Modern machinery for modern gravel: How I took second place at the Welsh Gravel Championships

Gravel racing has evolved rapidly in recent years, with courses demanding endurance, skill and equipment capable of handling everything thrown at it. The Welsh Gravel Championships was a perfect example, with 63km and 1,800m of elevation across Crychan Forest’s mix of fast gravel tracks, steep climbs and technical descents. Racing on Yoeleo’s G21 gravel bike, I crossed the line in second place after more than three hours of racing.

The championships took place as part of Gravel Fondo Cymru, a one day event in mid-Wales, with the route delivering a challenging mix of terrain across 63km and 1,800m of elevation gain.

The day started warm, with a mass start seeing the women’s field set off just behind the senior men. The opening kilometres were all about positioning – keeping my key competitors within sight while working my way through the groups of riders ahead.

Many gravel races I’ve competed in previously have used timed segment formats, with the route split into several stages where riders race individually against the clock. This is often necessary due to public access restrictions, with forest tracks remaining open to other users. The Welsh Gravel Championships offered a different experience, with Crychan Forest closed to the public for the day, allowing us to race head-to-head from start to finish.

The course offered a real mix of gravel riding, with long, fast forest tracks broken up by technical single track sections. While some sections were rough and demanding, a gravel bike was definitely the right choice, allowing me to carry speed across the course.

For the race, I rode Yoeleo’s Altera G21 frameset, the brand’s latest race-focused gravel platform, paired with Yoeleo’s C45 NxT wheels featuring 45mm-deep carbon rims and a generous 27mm internal width. Despite the depth, the wheelset still comes in at under 1,400g, making it competitive for climbing while retaining aerodynamic benefits for the faster sections of the course. 

I needed a bike with enough clearance to run wide tyres and the Yoeleo Altera G21 offers clearance for up to 53mm tyres on 700c wheels in a 1x setup. I opted for 50mm Vittoria Terreno T50 tyres and the mixed tread pattern provided a good balance between rolling speed on the faster fire roads and the grip needed for the looser surfaces and technical single track.

The climbs quickly became one of the defining features of the race, with several steep ramps testing both fitness and gearing choices. With 1,800m of elevation packed into 63km, having enough range was essential. I opted for SRAM’s Force XPLR groupset with a wide-range 10-46T cassette paired with a 38-tooth chainring. This gave me the gearing I needed to keep moving on the steepest climbs, allowing me to stay riding where others were forced to get off and push.

I used Shimano XTR pedals, and while road pedals offer a larger platform – which is why some of the WorldTour road riders chose them at gravel Nationals – the risk of mud-clogged road cleats can quickly become a problem in off-road conditions. SPD-style pedals continue to perform even when covered in mud. Despite managing to stay on the bike for the steepest climbs, there were sections of the course affected by flooding where I had to dismount and carry the bike.

For a race of this length and difficulty, carrying enough fuel and spares was essential. I chose to run a saddlebag to give me extra capacity for tools and spares, while keeping my pockets free for gels and snacks. The Altera G21 also features integrated storage in the top tube and down tube, which I used to carry an emergency gel and tubeless plugs.

Because we started alongside the senior men, it was difficult to gauge exactly where the other women were once the race began to split. However, it did mean there were plenty of wheels to follow, allowing me to settle into groups and keep the pace high while focusing on managing my own effort.

The final 30 minutes were a real test, with the heat and the relentless climbs caught up with me. As my legs started to threaten cramping, I was grateful to find another rider to help keep the pace high. I held on to the finish to take second place in a time of 3 hours 16 minutes – a result I was really pleased with after such a demanding course.

You can read a full breakdown of my race setup here, or watch me talk through it here. If you’re interested in buying a Yoeleo Altera G21 Gravel Bike Frameset, check out the Yoeleo website.