I think everyone knows what causes cramps ... too much exercise too fast and without proper hydration/nutrition, with weather playing a role. If you extend yourself before you are ready, you might cramp. If it is hot and you mess up your fluid intake you are more likely to cramp. Just because they can't say precisely what causes it doesn't mean it is not obvious. How many people cramp on short easy rides in cool weather ... none. How many cramp on long fast rides in the heat ... lots.

My personal experience shows that most people react different do different foods and conditions, and I know my wife has been tested for her body not handing things like potassium and certain vitamins very well, and she cramps way more than I do. Flushing your system with water or some form of electrolytes will not help if you don't know what your body is good a processing and poor at processing - you might actually be doing more harm than good. I have started reading up on a lot of genetic studies relating to the methylation process and other body functions and other body functions and things get very complicated very fast.

Bottom line you need to ensure you are properly trained for the distance and speed and weather and build up to it over years. In addition you need to figure out what drink supplement works well for your body and that you don't over hydrate or under hydrate and again that takes years to figure out cause you can't just copy your teammates who might handle things differently.

There is no easy answer because our bodies are just as different as our race styles ... so while large case studies are great, they may not apply to you. My favorite saying is we are all a case study of one.