The Traka has established itself as one of Europes premier gravel events, with five route choices from 50km to 560km and a start list that sees racing royalty rub shoulders with privateers and everyday enthusiasts.Anyone arriving in Girona expecting spring sunshine had a rude awakening, however thunder, lightning and heavy rain peppered the days leading up to the 2024 Traka. In fact, conditions became so bad, Thursdays ultra-distance race was revised, before being postponed and then scrapped altogether.Conditions out on the course ranged from well-drained sandy gravel through to bottomless clay mud. A sunny forecast after this weeks deluge has only complicated matters further, with the result being a whole host of tyre choices and setup solutions.Weve been in Girona to take a look at this years Traka. In this round-up of tech choices from the 200 and 360km races, we have long-distance rigs, the local tyre choice and plenty of aero mods.Finding tractionOne of the key riders for the men's 350 race chose in the Cinturato M - Liam Cahill / Our MediaThe tyre features a generously spaced tread patternThe Ultrabite provides tall shoulder tread - Liam Cahill / Our MediaThe Pathfinder is a low-profile tyre built for speed in fair conditions - Liam Cahill / Our MediaThe G-One R is another low-profile choice - Liam Cahill / Our MediaThe Cinturato was everywhere - Liam Cahill / Our MediaThis was the narrowest tyre that we saw all day - Liam Cahill / Our MediaCynthia Carson's bikeAdam Jordan was another opting for the G-One RTyre choices ranged from rubber designed to chase pure speed to riders looking for every bit of grip possible.The eminent model on show was Pirellis Cinturato tyre. Though this comes in many forms, the majority used the M version.One local Girona rider told us that many of the citys bike shops carry Pirelli tyres.Have some riders, who arrived in Spain expecting sunshine, been scrambling to purchase tyres with more tread as the course became slicker through the week?The threat of peanut butterMud clearance wasn't going to be an issue for this Ridley Kanzo. - Liam Cahill / Our MediaIt may be tempting to see the muddy conditions and fit the widest gravel tyres your bike will take.The risk, however, is that sections of the course turn to mud thicker than peanut butter, as we saw at Unbound 2023.This mud can clog a frame in just a few kilometres, forcing a rider off their bike and potentially ending their race.This was the narrowest tyre we saw all day. - Liam Cahill / Our MediaAs a result, several riders, such as Team Amanis Kenneth Karaya, sized down.The Traka 360 racer opted for 38mm Vittoria Terreno Mix tyres, telling BikeRadar he preferred the aero tyre profile, additional frame clearance and how the tyre cut down into the mud.Its all about aeroThis front end is designed for super long ridesThe shim is a custom 3D-printed design - Liam Cahill / Our MediaThe Control Tech aero extensions offer extra comfort and a little aero advantage - Liam Cahill / Our MediaThis is a very sleek front end - Liam Cahill / Our MediaLiam Cahill / Our MediaDespite the lengthy distances of the 360km and 560km races, where comfort might be seen as the overriding concern, many riders made at least some effort to optimise their bikes for aero gains.Sherry Cardona travelled to Girona for the 560km race but, after its cancellation, she chose to do longer training rides, rather than switch her entry to the shorter 360km race.Her Fara F/Gravel bike features a ControlTech Sirocco mini clip-on aero bar, mounted to the Fara drop bar via a 3D-printed custom riser.Sherry told BikeRadar that the additional riding position is ideal for efficiency on road sections. It also aids comfort, which is crucial on long days.Elsewhere, we saw a host of narrow bars and long stems.Sam is a tall guy, but that's a huge saddle to bar drop for off-road racing - Liam Cahill / Our MediaLiam Cahill / Our MediaThe stem on this Crux was unmarked, but that's at least 130mm long - Liam Cahill / Our MediaThe narrow Black Inc bar and turned in levers suggest this is a bike that goes quite fast - Liam Cahill / Our MediaAdam Jordan's Aspero 5 front end features a 38cm bar - Liam Cahill / Our MediaSam Andrews' computer angle suggests he'll have his head down for a lot of the race - Liam Cahill / Our MediaIncredible paintworkThe hydro-dipped design is anything but uniform - Liam Cahill / Our MediaPro road racing might provide some bling bikes, but nothing compares to a gravel event when it comes to tasty paint.Not even the mud could stop this paint shining through. - Liam Cahill / Our MediaThe mud of a pre-race spin couldnt hide this hydro-dipped paint on Sam Andrews Titici Relli.Freddy Ovett's S-Works Crux is an unmissable bike with that paintjob. - Liam Cahill / Our MediaFreddy Ovett had a beautiful burnt orange design with aero splatter detailing and logos from his sponsor, Zwift.Meanwhile, Cynthia Carsons 3T Extrema Italia featured a chalky purple finish on the upper part of the frame, which really popped in the sporadic Girona sunshine.Be still my beating heart. - Liam Cahill / Our MediaBut winning the day, in our eyes at least, was Kenneth Karayas Factor Ostro Gravel with a wild white-to-green fade and giraffe pattern.CeramicSpeed SLT dominatesNever mind the headset bearings, look at the cat holding a chainsaw. - Liam Cahill / Our MediaHidden inside many bikes, such as SJ Coventrys Standert Kettensge, were CeramicSpeeds SLT (Solid Lubrication Technology) headset bearings.This, according to CeramicSpeed, is a self-lubricating and corrosion-resistant design which, judging by the numbers we saw pre-race, has been keenly adopted by gravel racers.Lights, cameras charging stationsThe Son dynamo hub powers more than just the lights. - Liam Cahill / Our MediaBring together a collection of gravel pros and eager amateurs, and it truly is a case of lights, cameras and charging stations.Tour Divide winner Ulrich Bartholmoes fitted his drop-bar BMC hardtail mountain bike with a custom 29er front wheel featuring a Son dynamo hub.Night rides on unfamiliar trails require a big front light. - Liam Cahill / Our MediaThis is linked up to a Supernova M99 DY Pro headlamp, helping light his way through ultra races.The top cap above the stem is a clever cover for the charging port - Liam Cahill / Our MediaThe dynamo also powers a charging station, accessed by removing the rubber cap on top of his steerer tube. In here is a USB-C port, enabling him to charge his GPS computer, phone and any other device in need of some juice.The Insta 360 makes capturing race footage very easy. - Liam Cahill / Our MediaElsewhere, Sam Andrews had a neatly integrated Insta360 camera mounted under his out-front computer mount. This enables him to quickly record sections of his races for use in post-race edits.Excess baggageA very snug fit. - Liam Cahill / Our MediaHow much a rider carries with them in a race depends largely on the time it will take to complete the event and the conditions to be faced.The older Canyon Grail pictured above, with its double-decker front end, is fitted with a roomy strap-on frame bag from Post Carry.What is a gravel bike without a metal coffee mug? - Liam Cahill / Our MediaThe back of the bike has a large saddle bag with a Link My Ride mug dangling (Link My Ride is an app designed to help riders find fellow cyclists and organise bike rides). Itll likely need a wash before anything is drunk or eaten from it.Fabulous use of some anti-rattle foam here. - Liam Cahill / Our MediaMeanwhile, this Ninja T multi-tool is a very neat solution. The rider has taken the additional step of placing some foam padding under the tool to prevent any rattling while riding.Liam Cahill / Our MediaBikeRadars video manager, Felix Smith, was absolutely smitten with the frame bag mounting system on Sherry Cardonas Fara F/Gravel.The proprietary bag sits sleekly in the frame before detaching incredibly quickly. Sherry told BikeRadar that this feature is especially handy when staying in hotels on multi-day rides.That's not coming off in a hurry. - Liam Cahill / Our MediaOther racers, however, took a more basic approach to the storage of spares.Simple but effective. - Liam Cahill / Our MediaMudguards galoreThe Win Wing is a surprisingly effective mudguard. - Liam Cahill / Our MediaWith plenty of rain leading up to the race, some riders chose to use mudguards.The Ass Savers Win Wing Gravel was easily the top choice of the week.This gravel-specific mudguard is designed to offer rear protection from mud and spray, even if your bike doesnt have mounts.Who needs suspension?Unlike the Diverge STR, the Crux uses a simple and lightweight design around the seat tube. - Liam Cahill / Our MediaWhile the gravel suspension market has been growing in recent years, the Traka didnt seem to be the place for these short-travel forks.In fact, several sponsored racers chose lightweight and aero gravel race bikes over a brands shock-equipped model.The Pathfinder is a low-profile tyre built for speed in fair conditions - Liam Cahill / Our MediaDefending Traka 360 champion, Freddy Ovett, opted for the Specialized Crux. His S-Works model relied on 42mm Specialized Pathfinder tubeless tyres for cushioning.Two Diverge STRs in the wild. - Liam Cahill / Our MediaWe did, however, spot this pair of Specialized Diverge STRs, with their Future Shock systems front and back.Ulrich Bartholmoes rocked up on a drop-bar BMC hardtail mountain bike. - Felix Smith / Our MediaWhile the jurys out on suspension for an event such as the Traka, the notable exception was Ulrich Bartholmoes, who rocked up on a drop-bar BMC hardtail mountain bike.His build featured a RockShox Sid Select Plus with 100mm of travel.A Hutchinson Tundra tyre and RockShox fork provide plenty of traction. - Liam Cahill / Our MediaFitting the lockout for this requires a custom-made mount.If the suspension wasnt enough, Ulrich uses 50mm Hutchinson mountain bike tyres. A Tundra up front should provide plenty of traction, while the Touareg at the rear features a lower profile for faster rolling speeds.Sat on the Beast XC30 carbon rims, these balloon out to 55mm.The lockout requires a custom mount due to the larger diameter of the bar. - Liam Cahill / Our Media