Two numbers, one decision that shapes your whole race-day fuelling plan: 22g or 30g. Both are real, dual-source energy gels built on the same award-winning Veloforte recipe. The difference is how much carbohydrate each one carries — and matching that to your carbs-per-hour target is the key to fuelling smarter, carrying less, and finishing stronger. Here's how to choose.
The Veloforte gel range at a glance
Every Veloforte gel delivers dual-source carbohydrate — glucose and fructose from real fruit juice — plus electrolytes, with no artificial sweeteners or colours, and Informed Sport certification. What varies is the carb load and the flavour and caffeine profile:
22g gels (33g pack): Tempo (ginger & citrus, caffeine-free), Primo (citrus, caffeine-free), Riba (berry & elderflower, caffeine-free), plus caffeinated Doppio (coffee) and Desto — each carrying 22g of dual-source carbs and 110mg sodium.
30g gel (45g pack): Rosso (raspberry, caffeine-free) — our new high-carb gel, with a boosted 30g of dual-source carbs and 150mg sodium.
The 22g gel: precision and versatility
Our 22g gels are the versatile core of the range. Each fits weightlessly in a pocket at half the volume of a standard gel, making them easy to carry and easy to take on the move.
They shine when you want finer control over your intake, a caffeine option (Doppio and Desto), or a specific flavour — like the real ginger in Tempo that helps settle the stomach. Taking one every 20 minutes gives you around 66g an hour, a reliable rhythm for marathons and long rides.
The 30g gel: meet Rosso, built for high-carb performance
For the biggest efforts, more carbohydrate in each gel changes everything — and that's why we made Rosso. Rosso packs a boosted 30g of dual-source carbs and 150mg of sodium into a compact 45g pack (up from the standard 33g). It's the same unchanged, award-winning recipe you already trust — just more of it — made with bright, real raspberries for a genuine sensory lift when the miles get long.
The advantage is simple: more carbs, fewer gels. With 30g per gel, you hit high carbs-per-hour targets while carrying less and fumbling fewer wrappers:
60g/hour = 2 Rosso gels
90g/hour = 3 Rosso gels
If your plan calls for the top of the carbs-per-hour range — ultras, gran fondos, iron-distance racing, fast marathons — Rosso is the most efficient way to get there. It lets you aim higher on the carb threshold while minimising the load you carry. Real fuel that travels light.
22g vs 30g: how to choose
Choose 22g when: you want precise, incremental control; you need a caffeine hit (Doppio/Desto); you prefer a specific flavour or the digestive benefit of Tempo's ginger; or your target sits comfortably around 60g/hour.
Choose 30g (Rosso) when: you're targeting 60–90g/hour on long, hard efforts; you want to carry fewer gels for the same energy; and you want the simplest possible race-day maths.
Or combine them: many athletes use Rosso as their high-carb workhorse and reach for a caffeinated 22g gel like Doppio when they want a targeted lift late in the race.
Match your gel to your plan
The right gel is the one that matches your carbs-per-hour target and your race. Work out your number first (our 30/60/90 guide covers this), then choose the gel — or gels — that hit it most efficiently. For most big-day efforts, that increasingly means Rosso: high carbs, real ingredients, less to carry.
Whichever you choose, it's real fuel, dual-source carbs, and no artificial shortcuts. Pick your number. Pick your gel. Go long.
What's the difference between a 22g and 30g energy gel?
The main difference is carbohydrate content. Veloforte's 22g gels (Tempo, Primo, Riba, Doppio, Desto) carry 22g of dual-source carbs each, while Rosso carries 30g. More carbs per gel means you can hit high carbs-per-hour targets while carrying fewer gels.
Which Veloforte gel is best for high-carb fuelling?
Rosso, our new 30g dual-source gel, is built for high-carb performance. Two Rosso gels give 60g/hour and three give 90g — ideal for ultras, gran fondos, iron-distance racing and fast marathons.
How many carbs are in a Rosso gel?
Rosso contains a boosted 30g of natural dual-source carbohydrate (glucose and fructose from real fruit juice) plus 150mg of sodium, in a compact 45g pack.
Should I use 22g or 30g gels for a marathon?
Either works. 22g gels give finer control and a caffeine option; Rosso's 30g lets you hit higher carb targets with fewer gels. Many runners combine them — Rosso for steady high-carb fuelling, a caffeinated 22g gel for a late lift.
Can I mix Veloforte's 22g and 30g gels in one race?
Yes. Many athletes use Rosso as their high-carb base and reach for a caffeinated 22g gel like Doppio or Desto when they want a targeted boost. All are built on the same dual-source, real-ingredient recipe.
