What I carry for each stage. Part I

I usually try to carry only what I absolutely need when I´m racing at the Transrockies, Transalp or La Ruta. I don´t plan on making any major changes when I head off to race the Ironbike or the Cape Epic next year.

The Basics:

- Lobo Camelbak w/70 oz bladder
- Air chuck
- 1 CO2
- Pedros tire levers
- Mini pump
- 2 Clif bars, one in my pack and one in my jersey pocket already opened
- 1 tube
- 1 SRAM quicklink/powerlink
- 1 multitool
- 1 small plastic container for my pills
- 2 gel flasks
- 1 gel packet that I use when I´m waiting at the start line about 15 minutes before the fun begins.

Extras for La Ruta
- Small bottle of lube
- 1 empty H2O bottle. Before this year, the locations of the aid stations weren´t known in detail before the race. So veteran La Ruta racers had a small advantage because they had an idea of where the aid stations would be. It was only a small advantage because they weren´t always in the exact same place...use your water too soon and you might be screwed. I´d use the bottle for getting water from the streams or water hoses. I could use it to wash off mud or if I was really desperate I could drink from it.

Extras for the TR

- 1 extra tube, so 2 total
- 1 small seat bag. I keep my multitool, tire levers, CO2, extra tube and air chuck in it.
- 1 small bottle of lube
- 1 empty H2O bottle. See above.

Extras for the TA
- Seat bag. Same setup as for the TR
- Chain tool if my partner isn´t carrying one
- Small zip lock bag with Endurox for use right after the stage
- Small zip lock bag with about 20 euro and a credit card to grab something to eat right after the stage. You might not get/find your bag for up to 1-2 hours after finishing.

I´ll have some photos in Part II