A 102-mile desert century where the lack of one big climb makes sustained group speed the real course
The 102-mile flagship starts and finishes at the Tucson Convention Center and makes a broad paved-road loop through the Sonoran Desert south and east of downtown. The official 2026 map lists 2,887 feet of climbing, so the defining demands are economical group speed, position, fueling, and exposure over a full century rather than sustained mountain passes. The decisive problem is preserving speed and position for 102 miles without treating the modest elevation as permission to over-ride the opening half.
For the rider with a full calendar and four to six hours a week, this twelve-week plan directs limited training time toward economical group speed, positioning, fueling discipline, and late-race durability, with one purposeful longer ride each week.
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 El Tour de Tucson 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.
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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