Racing Roundup: The Traka 2025
Cycling is our chosen tool for exploration—of the world, but also ourselves. There's something uniquely magical about translating the wheel into forward motion with your own power that is tantalizingly addictive. When we line up in the corral on race day, there's a sweetness to the air, the feeling that all we have to do until we're back in that place is ride our bike. It's an absolutely beautiful thing.
This past weekend, three Argonaut ambassadors took to the stunning landscapes of Girona to test themselves at The Traka. Let's see how they fared across the challenging Spanish terrain.
Alex Tolome: Conquering the 560km Ultra
Factory rider Alex Tolome pushed the limits of endurance aboard his GR3, riding for over thirty-two hours without sleeping during the epic Traka 560. From Girona to the Pyrenees mountains to Costa Brava, the 560km loop with nearly 10,000m of climbing tested Alex's grit, strength, and problem-solving abilities.
The GR3's superior vibration dampening and stability proved essential during those critical overnight hours when fatigue set in and roads became more treacherous. Alex has been steadily building his experience in the dark arts of ultra cycling since he discovered the road bike, with international epics like The Rift in Iceland, Sahara Gravel in Morocco, and now the Traka 560 under his belt. Pair his wealth of experience with the gravel bike redefining what it means to perform across all terrains, we can't wait to see where Alex pushes himself next.
Cassia Boglio: The Season's Perspective
Cassia Boglio came into Girona with impressive momentum, having enjoyed 6 months of virtually flawless racing worldwide. Her recent accomplishments include road podiums at Australian Road Nationals as a solo rider, strong finishes in the BIWASE Tour of Vietnam, and solid gravel results in events like Gravel Earth Series' Santa Vall and a win at Tiger Tracks in Australia.
The women's 200km at Traka presented a different challenge. Racing at this distance requires mastering both bike handling and nutrition strategy. After 120km, Cassia was still in contention for a top 10 finish, showcasing how her GR3's responsive handling and efficient power transfer kept her competitive on the demanding course. By 160km, however, stomach issues began to take their toll, eventually leading to a DNF.
Knowing when to listen to your body takes as much strength and introspection as pushing through pain. With the women's racing scene becoming more competitive every weekend, we're confident Cassia will bring valuable lessons from Girona to her next challenge at Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder. Every champion's journey includes these moments of recalibration.
Ben's Custom GR3 Delivers
Our company founder and visionary, Ben, took on the 200km distance aboard his brand-new custom GR3. We featured his new ride last week in our lead-up to the Traka, and we're proud to say it was the perfect companion for his adventure.
With geometry perfectly matched to his unique biomechanical window of optimum power output and a custom layup designed by Ben himself, his GR3 delivered exceptional performance where it mattered most. Those long climbs and technical descents that define Girona's terrain were no match for the bike's responsive handling and stiffness. Ben pushed his 44t chainring for nearly 8 hours of uninterrupted riding, placing a remarkable 21st in his age group after maintaining an impressive 25.5km per hour average for the entire event.
Looking Forward
Girona. Gravel. GR3. What more could you need? A massive congratulations to everyone who participated in this year's Traka—it takes real determination and commitment to even show up at the starting line.
Did you tackle The Traka this year? We'd love to hear about your experience in the comments below!
Check out the recaps from our racers' perspectives on their Instagram accounts (@alextolome @cassiaboglio) and stay tuned here for all things Argonaut Factory Racing as we turn our attention to the road with a look at how Gran Fondos are reinvigorating road racing in the United States and a preview of the Oregon Gran Fondo.