Back for More! Rob Britton on The Traka 360
- Chris Mehlman
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
Words Chris Mehlman - Photography: ©Gravel Earth Series | ©The Traka | ©Photographer (Credited)
Rob Britton is no stranger to the rollercoaster of cycling, having spent over a decade racing professionally on the road, but one of his most surprising results came in 2024 at the Traka 360.
As Rob Britton prepares to go back for more and return to Girona for another go at the Traka 360-kilometre event, the soft-spoken Canadian reflected on his Traka comeback last year as “like lightning striking.” It’s rare to hear such an analogy from someone with so much experience, to whom most races are likely resigned to distant memory.
In the 2024 edition, Britton combined with fellow ex-roadie Pete Stetina to ride back through the field after being eight minutes down due to punctures, with Britton coming in second to Stetina despite riding with a broken Classified hub for much of the race. Joking that he “caught and passed more people that day than in [his] entire career combined,” he still seemed in awe of how a day filled with so many setbacks could turn out almost perfectly. Gravel opens up these opportunities in a way that road might not have over his professional career. It brings chances for impromptu temporary alliances forced by setbacks, and it offers a shot for people who, in any other discipline, might be counted out. Britton and Stetina’s rides might be the best reminder to always keep riding.
Britton attributes his success last year to, of course, great legs, but also to his steady ride from the back instead of an attacking ride from the front. The flat forced him and Pete to sit at a high, but sustainable power with no spikes, while the riders up front attacked each other and burned matches above their threshold.
When asked about his 2025 plans, Britton jokes about replicating his recipe for 2024 success: puncturing again and riding steadily to catch the leaders. He quickly sobers, though, highlighting something echoed across the pro fields in the US and Europe: gravel is getting faster than most people’s development can keep up with. Gone are the days of coasting on ex-WorldTour fitness. Now, getting percentage points better each year means you’re only keeping pace.
“Last year was like 2021 Unbound…and this year is like Unbound 2023,” Britton admits. Translation? Last year, the 360 was just beginning to peak out as a major race, with a few top professional riders headlining, but with little depth. 2025 will be strong and deep. It won’t be easy to win. Britton notes that many of the top riders from the 200k last year are now coming to the 360k distance, helping to shift it to become the marquee event of the weekend. This year’s live stream of the 360 highlights this change.
Last year’s rain and challenging course conditions, combined with his mechanical failures, have prompted some slight changes to Britton’s setup, though his Factor OSTRO Gravel frame is not changing.. He quips that “everyone is running 2.6' downhill tires” in gravel races now. Maybe he is seeing gravel 10 years down the line. Following the trend, he’s running a larger Schwalbe G1-RS up front (50c instead of 45c in the rear, a rigid fork instead of his Fox TaperCast fork from last year, and a 2x drivetrain instead of his Classified hub. A 50-34 and 11-36t in the rear will let him put the power down on the extended flats and occasional steep kickers that dot the course.
Britton’s prep is also different, with more time spent at home putting in the miles while avoiding endless nights in dreary hotels and on planes. He also competed in Cape Epic this year with fellow Canadian Andrew L’Esperence, an experience he likens to Volta Catalunya, the hardest road race he did as a pro.
This new off-road experience brought up another point of contemplation for Britton. Having seen generational changes on the road, he’s now experiencing the same off-road. Britton indicates he shifted to gravel to find something more inclusive, relaxed, and fun than the professional road pressure cooker, but he admits that professional gravel is becoming as intense as professional road.
Because of this, he hints at his future: ultra events and, maybe, more mountain bike stage races. He describes many smaller mountain bike stage races, such as Singletrack 6 and BC Bike Race, as perfectly balancing his love for racing with a welcoming atmosphere, but also says he loves the ultra gravel events because “no one knows who [he is]". Britton, never someone to elevate himself, quickly clarifies that he loves this because it brings pure racing and connections. He can interact with other racers like any other normal person, and without the intimidating might of his racing success changing the way people view him.
What races are on the list? Unbound XL, Atlas Mountain Race, and a return to Transcordilleras are on the cards in the next few years, with Oregon Trail and BC Bike Race confirmed for this year. Describing himself as someone who is not particularly goal-focused, our conversation does reveal two major objectives: finding a good balance in life and enjoying racing.
One thing is for sure. No matter how relaxed Britton is about the Traka 360, he’ll be one to watch next Friday.
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