The Cycling Brief
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The Cycling Brief
What 6,589 Gran Fondo finishers tell us about pacing
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<p>A new study of 6,589 finishers from the Quebrantahuesos Gran Fondo shows the fastest riders weren't the fastest starters. They held back early, paced more consistently, and separated from the field on the decisive climbs and at the finish.</p><p>In this episode: the research, what it means for time-capped riders, riders over 50, and riders chasing a result — plus a personal note on the gap between knowing what to do and actually doing it.</p><p>Source: Sánchez-Jiménez JL, Priego-Quesada JI, Oficial-Casado F. "Pacing strategies in Gran Fondo cycling: a large-scale analysis of the Quebrantahuesos race." Sport Sciences for Health. 2026;22:236.</p>
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