Race Roundups with Pete Stetina: The Gravel Earth Series Final
By Pete Stetina
Pro Cyclist
Fittingly, the final installment of this year's Race Roundups with Pete concludes with his recap of the Gravel Earth Series (GES) final: Ranxo. Read on to get an in-depth look at Pete's final GES race in Spain.
In case you aren't familiar, the Gravel Earth Series is an international collection of unique gravel races that are both challenging and immersive.
At Gravel Earth Series, we’ve joined forces with the most renowned Gravel events worldwide to create a unique experience. We not only uphold the highest standards of Gravel racing but also offer cyclists the chance to explore the most stunning landscapes on Earth while connecting with local cultures and traditions. Each race is a full immersion not just in nature, but in the communities that welcome us, turning every event into an enriching experience that goes far beyond sport.
Pete Stetina
Despite being relatively new in the gravel racing space, Gravel Earth Series (GES) has taken a unique angle and is quickly becoming one of the most prestigious series in the gravel world. They own a few of their events such as The Traka (Europe’s biggest gravel race) but for others, they partner with existing events worldwide, with a focus on experiential locations and routes.
Coming into the series final, Ranxo (an hour west of Barcelona), I was sitting fourth overall but Ranxo is weighed much heavier than any other event, being the final and all. It was clear that whomever had a killer ride on the day could take top honors.
In photos, the course looks mild, filled with endless rolling terrain similar to midwest American gravel, but once recon was finished, it was anything but. The rolling fitness friendly farm roads were linked with singletrack connections and also cyclocross dismount moments.
It was much rowdier than anyone expected.
The hardest climb of the day started at mile one, and I set the tempo from the gun using my climbing advantage to whittle the group. The Maurten Bicarb helped immensely given the intense start. A group of fifteen riders exited the climb and over the course of the next hour and following singletracks the group was always swelling and shattering.
Finally, by the halfway point the course became more straightforward and the front group settled in to maintain the advantage as we reduced our rolling boil to a simmer before turning up the heat for the final. I was maintaining my goal of 120g of carbs/hour via a variety of my favorite The Feed offerings and as attrition took its toll I knew I needed to manage the race tactically. The route wasn’t as selective so it was about playing a bit of chess: The right move had to come at the right time, not just with the legs but equally with the head.
I was heavily marked, and some Europeans were playing team tactics. With 20k to go I went all in on the final climb with fellow American and Canyon-sponsored rider Griffin Easter. While we're not true teammates, when things get complicated we can lean on each other in an alliance: I’d rather him win than another competitor and he feels the same.
We paired down it to the final 5 and on the descent he opened up a small gap. At the bottom the others stalled and I bluffed, “He’s my friend and Canyon homie” I said as I sat on and refused to turn through. If they brought him back I’d have fresher legs to counter-attack for the victory. They hesitated and Griff’s gap opened up. He committed to an all out time trial and soloed to the biggest win of his career! Behind, once the gap was bigger I started to push again and was able to pair the group further until just 2 remained: Series leader Simen Svendsen from Norway and myself. He beat me in the sprint.
I came home for third on the day and found Griff already stinking of champagne.
As hugs were exchanged I learned I’d only lept to third overall, despite dropping second and third in the global series. With Ranxo being worth 1.5x more than any other race, Griffin’s win vaulted him all the way from ninth to second. Similar things had happened in the Women’s overall, causing some confusion. I won’t lie in that I felt a bit sour about that and also learning in some complex backward math that had I pipped Simen in the sprint the ENTIRE series would have been mine. Alas, the rules are the rules and that’s racing. It sounds like GES will be adjusting the scoring system for 2025 to an easier to understand system, and I will definitely be returning for this series. They are doing it the right way with a healthy balance of adventure and competition. One race left in this busy 2024, Lifetime’s Grand Prix finale: Big Sugar in Arkansas!
Photo credit: @GravelEarthSeries