What I've learned from riding (one of) Europe’s toughest ultra.

On September 1st, I started my biggest challenge yet. Badlands, one of Europe’s toughest gravel ultras in southern Spain. It’s a self-supported race, meaning you’re responsible for your own food, water, and place to sleep. The route covers 800 km with 16,000 meters of elevation. The real challenge though was the intense Spanish heat.

A good preparation meant not only being physically fit but having the right gear and a solid eating/drinking strategy. Overal the are went pretty well, I had no major issues a long the way. There are a couple of things I would do differently if I had to do it all over.

Below I’ve listed a summery of the things/choices (gear, race strategy hydration etc) that went well and things I would change next time racing Badlands.

Bike setup

Overall, my Sram Force Mullet setup was fine for this race. I was running a 40t x 10/50 gear ratio, but I found it a bit too heavy at times. A lighter option, like 38t x 10/52, might be better for the all climbs.

For tires I used the Schwalbe G-One RS 45mm, which performed great on the compact gravel. I didn’t get any flats, and they were fast on straight sections. However, I lacked some grip on a few descents, although there weren’t many sketchy downhill sections. For more comfort I’d like to try wider 50mm tires next time, especially paired with lower tire pressure

The cockpit worked fine, but I experienced some discomfort due to a pinched nerve in my hand. For next time, I’m considering trying a Redshift stem for extra shock absorption, especially when combined with wider tires and lower pressure. This should help improve comfort.

My Selle Italia SLR Boost saddle was comfortable, but unfortunately, I ended up with some saddle sores. I might try a different saddle. I also didn’t use any chamois cream this time, which I am going to use next time.

Bags

As for bags, the Apidura Race 1L Top Tube Bag worked perfectly. It was easy to open, and I could quickly grab what I needed on the go. The Apidura Race 4L Frame Bag had enough room for food and some spares. The Agu saddlebag was decent, but having so much weight at the back was less ideal during all the climbing. I might need to distribute the weight better next time.
I also wore the 2L hydration vest from Camelbak that had plenty of storage option as well.

Lights and navigation

Because at night the temperatures were much lower, I rode a lot of the time in the dark. For lighting, I used a Fenix HM65R headlamp on my helmet with three spare batteries. It’s really bright, and the battery lasts a long time. I would definitely use this one next time.

My Wahoo Elemnt Bolt did what it needed to. I sometimes missed having a color screen, but the battery life was great—I only needed to charge it twice during the race.

Hydration and nutrition

For hydration, I had three 0.75L bottles and a hydration vest with 2L. This turned out to be more than enough. Next time, I’ll also bring salt tablets, as I only had electrolytes with me, which wasn’t quite sufficient. I was sweating a lot and therefore lost a lot of salt.

In terms of nutrition, Maurten Drinkmix really saved me. Due to the heat I struggled a lot with solid food, so this worked perfectly for me. Finding suitable food along the way remains a challenge. The local cafés, serve bocadillos (baguette with ham or cheese), which tasted good, but they didn’t work well for me during the race. Next time, I’ll make sure to bring more food I’m familiar with, like pure sugars and candy.

Clothing and gear

I wore one set of clothing during the race, changing my bibs once. Next time, I’ll bring two relatively new bibs, so the padding is still thick. Not using chamois cream was a mistake, as I ended up with significant saddle sores. Other than that, I used all the clothing I brought: one jersey, two bibs, a wind jacket, a puffer jacket, arm and leg warmers, and gloves.

Race strategy and sleeping

The biggest mistake I made with my race strategy was starting too fast. Next time, I’ll start slower so I can better adjust to the heat and the climbs. The race began with a climb, and it was warm from the start. I’ll also plan my stops better, focusing on supermarkets and skipping the little cafés (as much fun as they are).

When it comes to sleep I would not change much. I slept whenever I felt like I really needed it. I brought an air matras and a simple cotton liner. Next I would swap the liner for an emergency bivvy and maybe bring a smaller air matras.