2026 USA Cycling Gravel National Championships - La Crescent Course Overview & Race Preview
gravel
Event
2026 Gravel Nats
Event Date
Distance
99.05 mi
Classification
Hilly
Effective Elevation
+6,472 / -6,474 ft
Event Website

2026 USA Cycling Gravel Nationals returns to La Crescent, Minnesota on September 12, with distances up to 110 miles through the bluffs and coulees of the Driftless Region. Here's what to know about the course and how to build a Best Bike Split race plan for the Stars and Stripes.


If you're racing USA Cycling Gravel Nationals 2026, you're chasing the biggest prize in domestic amateur gravel racing: a Stars and Stripes jersey. The race returns to La Crescent for the second straight year, again routing through Houston County's Driftless Region, a landscape of steep river bluffs, hidden coulees, and gravel roads that locals already call the "champagne of gravel." Riders can choose between 60 and 110 miles depending on category, with the flagship distance deciding the elite national titles.

Race Overview

USA Cycling Gravel Nationals is the sport's newest national championship, first contested in Gering, Nebraska in 2023 before moving to La Crescent for a two-year run in 2025 and 2026. The race draws both elite pros racing for a national title and prize money, and age-group amateurs racing simply for the jersey and the bragging rights that come with it.

The 2025 edition, the first held in Minnesota, set the tone for what riders should expect this year. Lauren Stephens won her third straight women's title in 5:09:51 over the 100-mile course, calling it the hardest edition yet with somewhere between 6,000 and 8,000 feet of climbing. Bradyn Lange took the men's win with a late solo move off the final technical section into town. Both races were decided not on a single defining climb but on a string of punchy bluff-country ramps that wore riders down over five hours.

For 2026, organizers have again built the course around La Crescent and the neighboring city of Houston, promising a route that showcases the region's champagne gravel along with a couple of new wrinkles, including a stretch through an apple orchard and a working gravel quarry. Full course maps for 2026 had not yet been published at the time of this writing, so the numbers below reflect the confirmed 2025 route, still the best available guide to what this course demands.

Course Description

The 2025 course rolled out from downtown La Crescent and spent its first miles finding a rhythm before hitting the terrain that actually decides the race: the punchy, repeated climbs out of the river coulees that cut back from the Mississippi bluffs. Riders described the course as a constant sequence of short, steep efforts rather than one long grind, with the field splintering climb by climb rather than on a single selection point.

A muddy, technical section near the town of Hokah proved decisive in 2025, catching several riders off guard and helping split the front group. From there, the course pushed into a marsh section that further thinned the lead group, followed by a sustained pull up Chicken Ridge, where the day's main selection took shape. The race then turned back toward La Crescent, finishing with a short, steep, cyclocross-style kicker in the closing meters that rewarded whoever had saved the most for last.

Roughly 70% of the 2025 course ran on gravel, with the rest on paved connector roads linking the coulees and climbs. Total elevation gain came in at 7,171 feet over the full 100-mile distance, all of it accumulated in short, repeated pitches rather than long sustained climbs. For 2026, expect a similar profile: frequent short climbs, a technical finish, and enough surface variation between smooth county gravel and rougher backroads to reward a rider who has planned for both.

Forecasted Weather

Mid-September in La Crescent sits at the edge of the seasonal turn, with average highs around 71°F (22°C) and morning lows dropping into the low 50s°F (around 11°C). Given the race's position along the Mississippi River valley, expect cool, sometimes foggy starts that burn off by mid-morning, followed by mild afternoon temperatures that stay comfortable for most of the field's finishing window.

Rain is the bigger variable than heat this time of year. The Driftless Region sees regular precipitation into September, and the coulee terrain drains unevenly, so a wet week before race day can turn already-loose gravel sections greasy, and turn the Hokah-style technical stretches into the deciding move of the race regardless of category. Checking soil conditions in the days leading into race weekend is worth as much attention as checking the sky.

Why This Course Rewards a Best Bike Split Plan

Gravel Nationals is a race decided by repeated efforts rather than one big climb, which makes it easy to under-plan. There's no single mountain to save yourself for, so riders tend to treat every bluff climb as a moderate effort and end up with nothing left for Chicken Ridge or the finishing kicker. A BBS race plan for USA Cycling Gravel Nationals 2026 will:

  • Set targets for repeated short climbs, not one big effort. With the elevation spread across dozens of punchy coulee climbs instead of a few long ones, a plan built around your actual FTP tells you how hard each pitch should feel so the tenth climb doesn't cost you more than the first.
  • Flag the technical sections before you reach them. The Hokah-style stretch and marsh section in 2025 decided the race well before the finish. Knowing where those sections fall lets you arrive with the focus and reserves a technical move requires, instead of getting caught out.
  • Give you a number for the closing kicker. The finish in La Crescent rewards whoever has the legs for one last hard effort. A plan that accounts for accumulated fatigue over the full distance sets a realistic ceiling for that final push rather than a number that assumes fresh legs.
  • Account for the gravel-to-pavement mix. With roughly 70% of the course on gravel and the rest on paved connectors, a plan that treats the whole route as one surface will misjudge your speed on both, leaving you either overcooked on the pavement or under-geared on the gravel.

Note: because USA Cycling had not yet published the 2026 course maps or final distance breakdown at the time this preview was written, the terrain and elevation details above are drawn from the confirmed 2025 La Crescent course. Build your race plan once the 2026 GPX file is released, and treat this preview as a guide to the region's character rather than the exact 2026 route.

Interactive Race Plan and Course Map

This power plan was modeled for an athlete with an average CdA of 0.3433, an FTP of 250 watts and weighing 165 lbs. Want to see what your time would be on the 2025 Gravel Nats 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.

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Interval Int. Time Total Time Int. Dist. Total Dist. Grade Speed Power
#1 00:00:30 00:00:30 0.14 mi 0.14 mi -0.98 % 16.28 mph 112 w
#2 00:00:46 00:01:16 0.21 mi 0.35 mi +0.85 % 16.39 mph 171 w
#3 00:00:48 00:02:04 0.22 mi 0.57 mi +0.21 % 16.54 mph 160 w
#4 00:03:03 00:05:08 0.98 mi 1.55 mi -0.82 % 19.32 mph 129 w
#5 00:02:10 00:07:18 0.58 mi 2.13 mi +0.97 % 15.86 mph 175 w
#6 00:02:26 00:09:44 0.74 mi 2.87 mi -0.43 % 18.13 mph 142 w
#7 00:05:35 00:15:20 1.76 mi 4.63 mi +0.01 % 18.88 mph 147 w
#8 00:04:10 00:19:30 1.26 mi 5.89 mi +0.01 % 18.20 mph 151 w
#9 00:00:23 00:19:54 0.13 mi 6.02 mi -2.18 % 19.80 mph 74 w
#10 00:01:37 00:21:31 0.37 mi 6.39 mi +2.49 % 13.83 mph 199 w
#11 00:00:21 00:21:52 0.06 mi 6.45 mi +6.26 % 9.67 mph 229 w
#12 00:00:52 00:22:45 0.22 mi 6.67 mi +0.46 % 15.28 mph 162 w
#13 00:02:08 00:24:54 0.71 mi 7.38 mi -0.59 % 19.89 mph 127 w
#14 00:00:08 00:25:02 0.05 mi 7.43 mi -2.37 % 20.33 mph 69 w
#15 00:00:08 00:25:10 0.05 mi 7.48 mi -3.53 % 21.99 mph 1 w
#16 00:02:14 00:27:25 0.42 mi 7.90 mi +3.90 % 11.17 mph 215 w
#17 00:00:48 00:28:14 0.24 mi 8.14 mi -1.77 % 17.30 mph 110 w
#18 00:00:07 00:28:22 0.04 mi 8.18 mi +3.07 % 17.90 mph 209 w
#19 00:04:30 00:32:53 0.61 mi 8.79 mi +6.72 % 8.05 mph 229 w
#20 00:02:31 00:35:25 0.35 mi 9.14 mi +6.05 % 8.39 mph 226 w
#21 00:02:01 00:37:26 0.49 mi 9.63 mi +1.20 % 14.38 mph 181 w
#22 00:02:54 00:40:20 0.73 mi 10.36 mi +0.97 % 15.15 mph 184 w
#23 00:02:53 00:43:14 0.68 mi 11.04 mi +1.29 % 14.17 mph 190 w
#24 00:00:39 00:43:54 0.18 mi 11.22 mi -0.82 % 16.53 mph 150 w
#25 00:00:47 00:44:41 0.23 mi 11.45 mi -0.61 % 17.70 mph 152 w
#26 00:00:48 00:45:30 0.27 mi 11.72 mi -1.79 % 19.98 mph 116 w
#27 00:00:06 00:45:36 0.04 mi 11.76 mi -7.05 % 22.48 mph 1 w
#28 00:01:15 00:46:52 0.31 mi 12.07 mi +1.81 % 14.86 mph 198 w
#29 00:01:52 00:48:45 0.49 mi 12.56 mi +0.30 % 15.69 mph 172 w
#30 00:01:17 00:50:03 0.35 mi 12.91 mi +0.05 % 16.20 mph 168 w
#31 00:00:51 00:50:54 0.27 mi 13.18 mi -0.46 % 18.62 mph 150 w
#32 00:00:13 00:51:07 0.06 mi 13.24 mi +2.58 % 15.78 mph 206 w
#33 00:01:36 00:52:44 0.76 mi 14.00 mi -7.01 % 28.29 mph 0 w
#34 00:00:04 00:52:48 0.04 mi 14.04 mi -6.32 % 34.26 mph 1 w
#35 00:00:17 00:53:06 0.13 mi 14.17 mi -5.16 % 26.70 mph 0 w
#36 00:01:13 00:54:19 0.48 mi 14.65 mi -3.62 % 23.29 mph 28 w
#37 00:01:01 00:55:21 0.34 mi 14.99 mi -1.62 % 19.97 mph 126 w
#38 00:01:44 00:57:05 0.53 mi 15.52 mi -0.92 % 18.18 mph 144 w
#39 00:00:07 00:57:13 0.04 mi 15.56 mi -1.86 % 18.34 mph 118 w
#40 00:03:26 01:00:39 0.77 mi 16.33 mi +1.63 % 13.50 mph 193 w
#41 00:00:10 01:00:49 0.04 mi 16.37 mi +0.43 % 13.84 mph 175 w
#42 00:00:47 01:01:37 0.25 mi 16.62 mi -3.63 % 19.10 mph 19 w
#43 00:00:07 01:01:45 0.05 mi 16.67 mi -5.81 % 23.00 mph 2 w
#44 00:00:45 01:02:30 0.27 mi 16.94 mi -1.75 % 21.00 mph 116 w
#45 00:01:23 01:03:53 0.45 mi 17.39 mi -0.47 % 19.45 mph 135 w
#46 00:00:10 01:04:04 0.06 mi 17.45 mi -2.73 % 20.18 mph 26 w
#47 00:01:16 01:05:21 0.36 mi 17.81 mi +1.32 % 16.65 mph 181 w
#48 00:00:09 01:05:30 0.04 mi 17.85 mi +2.95 % 14.74 mph 206 w
#49 00:00:11 01:05:42 0.04 mi 17.89 mi +3.17 % 12.44 mph 208 w
#50 00:01:35 01:07:18 0.21 mi 18.10 mi +6.32 % 7.89 mph 226 w
#51 00:01:31 01:08:49 0.39 mi 18.49 mi +0.04 % 15.30 mph 163 w
#52 00:02:41 01:11:30 0.72 mi 19.21 mi +0.85 % 16.09 mph 175 w
#53 00:00:37 01:12:07 0.12 mi 19.33 mi +4.33 % 11.24 mph 221 w
#54 00:01:34 01:13:42 0.46 mi 19.79 mi -0.98 % 17.57 mph 133 w
#55 00:00:17 01:14:00 0.08 mi 19.87 mi +2.37 % 15.94 mph 203 w
#56 00:01:19 01:15:20 0.23 mi 20.10 mi +4.22 % 10.31 mph 219 w
#57 00:01:43 01:17:03 0.17 mi 20.27 mi +9.57 % 5.84 mph 235 w
#58 00:02:17 01:19:21 0.26 mi 20.53 mi +7.85 % 6.73 mph 231 w
#59 00:02:52 01:22:14 0.33 mi 20.86 mi +7.58 % 6.90 mph 232 w
#60 00:00:25 01:22:39 0.09 mi 20.95 mi +0.35 % 12.45 mph 168 w
#61 00:00:47 01:23:27 0.26 mi 21.21 mi -3.33 % 19.43 mph 16 w
#62 00:00:27 01:23:54 0.09 mi 21.30 mi +5.73 % 12.10 mph 224 w
#63 00:01:25 01:25:20 0.39 mi 21.69 mi -0.86 % 16.56 mph 142 w
#64 00:00:19 01:25:39 0.05 mi 21.74 mi +7.67 % 9.98 mph 230 w
#65 00:00:25 01:26:05 0.14 mi 21.88 mi -7.26 % 19.65 mph 0 w
#66 00:00:42 01:26:47 0.18 mi 22.06 mi +2.99 % 15.80 mph 207 w
#67 00:00:32 01:27:20 0.15 mi 22.21 mi -2.00 % 16.48 mph 106 w
#68 00:00:59 01:28:19 0.31 mi 22.52 mi -0.99 % 18.90 mph 137 w
#69 00:00:07 01:28:26 0.04 mi 22.56 mi -5.62 % 20.74 mph 1 w
#70 00:00:57 01:29:24 0.19 mi 22.75 mi +4.04 % 11.97 mph 217 w
#71 00:02:52 01:32:17 0.71 mi 23.46 mi +0.74 % 14.80 mph 178 w
#72 00:00:50 01:33:08 0.22 mi 23.68 mi +0.28 % 16.02 mph 168 w
#73 00:00:07 01:33:15 0.03 mi 23.71 mi +1.82 % 15.44 mph 195 w
#74 00:01:24 01:34:39 0.69 mi 24.40 mi -9.13 % 29.67 mph 0 w
#75 00:02:25 01:37:05 0.91 mi 25.31 mi -2.84 % 22.35 mph 52 w
#76 00:00:29 01:37:34 0.18 mi 25.49 mi -2.07 % 21.85 mph 94 w
#77 00:00:45 01:38:19 0.16 mi 25.65 mi +3.59 % 12.94 mph 215 w
#78 00:00:20 01:38:39 0.06 mi 25.71 mi +2.67 % 11.32 mph 206 w
#79 00:00:36 01:39:16 0.17 mi 25.88 mi -3.73 % 16.50 mph 2 w
#80 00:00:35 01:39:52 0.21 mi 26.09 mi -2.77 % 21.46 mph 20 w
#81 00:00:08 01:40:00 0.05 mi 26.14 mi -0.76 % 22.01 mph 125 w
#82 00:00:44 01:40:45 0.23 mi 26.37 mi -0.06 % 18.72 mph 148 w
#83 00:01:29 01:42:14 0.42 mi 26.79 mi +0.18 % 17.14 mph 159 w
#84 00:00:37 01:42:51 0.13 mi 26.92 mi +3.92 % 12.48 mph 220 w
#85 00:00:23 01:43:14 0.06 mi 26.98 mi +5.75 % 9.18 mph 231 w
#86 00:00:39 01:43:54 0.20 mi 27.18 mi -4.30 % 18.38 mph 1 w
#87 00:00:41 01:44:35 0.15 mi 27.33 mi +4.82 % 12.90 mph 224 w
#88 00:01:19 01:45:55 0.25 mi 27.58 mi +3.30 % 11.45 mph 215 w
#89 00:00:50 01:46:45 0.26 mi 27.84 mi -3.25 % 18.48 mph 3 w
#90 00:01:03 01:47:49 0.15 mi 27.99 mi +7.61 % 8.47 mph 233 w
#91 00:00:11 01:48:00 0.03 mi 28.02 mi +0.67 % 10.48 mph 177 w
#92 00:00:18 01:48:19 0.08 mi 28.10 mi -3.81 % 16.51 mph 1 w
#93 00:01:09 01:49:28 0.39 mi 28.49 mi -1.01 % 20.38 mph 130 w
#94 00:01:27 01:50:55 0.40 mi 28.89 mi +1.30 % 16.34 mph 189 w
#95 00:00:28 01:51:24 0.08 mi 28.97 mi +6.50 % 9.46 mph 232 w
#96 00:00:11 01:51:35 0.03 mi 29.00 mi -0.29 % 11.20 mph 156 w
#97 00:00:27 01:52:02 0.14 mi 29.14 mi -4.10 % 18.17 mph 0 w
#98 00:00:44 01:52:47 0.29 mi 29.43 mi -2.92 % 23.20 mph 32 w
#99 00:00:51 01:53:38 0.17 mi 29.60 mi +4.76 % 12.26 mph 224 w
#100 00:01:31 01:55:09 0.44 mi 30.04 mi -0.47 % 17.53 mph 145 w
#101 00:00:47 01:55:57 0.26 mi 30.30 mi -0.42 % 19.20 mph 148 w
#102 00:01:53 01:57:50 0.42 mi 30.72 mi +2.60 % 13.29 mph 206 w
#103 00:00:19 01:58:10 0.06 mi 30.78 mi +3.72 % 11.51 mph 219 w
#104 00:00:17 01:58:27 0.06 mi 30.84 mi +1.78 % 12.27 mph 195 w
#105 00:01:04 01:59:32 0.33 mi 31.17 mi -1.63 % 18.23 mph 118 w
#106 00:00:42 02:00:14 0.21 mi 31.38 mi -0.06 % 17.38 mph 164 w
#107 00:01:06 02:01:21 0.29 mi 31.67 mi +0.94 % 15.75 mph 183 w
#108 00:01:37 02:02:59 0.38 mi 32.05 mi +1.52 % 13.88 mph 193 w
#109 00:03:38 02:06:37 0.71 mi 32.76 mi +3.12 % 11.64 mph 211 w
#110 00:00:10 02:06:48 0.04 mi 32.80 mi +2.49 % 12.08 mph 208 w
#111 00:00:51 02:07:39 0.08 mi 32.88 mi +12.23 % 5.51 mph 261 w
#112 00:02:53 02:10:33 0.25 mi 33.13 mi +10.20 % 5.25 mph 232 w
#113 00:00:45 02:11:18 0.11 mi 33.24 mi +5.15 % 8.47 mph 223 w
#114 00:00:24 02:11:42 0.06 mi 33.30 mi +6.03 % 8.25 mph 230 w
#115 00:01:07 02:12:49 0.28 mi 33.58 mi +0.02 % 15.29 mph 163 w
#116 00:01:43 02:14:33 0.43 mi 34.01 mi +1.09 % 14.83 mph 188 w
#117 00:00:46 02:15:19 0.23 mi 34.24 mi -1.36 % 17.85 mph 125 w
#118 00:00:26 02:15:45 0.13 mi 34.37 mi +0.40 % 18.52 mph 158 w
#119 00:02:53 02:18:39 0.84 mi 35.21 mi -0.38 % 17.45 mph 154 w
#120 00:00:08 02:18:47 0.05 mi 35.26 mi -7.67 % 21.33 mph 0 w
#121 00:01:58 02:20:46 0.46 mi 35.72 mi +2.00 % 14.08 mph 201 w
#122 00:01:35 02:22:22 0.43 mi 36.15 mi -0.34 % 16.12 mph 160 w
#123 00:00:09 02:22:31 0.04 mi 36.19 mi +1.01 % 15.78 mph 187 w
#124 00:00:16 02:22:48 0.08 mi 36.27 mi -1.87 % 16.38 mph 118 w
#125 00:01:14 02:24:03 0.69 mi 36.96 mi -9.78 % 33.04 mph 0 w
#126 00:00:33 02:24:37 0.26 mi 37.22 mi -3.68 % 27.75 mph 14 w
#127 00:00:58 02:25:36 0.32 mi 37.54 mi -1.24 % 19.36 mph 139 w
#128 00:01:23 02:26:59 0.50 mi 38.04 mi -2.03 % 21.57 mph 88 w
#129 00:00:24 02:27:24 0.14 mi 38.18 mi +0.28 % 20.04 mph 168 w
#130 00:03:25 02:30:50 0.99 mi 39.17 mi +0.21 % 17.40 mph 167 w
#131 00:00:20 02:31:10 0.07 mi 39.24 mi +5.31 % 11.89 mph 225 w
#132 00:00:35 02:31:46 0.07 mi 39.31 mi +8.05 % 6.84 mph 233 w
#133 00:00:18 02:32:04 0.04 mi 39.35 mi +5.61 % 8.09 mph 229 w
#134 00:01:38 02:33:43 0.49 mi 39.84 mi -0.80 % 18.04 mph 137 w
#135 00:01:18 02:35:02 0.43 mi 40.27 mi -0.92 % 19.65 mph 136 w
#136 00:00:39 02:35:41 0.20 mi 40.47 mi +0.31 % 18.14 mph 168 w
#137 00:01:51 02:37:32 0.53 mi 41.00 mi +0.54 % 17.25 mph 174 w
#138 00:02:52 02:40:24 0.75 mi 41.75 mi +1.01 % 15.74 mph 181 w
#139 00:00:09 02:40:34 0.04 mi 41.79 mi -2.10 % 16.76 mph 101 w
#140 00:05:12 02:45:47 0.75 mi 42.54 mi +5.43 % 8.60 mph 222 w
#141 00:02:20 02:48:07 0.28 mi 42.82 mi +7.14 % 7.23 mph 232 w
#142 00:00:45 02:48:52 0.11 mi 42.93 mi +5.27 % 8.91 mph 226 w
#143 00:00:38 02:49:30 0.09 mi 43.02 mi +6.12 % 8.37 mph 228 w
#144 00:01:45 02:51:15 0.57 mi 43.59 mi -1.75 % 19.53 mph 96 w
#145 00:00:52 02:52:08 0.17 mi 43.76 mi +4.92 % 11.71 mph 225 w
#146 00:00:17 02:52:25 0.04 mi 43.80 mi +6.07 % 8.56 mph 227 w
#147 00:00:51 02:53:17 0.22 mi 44.02 mi -0.74 % 15.58 mph 145 w
#148 00:00:21 02:53:39 0.15 mi 44.17 mi -4.35 % 25.37 mph 2 w
#149 00:00:11 02:53:50 0.09 mi 44.26 mi -5.24 % 28.71 mph 0 w
#150 00:01:11 02:55:02 0.20 mi 44.46 mi +7.12 % 9.79 mph 230 w
#151 00:02:03 02:57:05 0.53 mi 44.99 mi +0.12 % 15.58 mph 164 w
#152 00:01:02 02:58:08 0.31 mi 45.30 mi +0.21 % 17.98 mph 154 w
#153 00:00:17 02:58:25 0.09 mi 45.39 mi -1.22 % 19.06 mph 104 w
#154 00:02:12 03:00:37 0.89 mi 46.28 mi -3.15 % 24.26 mph 2 w
#155 00:01:43 03:02:21 0.68 mi 46.96 mi -3.01 % 23.73 mph 14 w
#156 00:02:35 03:04:56 0.31 mi 47.27 mi +8.39 % 7.15 mph 232 w
#157 00:01:25 03:06:21 0.23 mi 47.50 mi +4.51 % 9.92 mph 223 w
#158 00:01:32 03:07:54 0.26 mi 47.76 mi +4.39 % 10.20 mph 218 w
#159 00:02:08 03:10:02 1.10 mi 48.86 mi -6.38 % 30.85 mph 0 w
#160 00:00:27 03:10:30 0.18 mi 49.04 mi +0.41 % 23.54 mph 167 w
#161 00:01:53 03:12:24 0.50 mi 49.54 mi +0.51 % 15.69 mph 177 w
#162 00:00:13 03:12:38 0.05 mi 49.59 mi +4.74 % 12.01 mph 222 w
#163 00:03:01 03:15:39 0.88 mi 50.47 mi -0.92 % 17.45 mph 146 w
#164 00:00:27 03:16:06 0.11 mi 50.58 mi +2.56 % 13.93 mph 206 w
#165 00:01:02 03:17:09 0.25 mi 50.83 mi +1.54 % 14.21 mph 190 w
#166 00:00:10 03:17:20 0.05 mi 50.88 mi -0.81 % 16.14 mph 132 w
#167 00:00:34 03:17:54 0.11 mi 50.99 mi +4.29 % 12.05 mph 221 w
#168 00:01:26 03:19:20 0.25 mi 51.24 mi +4.23 % 10.63 mph 223 w
#169 00:04:18 03:23:39 0.71 mi 51.95 mi +4.56 % 9.92 mph 220 w
#170 00:02:40 03:26:20 0.42 mi 52.37 mi +5.20 % 9.32 mph 226 w
#171 00:00:24 03:26:44 0.08 mi 52.45 mi +2.26 % 12.09 mph 199 w
#172 00:02:23 03:29:07 0.78 mi 53.23 mi -0.52 % 19.74 mph 129 w
#173 00:00:49 03:29:57 0.29 mi 53.52 mi -1.35 % 21.09 mph 110 w
#174 00:00:23 03:30:20 0.14 mi 53.66 mi -2.82 % 21.48 mph 61 w
#175 00:00:46 03:31:07 0.17 mi 53.83 mi +3.92 % 12.92 mph 218 w
#176 00:01:12 03:32:19 0.29 mi 54.12 mi +0.95 % 14.37 mph 179 w
#177 00:01:22 03:33:41 0.40 mi 54.52 mi -0.18 % 17.34 mph 155 w
#178 00:00:12 03:33:54 0.05 mi 54.57 mi +4.20 % 14.25 mph 217 w
#179 00:00:53 03:34:47 0.25 mi 54.82 mi -1.28 % 17.15 mph 124 w
#180 00:00:05 03:34:53 0.03 mi 54.85 mi -5.90 % 21.23 mph 1 w
#181 00:01:19 03:36:13 0.73 mi 55.58 mi -8.87 % 32.86 mph 0 w
#182 00:01:32 03:37:45 0.55 mi 56.13 mi -1.71 % 21.28 mph 106 w
#183 00:00:51 03:38:37 0.28 mi 56.41 mi -0.17 % 19.20 mph 154 w
#184 00:00:08 03:38:45 0.04 mi 56.45 mi +3.02 % 16.79 mph 211 w
#185 00:00:47 03:39:32 0.27 mi 56.72 mi -4.01 % 20.79 mph 0 w
#186 00:00:04 03:39:37 0.03 mi 56.75 mi -2.39 % 24.62 mph 64 w
#187 00:00:56 03:40:34 0.28 mi 57.03 mi +0.73 % 18.00 mph 174 w
#188 00:01:27 03:42:01 0.49 mi 57.52 mi -1.01 % 20.08 mph 117 w
#189 00:00:17 03:42:19 0.10 mi 57.62 mi -0.13 % 20.04 mph 147 w
#190 00:00:17 03:42:36 0.09 mi 57.71 mi -0.09 % 18.46 mph 149 w
#191 00:00:12 03:42:49 0.06 mi 57.77 mi +0.69 % 17.48 mph 170 w
#192 00:01:31 03:44:20 0.30 mi 58.07 mi +3.39 % 11.93 mph 215 w
#193 00:02:07 03:46:27 0.58 mi 58.65 mi +0.39 % 16.56 mph 169 w
#194 00:01:38 03:48:06 0.37 mi 59.02 mi +2.50 % 13.42 mph 207 w
#195 00:02:42 03:50:48 0.70 mi 59.72 mi +1.02 % 15.64 mph 183 w
#196 00:00:32 03:51:20 0.10 mi 59.82 mi +4.94 % 11.05 mph 228 w
#197 00:04:26 03:55:46 0.40 mi 60.22 mi +10.18 % 5.45 mph 235 w
#198 00:02:16 03:58:02 0.44 mi 60.66 mi +3.03 % 11.63 mph 212 w
#199 00:00:15 03:58:18 0.05 mi 60.71 mi +3.91 % 11.26 mph 219 w
#200 00:03:02 04:01:21 0.82 mi 61.53 mi +0.67 % 16.05 mph 177 w
#201 00:00:23 04:01:44 0.12 mi 61.65 mi -2.41 % 18.72 mph 70 w
#202 00:00:23 04:02:08 0.16 mi 61.81 mi -3.32 % 23.81 mph 1 w
#203 00:00:16 04:02:24 0.11 mi 61.92 mi -0.88 % 23.63 mph 120 w
#204 00:02:47 04:05:12 0.79 mi 62.71 mi +1.05 % 17.06 mph 173 w
#205 00:01:10 04:06:22 0.42 mi 63.13 mi -2.14 % 21.36 mph 60 w
#206 00:01:06 04:07:29 0.24 mi 63.37 mi +4.08 % 12.83 mph 215 w
#207 00:00:18 04:07:48 0.06 mi 63.43 mi +3.23 % 11.65 mph 208 w
#208 00:00:47 04:08:36 0.24 mi 63.67 mi -1.35 % 17.94 mph 104 w
#209 00:00:28 04:09:04 0.12 mi 63.79 mi +2.25 % 15.85 mph 200 w
#210 00:00:16 04:09:20 0.06 mi 63.85 mi +3.12 % 13.64 mph 214 w
#211 00:03:11 04:12:32 1.05 mi 64.90 mi -0.39 % 19.79 mph 141 w
#212 00:00:21 04:12:53 0.13 mi 65.03 mi -2.38 % 21.45 mph 64 w
#213 00:00:13 04:13:07 0.07 mi 65.10 mi +1.48 % 19.83 mph 188 w
#214 00:00:52 04:14:00 0.48 mi 65.58 mi -9.39 % 32.60 mph 0 w
#215 00:00:45 04:14:45 0.36 mi 65.94 mi -2.61 % 28.41 mph 22 w
#216 00:01:38 04:16:23 0.66 mi 66.60 mi -2.52 % 24.05 mph 35 w
#217 00:00:06 04:16:29 0.04 mi 66.64 mi -1.59 % 23.16 mph 105 w
#218 00:01:47 04:18:17 0.60 mi 67.24 mi -0.42 % 19.95 mph 141 w
#219 00:03:57 04:22:15 1.32 mi 68.56 mi -0.22 % 20.07 mph 148 w
#220 00:00:17 04:22:32 0.09 mi 68.65 mi +1.79 % 18.13 mph 194 w
#221 00:00:59 04:23:31 0.34 mi 68.99 mi -3.05 % 20.90 mph 2 w
#222 00:01:34 04:25:06 0.54 mi 69.53 mi -0.21 % 20.64 mph 145 w
#223 00:00:56 04:26:03 0.25 mi 69.78 mi +2.22 % 16.03 mph 202 w
#224 00:00:41 04:26:44 0.18 mi 69.96 mi +1.84 % 15.11 mph 189 w
#225 00:00:13 04:26:58 0.06 mi 70.02 mi +0.14 % 16.44 mph 150 w
#226 00:00:40 04:27:38 0.23 mi 70.25 mi -1.47 % 20.25 mph 89 w
#227 00:03:10 04:30:48 1.10 mi 71.35 mi -0.29 % 20.80 mph 134 w
#228 00:01:22 04:32:10 0.50 mi 71.85 mi -1.48 % 21.85 mph 96 w
#229 00:01:15 04:33:26 0.37 mi 72.22 mi +0.82 % 17.77 mph 169 w
#230 00:00:12 04:33:39 0.03 mi 72.25 mi +10.59 % 9.23 mph 237 w
#231 00:00:54 04:34:33 0.31 mi 72.56 mi -4.47 % 20.81 mph 0 w
#232 00:01:57 04:36:30 0.59 mi 73.15 mi +0.16 % 18.15 mph 160 w
#233 00:00:37 04:37:08 0.20 mi 73.35 mi +0.02 % 19.07 mph 147 w
#234 00:01:42 04:38:50 0.53 mi 73.88 mi -0.39 % 18.44 mph 154 w
#235 00:01:49 04:40:40 0.49 mi 74.37 mi +0.11 % 16.22 mph 169 w
#236 00:01:15 04:41:55 0.35 mi 74.72 mi +0.19 % 16.97 mph 165 w
#237 00:02:04 04:44:00 0.66 mi 75.38 mi -0.19 % 19.16 mph 153 w
#238 00:00:13 04:44:13 0.06 mi 75.44 mi +3.13 % 16.80 mph 215 w
#239 00:02:25 04:46:39 0.69 mi 76.13 mi +0.16 % 17.18 mph 157 w
#240 00:03:01 04:49:40 0.91 mi 77.04 mi +0.30 % 17.98 mph 159 w
#241 00:01:09 04:50:50 0.39 mi 77.43 mi -0.64 % 20.38 mph 124 w
#242 00:02:28 04:53:19 0.70 mi 78.13 mi +1.49 % 16.98 mph 183 w
#243 00:00:22 04:53:41 0.11 mi 78.24 mi +0.72 % 17.40 mph 165 w
#244 00:01:20 04:55:02 0.27 mi 78.51 mi +4.02 % 11.98 mph 222 w
#245 00:04:52 04:59:54 0.47 mi 78.98 mi +9.48 % 5.83 mph 234 w
#246 00:02:20 05:02:15 0.25 mi 79.23 mi +8.64 % 6.29 mph 236 w
#247 00:00:24 05:02:39 0.06 mi 79.29 mi +5.53 % 8.11 mph 228 w
#248 00:01:13 05:03:52 0.24 mi 79.53 mi +3.08 % 11.94 mph 215 w
#249 00:01:16 05:05:08 0.39 mi 79.92 mi -0.56 % 18.57 mph 142 w
#250 00:01:45 05:06:54 0.61 mi 80.53 mi -1.18 % 20.89 mph 123 w
#251 00:01:31 05:08:25 0.27 mi 80.80 mi +4.53 % 10.80 mph 224 w
#252 00:00:27 05:08:52 0.09 mi 80.89 mi +3.09 % 11.57 mph 215 w
#253 00:00:22 05:09:15 0.16 mi 81.05 mi -8.39 % 25.74 mph 0 w
#254 00:00:33 05:09:48 0.21 mi 81.26 mi +1.89 % 22.90 mph 200 w
#255 00:00:22 05:10:11 0.11 mi 81.37 mi -1.71 % 17.88 mph 96 w
#256 00:00:29 05:10:40 0.19 mi 81.56 mi -3.83 % 22.94 mph 0 w
#257 00:02:07 05:12:47 0.38 mi 81.94 mi +4.75 % 10.75 mph 227 w
#258 00:01:57 05:14:45 0.54 mi 82.48 mi +0.63 % 16.66 mph 166 w
#259 00:00:12 05:14:57 0.06 mi 82.54 mi +0.24 % 18.23 mph 150 w
#260 00:01:23 05:16:21 0.52 mi 83.06 mi -1.67 % 22.40 mph 74 w
#261 00:02:04 05:18:25 1.17 mi 84.23 mi -7.50 % 33.74 mph 0 w
#262 00:01:57 05:20:23 0.47 mi 84.70 mi +2.88 % 14.47 mph 205 w
#263 00:01:11 05:21:34 0.39 mi 85.09 mi -2.92 % 19.71 mph 31 w
#264 00:00:12 05:21:47 0.07 mi 85.16 mi -0.49 % 20.66 mph 138 w
#265 00:01:18 05:23:05 0.43 mi 85.59 mi +0.05 % 19.73 mph 148 w
#266 00:03:51 05:26:57 0.57 mi 86.16 mi +5.96 % 8.79 mph 230 w
#267 00:01:10 05:28:08 0.10 mi 86.26 mi +12.06 % 5.21 mph 256 w
#268 00:03:05 05:31:14 0.26 mi 86.52 mi +11.57 % 5.10 mph 247 w
#269 00:02:21 05:33:35 0.30 mi 86.82 mi +6.65 % 7.58 mph 230 w
#270 00:00:16 05:33:52 0.06 mi 86.88 mi -0.29 % 12.25 mph 152 w
#271 00:00:18 05:34:10 0.10 mi 86.98 mi -4.67 % 20.24 mph 1 w
#272 00:00:44 05:34:55 0.22 mi 87.20 mi +2.09 % 17.53 mph 203 w
#273 00:01:35 05:36:30 0.44 mi 87.64 mi +0.53 % 16.77 mph 173 w
#274 00:00:36 05:37:06 0.16 mi 87.80 mi +1.54 % 16.12 mph 193 w
#275 00:00:33 05:37:39 0.18 mi 87.98 mi -2.25 % 19.33 mph 74 w
#276 00:01:10 05:38:50 0.45 mi 88.43 mi -1.63 % 22.89 mph 89 w
#277 00:02:36 05:41:27 0.52 mi 88.95 mi +3.93 % 11.98 mph 224 w
#278 00:01:22 05:42:49 0.50 mi 89.45 mi -3.60 % 21.77 mph 2 w
#279 00:00:49 05:43:39 0.48 mi 89.93 mi -10.30 % 34.26 mph 0 w
#280 00:00:05 05:43:44 0.05 mi 89.98 mi -5.85 % 34.00 mph 1 w
#281 00:00:51 05:44:36 0.36 mi 90.34 mi -2.56 % 25.37 mph 50 w
#282 00:01:51 05:46:28 0.66 mi 91.00 mi -2.76 % 21.37 mph 84 w
#283 00:00:32 05:47:00 0.16 mi 91.16 mi +0.16 % 17.46 mph 171 w
#284 00:01:19 05:48:19 0.30 mi 91.46 mi +1.36 % 13.49 mph 193 w
#285 00:01:27 05:49:47 0.43 mi 91.89 mi -1.55 % 17.56 mph 131 w
#286 00:01:15 05:51:02 0.43 mi 92.32 mi -2.86 % 20.65 mph 79 w
#287 00:01:39 05:52:42 0.29 mi 92.61 mi +4.27 % 10.29 mph 219 w
#288 00:00:11 05:52:54 0.04 mi 92.65 mi +0.70 % 11.38 mph 182 w
#289 00:00:13 05:53:08 0.07 mi 92.72 mi -6.88 % 17.08 mph 0 w
#290 00:00:37 05:53:46 0.27 mi 92.99 mi -4.25 % 25.89 mph 1 w
#291 00:01:04 05:54:50 0.22 mi 93.21 mi +4.60 % 12.43 mph 226 w
#292 00:00:11 05:55:02 0.04 mi 93.25 mi -0.76 % 12.63 mph 141 w
#293 00:01:52 05:56:55 0.61 mi 93.86 mi -1.55 % 19.50 mph 120 w
#294 00:01:11 05:58:06 0.21 mi 94.07 mi +4.58 % 10.72 mph 219 w
#295 00:01:11 05:59:18 0.36 mi 94.43 mi -1.67 % 18.20 mph 104 w
#296 00:02:21 06:01:39 0.81 mi 95.24 mi -0.96 % 20.67 mph 121 w
#297 00:00:08 06:01:47 0.05 mi 95.29 mi -1.74 % 20.95 mph 87 w
#298 00:02:02 06:03:49 0.62 mi 95.91 mi +0.17 % 18.40 mph 154 w
#299 00:01:17 06:05:07 0.30 mi 96.21 mi +2.37 % 14.07 mph 197 w
#300 00:00:38 06:05:45 0.21 mi 96.42 mi -4.36 % 20.02 mph 0 w
#301 00:00:14 06:06:00 0.09 mi 96.51 mi -0.62 % 21.71 mph 130 w
#302 00:04:19 06:10:19 1.16 mi 97.67 mi +1.08 % 16.15 mph 175 w
#303 00:00:32 06:10:51 0.20 mi 97.87 mi -4.98 % 22.72 mph 0 w
#304 00:02:27 06:13:19 0.36 mi 98.23 mi +6.71 % 8.70 mph 233 w
#305 00:00:17 06:13:37 0.04 mi 98.27 mi +6.97 % 7.91 mph 231 w
#306 00:00:59 06:14:36 0.41 mi 98.68 mi -6.62 % 25.11 mph 0 w
#307 00:00:46 06:15:22 0.31 mi 98.99 mi -0.03 % 23.61 mph 147 w
Totals/Avg 06:15:22 06:15:22 99.05 mi 99.05 mi +0.56% 15.83 mph 160.10 w

Climb Summary by Category

Category Climb Count Total Time Total Dist. Avg. Time Avg. Dist. Avg. Grade Avg. Speed Avg. Power
Cat4 30 01:56:19 18.18 mi 00:03:52 0.61 mi 5.00 % 10.31 mph 221 w
All Cats 30 01:56:19 18.18 mi 00:03:52 0.61 mi 5.00 % 10.31 mph 221 w
Climb Start Time Start Dist. Duration Distance Speed Power Grade Elevation Gain Category
#1 00:25:10 7.48 mi 00:02:14 0.42 mi 11.17 mph 215 w 3.90 % 86 ft Cat4
#2 00:28:14 8.13 mi 00:12:06 2.22 mi 10.99 mph 206 w 3.44 % 403 ft Cat4
#3 01:05:30 17.84 mi 00:01:47 0.25 mi 8.38 mph 217 w 5.82 % 77 ft Cat4
#4 01:14:00 19.85 mi 00:08:13 0.98 mi 7.18 mph 229 w 7.21 % 375 ft Cat4
#5 01:28:26 22.55 mi 00:00:57 0.19 mi 11.97 mph 217 w 4.04 % 41 ft Cat4
#6 01:37:34 25.49 mi 00:01:05 0.23 mi 12.44 mph 211 w 3.33 % 40 ft Cat4
#7 01:42:14 26.80 mi 00:01:00 0.19 mi 11.22 mph 226 w 4.49 % 44 ft Cat4
#8 01:43:54 27.19 mi 00:02:01 0.40 mi 11.95 mph 220 w 3.86 % 82 ft Cat4
#9 01:46:45 27.85 mi 00:01:15 0.18 mi 8.77 mph 205 w 6.36 % 61 ft Cat4
#10 01:52:47 29.44 mi 00:00:51 0.17 mi 12.26 mph 224 w 4.76 % 44 ft Cat4
#11 02:02:59 32.06 mi 00:08:43 1.24 mi 8.50 mph 228 w 5.44 % 355 ft Cat4
#12 02:30:50 39.17 mi 00:01:14 0.18 mi 8.55 mph 229 w 6.42 % 60 ft Cat4
#13 02:40:34 41.79 mi 00:08:56 1.23 mi 8.25 mph 227 w 5.86 % 381 ft Cat4
#14 02:51:15 43.60 mi 00:01:09 0.21 mi 10.94 mph 226 w 5.14 % 58 ft Cat4
#15 02:53:50 44.28 mi 00:01:11 0.20 mi 9.79 mph 230 w 7.12 % 73 ft Cat4
#16 03:02:21 46.98 mi 00:05:32 0.81 mi 8.71 mph 224 w 5.96 % 253 ft Cat4
#17 03:17:20 50.89 mi 00:09:24 1.58 mi 10.08 mph 218 w 4.54 % 379 ft Cat4
#18 03:30:20 53.69 mi 00:00:46 0.17 mi 12.92 mph 218 w 3.92 % 34 ft Cat4
#19 03:42:49 57.79 mi 00:01:31 0.30 mi 11.93 mph 215 w 3.39 % 54 ft Cat4
#20 03:50:48 59.75 mi 00:10:33 1.81 mi 10.27 mph 214 w 3.69 % 352 ft Cat4
#21 04:06:22 63.15 mi 00:01:25 0.30 mi 12.57 mph 212 w 3.91 % 61 ft Cat4
#22 04:53:41 78.28 mi 00:10:10 1.28 mi 7.57 mph 228 w 6.80 % 461 ft Cat4
#23 05:06:54 80.57 mi 00:01:58 0.36 mi 10.98 mph 220 w 4.18 % 80 ft Cat4
#24 05:10:40 81.61 mi 00:02:07 0.38 mi 10.75 mph 227 w 4.75 % 95 ft Cat4
#25 05:23:05 85.65 mi 00:10:29 1.23 mi 7.03 mph 241 w 7.83 % 509 ft Cat4
#26 05:38:50 88.49 mi 00:02:36 0.52 mi 11.98 mph 224 w 3.93 % 108 ft Cat4
#27 05:51:02 92.37 mi 00:01:51 0.32 mi 10.41 mph 201 w 3.86 % 66 ft Cat4
#28 05:53:46 93.03 mi 00:01:04 0.22 mi 12.43 mph 226 w 4.60 % 54 ft Cat4
#29 05:56:55 93.91 mi 00:01:11 0.21 mi 10.72 mph 219 w 4.58 % 51 ft Cat4
#30 06:10:52 97.94 mi 00:02:45 0.40 mi 8.62 mph 232 w 6.74 % 141 ft Cat4

Build your own personalized 2026 Gravel Nats power plan today! Sign up for a free Athlete Basic account to get started with your athlete profile and bike setup, then grab the 2025 Gravel Nats course to model your own race plan.

2026 Gravel Nats 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 Gravel Nats 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 Gravel Nats, 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 Gravel Nats, 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 Gravel Nats 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 Gravel Nats 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.

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Enter your FTP, weight, bike specs, and aero data to generate precise race predictions. Don't know your CdA? Our system can estimate it from your position and equipment or from a past ride so you can start racing with confidence.

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custom triathlon pacing plan

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Receive a detailed, segment-by-segment bike pacing strategy with variable power targets optimized for every section of your course. See your predicted bike split, IF, TSS and exactly how your pacing strategy balances speed with power.

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