The Mt. Ayit climb is only the start of Eilat's desert cost
A genuine Arava/Negev desert route, but mixed rather than continuously mountainous. The 140 km course opens with about 52 fast, flat kilometers on the Arava Road (Route 90) before the principal climb — Mt. The Route 12 'bathtubs' — roughly 60 km of exposed, repeatedly rolling desert hills after the Mt.
For the rider with eight weeks and four to six hours a week, this plan uses compact race-specific sessions and a focused longer ride to prepare for the Route 12 bathtubs after Mt. Ayit.
INSIDE THE TIME-CRUNCHED PLAN — 4–6 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 Gran Fondo Eilat 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