A Makeover for SBT GRVL: Pete Stetina
By Pete Stetina
Pro Cyclist
Pete Stetina gives us a view into the hotly contested –and newly reformatted– SBT GRVL race in this latest recap. Pete not only took a podium finish, but he also shared why the new SBT may just be okay after all.
When SBT GRVL’s new format was announced, a cloud of pessimism darkened my thoughts.
Instead of a massive day of celebration in one of Colorado’s most beautiful towns, Saturday would be a non-competitive fun ride and Sunday would be a Pro circuit race 30 minutes east of town. The year’s long confrontation with the local ranching population had resulted in the county forcing the race to take drastic moves to minimize its impact on a small but vocal and politically aligned community. Additionally, they were forced by a hard-line Sheriff’s interpretation of the law to adopt a costly full rolling enclosure, which is nearly impossible in modern long-format gravel racing. Lastly, I was worried that, with the race being Sunday, the spectators would be minimal as Saturday’s riders traveled home.
Regardless, SBT is one of the Monuments of Gravel and has always stood as a 5-star race. Most sponsors were sticking around and I decided that I should give them the benefit of the doubt and select them over a few other conflicting races this same weekend. This was a sink or swim year for SBT, and I needed to vote with my registration.
The circuit race as far as a race course was tame (although the scenery was undeniably gorgeous): 3 laps of 40 miles and lacking any selective terrain save a single 4 minute hill in the middle of the lap. But, a good racer needs to figure out how to excel regardless of the route. I knew I would have to treat this like a tactics-forward road race, and mind would matter more than legs. I also knew a few other riders would share my desire to pair it down before it got out of control with attacking groups.
The first time over that steep aforementioned wall, Keegan went all in with me locked on his wheel and together we exited the other side with 6 riders, all of whom were considered contenders and quickly collaborated to establish the selection. We were ripping marbly gravel corners like a road race and there were a few puckering moments but over the next hour the gap grew from 1 to 2 and then to 3 minutes. We knew this was now the race.
The biggest boys in our group, Torbjorn Roed and Brennan Wertz, started using their size as an excuse to not roll through. That was part of their gameplay to conserve, and I chided them, which is also part of the game. The next time up the steep ramp, Torbjorn was actually looking a bit worse for wear so I injected another attack to gap him and thus the 5-rider podium was established, the only question was in what order.
It was then on the third lap the race shifted: The heat ramped exponentially, climbing into the 90s (with no shade) and the wind shifted 180 degrees and became a headwind on the hills. This effectively sapped both my pop and any option of escaping on the final uphills late in the day.
If you caught my “What’s in Pete’s Pocket” installment, those sachet’s of mix/electrolyte in the neutral water hands were clutch. But alas not quite enough, the cramps started twanging on that last lap, and I had to mitigate as best I could.
The final 10 miles are all downhill and pavement, save for a tiny hill 1.5 miles out. I knew Brennan Wertz’s card, being a very big rider, was to use his size and power on the descent. As Keegan and The Feed HPT Athlete Alexey Vermeulen launched on that little kicker, Brennan hung tough and countered on the descent, prying open a 5 second gap he could hold to the line for a well deserved victory. The cramps returned with the viciousness of that hill sprint, and I rolled across in 5th, to a well-attended crowd of spectators I’m happy to report!
Most importantly, I can confirm SBT was successful in their mandated new format. The downtown Saturday event was still jovial and full of tired bodies with happy eyes. The expo and all the auxiliary events were as engaging as ever. The rolling enclosure was successfully implemented, so it sounds like they will bring it back to downtown. In a year they had to prove it, they excelled, and I plan to return again!
In my 5 SBT GRVLs, I’ve been on the podium 4 times, a record I’ll take. The highlight of the weekend was having my twins join me on the podium. If I’m honest, racing to get a chance to have them stand with me up there was the biggest motivator this week.
So, What Was in Pete's Pocket?
Feed Run Bottle with 80-100g of Maurten
Sachets of Skratch Labs for refills