The Traka 360 2026: Race Report

The build-up

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All of a sudden I already was on my plane to Girona for The Traka 360, part of the Gravel Earth Series and arguably the biggest gravel race in Europe. My preparation was quite limited — I’d spent most of the winter on skis instead of the indoor trainer. But I was still fairly content with my form after Utopia 165 earlier in the season.

My expectations for Girona were high. I’d never been there, and from what I’d heard online, it’s one of the best gravel destinations in the world. And damn did it deliver!

I arrived 3 days before the start and used those days to prepare and do a recon of the start climb together with Magnus, who I’d met at Utopia. The city with its old town and all the cycling fanatics is incredible — Girona breathes cycling from every corner.

Race day

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The numbers

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And then it was already go time. I woke up at 4 o’clock to force down some oatmeal. Our start time was planned for 06:10, after the pro men and pro women. At 05:30 I arrived at the start and queued up in my start block. Took a caffeine gel and waited patiently for the gun to go off.

I was quite surprised when everyone around me got moving at 05:50 together with the pro men — some weren’t even with their bikes. We all got rolling and I tried to make up some positions before the first climb. After the race it was clear that this was an organizer’s mistake and not planned.

Race timeline

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1. Km 6 — First climb

   The first climb was hard — everyone was pushing, and I was riding at or above my threshold for most of it. The climb starts barely 6 km into the race and immediately shatters the field. After the rain the day before, the gravel was compact and fast-rolling, which only made the pace higher.
2. First flat — Finding a group

   After the descent I found a good group and together we caught more riders. I rode the entire first flat with that group — more or less working together. The fast gravel through the Empordà plains rewards cooperation.
3. Feed zone 1 — Lost the group

   At the first feed zone I lost the group. I had to stop to fill up my bottles and bladder since I had no support crew. Without support, every feed stop costs time — that's just the reality of racing open category on your own.
4. Second climb — Best views

   The second climb delivered the best views of the entire race — but also the first time I really struggled with the steepness and had to ride my own pace. The terrain had shifted from fast plains to punchy, technical gravel.
5. Second flat — New group

   Found another group on the second flat that pulled me through quickly. Trading pulls on the exposed Catalonian gravel makes a huge difference when you're 200 km deep.
6. Final big climb

   After feed zone 2 came the last big climb — a proper sufferfest. I still had over 250 W normalized power, which I was impressed with, but I paid for it afterwards.
7. Hour 10 — Into the deep

   From hour 10 I was struggling big time. I needed to let people pass as I couldn't hold their rear wheels anymore. Every time someone went by was a mental blow. This is where Garmin Hill — the steepest, most brutal climb of the day — hits you when you've already got 300+ km in your legs.
8. Final hour — Found something

   The last hour I found some energy again and could push successfully to the finish line. Crossing the line in Girona after 325 km of Catalan gravel was one of the best feelings.

The result

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For context: Mads Würtz Schmidt won the men’s pro race in 9:57:38 with a 90+ km solo break, and Rosa Klöser took the women’s race in 11:27:58 — both rode to dominant solo victories. The level at The Traka is insane, and I’m super happy with where I ended up.

Lessons learned

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What’s next

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I’m super happy with the result and look back on a superb week in Girona. The Traka 360 is a race I’d love to do again — with better preparation and a support plan, there’s definitely more time on the table.

Looking forward to race some road races this summer and finaly spend some more time on the mountain bike.