Dennison Grade is only one of the reasons 6,500 feet arrives before the finish
GFNY Ventura debuts on Sunday, April 11, 2027, with an 87-mile competitive long route and 6,500 feet of climbing through Ventura County. The course's signature Dennison Grade climbs for eight miles and gains roughly 1,300 feet, while repeated mountain roads and descents demand sustained climbing, pacing restraint, and confident handling well beyond that single ascent.
For the rider with six weeks left and five to nine hours a week, this Alpine-Fondo rescue plan sharpens the fitness already present around sustained climbing, repeatable mountain power, descending confidence, and durability across 6,500 feet without forcing a reckless last-minute volume build.
INSIDE THE SAVE MY RACE PLAN — 5–9 HR/WK
Includes zone-tailored structured rides for your devices, built-in strength with video walkthroughs, heat protocols for when your race calls for them, peloton skills workouts, and nutrition and hydration guidance.
The Complete GFNY Ventura Guide — the training, the tactics, the gear and race day, explained simply and clearly: what to do, when to do it, and why it works.
Questions? Great. Hit me up at support@roadielabs.com.
Hey, I'm Matti. I spent 11 years at TrainingPeaks, where they trusted me to teach coaches how to coach at TrainingPeaks University. I raced Amateur Elite with Rio Grande Cycling Team and podiumed my age group at Unbound 200 in 2026. I have a degree in biology and exercise physiology from St. Olaf. I'm also a middle-aged dad of three, so I know training doesn't happen in a vacuum. I help gravel riders get stupidly fast without becoming the person who brings a food scale to a party