14 Takeaways from the Traka
Which race is the big race? Incredible media, and work to be done.
I wasn’t going to write anything because I didn’t race but then the whole race started gossiping to me so I decided to put their words together with my thoughts.
It was a different experience seeing the Traka from the sidelines, and here are my takeaways.
1. 200 or 360°?
Having two premier races in one weekend is confusing and splits the pro field in two.
The Traka 200km used to be perceived as the main event, and then last year the 360km grew in prominence with more Gravel Earth Series points on offer. This year the same has happened, and the pro field seems to have been split even further.
Also, the 360° is 325km now, which is kinda confusing. Make it make sense.
2. It’s the biggest gravel race in Europe.
This event keeps getting bigger every year. It’s the third biggest gravel race in the world (behind Unbound and UCI World Champs). The talent pool is deep, and it draws people from across the world to attend. The proximity to Girona is an added bonus too.
I can’t think of another race in Europe that comes close to the coverage, attendance, and prestige.
3. The race’s media was great.
The livestream was one of the best I’ve seen. Mid race clips were immediately posted online and went viral. The use of drones was 10/10, and a great case study for other organisers to study
I have nothing but good things to say here. This was truly one of the best I’ve seen at a gravel race and tops many big road races. Like, really, really, really good. Congrats.
4. Let’s talk about safety.
I didn’t race, so I have no first hand experience of the race. What I can say is that I saw an interview from Romain Bardet:
“I think gravel needs to find [its] own rules. You know it’s getting more and more competitive. The way it works works right now, it’s not good enough for the safety of the riders.”
What I will say is that knowing this course in general, it’s not the safest. Unprompted, one of the top pros (who races MTB) told me: “These descents are just dangerous. It’s like we’re on the wrong bike.” If the pros are saying that, how is it for those further back?
The race needs more signs too. Both from a ‘where does the race go’ perspective, but for warning other road users too.
5. Start line carnage.
At the start of the 360°, the organisation accidentally let almost the entire age-group men’s field start before the pro women. This wasn’t the plan, and the elite women were supposed to start before the amateur men. When the organisers tried to turn the age-groupers around, some carried on, some didn’t. Then, even though explicitly not allowed in the regs, plenty of men were drafting the pro women.
Accidents happen, and this was an honest mistake. I wasn’t going to write aout it as I didn’t witness it in a person, however a bunch of the pro women in the Top 10 have messaged me about it, so it feels amiss to leave it out.
As one of messaged me: “If hundreds of amateurs went off just before the pro men’s race, there would be outrage.”
6. Specialized are the best team
1st and 3rd in the men’s 360°, 3rd in the women’s 360°, and 1st in the women’s 200km.
Specialized have done to gravel what they do in every other discipline: hire the best riders and win.
I do want to mention Rosa Klöser of Canyon. Rosa won the 360° and is one of the best female gravel racers in the world. While I understand why (overlapping contracts) it does seem bizarre that Canyon launched this big factory gravel team, and doesn’t have their best gravel athlete on it.
Either way you look at it, the two richest teams in the sport of gravel are the best. Shock!
7. Stupid onboard camera rules.
This was brought up to me so I checked the rulebook.
21.20 The use, possession, or carrying of any recording or transmission device during the race is prohibited, including but not limited to action cameras, on-board cameras, glasses with integrated cameras, smart glasses with artificial intelligence features, or any similar device capable of recording, transmitting, or assisting the rider. Non-compliance may result in penalties or disqualification.
This rule is stupid, and doesn’t make sense. You can’t play the safety card on this because by that math, bottles are dangerous too. Riders filming the race benefits everyone. Let’s just agree to change that rule, okay?
8. Communication needs improving.
I’m told that both the Traka 560 start day and time changed multiple times in the lead up to the race. And that the course for other races changed multiple times too. I’m a big fan of how the Unbound organisers do their course: you know the ‘ish’ direction of the race, but the final route isn’t released until it’s truly final.
9. Opportunity for better Girona integration.
The event can be better integrated with Girona itself. The start village is a ~10min walk from the centre of town, but there’s so much opportunity to bring them together. It’s the biggest gravel race in Europe, let’s celebrate that.
The Costa Brava car rally placed a big screen and livestream in Placa Independencia, the town’s main square; maybe the Traka can follow suit.
Equally, I’ve got to note that we need better education of riders in Girona - and better sign-posting of one-way systems. More education and awareness is needed from both sides in a weekend with this many cyclo-tourists in town. We can’t complain that people aren’t following the road rules when the road rules aren’t clear.
10. Extremely well done brand activations
With only race sponsors allowed in the expo in the start village, many brands turned their attention to ‘pop-ups’ in Girona.
Two of my favourites were the Quoc pop-up, and the ‘Gravel Times’ newspaper which was distributed across town. Hats off has to go to Athletic Affair, the marketing agency who led both of these campaigns.
Factor had a heavy presence, both branding and wrapping a handful of cafes as ‘Factor House’. However, I do wonder why they chose ‘Specialized red’ as their colour of choice.
11. Gravel Earth Series?
I am still not convinced about the viability, nor relevance of the Gravel Earth Series. The Traka is a huge one-weekend event, and is very clearly a ‘Monument’ of the gravel calendar, plus the biggest race in the GES.
Unfortunately for the GES, Life Time has a much bigger bank account, and a much clearer offering filled with globally relevant races. I wrote about this at length late last year, but the GES losing ‘The Rift’ and ‘Gravel Worlds’ really has impacted it.
12. Brands, be nice to your athletes
This isn’t necessarily a Traka takeaway, but it reared its head a few times around the race. Brands, please be nice to your athletes.
If a rider isn’t performing well, putting them down further isn’t the way to go about it. Trust me when I say that we are our own harshest critics and don’t need to be reminded.
Yes, athletes are paid to perform - and there’s a time and a place for that conversation - but elite sport dictates that not every race is a good race.
Be kind, it costs nothing.
13. I didn’t race, and helping mates is great.
For a whole bunch of reasons, I chose not to race. It was nice to be on the sidelines to help my mates out, and ultimately get a very different experience of the event.
When you’re in the race, it seems like it’s the biggest thing in the world. When you step back to just being a part of the race and helping a mate out, it brings a healthy dose of perspective.
14. Nice work, Klassmark.
Klassmark and I have butted heads so many times that I feel I have to add this in.
The Traka is a great event. It attracts worldwide attention and is a very fun week to be a part of. I write these articles to both highlight the good, but also point out what can be improved. Every event, no matter how big it is, can be improved. I hope that by writing these, we move to safer, and better races for all.
These articles have never, and will never, be with malicious intent. They come from a desire to make the sport better.
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Well said. Lifetime can definitely learn from Klassmark on livestreamjng. Traka had a leaderboard with time gaps and the main commentator knew the course cold. And Traka was not just a one-off; Santa Vall quality was the same. If there’s a better gravel livestream I haven’t seen it.