Last year was Adam Roberge’s first full season focusing on gravel racing, but that didn’t stop him from securing multiple podium finishes. This year, the Canadian plans on racing TransRockies Gravel Royale and is excited by the dynamics presented by a gravel stage race. Read on to see how Roberge trains in the cold winters of Quebec and more insights from the pro racer.

How do you approach winter training in Quebec?

I kind of like training in the winter here. I feel like the mix of fat biking for long rides and Zwifting for intensity is a great mix to not get bored. I can also do a little bit of cross country skiing because it's the off season and mix that with strength training. I mean, there's so much to do. I don't really get bored when I train during the winter. I know some people find it hard to do volume, and they feel like they need to get away but for me, it's kind of a great two or three months to train.

What has attracted you to gravel racing?

In gravel, every race brings something very different, and I think that's something that's very interesting about it in terms of the terrain, but also just the place you're in, just everything that there is around. I also really like how gravel is raced. You don’t hold anything back. It's hard racing from the start. That's kind of the thing I was craving from road cycling. In road cycling, we have some races that are like that when it's a hard course. I feel like with gravel races, you know that it's going to be pretty much a race until you die. I really liked that aspect of gravel that every time you cross that line, you really feel like you have nothing left. There’s also the diversity of the events but also diversity of bike riding. You have some pavement, you have some cool gravel, you have some crazy sector. So yeah, you can’t get bored in gravel.

Do you prefer one day races or stage races?

Actually on the road I really liked stage races. I think you kind of get into a zone and it's kind of a whole experience, but I've never done a gravel stage race. So TransRockies Gravel Royale is going to be my first ever stage race in gravel. I'm super excited about it. I think it could be good. I think having a GC makes it more interesting and you have to be consistent.

What are you most excited about for TransRockies Gravel Royale?

One of the big things is that I know the area is amazing for gravel riding and that's for sure something you take in consideration. I think the beautiful thing about being a privateer in gravel is that you kind of get to choose where you want to race. I know from talking with teammates and people that I know that are from the BC area that it's one of the best places to ride gravel in the world. I think the stage race aspect of it was very interesting for me also. Having to really plan for more than one race and having to be consistent, build a team around you, all of this stuff seems like a very cool and interesting project. And I mean, being from Canada, I think being able to do some events that are in Canada is really important also.

How do you approach training for gravel races?

I think at the start of the year, it's more a matter of building base fitness and building general attributes that you need to excel in gravel races. After that, you need to kind of specialize your training in the direction where the next races are going. For sure the training for a nine hour race and a four hour race is very, very different and I kind of learned that the hard way last year.

At the end of the day, you need to select what races you want to do well at and tailor your training a little bit to it.

What advice should riders consider when doing their first stage race?

I would just say treat it like a group ride because in a sense, it's just a group ride. That's how I treated my first ever gravel race. It kind of feels like a big group ride just with more motivation because it’s an organized event, you have a result, and everything is bigger. Try to find a group that is the right pace for you. Once you're in that group, understand that it's okay to get dropped by some of those people and it's okay to drop some of the people you're with. Then, try to be consistent with food intake because most of these gravel races are all day events. Other than that, just ride like you do in a normal group ride then go as hard as you can towards the end.

Every gravel race has something different so try to know the race and not arrive at it blindly. They all have some small details that make them very different. Take every race like it's a whole new experience.