +0.28 % | 22.29 mph | 172 w |
| #86 | 00:01:09 | 04:51:54 | 0.56 mi | 87.13 mi | -3.67 % | 29.23 mph | 0 w |
| #87 | 00:06:14 | 04:58:09 | 2.03 mi | 89.16 mi | +1.00 % | 19.53 mph | 193 w |
| #88 | 00:01:30 | 04:59:39 | 0.67 mi | 89.83 mi | -4.43 % | 26.54 mph | 0 w |
| #89 | 00:02:46 | 05:02:26 | 1.05 mi | 90.88 mi | -0.29 % | 22.67 mph | 169 w |
| #90 | 00:00:06 | 05:02:32 | 0.04 mi | 90.92 mi | -3.97 % | 19.88 mph | 2 w |
| #91 | 00:12:59 | 05:15:32 | 3.19 mi | 94.11 mi | +3.02 % | 14.74 mph | 221 w |
| #92 | 00:10:42 | 05:26:14 | 2.00 mi | 96.11 mi | +4.94 % | 11.22 mph | 249 w |
| #93 | 00:02:00 | 05:28:15 | 0.91 mi | 97.02 mi | -3.74 % | 27.02 mph | 0 w |
| #94 | 00:02:08 | 05:30:23 | 0.86 mi | 97.88 mi | -0.92 % | 24.07 mph | 149 w |
| #95 | 00:04:40 | 05:35:04 | 2.02 mi | 99.90 mi | -3.29 % | 25.96 mph | 25 w |
| #96 | 00:06:32 | 05:41:36 | 2.63 mi | 102.53 mi | -1.36 % | 24.15 mph | 129 w |
| #97 | 00:01:32 | 05:43:09 | 0.43 mi | 102.96 mi | +2.54 % | 16.54 mph | 228 w |
| #98 | 00:02:55 | 05:46:04 | 1.19 mi | 104.15 mi | -1.17 % | 24.42 mph | 114 w |
| #99 | 00:05:26 | 05:51:30 | 1.75 mi | 105.90 mi | +1.33 % | 19.33 mph | 200 w |
| #100 | 00:05:47 | 05:57:18 | 2.18 mi | 108.08 mi | -0.37 % | 22.58 mph | 148 w |
| Totals/Avg | 05:57:18 | 05:57:18 | 108.09 mi | 108.09 mi | -0.81% | 18.15 mph | 179.73 w |
Climb Summary by Category
| Category | Climb Count | Total Time | Total Dist. | Avg. Time | Avg. Dist. | Avg. Grade | Avg. Speed | Avg. Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cat3 | 1 | 00:19:25 | 4.17 mi | 00:19:25 | 4.17 mi | 3.12 % | 12.88 mph | 241 w |
| Cat4 | 20 | 01:19:57 | 14.64 mi | 00:03:59 | 0.73 mi | 5.31 % | 10.98 mph | 248 w |
| All Cats | 21 | 01:39:22 | 18.81 mi | 00:04:43 | 0.90 mi | 5.21 % | 11.07 mph | 248 w |
| Climb | Start Time | Start Dist. | Duration | Distance | Speed | Power | Grade | Elevation Gain | Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | 00:25:29 | 8.16 mi | 00:09:29 | 2.00 mi | 12.67 mph | 239 w | 3.25 % | 344 ft | Cat4 |
| #2 | 00:38:10 | 11.06 mi | 00:04:27 | 0.91 mi | 12.20 mph | 244 w | 3.74 % | 179 ft | Cat4 |
| #3 | 00:49:40 | 14.90 mi | 00:03:07 | 0.69 mi | 13.28 mph | 238 w | 3.65 % | 133 ft | Cat4 |
| #4 | 00:54:39 | 16.74 mi | 00:01:55 | 0.36 mi | 11.39 mph | 249 w | 5.30 % | 102 ft | Cat4 |
| #5 | 01:02:41 | 18.88 mi | 00:04:13 | 0.86 mi | 12.26 mph | 245 w | 3.70 % | 168 ft | Cat4 |
| #6 | 01:14:31 | 21.76 mi | 00:01:28 | 0.25 mi | 10.22 mph | 253 w | 5.27 % | 70 ft | Cat4 |
| #7 | 01:22:15 | 23.75 mi | 00:02:02 | 0.36 mi | 10.70 mph | 255 w | 5.00 % | 96 ft | Cat4 |
| #8 | 01:42:41 | 28.86 mi | 00:09:06 | 1.88 mi | 12.38 mph | 243 w | 3.44 % | 341 ft | Cat4 |
| #9 | 01:55:56 | 31.90 mi | 00:01:42 | 0.20 mi | 7.13 mph | 264 w | 8.97 % | 96 ft | Cat4 |
| #10 | 01:58:40 | 32.41 mi | 00:01:43 | 0.28 mi | 9.92 mph | 241 w | 5.97 % | 90 ft | Cat4 |
| #11 | 02:02:16 | 33.70 mi | 00:03:58 | 0.39 mi | 5.85 mph | 264 w | 10.99 % | 225 ft | Cat4 |
| #12 | 02:13:02 | 37.36 mi | 00:01:25 | 0.37 mi | 15.60 mph | 245 w | 3.98 % | 78 ft | Cat4 |
| #13 | 02:15:28 | 38.02 mi | 00:05:35 | 0.77 mi | 8.27 mph | 258 w | 7.09 % | 289 ft | Cat4 |
| #14 | 02:24:55 | 40.62 mi | 00:01:24 | 0.22 mi | 9.34 mph | 259 w | 7.38 % | 85 ft | Cat4 |
| #15 | 02:41:06 | 46.75 mi | 00:01:23 | 0.34 mi | 14.85 mph | 239 w | 3.05 % | 55 ft | Cat4 |
| #16 | 02:45:42 | 48.49 mi | 00:19:25 | 4.17 mi | 12.88 mph | 241 w | 3.12 % | 687 ft | Cat3 |
| #17 | 03:52:25 | 68.11 mi | 00:04:59 | 0.97 mi | 11.66 mph | 240 w | 3.79 % | 194 ft | Cat4 |
| #18 | 04:07:09 | 71.53 mi | 00:05:07 | 1.02 mi | 11.97 mph | 242 w | 3.61 % | 194 ft | Cat4 |
| #19 | 04:31:23 | 79.82 mi | 00:03:12 | 0.59 mi | 11.05 mph | 259 w | 6.13 % | 191 ft | Cat4 |
| #20 | 05:04:46 | 91.57 mi | 00:05:14 | 0.77 mi | 8.81 mph | 247 w | 6.52 % | 265 ft | Cat4 |
| #21 | 05:17:52 | 94.74 mi | 00:08:22 | 1.39 mi | 9.98 mph | 242 w | 5.45 % | 400 ft | Cat4 |
Build your own personalized 2026 SBT GRVL Black Race power plan today! Sign up for a free Athlete Basic account to get started with your athlete profile and bike setup, then grab the Black Race 2026 SBT GRVL course to model your own race plan.
2026 SBT GRVL Black Race FAQs
Your target power depends on your FTP, body weight, bike setup, and finish time goal — not a generic number that applies to every rider. The variables that matter most are your current fitness, your aerodynamic position, and the specific demands of the 2026 SBT GRVL Black Race course. The best approach is to build a personalized plan in Best Bike Split using your actual athlete profile — you'll get a segment-by-segment power target based on your specific inputs rather than a one-size-fits-all recommendation.
Every course is different and requires its own unique pacing plan. On a multi-loop course, fatigue and wind shift between laps and what felt comfortable early can become unsustainable later. On an out-and-back, headwind in one direction becomes tailwind in the other — an asymmetry a flat power target can't account for. On a point-to-point or single-loop course, you only get one pass at every section with no opportunity to recalibrate. When you create a Best Bike Split race plan for 2026 SBT GRVL Black Race, we model the specific demands of that course so your pacing strategy reflects the race you're actually doing.
Significantly — and the effect varies depending on the course profile. On flatter courses, wind and aerodynamics become the dominant variables in your speed equation, more so than on courses where gradient naturally dictates effort. On climbing-heavy courses, your power-to-weight ratio and how you manage the descents matter most. A Best Bike Split race plan lets you model the specific conditions forecasted for 2026 SBT GRVL Black Race, so your targets reflect what you'll actually face on race day rather than what the course looks like on paper.
It depends on the course and how well you pace it. Flat, fast courses offer genuine PR potential but only if you execute correctly — without terrain to naturally regulate your effort, going out too hard early is easy and costly. Technical or hilly courses reward smart segment-by-segment pacing over raw fitness. Either way, a physics-based race plan from Best Bike Split gives you a realistic split prediction based on your actual profile so you know before race day what a well-executed bike leg looks like for you specifically.
Yes — and this is one of the most underused features. Once you've built your 2026 SBT GRVL Black Race race plan, you can export it directly to Zwift, TrainerRoad, or any ERG-mode trainer for indoor sessions, or push it to your Garmin, Wahoo, or Karoo for outdoor rides. Training on your actual race plan means you arrive at 2026 SBT GRVL Black Race already knowing what your target effort feels like at every section of the course — not just what the number says on paper.
Using Best Bike Split for Gravel Racing
Coach Dave Schell of Kaizen Endurance wrote a great primer on how gravel racers should think about course modeling, from drafting value and group dynamics to equipment selection and aid station timing. It's definitely worth a read before you build your plan.
