The UdG–Dexcom Chair, together with the Modeling and Intelligent Control Engineering Laboratory (MICELAB), the University of Girona (UdG), the School of Health and Sports (EUSES), and the Dr. Josep Trueta University Hospital, is promoting PEDAL-T1D — a pioneering clinical research initiative focused on understanding the effects of long-duration cycling in people living with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and advancing the development of artificial-intelligence tools for diabetes management.
GIRONA | 22 & 23 MAY 2026
About PEDAL-T1D
PEDAL-T1D is a collaborative clinical trial that combines sport, science, and technology to promote safer physical activity among people with T1D. The project explores how the body responds to prolonged moderate-intensity exercise through a real-world gravel cycling experience in Girona.
Throughout the study, researchers collect data related to glucose levels, insulin administration, heart rate, cycling power, nutrition intake, and physiological biomarkers obtained from biological samples. This information contributes to the creation of advanced databases for developing artificial-intelligence and predictive models capable of improving metabolic control, predicting glycemic responses during exercise, and supporting the next generation of artificial-pancreas technologies.
The initiative is part of the broader mission of the UdG–Dexcom Chair, which aims to advance the application of AI in diabetes care through interdisciplinary research, innovation, and collaboration between academia, healthcare professionals, and industry.
Who Can Participate
- Adults aged 18–65 living with type 1 diabetes.
- People with basic cycling experience and interest in non-competitive gravel cycling.
- Participation is completely free of charge and includes the use of monitoring devices and research equipment.
- The organization provides dinner, lunch, feeding stations, insurance coverage, and a custom PEDAL-T1D cycling jersey.
- Participants may bring their own gravel bike or request a bicycle from the organization at no additional cost.
Selection Criteria
| Inclusion Criteria | Exclusion Criteria |
|---|---|
| ✔ T1D diagnosed for more than 5 years. | ✖ Pregnancy or breastfeeding. |
| ✔ Age between 18 and 65 years. | ✖ Hypoglycemia unawareness (Clarke score > 3). |
| ✔ BMI between 18 and 30 kg/m². | ✖ Severe hypoglycemia during the last 6 months. |
| ✔ HbA1c ≤ 8.5% during the last 12 months. | ✖ Drug or alcohol abuse. |
| ✔ Physically active (~4 hours/week). | ✖ Relevant clinical pathology or medical condition. |
| ✔ Use of CGM and carbohydrate counting. | ✖ Inability to safely ride a gravel bicycle. |
| ✔ Valid exercise stress test and ECG. |
Event Overview
Friday, 22 May 2026 – Welcome & Research Session
The first day includes participant reception, presentation of the PEDAL-T1D project and the UdG–Dexcom Chair, informed consent procedures, and initial physiological assessments. Participants also attend technical sessions focused on device configuration and monitoring tools such as Dexcom, Garmin, and Strava. The session concludes with an open discussion involving researchers, healthcare professionals, and people living with T1D, followed by a group dinner.
Saturday, 23 May 2026 – Gravel Cycling Experience
The second day centers around a 75 km gravel cycling route starting from Vraivelo (Girona). During the activity, the organization provides continuous medical and mechanical support, feeding stations, and real-time monitoring of participant safety and glucose levels. Researchers collect physiological and metabolic data before, during, and after the ride to better understand individual responses to prolonged exercise.
The experience is designed not only as a clinical trial, but also as a community-driven event that encourages safe sport participation and knowledge exchange among people with T1D.
Research and Innovation
The data generated during PEDAL-T1D will support ongoing research conducted by MICELAB and the UdG–Dexcom Chair in the field of artificial intelligence applied to diabetes. The project contributes to the development of predictive algorithms, digital twins, and intelligent decision-support systems aimed at improving diabetes management in real-life scenarios.
Through initiatives like PEDAL-T1D, researchers seek to better understand how exercise affects glucose variability and to create technologies that help people with T1D perform physical activity with greater confidence, safety, and metabolic stability.
Registration
Places are limited and participation is subject to eligibility criteria established by the research team.
Click here to complete the PEDAL-T1D registration form
For more information about the project, logistics, and future editions, participants can visit the official PEDAL-T1D and UdG–Dexcom Chair channels.