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Ride Smarter, Finish Stronger with Gravel Race Pacing Plans

Best Bike Split turns your power, course, surface, and conditions into a precise gravel pacing strategy — so you can ride your fastest sustainable pace across even the longest days.

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Gravel racing throws everything at you — mixed surfaces, remote unsupported sections, brutal elevation, and conditions that can turn on a dime. Best Bike Split creates gravel-optimized power plans that account for pavement, hardpack, and chunky sections alike, so you can push hard where it counts and hold something back for the miles still ahead, whether you're racing a short local grinder or a 200-mile monster day.

The Gravel Pacing Challenge

Ride Hard Without Cracking Before the Finish

Gravel races aren't run on a single, predictable surface. Pavement, hardpack, loose chunk, and mud can all show up in the same event, and long unsupported stretches mean a pacing mistake early can cost you hours later. The solution? Science-based variable power pacing that accounts for terrain, surface, and the sheer length of the day.

The Problem

Riding a single steady power number ignores how much rolling resistance changes across a gravel course. Hills, wind, surface transitions, and technical sections all demand different power outputs for optimal speed and energy management over a long day.

The BBS Solution

Best Bike Split analyzes every mile of your course — elevation changes, surface type, wind direction — then calculates the exact power targets that maximize speed while managing fatigue across the full distance.

The Result

Gravel racers using Best Bike Split consistently report stronger, more even finishes. Our algorithms prevent the classic mistake: burning too many matches on the fast, fun early miles and paying for it on the long grind home.

Our Top Features

Everything You Need for Your Best Gravel Race

Predict your gravel race split, plan precise pacing from your power data, and ride with confidence on race day — so you finish strong instead of surviving the last miles. Check out more about our top features.

Predict your split for short, mid, or ultra-distance gravel

Know your target time before race day with course-specific accuracy that accounts for surface changes. Plan your race strategy with confidence, understanding exactly where you'll gain or lose time on your specific course.

Optimize power so you don't crack in the final third

Our algorithm calculates the power ceiling that maximizes speed without compromising the back half of a long, unsupported day. See projected Training Stress Score (TSS) and fatigue metrics to ensure your pacing strategy optimizes total race time, not just the early miles.

Train the exact demands of your race, indoors or outdoors

Upload your race plan to Zwift, TrainerRoad, or your smart trainer for indoor workouts that replicate your race-day power targets. Or use our AI Workout Builder to create custom endurance and threshold sessions tailored to your race goals. Take it outside with workout files for Garmin, Hammerhead Karoo or Wahoo devices for course-specific outdoor training.

Follow real-time power guidance on your Garmin, Hammerhead Karoo or Wahoo

Execute your perfect pacing plan on race day with turn-by-turn power targets loaded directly to your bike computer. See your plan, current power, and time ahead/behind pace in real-time throughout the race.

Choose the fastest tires, gearing, and race strategy

Model different scenarios: wider tires vs. narrower, low-pressure comfort vs. lower rolling resistance, aggressive early pace vs. conservative start. Understand the time impact of every tire and pacing decision before race day.

See how fitness, surface, weight, and weather affect time

Test what-if scenarios and see how a muddy section impacts your split, how switching to a faster-rolling tire changes your predicted time on a hardpack course, or how a headwind on the exposed back half changes your pacing strategy. Use our Time Analysis tool to visualize exactly where power, weight, and equipment changes have the biggest impact on your finish time.

Pace perfectly to avoid blowing up on a long day

The biggest mistake in gravel racing is going out with the fast group and paying for it 60 miles later. Best Bike Split's variable power algorithm prevents the classic error of going too hard too early. Our pacing plans account for cumulative fatigue, ensuring you don't exceed sustainable effort even when adrenaline and a fast lead group tempt you to push harder than you can hold.

Learn from real ride data to improve every race

Upload your actual race files and compare against your plan. See where you held target power and where you deviated. Analyze the impact of pacing variations, surface conditions, and equipment on your performance. Use these insights to refine your strategy for the next race.

Plan with physics-based modeling trusted by pros

Best Bike Split's algorithms are used by World Tour cycling teams and professional gravel racers to optimize race performance. The same physics-based modeling that helps pros win races is available to age groupers. Our math accounts for aerodynamics, rolling resistance, gradient, wind, and power output to calculate the fastest possible way to complete your course.

Start race day with total confidence in your strategy

Eliminate pre-race anxiety about pacing. Roll off the start line knowing exactly what power to hold in every section of the course. No more guessing whether to go with the early attacks or stay conservative. Execute your plan with complete confidence that it's optimized for your fastest possible finish.

Gravel Race Pacing Plans

Optimized Pacing for Every Gravel Distance

Short Gravel Race Pacing

With a compact distance under 50 miles, short gravel races are raced close to threshold from the gun. Our plans typically target 80-90% of FTP depending on surface and elevation, with precise power targets that let you go with the early moves without cracking before the finish.

  • Predict your exact split before race day
  • Dial in aggressive pacing without blowing up
  • Optimize speed for short, high-intensity efforts
  • Execute perfectly with real-time power targets
80–90%
FTP Target
<50 mi
Distance
<3 hrs
Duration
gravel racer using power pacing on a short local gravel race

Mid-Distance Gravel Pacing

In the 50-100 mile range, gravel racing demands careful power management across mixed surfaces. Best Bike Split helps you find the power ceiling that allows for a competitive pace without cracking on the back half. Most athletes target 68-78% FTP with strategic surges on key sections.

  • Find the fastest sustainable pace across the distance
  • Balance early speed with a strong finish
  • Model terrain, surface, and wind dynamics
  • Train precisely for race-day demands
68–78%
FTP Target
50-100 mi
Distance
3-6 hrs
Duration
mid-distance gravel race pacing with garmin bike computer

Long-Course Gravel Pacing

Long-course gravel distances of 100-150 miles allow for less intensity than shorter races—typically 58-68% of FTP—but still require discipline to finish well. Our variable power algorithm adjusts your targets throughout the course, accounting for hills, wind sections, and surface changes while managing fatigue for the long day ahead.

  • Execute steady effort across the full distance
  • Adapt pacing for hills, wind, surface, and heat
  • Protect energy for the final unsupported miles
  • Validate nutrition and effort before race day
58–68%
FTP Target
100-150 mi
Distance
6-10 hrs
Duration
long-course gravel athlete following precision pacing plan

Ultra-Endurance Gravel Pacing

Ultra-endurance gravel races of 150+ miles are an exercise in patience and self-sufficiency. Most riders perform best at 50-58% of FTP, but this varies significantly based on course difficulty, elevation, temperature, and how well you've dialed in nutrition and pacing for a full day in the saddle.

  • Distribute effort perfectly across a huge distance
  • Prevent late-race fatigue and pacing mistakes
  • Model heat, terrain, and endurance limits
  • Plan aid station and nutrition timing
50–58%
FTP Target
150+ mi
Distance
10+ hrs
Duration
ultra-endurance gravel rider using power meter on a monster distance course

Easy Setup

Create Your Gravel Race Power Plan in 3 Steps

gravel racer power profile

Build Your Athlete Profile

Enter your FTP, weight, bike specs, and tire setup 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.

gravel specific courses

Select or Create a Course

Choose from thousands of existing gravel courses, or upload your own GPX file. Set rolling resistance by segment for pavement, hardpack, and chunky gravel sections, plus historical or forecasted weather for accurate predictions.

custom gravel race pacing plan

Get Your Personalized Plan

Receive a detailed, mile-by-mile gravel pacing strategy with variable power targets optimized for every section of your course. See your predicted split, IF, TSS and exactly how your pacing strategy balances speed with staying power for the long day ahead.

Train and Race with Your Plan

Download your plan to Zwift, TrainerRoad, or any ERG-mode trainer for indoor training. Export to Garmin, Hammerhead Karoo or Wahoo for outdoor training rides and race-day execution. Practice makes perfect — run your exact race plan in training before the big day.

Create Free Gravel Race Pacing Plan

Indoor and Outdoor Workouts

Train with Your Gravel Race Pacing Plan

Indoor Course Simulation

Why guess at race day power targets during training? Upload your plan to Zwift or TrainerRoad and ride the exact power profile you'll execute on race day, including long steady blocks that mirror the grind of a gravel course.

Outdoor Race Rehearsals

Load your gravel race pacing plan to your Garmin, Hammerhead Karoo or Wahoo device for outdoor execution. Ride the actual course if possible, or simulate race efforts on similar mixed-surface terrain. Follow your plan's power targets and build muscle memory for race-day execution.

Nutrition and Aid Station Planning

Best Bike Split's predicted split times help you plan aid station timing, nutrition intake, and hydration for a long, self-supported day. Use your plan to know approximately when you'll hit each checkpoint so you can plan fueling accordingly.

Progress Tracking

Compare your training rides against your plan. Are you able to hold the target watts across a long ride? Use real ride data to refine your plan, adjust FTP estimates, and optimize your race-day strategy.

Wahoo bike computer displaying gravel race power targets from Best Bike Split

Top Gravel Events

Use Best Bike Split for Your Next Gravel Race

UNBOUND Gravel

The most iconic gravel race in the world, held annually in the Flint Hills around Emporia, Kansas, with distances up to 200 miles of relentless, rolling gravel roads — the ultimate benchmark for ultra-endurance pacing strategy, tire selection, and self-supported race execution.

SBT GRVL

A high-altitude gravel race through the Steamboat Springs, Colorado backcountry, combining smooth dirt roads, punchy climbs, and thin mountain air — ideal for modeling elevation and altitude effects on pacing strategy and power output.

Belgian Waffle Ride (BWR)

A demanding mixed-terrain race series blending pavement, singletrack, and gravel sectors across multiple U.S. venues — a course type built for modeling rapid surface transitions and their impact on rolling resistance and pacing.

Crusher in the Tushar

A brutal Utah mountain gravel race climbing over 10,000 feet across paved, dirt, and gravel surfaces at altitude — a benchmark event for modeling sustained climbing effort and altitude-adjusted power targets.

USA Cycling Gravel National Championships

The domestic championship event for American gravel racers, bringing together age groupers and elites on a single national championship course — an ideal event for benchmarking pacing strategy against a competitive field.

Mid South

A fast-growing gravel race through the red dirt roads of Stillwater, Oklahoma, known for unpredictable weather and technical, sticky mud sections — a great test case for modeling how surface conditions swing predicted finish times.

Gravel FAQs

Gravel Race Pacing Questions

Target intensity depends heavily on duration and terrain. A short, punchy gravel race under 50 miles might be raced at 80-90% of FTP, while a mid-distance 50-100 mile event is usually closer to 68-78%. Monster distances of 100-150 miles drop to 58-68%, and true ultra-endurance gravel over 150 miles is often 50-58% of FTP. Course surface, elevation, and self-supported logistics all shift the optimal number. Best Bike Split models these variables to calculate your personal optimal pacing strategy, not a generic percentage.

Gravel racing mixes pavement, hardpack, chunky gravel, and sometimes singletrack in a single event, each with very different rolling resistance. Races are often much longer than road events, frequently unsupported between aid stations, and exposed to variable weather and elevation. Best Bike Split accounts for surface changes, terrain, and event duration when calculating your optimal power distribution.

A "Generic Pace Calculator" will be OK for a flat, single-surface course with calm conditions, with estimates that are typically within 5-8% of your actual finish time. On a course with mixed surfaces, significant climbing, or long exposed sections, the error margin grows significantly. Ultimately, you should model your actual race course in Best Bike Split for precision pacing using real course data, surface type, weather, and aerodynamics to produce a precise, segment-by-segment power plan tailored to your specific race.

While a power meter provides the most accurate execution tool, Best Bike Split can also create RPE and pace-based cheat sheets for guidance. However, we strongly recommend a power meter for gravel racing, since pacing discipline over many unsupported hours is one of the biggest factors separating a strong finish from a blown-up back half. If you're new to power-based training, check out our introduction to power meters to understand how they can improve your performance.

Yes. Best Bike Split can estimate FTP based on recent ride data, or you can perform an FTP test to establish your baseline. We also offer guidance on determining appropriate training and racing power zones once you have FTP established.

When power data, course information, surface type, and weather conditions are accurate, our physics-based modeling typically predicts finish times within a close margin, even across mixed-surface courses. Thousands of gravel racers validate these predictions every season across every distance category.

Yes. Rolling resistance changes dramatically between pavement, hardpack, chunky gravel, and mud, and that variation has a huge impact on a gravel race's finish time. Best Bike Split lets you set rolling resistance by segment and compare tire choices so you can see exactly how tire width, tread, and pressure affect your predicted split on your specific course.

Yes! Best Bike Split works for any gravel event—major races, regional series, local grinders, or a custom self-supported route. Simply upload your course GPX file, select from our database of courses, or create your own course using our Course Builder.

Best Bike Split isn't limited to one type of racing. Our physics-based pacing engine also works for road racing, triathlon, time trials, and mountain bike racing. Whatever you're training for, our course and weather modeling adapts to the surface, terrain, and demands of your specific event.

Best Bike Split vs Old Methods

Why Best Bike Split Beats Traditional Gravel Pacing

Steady-state pacing works on a trainer, not on a real gravel course. Best Bike Split analyzes terrain, surface, wind, and fatigue to deliver a precise, data-driven pacing plan that produces stronger, more even finishes.

Old School Method Best Bike Split Method

Ride Steady State Power

"Just hold 70% of FTP for the whole race"

Variable Power Pacing

Calculate optimal power for every mile based on gradient, wind, surface type, and cumulative fatigue.

The Problem

Real gravel courses aren't flat trainer roads. Hills, wind, and surface transitions all impact optimal power output. Riding steady watts means you're either over-pacing chunky climbs (and accumulating fatigue) or under-pacing smooth sections (and losing time).

The Result

Stronger finishes with less fatigue. More efficient use of your FTP throughout the course. A pacing strategy built for the whole day, not just the fast start.

Guessing your finish time from past races isn't reliable on a new course. Best Bike Split models the exact terrain, surface, and your performance to deliver precise, data-driven time predictions before race day.

Old School Method Best Bike Split Method

Guess Your Finish Time

"I did 9:30 last time, so maybe 9:15 on this course?"

Physics-Based Time Prediction

Model the exact course you're racing with your power, weight, tire choice, and expected conditions.

The Problem

Every course is different. Elevation gain, surface mix, wind exposure, and temperature all impact finish times. Past performance on different courses doesn't predict new course results.

The Result

Know your target finish time before race day. Plan nutrition timing, aid station logistics, and overall race strategy with accurate time predictions.

Join 150,000+ Athletes Already Racing Smarter

Stop guessing at gravel race pacing. Stop following generic advice that doesn't account for your specific course, surface, or abilities. Start using the same physics-based modeling trusted by pro gravel racers and world champion cyclists.

Athlete Basic Includes

Limited Features

  • Wahoo ELEMNT Integration
  • ELEMNT/KICKR Race Sims
  • Single Bike Profile
  • Single Race Plan
  • Automatic Climb Detection
  • Limited Race Analytics
  • Plan to Actual Comparison Tool
  • BBS AI Workout Builder
  • BBS AI Assistant
  • Workout Sync (top platforms)
  • Goal Race Time Model
  • Training Stress Score Model
  • Advanced Weather Feature
  • Advanced Surface Conditions
  • Time Analysis Tool

Premium Upgrade Unlocks

Included Top Features*

  • Wahoo ELEMNT Integration
  • ELEMNT/KICKR Race Sims
  • Unlimited Bike Profiles
  • Unlimited Race Plans
  • Automatic Climb Detection
  • Race Analytics Tool
  • Plan to Actual Comparison Tool
  • BBS AI Workout Builder
  • BBS AI Assistant
  • Workout Sync (top platforms)
  • Goal Race Time Model
  • Training Stress Score Model
  • Advanced Weather Feature
  • Advanced Surface Conditions
  • Time Analysis Tool

* View a full list of all our premium features that come with paid subscriptions.

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