Traka is Europe's biggest gravel event. Races ranging from 50 to 560k attract thousands of riders, flooding the Spanish city of Girona. Most entrants pick one race, but Millie Gibbons decided to do it differently this year.

Millie selected every distance available - entering the 360, 200, 100 and 50km routes. This made for a total of 710km over three days; a worthy test of her new HUNT Sustain Phase One 42 Carbon Disc Ti Wheelset.

“It’s 8 am, and the crazy rain in Girona that cancelled the 560 finally stopped. I was on the start line of the 360 among friends, familiar faces and a load of other riders. 

The mud throughout the day felt more like a CX race in the UK, not the premium gravel one expects in Girona. Finishing just before midnight (bike and me covered in mud), I went home to eat a pizza, wash me and my bike in the bath and set the alarm for the 200 the next day with clean kit, stock up on gels, and get back onto a start line. This same process repeated itself ahead of the 100 (but with a full eight-hour sleep). 

The reason? When Europe’s biggest gravel event, the Traka, comes to Girona, the only way I want to spend the week is riding. So I decided to ride all of the distances the 360, 200, 100 and 50, across the three days.

It was like an ultra, but I got to go home each night, shower, open my full fridge, get clean kit, and sleep in my bed. Logistically, it was easier, but physically and mentally, it may have been harder as I was on a start line with people with fresh legs and parts of the route repeating itself. 

The 50 had the same start time as the 100, so I rode the route alone to finish in an empty grass field. This was very different from the finishes of the other three races (which felt like a party) but more like the ultra one I’m used to… just me and my bike. 

The Traka vibes excelled themselves; I covered 710kms in the three days and, of course had so much fun. “