I know this might sound like an obvious topic, but rule number 1 here is: don’t overlook the obvious. People make it to the top by getting the details right. And packing the right stuff can be the difference between a race day that’s fully under your control, and one where things go wrong because you’ve overlooked little factors that can throw you off track. This stuff applies whether it’s a single overnight stay before a big race, or a multi-race trip abroad. You should develop an approach that gives you a kit bag of essentials that you know you can rely on, whatever the race, whatever the weather. Ideally, make lists that you can reuse and check off every time.
Start with the big picture. What sorts of stuff might you need? Headline groups:
Essentials
Cycling kit
Cycling accessories
Ordinary clothes
Personal hygiene and grooming
Home comforts
(Food and equipment will be addressed in other posts)
Essentials
Phone & money
I would say that most people are going to class their mobile phone as an essential. You might not actually die without it, but let’s face it, life is a lot harder without it! If you normally pay for everything by phone, bear in mind that race setups might not have such facilities so take some cash.
Licence
You must also remember your racing licence and check it is date for the full length of your trip, especially when racing abroad as they will be much more picky about it. It’s good to keep it somewhere hard to forget - for example, always in your wallet/phone case/purse, or in your kit bag if it has a suitable pocket.
Medicines
If you have any medical needs, make sure they are catered for. Inhalers, medicines, injections. Count up how long you will be away from home for and take sufficient, plus a safety margin! You could face delays, be involved in an accident, all kinds of stuff. So take a minimum of an extra day’s supply, more if appropriate based on the risk to your health if you run out, and the likelihood of being able to easily obtain additional supplies. This applies in the UK as well as abroad. I’m telling you this as it’s almost happened to me, quite recently in the UK. Take note, and it won’t happen to you! Keep it in a bag that stays with you so that nobody else can lose it.
You must also make sure you are aware of any TUE’s needed for medication, see the UK anti doping for guidance on this and much more. It is always a riders responsibility.
Cycling kit
As soon as you start to think about kit for a big race, you should ideally split your list in two: kit for course practice, and kit for racing. You don’t want to be on the start line in kit that is muddy or wet from practice. It will affect your core temperature and affect your performance. Also, you owe it to any sponsors to look the part on the start line. Don’t assume it will definitely be nice weather – forecasts can be wrong, and even if it’s nice, the course can still be wet from previous bad weather.
So pack 2 complete lots of kit, working from head to toe, covering all the possible weather conditions.
Head: Buffs, caps, headbands, depending on what you like.
Neck: Neckwarmers. Probably just for practice, but you never know!
Baselayers: Vests of different weights/sleeve lengths/necks etc. depending on what you favour. Sports bras, if these are separate from your baselayer.
Tops: You’ll probably race in a skinsuit, so jerseys, gilets and jackets might just be for practice, possibly jackets for the startline.
Bottoms: Usually shorts for practice, skinsuit for racing. In serious winter conditions you may want tights for practice too. Consider short- and long-sleeve skinsuits according to the weather.
Arms: Take arm-warmers if you might need to upgrade a short-sleeve skinsuit in chilly weather.
Legs: Take leg-warmers for added options. There is no point having kit at home when you find out you need it at a race. Also, a pair of side-zip leggings for the start line are a great idea.
Feet: Don’t skimp on socks – always take more than one pair. Cold feet can really affect your performance. Choose the weight according to the conditions.
Hands: Take gloves. Unless you really don’t have any, take some. Even if you don’t normally use them, some days are completely unexpected.
Waterproofs: If you have cycling waterproofs, take these too.
Another golden rule here. Do not listen to anyone who says that you “should” be warm enough and that you “shouldn’t” need arm-warmers, leg-warmers or gloves. Ride in whatever is comfortable for your body temperature but remember that if you are losing heat unnecessarily, you are losing energy, and therefore sacrificing power. I’m not saying you should wear a big fleecy onesie, just that you need to be wise. Think of that day Eli Iserbyt had to be carried off the course with hypothermia. Sometimes it is exceptionally cold but by being smart you can stay one step ahead.
At the end of this you should have two piles of kit: one for race and one for everything else. Ideally, pack these in separate compartments of your kit bag (or in separate bags, or in packing cubes etc.).
If you are packing for a multi-race trip, take as many of each option as you can reasonably fit in, so that you can create these two piles for each race as it comes around. Bear in mind that you might run into difficulties getting kit clean and dry again for the next day, so the more fresh kit you have, the less stress you will have while you are away.
Cycling accessories
Helmets & Concussion
If you can afford two helmets, take two. Ideally these should be packed into a protective helmet pod, or similar. Don’t mess around when it comes to helmets. They look after your brains.
We follow and recommend others to follow the British Cycling concussion guide and protocol. see link:
In my early twenties I lost my memory from a serious head injury on a bike (despite wearing a helmet), and although my memory came back, it was two years before I fully recovered. Read what downhiller Tahnee Seagrave said recently about her concussion here (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/66192293).
Every knock that your helmet takes when in transit is a knock that could be reducing your helmet’s ability to save your brain in an accident, so protect your helmet in transit. It’s nice to have two helmets should you have to practise in the rain, but it’s also useful in case you crash in practice but decide you are ok to race. You’ll need that spare.
Glasses
If you have a selection of eyewear for different conditions, take the full range. Obviously a clear lens is the most versatile, but shades and light enhancing ones can be really useful too. It depends how many options you can afford - and to some extent, whether you are reliant on prescription lenses. My husband isn’t, so he can afford quite a few choices, whereas my lenses are prescription meaning they cost about 3 times as much, so I tend to limit myself to 2 options: a clear lens and a multi-performance lens that enhances trail colours whilst also giving some reduction in glare.
Shoes
Again, take two pairs if you can afford them, preferably in shoe bags. You’ll have a dry pair for racing, and the practice pair can go to the pits in case you break a shoe in a crash. If your spare shoes are in a bag, they’re more likely to stay dry and it's easier for your mechanic to cart them from side to side in the pits. Also, you can put a name on the bag. We had a mix up in the pits last winter where another mechanic wanted to take shoes that didn’t belong to his rider. Different coloured bags can also help differentiate pairs of shoes when setting up at a race venue.
Spikes or studs. Make sure you have this with you and spares. It is good to regularly remove these to make sure they do not become seized into the shoe. They are also not needed on all courses.
Computer/chest strap etc.
Take whatever monitoring you usually use. Make sure you have chargers, mounts, anything you need to use it. Ideally charge it before you go so it’s one less thing to think about when you arrive. I’m struggling for other advice here since I stopped monitoring years ago!
Stretching mat
If you are serious about progressing to the highest levels, you should be stretching regularly. When we spent 10 days in Belgium with Annie Last this year, she got out her mat and stretched every day, without fail. You might not need a mat, but it can help if you end up somewhere with rough or hard floors.
Start/Finish bag
It is essential to be prepared after the race, particularly as we get into deep wet cold winter. You should have things ready for as soon as you finish a race, warm dry jacket, clean undervest if needed, hat and recovery drink.
You may be called to anti doping or podium directly after the race, so be prepared to look after yourself after the hardest race, you may need to add tights, socks & shoes as required.
Put all this into a waterproof drawstring bag with your name on it. When you take off your jacket on the startline, and hand back your final bottle, they can go into your bag for your helper to take away. Then they’re given back to you at the finish and you immediately have a dry jacket to keep you warm, plus something to drink. A waterproof bag helps because, depending on the race, the bag might end up being exposed to jetwash overspray for an hour.
Pins
Don’t forget safety pins for race numbers. Do not expect to be given these with your race number at International races.
Ordinary clothes
Again, break this down into various scenarios:
Travel to the hotel
Travel to the race venue
To wear between practice and race
To wear after race/podium
Going out for dinner?
Overnight clothing
Travel home
Outerwear
Not all of these categories will apply, and in some cases the clothes will double up for different purposes. Equally, on a multi-race trip you might need repeat options to cover several days. I like to have a set of team branded casual clothes so I always take the same stuff for after a race without having to think about it, but that’s just me.
Remember to think about overnight wear. Have something you’ll be comfortable in if you’re sharing a room, and that you can go outside in should you have an unexpected fire alarm in the middle of the night. (Trust me, it happens!)
Make sure you have enough layers to be warm enough, and so that you can mix and match according to conditions. Getting the temperature right is especially important if you are choosing clothes to wear between practice and racing. Allowing yourself to get cold is an absolute no-no. If appropriate, take a separate set of waterproofs for wearing around the venue, especially if you might be going to the pits. Don’t rely on reusing your cycling ones. Take waterproof boots or wellies for when you are hanging around at the venue so that your feet don’t get cold and wet. Have coats suitable for getting mucky and something separate for if you’ll be going out for a celebratory dinner. Take hats! I can’t stress that one enough. A couple of warm hats, at least one with team branding. They’re a really simple way to prevent heat loss, plus they’re an easy way of promoting your sponsor in any photos.
Personal hygiene and grooming
Think carefully about what personal care makes you feel comfortable. An international racing trip might be the first time you’ve gone abroad or to a race without your parents, and suddenly you won’t be able to rely on them to have packed your toothbrush. You don’t want to end up in a situation where you feel all smelly and untidy and you’re embarrassed because you’re with riders you don’t know that well. Preparing well for a trip is all about making sure you are comfortable while you are away, because then you can focus your mind completely on your racing. So think about what YOU need to feel good to race. And consider whether you need options to tidy yourself up quickly for any podium appearances.
When I got into racing, I took the time to find a really good toiletries bag that fitted into the end pocket of my kit bag perfectly. It opens up like a book into two halves. In one half I put all my “wet” toiletries i.e. everything I need for showering, washing leg shaving; and in the other half, “dry” things, like deodorant, hair styling, hand cream, makeup, all in travel sizes. I have a reminder on my phone that goes off every couple of months to make me check whether anything needs topping up so that I don’t get caught out. I also have lots of useful basics in there, like scissors (always handy); tweezers (you might get thorns in your hands in a crash); a tiny travel pack of laundry papers (detergent in the form of a paper) so that if I get caught out without a washing machine, I can deal with dirty kit in a sink. A tiny tablet organiser with basic painkillers and antihistamines is also useful. (We travel with a proper first aid kit in our van in case of accidents, but some basic medicines are useful to have to hand in case you have a headache in the night for example.) Another handy option is a flannel and a washbag - that is, a waterproof bag that you can put a used wet flannel into, so that your other stuff remains dry on the journey home. Or you might prefer wet wipes, but try and make them biodegradable. If you prefer an electric razor to a bladed one, make sure you can charge it. You may well want a towel in your kit bag too. I tend to have a decent size one that I can get dry with, plus a mini sports towel that I can stand on if there isn’t anywhere dry or clean.
Given this is cyclocross, you should also give some thought to embrocation (heat rubs) and oil. There are conditions where your legs (and other areas in some cases) will benefit from a coating of oil or embrocation. Take a selection of these. If they come in large containers, decant some into smaller pots or bottles so that you have enough space to always have the full range that you might want to choose from.
Consider whether you are likely to need menstrual products and plan these accordingly. I always have a small plastic travel pouch with a few just in case, but if I know I’ll definitely need them I’ll take sufficient for the trip. You might not have time to go and buy more, or you might not be able to get the exact products that you are comfortable with in a different country. I also travel with a few disposal bags too. There are all kinds of ways you can get caught out, like not having time to queue for toilets because you are rushing to get to the startline, so anything that gives you extra flexibility is a plus.
Home comforts
Again, this stuff is about making you as relaxed and comfortable as you can be. If there are things that are part of your ritual, take them with you. (Obviously there are limits to this, but you probably know what they are yourself.) Most people use music for warm up, so if you use a music player that’s not your phone, take it. Take headphones, probably ones that are comfortable for the turbo or rollers. You might want to take a speaker - just bear in mind that there are times this might be inappropriate, like if you’re sharing a room. Be considerate. I always need to take a Kindle so that I’ve got a selection of books to read. Make sure that you’ve got chargers and if necessary, continental plug adapters. You might need to travel with your pillow if you are sensitive to changes in sleeping position. And if you have some sort of lucky mascot that you normally take, then take it. If you need it, you need it. Even if your head just needs to know that your mascot is tucked away in your bag and you never get it out, if that is what works for you, then do it.
That’s it. I know it’s a long list, but once you’ve done it a few times, you’ll come up with ways to make sure you always have the same stuff every time. Like reusing lists, or like me with my always-ready toiletries bag. Some things you might leave in your kit bag full time - for example, I always have a branded hat, cycling waterproof and gloves in specific places in my kit bag.