Gravel Riders: New Capstone Gravel Clinic June 2
Building on the first three weeks of the Spring Training Series (STS) clinics, we are adding a final “capstone” gravel session this year. It will apply what riders learn and practice in the initial clinics to riding faster, easier, and more safely on gravel.
Group riding skills are a part of all nearly all bicycle racing and a lot of recreational riding. Riding tightly in a pack is a hallmark of road racing and many track events. Cyclocross or MTB racing don’t focus on group riding, but the same concepts play out in common scenarios like starts, passing, cornering, and sprint finishes. For gravel riders, maybe you’re doing the Bløm, Pleasant Lake Ride, or Winnewana rides. Or maybe you'll be competing in the Michigan Gravel Race Series. Regardless, when it comes to gravel events, the same concepts and skills apply to:
Mass starts, neutral starts, and roll outs
Group riding on variable conditions—loose stone, potholes, tire tracks, wet
Cornering
Aid stations
Finishes
and more!
So come out to learn and practice the core skills of group riding the first three weeks of the Spring Training Series, then join us again on Sunday, June 2 (9:00-11:00 a.m.) at the Webster Township Hall for a final gravel-focused group riding clinic that will take those concepts and skills to the next level. Pre-registration is required like the other clinics.
We will be riding mostly on gravel—wet or dry—so come prepared. This clinic will not include a practice race (as the first 3 weeks of the STS clinics do), but it may include some brief race-like scenarios as part of the skill practice.
Please be aware that for an individual—and the group as whole—to get the most out of this gravel-focused session, knowing and using the skills presented over the course of the whole series will be necessary. The smooth, predictable course in Dexter will enable us to learn and practice the core concepts. Then the group can move to the gravel to apply and adapt those concepts in a more challenging context.
