Gravel races come with their own set of challenges: long days in the saddle, unpredictable terrain, and often limited aid station support. Whether your goal is simply to finish feeling strong or to go all-out for a PR, here’s your step-by-step guide to race day fueling.

Sugar. This sweet and energy-rich substance (C12H22O11) has been used and treasured by humans for thousands of years. It is one of the world’s oldest documented commodities. It's also one of the most utilized ingredients in the world, and is responsible for bringing sweetness to our lives in the form of baked goods, chocolate, ice cream, and so much more. So why have these once highly valued granular bits of sweetness suddenly found their way into our health-conscious crosshairs?