Gravel to build up endurance
While Zwift is an ideal platform for training during the winter, I also like to cycle outside when the weather permits. Like the rest of the world, I discovered gravel a few years ago, and I use this new form of cycling to keep up my endurance skills.
Flapping shirts and mugs at the saddle
Gravel is hip and has become synonymous with beautiful pictures in the woods, relaxing with a beer at sunset and, of course, checking out great routes on Komoot. When I think of gravel I see a bunch of cyclists enjoying unpaved roads with a big smile on their face. With their shirts flapping they cycle towards a new adventure where the enamel mug dances cheerfully up and down under the saddle.
Endurance on gravel in Limburg
Everyone approaches the sport in their own way and that includes me. Gravel for me is not about speed, KOMs or wattage. For the past few years it has provided me with a welcome solution so that I can make beautiful tours, ride relaxed, but still work on my endurance.
In recent months I made several trips in the most diverse areas of the Netherlands. Early this year I took the gravel bike to Limburg to imagine myself in Tuscany. Gijs Bruinsma treated the community to a fabulous route departing from Valkenburg. It was that warm weekend after we had just skated the week before. Magnificent rolling hills with ditto views and graceful Cypress trees forming a beautiful backdrop along the gravel roads. Moreover, we rode enough altitude meters. It is Limburg, after all. We spent five hours on the bike, covered 94 kilometers with almost 1400 altitude meters and enjoyed the beautiful day like two young boys. I can now say from experience: that does something to a person. Once home, we eat something and then the fatigue hits us like a sledgehammer. We are exhausted and not much later we close our eyes, tired but satisfied.
Turning and turning at the Kroondomein
Another gravel paradise in the Netherlands is the Kroondomein near Apeldoorn. Your gravel career isn't complete if you haven't cycled the gravel strips of the Loo.
On komoot and the familiar Facebook groups, a route covering much of this royal estate has been wandering for some time. Early on, the gravel bikes join us and we crank up the navigation for this winding route. It turns out to be the old mountain bike route and although it is completely unpaved, we get tired of the twisting and turning after a few hours.
Once again, the scenery is beautiful and captures the imagination. That's what makes cycling on a gravel bike so beautiful in my opinion. You discover paths you wouldn't easily discover with a road bike, you can make nice distances and this results in a lot of work. This day we don't gain that many altitude meters, but we still spend four and a half hours on the bike. A day well spent.
Nice and flat in the Gooi
Around Hilversum you will find many unpaved roads in the woods and on the heath. Extremely suitable for the gravel bike. The course can be described as less challenging than in Limburg or the Kroondomein, but the paths are wide and the nature is beautiful.
In some 100 kilometers we take almost all unpaved roads on the Gooi mattress. Along the way we see a restaurant next to a number of deer where we score coffee and an apple point. Due to the flat nature of the route we ride a lot smoother. A good workout is over.
Limburg is favorite
Enjoying the surroundings, the company and the beautiful routes I unconsciously build up a lot of endurance. Time flies by. Once at home I enjoyed my bike ride, made beautiful photos and explored unknown roads. Gravel has so much more to offer besides its high hipster content.
By now I've cycled more than the three highlighted gravel routes and know a little bit about what's on offer in gravel country. If I had to choose between the three, Limburg is my favorite. It's hard and grueling, but the landscape is un-Dutch and the surroundings look a lot like where the Strade Bianche is ridden. I can recommend a day in Tuscany in the Netherlands to everyone. Just remember to bring your climbing legs and the right sports nutrition.
If you want to ride one of the above tours please register using the contact form below and we will send you the GPX files.
As BYE! Nutrition, we also partner with a number of gravel events! If you would like to participate in an organized gravel race, maybe one of the events below is something for you.
Saturday, September 4 The dirty Bear gravel ride, A beautiful ride through the High Fens in Belgium well organized where social togetherness (also mass start) in combination with a hellish ride of 165km makes an extra nice event. For more information see https://dirtyboar.be/
Saturday, September 11 Gravel ride GRIT, The gravel ride GRIT goes over undulating fields, winding country roads, scattered forests and past big old trees. The gravel ride starts in Twente but also takes you across the border into Germany. For more information see http://www.gravelrideintwente.nl/
