TL;DR. Preparing for a 100, 200 or 360 km gravel race are three different problems. The 100 is trained with a road plan reinforced with long rides. The 200 demands real metabolic efficiency and practised race nutrition (minimum FTP 3.0 W/kg, 4,500-6,000 kcal consumed, IF 0.68-0.72). The 360 is sustained resource management over 20-30 hours: the preparation shifts category.
The most common mistake before a gravel race is underestimating the distance. Not in the physical sense — everyone knows 200 km is harder than 100 — but in what it requires in terms of specific preparation. The differences are not only about training volume. They are about type of effort, energy management, vibration tolerance and race psychology.
How do you train for a 100 km gravel race?
The effort profile at 100 km
A 100 km gravel race with 1,500-2,000 m of elevation gain has a typical duration of 3 to 5 hours for an amateur cyclist with between 2.2 and 3.0 W/kg FTP. At this pace and duration, the effort can be managed near threshold for most of the time: glycogen stores are sufficient to complete the distance without an elaborate nutritional strategy.
This makes the 100 accessible to cyclists with a solid aerobic base but without experience in long-distance events.
What training you need for the 100
The preparation block can be 8-12 weeks if you already have at least one season with more than 6 regular hours per week.
Minimum weekly volume: 6-8 hours. The weekly long ride should reach 3-3.5 hours at the peak of the base block. There is no need to exceed that to complete a 100 competently.
Specific sessions: threshold intervals (3×15-20 minutes at 95-100% FTP), dirt terrain rides of 2-2.5 hours to condition the upper body, and at least two rides of 3+ hours with practised carbohydrate intake.
Nutrition for the 100: between 1,500 and 2,500 kcal consumed. 60-90 grams of carbohydrate per hour are manageable with basic tolerance. You can train this during long rides without a sophisticated protocol.
How do you train for a 200 km gravel race?
The effort profile at 200 km: what the data says
As documented in the Traka 2027 preparation guide, sustained effort in a 200 km gravel race demands concrete figures:
- Minimum functional FTP: 3.0 W/kg. Below 2.8 W/kg the time exceeds 9-10 hours and mental management becomes decisive.
- Energy expenditure: between 4,500 and 6,000 kcal depending on weight and pace. No cyclist can ingest that volume of carbohydrates in real time without having trained gastrointestinal tolerance and fat oxidation capacity.
- Average race IF: 0.68-0.72. That means sustaining 68-72% of FTP for 8-10 hours. It is an effort that seems moderate but depletes without the appropriate metabolic base.
What training you need for the 200
Preparing for the 200 requires a minimum of 12 structured weeks in three blocks, as described in the gravel training plan.
Minimum weekly volume: 8-12 hours. The weekend long ride reaches 4.5-5.5 hours at the peak of the base block. This is the session that most differentiates the prepared cyclist from the unprepared one.
Metabolic efficiency: the main specific work of the 200 km that does not exist in the 100 km. Long rides of 4+ hours at zone 2 (below the first ventilatory threshold or at 70-75% of maximum heart rate) develop the ability to oxidise fat as fuel. Without this, glycogen dependence leads to bonking between km 80 and km 120.
Practised race nutrition: in the 200 km you must have practised carbohydrate intake on long rides at least 6-8 times before the race. The digestive system needs to adapt. Gastrointestinal problems during a race are the most preventable cause of abandonment.
Vibration management: the 200 km includes hours of dirt road that the 100 does not cover with the same accumulation. Incorporate at least 40% of long rides on dirt terrain. Add shoulder and core stability work (2 sessions per week of 20-25 minutes).
How do you train for a 360 km gravel race?
The category shift between the 200 and the 360
The 360 km is not a longer 200 km. It is a different problem.
A 360 km gravel event has a typical duration of 20 to 30 hours for well-prepared amateur cyclists. In that time range, sustainable effort is not determined primarily by aerobic power but by sleep management, solid food intake, mechanical problems, night-time hypothermia and the psychology of continuing when you are at your lowest point.
FTP matters less: a cyclist with 2.8 W/kg and good resource management can complete a 360 more capably than one with 3.2 W/kg who has not worked on metabolic efficiency or self-sufficiency.
Training volume changes: the long ride peak must reach 7-9 hours. Some back-to-back weekend sessions (Saturday 5 hours + Sunday 4 hours) simulate the accumulated fatigue of the second half of the race.
Mechanical self-sufficiency is mandatory: in a 360 there is no support team. You must be able to fix a puncture, adjust brakes and solve basic bike problems in conditions of darkness and fatigue. This is trained.
Solid food nutrition: beyond 8-10 hours of effort, gels and sports drinks stop being the only viable fuel source. The body rejects excess simple sugars. You must train solid food intake (rice, sandwiches, fruit) during long rides.
Vibration management: the differentiating factor in gravel
Dirt terrain vibration affects the upper body in a way that road training does not compensate for.
Trapezius, triceps, cervical extensors and lower back accumulate tension and fatigue over hours of gravel. In a 5-hour race this is discomfort. In a 10-hour race it can be the factor that decides whether you finish or not.
What to do: train on dirt terrain regularly, not just the month before the race. Add shoulder, core and neck stability work twice a week throughout the preparation block. Adjust your equipment: tyre pressure has more impact on vibration transmission than the carbon fibre of the frame.
Recommended progression if you are starting in gravel
If this is your first season in gravel, the logical path is:
- First year: a 100 km race. Learn the format, equipment and basic nutrition at manageable distances.
- Second year: a 100 km and a 200 km. With the previous year’s base, preparing for the 200 is achievable in 12 weeks.
- Third year onwards: if the 200 is already solid, the 360 can be the next step. Not before.
This progression is not conservative — it is the one that produces results without breakdowns. Cyclists who jump straight to 200 km in their first year of gravel rarely finish with the experience they expected.
For a complete view of the week-by-week work, read the gravel training plan: 12 weeks guide.
If you are still choosing your next race, the gravel calendar 2027 has the dates and profiles of the most relevant events.
And if after reading this you see that your situation needs individual adjustment, at Push Rider we work as gravel cycling coaches with 8 spots per edition and a specific race as the axis of the programme.