Race Report: May 11

The Mud, The Crowd, The Podium

Absolutely incredible! At just 23 years old,Malen Osa Ansa took on the legendary, mud-soaked technical trails of Zegama and secured a spectacular,2nd Place finish. Not only did she grab her third career podium on this iconic course (3 for 3), but she also clocked the3rd fastest time in history, all while battling brutal weather conditions.

When the terrain gets this heavy, your fueling has to be flawless. Here is how Malen powered through the Basque country.

Malen's High-Intensity Fueling Blueprint

To sustain a historic pace in technical conditions, Malen executed a high-carb masterclass, targeting a massive~95g of carbohydrates per hour paired with a strict hydration and electrolyte protocol.

• The Steady Flow: Malen used2x portions of 64g BOOST™ Drink Mix Neutral in her flasks, ensuring a continuous stream of fast-acting carbohydrates from the start gun.
• Beating Flavor Fatigue: To keep her stomach happy at high intensity, she perfectly balanced her gels. She utilized5x BOOST™ Neutral Gels(25g Carbs) to bypass sugar fatigue, and rotated in5x BOOST™ Salted Lemon Gels for a refreshing twist.
• The Final Kick: She used1x BOOST™ Ice Mint Gel, in the race to clear her palate and maintain razor-sharp focus on the slick, technical descents.
• The Hydration Balance: Malen kept her fluid intake tightly controlled at500ml of water per hour, ensuring the high carb load was perfectly diluted for optimal absorption.
• The Cramp Shield: To fight off muscle fatigue in the cold, wet conditions, she locked in2,300mg of total sodium across the race.

Photos: Simon Dugué 

Zegama-Aizkorri Nutrition Breakdown