Bern Gravel is one of the most fun days of my season. This year it also turned out to be one of the most painful.
Friday: Preparation Is Everything
I had ticked off every job on the list:
- A new chain on my freshly washed and (very importantly) charged gravel bike
- CO2 cartridges and a spare tube in the saddle bag
- Tyre pressures checked and new brake pads fitted
- Kit packed, nutrition planned and the route loaded
All that was left was a good night’s sleep before the early drive from Geneva to Bern.
There was just one spanner in the works. Yard Act, a band from Leeds, were playing in Lausanne that night, and I had a ticket.
Race Morning: Fuelled by Caffeine
After a great gig and a quick drive home, I was in bed just before midnight. I never sleep well before big events anyway, so six hours felt about par for the course.
I picked up Loïc at 8:00am. By the time we reached Bern I was on my fourth coffee and feeling pretty good. We collected our race packs, grabbed another double espresso (nothing like racing highly caffeinated) and had a quick chat with Alain Rumpf (@aswisswithapulse), founder of Cycliste.ch.
It was only 11°C, but I went for summer kit because I knew the race would heat up. After a few warm up sprints we lined up in block B, just behind the elites and the very fast riders.
The start pen was full of smiles and good humour. Then the countdown began, the gun went, and all you could hear was pedals clicking, Garmins beeping and gears changing.
The Fast and Slippery Opening 10km
After a few hundred metres of tarmac, we hit a fast, firm gravel track through the forest.
My plan for this flat opening section was to ride hard, but not too hard. I didn’t want to burn my matches before the climbing started, and I know from experience that the tight bends here cause plenty of crashes. So I let a few wheels go and sat at around threshold heart rate.
It wasn’t raining, but the ground was slippery, and I’d already seen several riders on the floor by the time I reached the first steep climb.
Eichholz: 500m at 13.4%
I knew people would pass me here. My weight holds me back on grades this steep. So I stayed calm and spun the pedals, or at least spun as much as you can on 13%.
Halfway: When the Cramps Hit
The next 10km rolled up and down, mostly up. I was keen to stay with my group and pushed hard, maybe too hard. By halfway I’d been at threshold for about an hour and a quarter, which I simply hadn’t trained for.
My calves decided to protest. With fire.
I had to let the group go while I worked out what to do:
- Should I get off and stretch?
- Should I keep going but ease off?
- Should I push a bigger gear?
- Should I push an easier gear?
- Should I just sit down and cry?
In the end I kept going, forced down a gel, drank plenty of carb mix and tried to manage the cramps while still trucking along at a decent pace.
No Rest on the Descents
After another 5km came a long downhill, where I stood on the pedals and tried to stretch out my calves. By now they felt like two bowling balls strapped to the back of my legs.
The trouble is, the descents at Bern Gravel never let you relax. Tight, slippery hairpins on a mix of gravel, leaves and mud don’t make for a chilled moment.
The Fluh: Averages Don’t Mean Anything
Next up was the Fluh, 1.1km at an average of 7.5%. As I’ve said before, averages mean nothing. This nasty little climb has ramps well above 15%. But I got through it, and knew there was only one big climb left.
The descent to the River Aare was coated in the slipperiest mud known to man. You know the kind: a thin, wet layer sitting on a hard surface. The moment my wheels went sideways, I took the rest very gingerly.
A Small Victory in the Forest
At the bottom was a short, steep, muddy and rooty section through the forest to the foot of the Wohleiberg. I have never ridden it without getting off my bike. This year, to my surprise (and no doubt to the relief of the riders behind me), I made it through without unclipping. I’ll admit I gave myself a little cheer.
Wohleiberg: Finally Finding My Rhythm
The Wohleiberg comes late in the race and is almost 1km at 9.4%. I’ve always struggled here. This time, despite the lingering cramp, I found a good rhythm and actually passed riders instead of being passed.
The descent is great fun. Rough field tracks lead onto a gravel road with speed bumps, which are either terrifying or terrific depending on your bike handling. I flew down, popping a few ollies, then hit the final forest singletrack, which reminds me of my rides along the Rhône here in Geneva.
The Final 5km
One last little climb (and a quick swerve around the rider ahead, whose front wheel washed out on the sharp turn) took us into the final 5km.
Two women in our group were clearly racing each other, so I pulled them along as much as I could. With 1km to go my calves started screaming again, so I flicked my elbow and settled into an easier rhythm to enjoy the run in.
Crossing the line was a relief, but also a little sad, because now we have to wait a whole year to come back.
Loïc rolled in a few minutes later. He’d been held up by a crash early on (and, he says, by not being fit enough). Just as he arrived, the rain that had threatened all day finally came, but by then we were heading back to the van and the road home.
The videos below give some kind of idea of the kind terrain we rode through. Enjoy!
What’s Next?
Next up is Greece in mid November, and a chance to qualify for the 2027 UCI Gravel World Championships. I hope my calves hold up better this time!
What I’ve Been Listening To While Writing
I’ve been slack with this music section over the last few blogs, but I promise to keep it going every week from now on.
This week it has to be Yard Act, the band I saw the night before the race. They’re a group of lads from Leeds who write sharp, funny and emotional songs (sometimes shouts). They’re full of energy, and frontman Jamie is like a cross between Jarvis Cocker, Mark E. Smith and Ian Curtis. The style can get a bit much at times, but their last two albums have some proper melodic tunes. Check out this Spotify playlist of some of their best stuff.
