Gran Fondo Ephrata

Gran Fondo Ephrata 2022 was my first time tackling this early-season classic. I came in with strong form and treated it as a training race, but quickly realized just how decisive the climbs, winds, and group dynamics would be. Looking back from the 2023 edition, I can see how this first attempt taught me a lot about pacing, fueling, and positioning.

I had just built up my Santa Cruz Stigmata with Bontrager Aeolus 3V wheels and 30/32c Specialized Roubaix tires — quick on pavement, but a little sketchy on loose gravel. The day started cold, so I layered up with Rapha Pro Team kit, vest, leg warmers, and gloves. Two bottles and a few gels were all I carried, which seemed fine at the time but feels underprepared compared to how I fueled the following year.

Race Narrative

Early Miles

The neutral rollout was pure chaos — 15 minutes of elbows and nerves before the gravel climb started. Positioning mattered, and I began too far back. The first climb (2.5 miles, 709 ft at 5.4%) demanded everything: 312w for 12:48 at 172 bpm. The surface was loose, traction was tricky, but I held steady.

The second climb (5.1 miles, 970 ft at 3.6%) was steadier: 270w for 24:36, HR 169 bpm. Riders were blowing up and regrouping all over the place. These first two efforts determined the groups for the day — something I remembered and planned simulations for in 2023.

Mid-Race Flow

The Baird Springs descent — 15 miles of loose gravel — was both thrilling and stressful. My Roubaix tires felt barely adequate, but I clung to the group. At the tunnel near the bottom, I forgot to remove my sunglasses and plunged into darkness, a rookie mistake I didn’t repeat the next year.

After that came long, windy pavement stretches where group riding was crucial. By luck, I found Gabe — a rider I’d met the previous fall in cyclocross. We worked well together, trading pulls, and later stopped at an unexpected aid station to reset. In 2023, I raced with a hydration pack to avoid relying on surprises like that — a direct lesson from this edition.

Nutrition was minimal: I blew past the official bottle drop at mile 40 with my group, thinking I could survive on what I had. One rider quipped, “It’s only 80 miles, why would you need to stop?” It worked out in 2022, but hindsight tells me I was on the edge. By contrast, in 2023 I planned 60g carbs per hour and still felt depleted by the end.

Key Moments

The Three Devils climbs at miles 58–61 were the hardest part. Fatigue was deep in the legs, the winds picked up, and every roller bit hard. But having Gabe to share the work made it manageable — it was the kind of mid-race companionship that defines these fondos. In 2023, those same Devils felt even worse with lower fitness, but I remembered how teamwork had carried me the year before.

Finish

In the closing miles, Gabe and I linked with two others. They sprinted for placings, but I let it go — this was always about effort and learning. My normalized power and pacing were strong, and it gave me confidence that I could race deeper the following season.

What Went Well

• Strong climbing on the first two decisive efforts.
• Held wheels on the long Baird Springs descent despite sketchy tires.
• Teamwork with Gabe in the second half kept motivation and pace high.

Needs Improvement

• Fueling was minimal — I let group momentum dictate choices instead of sticking to a plan.
• Tire choice was too narrow for comfort on loose descents.
• Neutral rollout positioning — starting too far back cost me early energy.