After breaking her kneecap in 2022, the Trek Factory Racing rider reshaped her approach to performance, putting recovery and Unbroken at the center of her routine.
World Cup racing demands explosive power and precision, but what keeps athletes competitive week after week often happens far from the course.
For Trek-Unbroken XC’s Gwendalyn Gibson, recovery has become one of her most important performance tools in a season defined by heavy travel, long race blocks, and physical stress.
Her perspective changed dramatically after she broke her kneecap in 2022, an injury that forced her off the bike and gave her a very different understanding of performance.
“Sometimes less can be more,” Gibson says. “So much of what you’re capable of as an athlete depends on how well you take care of your body.”
It’s easy to use and I notice a real difference in muscle soreness and how quickly I bounce back.
- Gwendalyn Gibson
Instead of only focusing on more training, Gibson now puts just as much emphasis on the systems that allow her to perform consistently — mobility work, nutrition, sleep, and recovery strategies that fit the rhythm of life on the World Cup circuit.
Travel is one of her biggest challenges. Long-haul flights, time-zone shifts, and tight race schedules make getting the body ready especially difficult.
One tool that has become vital to Gibson’s routine is Unbroken, which she uses during travel and between race efforts.
“When I’m traveling or in a race block, I keep Unbroken in my bottle and take it after sessions or before bed,” Gibson says. “It’s easy to use and I notice a real difference in muscle soreness and how quickly I bounce back. When you’re racing multiple days or dealing with long travel, that recovery window really matters.”
Gwendalyn Gibson is feeling as well prepared as ever for the demanding World Cup season.
Because Unbroken is portable and easy to take, it fits naturally into Gibson’s demanding life as a racer — whether that’s on flights, during long transfers, or in the windows between race days.
“It’s such an easy addition to my routine,” she says. “If you’re racing a lot or training hard, I’d definitely recommend having something like this as part of your recovery plan.”
For Gibson, the lesson is simple: performance isn’t just built during training sessions.
It’s built in the recovery that makes the next one possible.
Read the full story here:
https://unbrokenrtr.com/blogs/testimonials/gwendalyn-gibson-on-world-cup-performance-and-recovery
