The Stubborn Dolores 110 2026 is 113 miles of southern Colorado gravel out of downtown Trinidad, the long course at Life Time's The Rad Dirt Fest. Here's your course breakdown and Best Bike Split race plan for race day.
If you're lining up for the Stubborn Dolores 110 in 2026, you're racing at altitude in one of the more remote corners of the Life Time gravel calendar. This isn't a race with dozens of short punchy climbs stacked on top of each other. It's one long defining effort up Burro Canyon Road, bookended by miles of rolling high desert gravel and a backside stretch so far from support that cell service disappears. The course rewards riders who can pace a single sustained climb correctly and manage a real self-support gap, which makes it a very different kind of test than most 100 milers on the circuit.
Race Overview
Life Time launched The Rad Dirt Fest in 2021, and Lauren De Crescenzo won the inaugural 110 mile race. The event is based in Trinidad, Colorado, tucked against the Spanish Peaks near the New Mexico border, and it has grown steadily since, with the 2024 edition drawing more than 1,000 riders from 46 states and nine countries.
Life Time added the race to the Grand Prix as a wildcard event in 2023. For 2026 it sits outside the six race Grand Prix calendar, running as a standalone Life Time event, with a return to the series planned for 2027 under a new selection format. That means 2026 riders are racing the course itself rather than a stop on series standings, though the event still draws a strong field across its three distances. The 110 mile field rolls out from downtown Trinidad at 9:30 a.m., and finishers of the 110 and 70 mile distances remain in the running for UNBOUND Gravel entry coins, awarded both to top finishers and through a random draw.
Course Description
The route leaves downtown Trinidad and gets onto gravel quickly, running through Trinidad Lake State Park almost immediately. Inside the park, riders hit a two mile stretch of the more technical South Shore Trail, a mix of pitchy hills on loose gravel and smoother sections, before the legs are fully warmed up for the day.
After a short two mile up and down past the park, the course reaches Burro Canyon Road and the one defining climb of the race: roughly 1,000 feet of gain over about 10 miles, topping out at the high point of the course before a fast descent back toward town. Outside of Burro Canyon, more than 90 percent of the course runs on maintained gravel across mostly rolling terrain, so the climb stands out as the single place where the race gets decided.
Six aid stations break up the day, at miles 6.6, 23.3, 43.6, 71.6, 90.3, and 106.8, all stocked with Neversecond nutrition. The gap between the aid stations on the back side of the course stretches to 31 miles, through terrain where cell service is limited or nonexistent, so this section is true self-support territory rather than a place to plan on help. Three cutoffs shape the back of the field's day: 1:50 p.m. at mile 43.6 (Spanish Peaks Inn), 6:30 p.m. at mile 90.3 (Burro Canyon), and 8:10 p.m. at mile 106.8 (Trinidad Lake State Park). The course finishes back in downtown Trinidad.
Forecasted Weather
Late September in Trinidad runs warm by afternoon and cool at the margins. Race organizers themselves flag afternoon highs in the 80s with morning and evening temperatures down in the low 50s, and they tell riders to pack a jacket since rain is possible on race day. The broader late September climate for this part of southern Colorado trends drier as the month goes on, but an isolated afternoon storm is still very much in play this time of year.
Altitude adds its own wrinkle on top of the temperature swing. Burro Canyon Road climbs well above the valley floor, and that section of the course will run noticeably cooler and windier than what riders feel rolling out of downtown Trinidad at the start.
Why This Course Rewards a Best Bike Split Plan
The Stubborn Dolores 110 is built around one defining climb and one long self-support gap, and that combination is exactly why pacing matters so much here. A BBS race plan for the Stubborn Dolores 110 2026 will:
- Give Burro Canyon Road its own number. It's the one sustained climb on the course and the high point of the day, and pacing it wrong either burns matches too early or leaves time on the table by under-riding the only real selection point on the route.
- Build a fueling plan around the 31 mile self-support stretch. With a real gap between aid stations and spotty cell service on the back side of the course, a plan built around what's already in your pockets matters more than one that assumes you can adjust on the fly.
- Set pacing targets against the cutoffs. The checkpoints at mile 43.6, 90.3, and 106.8 are real go or no-go markers for riders in the back half of the field, and a plan that shows your projected time at each one removes the guesswork about whether you're actually on pace.
- Respect the technical South Shore Trail section early. The pitchy, loose gravel inside Trinidad Lake State Park comes before the legs are properly warmed up, and a plan that accounts for it keeps riders from redlining early on a section that isn't the main event.
Interactive Race Plan and Course Map
This power plan was modeled for an athlete with an average CdA of 0.3497, an FTP of 250 watts and weighing 165 lbs. Want to see what your time would be on the 2026 The Rad: Stubborn Dolores 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 | 00:04:12 | 00:04:12 | 0.69 mi | 0.69 mi | +4.87 % | 9.87 mph | 192 w |
| #2 | 00:00:30 | 00:04:42 | 0.18 mi | 0.87 mi | -10.30 % | 20.74 mph | 0 w |
| #3 | 00:01:35 | 00:06:18 | 0.28 mi | 1.15 mi | +4.36 % | 10.62 mph | 200 w |
| #4 | 00:00:17 | 00:06:36 | 0.12 mi | 1.27 mi | -10.69 % | 24.97 mph | 0 w |
| #5 | 00:02:30 | 00:09:07 | 0.39 mi | 1.66 mi | +5.68 % | 9.40 mph | 204 w |
| #6 | 00:01:07 | 00:10:14 | 0.47 mi | 2.13 mi | -5.99 % | 24.98 mph | 0 w |
| #7 | 00:07:11 | 00:17:26 | 1.55 mi | 3.68 mi | +2.78 % | 12.95 mph | 170 w |
| #8 | 00:00:54 | 00:18:21 | 0.33 mi | 4.01 mi | -3.65 % | 21.77 mph | 13 w |
| #9 | 00:06:14 | 00:24:35 | 1.11 mi | 5.12 mi | +4.85 % | 10.64 mph | 194 w |
| #10 | 00:00:30 | 00:25:06 | 0.19 mi | 5.31 mi | -7.05 % | 21.54 mph | 0 w |
| #11 | 00:06:10 | 00:31:17 | 1.50 mi | 6.81 mi | +1.98 % | 14.60 mph | 169 w |
| #12 | 00:03:09 | 00:34:26 | 0.88 mi | 7.69 mi | -0.71 % | 16.76 mph | 128 w |
| #13 | 00:00:18 | 00:34:44 | 0.13 mi | 7.82 mi | -8.92 % | 25.05 mph | 0 w |
| #14 | 00:02:18 | 00:37:03 | 0.49 mi | 8.31 mi | +3.07 % | 12.62 mph | 194 w |
| #15 | 00:00:22 | 00:37:25 | 0.11 mi | 8.42 mi | -6.72 % | 17.55 mph | 1 w |
| #16 | 00:00:24 | 00:37:50 | 0.05 mi | 8.47 mi | +19.98 % | 6.86 mph | 241 w |
| #17 | 00:03:43 | 00:41:33 | 0.94 mi | 9.41 mi | +0.38 % | 15.08 mph | 142 w |
| #18 | 00:00:10 | 00:41:44 | 0.08 mi | 9.49 mi | -12.95 % | 26.44 mph | 0 w |
| #19 | 00:10:43 | 00:52:27 | 1.91 mi | 11.40 mi | +4.61 % | 10.67 mph | 190 w |
| #20 | 00:02:24 | 00:54:52 | 1.00 mi | 12.40 mi | -4.84 % | 25.11 mph | 12 w |
| #21 | 00:53:21 | 01:48:13 | 11.26 mi | 23.66 mi | +1.82 % | 12.66 mph | 178 w |
| #22 | 00:03:15 | 01:51:29 | 1.21 mi | 24.87 mi | -2.88 % | 22.26 mph | 59 w |
| #23 | 00:15:29 | 02:06:58 | 2.47 mi | 27.34 mi | +4.32 % | 9.56 mph | 193 w |
| #24 | 00:04:58 | 02:11:57 | 1.87 mi | 29.21 mi | -2.58 % | 22.49 mph | 77 w |
| #25 | 00:02:03 | 02:14:01 | 0.40 mi | 29.61 mi | +2.78 % | 11.66 mph | 190 w |
| #26 | 00:30:41 | 02:44:42 | 6.21 mi | 35.82 mi | +2.16 % | 12.13 mph | 172 w |
| #27 | 00:07:38 | 02:52:21 | 2.84 mi | 38.66 mi | -2.77 % | 22.26 mph | 79 w |
| #28 | 00:07:58 | 03:00:19 | 2.73 mi | 41.39 mi | -1.58 % | 20.55 mph | 114 w |
| #29 | 00:01:40 | 03:02:00 | 0.51 mi | 41.90 mi | +1.43 % | 18.41 mph | 178 w |
| #30 | 00:00:40 | 03:02:40 | 0.34 mi | 42.24 mi | -5.73 % | 29.84 mph | 0 w |
| #31 | 00:02:07 | 03:04:47 | 0.79 mi | 43.03 mi | -1.32 % | 22.26 mph | 108 w |
| #32 | 00:01:59 | 03:06:47 | 0.70 mi | 43.73 mi | +0.71 % | 20.97 mph | 156 w |
| #33 | 00:07:14 | 03:14:02 | 3.06 mi | 46.79 mi | -1.88 % | 25.32 mph | 54 w |
| #34 | 00:10:54 | 03:24:56 | 1.99 mi | 48.78 mi | +2.73 % | 10.96 mph | 182 w |
| #35 | 00:21:13 | 03:46:09 | 3.86 mi | 52.64 mi | +2.56 % | 10.92 mph | 188 w |
| #36 | 00:00:25 | 03:46:35 | 0.17 mi | 52.81 mi | -6.49 % | 24.45 mph | 0 w |
| #37 | 00:05:07 | 03:51:42 | 0.87 mi | 53.68 mi | +3.93 % | 10.15 mph | 197 w |
| #38 | 00:00:22 | 03:52:05 | 0.09 mi | 53.77 mi | -5.29 % | 15.24 mph | 1 w |
| #39 | 00:28:29 | 04:20:34 | 4.57 mi | 58.34 mi | +3.74 % | 9.62 mph | 193 w |
| #40 | 00:00:34 | 04:21:09 | 0.23 mi | 58.57 mi | -3.37 % | 23.98 mph | 27 w |
| #41 | 00:00:39 | 04:21:49 | 0.18 mi | 58.75 mi | +3.85 % | 16.01 mph | 204 w |
| #42 | 00:04:07 | 04:25:56 | 1.96 mi | 60.71 mi | -3.89 % | 28.49 mph | 26 w |
| #43 | 00:30:30 | 04:56:26 | 4.85 mi | 65.56 mi | +4.18 % | 9.53 mph | 202 w |
| #44 | 00:01:46 | 04:58:13 | 0.98 mi | 66.54 mi | -7.95 % | 33.17 mph | 0 w |
| #45 | 00:00:32 | 04:58:45 | 0.23 mi | 66.77 mi | +1.10 % | 25.34 mph | 162 w |
| #46 | 00:00:34 | 04:59:20 | 0.28 mi | 67.05 mi | -6.03 % | 29.31 mph | 0 w |
| #47 | 00:00:10 | 04:59:30 | 0.08 mi | 67.13 mi | -1.82 % | 26.50 mph | 50 w |
| #48 | 00:01:03 | 05:00:33 | 0.23 mi | 67.36 mi | +3.83 % | 13.02 mph | 192 w |
| #49 | 00:01:48 | 05:02:22 | 0.97 mi | 68.33 mi | -4.79 % | 32.26 mph | 1 w |
| #50 | 00:10:40 | 05:13:02 | 1.64 mi | 69.97 mi | +4.91 % | 9.21 mph | 205 w |
| #51 | 00:00:52 | 05:13:54 | 0.32 mi | 70.29 mi | -3.67 % | 22.07 mph | 1 w |
| #52 | 00:00:55 | 05:14:50 | 0.29 mi | 70.58 mi | +2.13 % | 19.08 mph | 189 w |
| #53 | 00:16:25 | 05:31:15 | 7.72 mi | 78.30 mi | -2.66 % | 28.21 mph | 47 w |
| #54 | 00:05:17 | 05:36:32 | 0.72 mi | 79.02 mi | +6.90 % | 8.20 mph | 210 w |
| #55 | 00:13:28 | 05:50:01 | 4.73 mi | 83.75 mi | -0.78 % | 21.04 mph | 109 w |
| #56 | 00:01:08 | 05:51:09 | 0.38 mi | 84.13 mi | -2.60 % | 20.07 mph | 44 w |
| #57 | 00:09:18 | 06:00:28 | 1.88 mi | 86.01 mi | +3.38 % | 12.14 mph | 193 w |
| #58 | 00:04:53 | 06:05:22 | 2.11 mi | 88.12 mi | -2.78 % | 25.86 mph | 69 w |
| #59 | 00:00:44 | 06:06:06 | 0.35 mi | 88.47 mi | -5.71 % | 28.32 mph | 0 w |
| #60 | 00:05:25 | 06:11:32 | 1.23 mi | 89.70 mi | +2.64 % | 13.58 mph | 193 w |
| #61 | 00:05:19 | 06:16:52 | 2.09 mi | 91.79 mi | -3.32 % | 23.53 mph | 19 w |
| #62 | 00:03:36 | 06:20:28 | 1.29 mi | 93.08 mi | -1.46 % | 21.46 mph | 106 w |
| #63 | 00:13:25 | 06:33:54 | 4.75 mi | 97.83 mi | -1.37 % | 21.25 mph | 111 w |
| #64 | 00:05:37 | 06:39:31 | 2.12 mi | 99.95 mi | -1.48 % | 22.62 mph | 91 w |
| #65 | 00:03:14 | 06:42:45 | 0.99 mi | 100.94 mi | +0.20 % | 18.36 mph | 151 w |
| #66 | 00:07:24 | 06:50:10 | 1.01 mi | 101.95 mi | +5.46 % | 8.15 mph | 202 w |
| #67 | 00:02:23 | 06:52:33 | 0.96 mi | 102.91 mi | -4.83 % | 24.29 mph | 30 w |
| #68 | 00:04:52 | 06:57:26 | 1.28 mi | 104.19 mi | +1.83 % | 15.79 mph | 151 w |
| #69 | 00:00:20 | 06:57:46 | 0.17 mi | 104.36 mi | -6.97 % | 28.93 mph | 0 w |
| #70 | 00:01:46 | 06:59:33 | 0.49 mi | 104.85 mi | +2.17 % | 16.43 mph | 188 w |
| #71 | 00:00:11 | 06:59:45 | 0.08 mi | 104.93 mi | -10.83 % | 24.11 mph | 0 w |
| #72 | 00:00:18 | 07:00:03 | 0.06 mi | 104.99 mi | +14.38 % | 11.93 mph | 239 w |
| #73 | 00:01:37 | 07:01:41 | 0.54 mi | 105.53 mi | -2.44 % | 19.75 mph | 89 w |
| #74 | 00:03:01 | 07:04:42 | 0.69 mi | 106.22 mi | +2.87 % | 13.77 mph | 177 w |
| #75 | 00:00:15 | 07:04:57 | 0.09 mi | 106.31 mi | -6.25 % | 21.36 mph | 0 w |
| #76 | 00:00:40 | 07:05:38 | 0.19 mi | 106.50 mi | +2.60 % | 17.13 mph | 191 w |
| #77 | 00:06:13 | 07:11:51 | 1.70 mi | 108.20 mi | +2.49 % | 16.42 mph | 151 w |
| #78 | 00:02:52 | 07:14:43 | 1.11 mi | 109.31 mi | -3.59 % | 23.12 mph | 66 w |
| #79 | 00:01:32 | 07:16:16 | 0.31 mi | 109.62 mi | +3.63 % | 12.21 mph | 199 w |
| #80 | 00:00:53 | 07:17:09 | 0.27 mi | 109.89 mi | -3.22 % | 18.21 mph | 6 w |
| #81 | 00:01:41 | 07:18:50 | 0.52 mi | 110.41 mi | +0.37 % | 18.61 mph | 159 w |
| #82 | 00:00:31 | 07:19:21 | 0.22 mi | 110.63 mi | -6.00 % | 25.11 mph | 0 w |
| #83 | 00:01:13 | 07:20:35 | 0.37 mi | 111.00 mi | +2.19 % | 17.96 mph | 182 w |
| #84 | 00:00:28 | 07:21:04 | 0.20 mi | 111.20 mi | -5.85 % | 25.12 mph | 0 w |
| #85 | 00:03:10 | 07:24:15 | 0.47 mi | 111.67 mi | +6.28 % | 8.84 mph | 204 w |
| #86 | 00:00:59 | 07:25:14 | 0.42 mi | 112.09 mi | -4.75 % | 25.42 mph | 7 w |
| #87 | 00:00:49 | 07:26:04 | 0.10 mi | 112.19 mi | +11.72 % | 7.26 mph | 241 w |
| #88 | 00:00:53 | 07:26:57 | 0.27 mi | 112.46 mi | -4.46 % | 18.23 mph | 1 w |
| #89 | 00:01:53 | 07:28:51 | 0.16 mi | 112.62 mi | +13.22 % | 4.90 mph | 237 w |
| #90 | 00:01:57 | 07:30:48 | 0.73 mi | 113.35 mi | -3.28 % | 22.28 mph | 57 w |
| Totals/Avg | 07:30:48 | 07:30:48 | 113.31 mi | 113.31 mi | -0.42% | 15.08 mph | 151.17 w |
Climb Summary by Category
| Category | Climb Count | Total Time | Total Dist. | Avg. Time | Avg. Dist. | Avg. Grade | Avg. Speed | Avg. Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cat2 | 1 | 00:30:30 | 4.85 mi | 00:30:30 | 4.85 mi | 4.12 % | 9.53 mph | 202 w |
| Cat3 | 1 | 00:17:49 | 2.68 mi | 00:17:49 | 2.68 mi | 3.89 % | 9.03 mph | 210 w |
| Cat4 | 30 | 01:49:14 | 16.44 mi | 00:03:38 | 0.55 mi | 4.85 % | 9.48 mph | 200 w |
| All Cats | 32 | 02:37:34 | 23.97 mi | 00:04:55 | 0.75 mi | 4.80 % | 9.46 mph | 200 w |
| Climb | Start Time | Start Dist. | Duration | Distance | Speed | Power | Grade | Elevation Gain | Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | 00:00:51 | 0.23 mi | 00:03:21 | 0.46 mi | 8.25 mph | 202 w | 5.93 % | 144 ft | Cat4 |
| #2 | 00:04:42 | 0.87 mi | 00:01:35 | 0.28 mi | 10.62 mph | 201 w | 4.40 % | 66 ft | Cat4 |
| #3 | 00:06:36 | 1.27 mi | 00:02:30 | 0.39 mi | 9.40 mph | 201 w | 5.37 % | 112 ft | Cat4 |
| #4 | 00:10:14 | 2.14 mi | 00:01:00 | 0.19 mi | 11.32 mph | 205 w | 5.86 % | 59 ft | Cat4 |
| #5 | 00:12:30 | 2.71 mi | 00:01:35 | 0.19 mi | 7.29 mph | 206 w | 6.42 % | 66 ft | Cat4 |
| #6 | 00:15:54 | 3.42 mi | 00:01:32 | 0.27 mi | 10.64 mph | 195 w | 3.62 % | 52 ft | Cat4 |
| #7 | 00:20:36 | 4.55 mi | 00:03:59 | 0.58 mi | 8.70 mph | 200 w | 5.16 % | 157 ft | Cat4 |
| #8 | 00:34:44 | 7.82 mi | 00:02:18 | 0.49 mi | 12.62 mph | 194 w | 3.07 % | 79 ft | Cat4 |
| #9 | 00:44:51 | 10.41 mi | 00:07:36 | 0.97 mi | 7.67 mph | 196 w | 5.18 % | 266 ft | Cat4 |
| #10 | 01:07:26 | 15.49 mi | 00:02:33 | 0.42 mi | 9.77 mph | 192 w | 3.59 % | 79 ft | Cat4 |
| #11 | 01:36:43 | 21.69 mi | 00:11:29 | 1.96 mi | 10.23 mph | 189 w | 3.42 % | 354 ft | Cat4 |
| #12 | 01:51:29 | 24.86 mi | 00:04:13 | 0.72 mi | 10.20 mph | 189 w | 3.12 % | 118 ft | Cat4 |
| #13 | 02:01:30 | 26.72 mi | 00:05:28 | 0.61 mi | 6.66 mph | 215 w | 6.75 % | 217 ft | Cat4 |
| #14 | 02:32:30 | 33.66 mi | 00:01:50 | 0.31 mi | 10.07 mph | 195 w | 3.42 % | 56 ft | Cat4 |
| #15 | 02:39:57 | 35.21 mi | 00:04:09 | 0.45 mi | 6.57 mph | 205 w | 6.83 % | 164 ft | Cat4 |
| #16 | 03:20:08 | 47.92 mi | 00:03:12 | 0.40 mi | 7.48 mph | 202 w | 5.45 % | 115 ft | Cat4 |
| #17 | 03:24:56 | 48.75 mi | 00:02:41 | 0.47 mi | 10.54 mph | 194 w | 3.15 % | 79 ft | Cat4 |
| #18 | 03:43:27 | 52.21 mi | 00:02:42 | 0.40 mi | 8.94 mph | 190 w | 3.84 % | 82 ft | Cat4 |
| #19 | 03:46:35 | 52.79 mi | 00:05:07 | 0.87 mi | 10.15 mph | 201 w | 3.79 % | 174 ft | Cat4 |
| #20 | 03:52:05 | 53.75 mi | 00:02:22 | 0.30 mi | 7.56 mph | 203 w | 6.17 % | 98 ft | Cat4 |
| #21 | 04:02:15 | 55.53 mi | 00:17:49 | 2.68 mi | 9.03 mph | 210 w | 3.89 % | 551 ft | Cat3 |
| #22 | 04:21:09 | 58.55 mi | 00:00:39 | 0.18 mi | 16.01 mph | 204 w | 3.85 % | 36 ft | Cat4 |
| #23 | 04:25:56 | 60.68 mi | 00:30:30 | 4.85 mi | 9.53 mph | 202 w | 4.12 % | 1053 ft | Cat2 |
| #24 | 04:59:30 | 67.09 mi | 00:01:03 | 0.23 mi | 13.02 mph | 183 w | 3.82 % | 46 ft | Cat4 |
| #25 | 05:02:22 | 68.29 mi | 00:10:40 | 1.64 mi | 9.21 mph | 197 w | 4.59 % | 397 ft | Cat4 |
| #26 | 05:31:15 | 78.26 mi | 00:05:17 | 0.72 mi | 8.20 mph | 200 w | 6.19 % | 236 ft | Cat4 |
| #27 | 05:47:33 | 83.30 mi | 00:02:28 | 0.42 mi | 10.13 mph | 205 w | 4.17 % | 92 ft | Cat4 |
| #28 | 05:56:04 | 85.33 mi | 00:04:23 | 0.65 mi | 8.90 mph | 203 w | 4.96 % | 171 ft | Cat4 |
| #29 | 06:42:45 | 100.91 mi | 00:07:24 | 1.01 mi | 8.15 mph | 204 w | 5.18 % | 276 ft | Cat4 |
| #30 | 07:10:25 | 108.01 mi | 00:01:26 | 0.16 mi | 6.90 mph | 220 w | 8.29 % | 72 ft | Cat4 |
| #31 | 07:14:59 | 109.38 mi | 00:01:17 | 0.22 mi | 10.24 mph | 201 w | 3.96 % | 46 ft | Cat4 |
| #32 | 07:21:04 | 111.18 mi | 00:03:10 | 0.47 mi | 8.84 mph | 198 w | 5.98 % | 148 ft | Cat4 |
Build your own personalized 2026 The Rad: Stubborn Dolores power plan today! Sign up for a free Athlete Basic account to get started with your athlete profile and bike setup, then grab the 2026 The Rad: Stubborn Dolores course to model your own race plan.
2026 The Rad: Stubborn Dolores 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 The Rad: Stubborn Dolores 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 The Rad: Stubborn Dolores, 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 The Rad: Stubborn Dolores, 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 The Rad: Stubborn Dolores 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 The Rad: Stubborn Dolores 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.
