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Sarah Sturm: The Traka

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Sarah Sturm: The Traka

Traveling overseas to race 360 kilometers in the midst of the demanding schedule of the Lifetime Grand Prix might not sound like the best strategy from a strict performance standpoint. Sarah Sturm writes about what else fed her motivation to line up for Europe’s most popular gravel race and why toeing the line at The Traka in Girona was, actually, exactly what she needed. Read on for Sarah’s reflections, a film by Benjamin Kraushaar and Dylan Stucki, and photos by Alex Roszko from her very long day.

Bikes of the 2022 GiRodeo: Argonaut, Battaglin, Belle, ENVE, Mosaic, OPEN, Repete, Rizzo, and Scarab

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Bikes of the 2022 GiRodeo: Argonaut, Battaglin, Belle, ENVE, Mosaic, OPEN, Repete, Rizzo, and Scarab

Aside from pristine days of riding, the GiRodeo was also a semi-nomadic bike show. The Service Course has long-term collaborative relationships with a number of builders, working together to pair builders and customers appropriately. I say “semi-nomadic” because the majority of builders rode their bikes, but also because the bikes that were not being ridden magically popped up in restaurants and breweries or wherever else events were held as part of the show. This is a rundown of my favorite bikes, many of which were part of the GiRodeo, and others were part of The Service Course’s furniture.

My First Rodeo: 2022 GiRodeo with The Service Course

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My First Rodeo: 2022 GiRodeo with The Service Course

Four hours into the drive from London to Girona, I began to question my life choices in having decided to drive rather than fly. Eight hours down the road—winding through the mountains with the cruise control set to 140kph with lunatic focus on the pool of tungsten light illuminating a patch of road ahead—I began to see its value. I needed this focus. High beam, dip beam, high beam, dip beam. The solo drive that started off listening to audiobook recommendations from Josh Weinberg had descended into a white knuckle ride against the clock to beat the dawn and shut myself in a dark hotel room to squeeze in a few hours of sleep before my first GiRodeo. It would be, in fact, everyone’s first GiRodeo. The inaugural edition of ENVE and The Service Course’s collaborative framebuilder roundup gravel extravaganza G-Rodeo, but in Girona. The GiRodeo.

The TRAKA 360 Film: Special Edition OPEN WI.DE Gravel Bike

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The TRAKA 360 Film: Special Edition OPEN WI.DE Gravel Bike

This coming Wednesday, June 15th, The Service Course is throwing a film premiere of its latest project, which follows its mechanic Diederik Deelen as he takes on The Traka 360, Girona’s premier gravel race. The screening takes place at Hors Categorie Girona and is free and open to the public. On display at the event will be this custom-painted OPEN bike, fitted with ENVE components and a hydro-dipped paint job, marvelously created by Sergio Vergel Escribano. We got an exclusive first look at this bike and are pleased to share it with you below!

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‘GP-1200’: Girona to Portugal Cycling Adventure

Our friend Sami worked on a project with Jack Ultra Cyclist and it’s worth the watch this Friday afternoon!

From the East coast of Spain to the Western shores of Portugal, in October 2019, Jack decided he needed a challenge and so set about riding the route non stop…

A journey of 1,200 kilometers with 11,910m of elevation gain, Jack finished the ride in 56 hours, fresh and relatively unscathed.

As part of this challenge, Jack was eager to raise awareness about mental health, in particular the stigma that is often associated with such conditions. Talking open and candidly about his own struggles with drug use and depression and how the bike has allowed him to overcome these difficult times, ‘GP-1200’ looks to turn a chapter in what can only be described as ‘a silent killer that affects us all,’ be it directly or indirectly.

“Riding my bike from Girona to Portugal is nothing compared to my early teenage years and my struggles with mental health. I just hope that by sharing my story, I can inspire others to go about pushing their own limits in search of happiness.”