TGS Extreme

Race strategy

Hold a steady pace and save energy for every section.

• Big early climb with 1850m gain. Hold your pace, save your legs for later.
• 852m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Steep 45% wall. Control your pace and stay focused.
• Final 846m descent. Save your legs to go all out on it.
• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the descents until 31.1km, then run your race pace, and go all out on the final descent from 34.9km.
• Start · 0.0km–1.7km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.7km–15.4km · Climb of 1851m, high point 1794m. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. Hike the steepest pitches.
• Work · 15.4km–21.2km · Descent of 852m averaging 15%. This is where the race is built: steady, solid effort. This descent is hard on the legs: short steps, stay in control, poles if you have them. Hike the steepest pitches.
• Fade · 21.2km–34.9km · Climb of 800m, descent of 1228m averaging 21%. Plus 2 more climbs and 1 descent. Your energy fades, and that's normal: hold a steady effort and stop counting the miles. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. This descent is hard on the legs: short steps, stay in control, poles if you have them. Hike the steepest pitches. Your heart rate drifts down on its own: don't chase your early-race numbers, go by feel.
• Home · 34.9km–40.4km · Descent of 846m averaging 15%. No heroics: settle back into your own effort and hold it to the line. Long descent: keep it even and let go only near the end. Hike the steepest pitches.

Course

The course climbs 3700m+. With 88m/km of climbing, the course is exceptionally steep, with long hiking-grade sections. By gradient, 44% of the distance is uphill, 45% downhill and 11% flat. The longest climb runs 15.4km at an average 12.0% grade (1851m of vertical). The longest descent runs 5.9km at an average 20.7% grade (1228m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 49.3% over 0.5km. The steepest descent drops at 49.5% over 0.2km. Surface: 59% trail, 25% technical, and 13% road. Flat-equivalent effort: 79.2 FlatKM.

Summits

The highest summit on the course is Monte Pilastro (1827m), 12.6km from the start. The course also passes close to Cima di Eghen (1557m) and Porta di Canal Grande (1536m).

Poles

Trekking poles are strongly recommended: about 8.5km of the course is steep enough for them to pay off.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is moderate (index 40 of 100), with 34% of the load in the first half: 2 descents deserve a plan and a couple of downhill sessions before race day.

• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the descents until 31.1km, then run your race pace, and go all out on the final descent from 34.9km.
• #1 · 15.4–21.2 km · 852 m D−, -14.8% · 19.2 km ahead → control
• #2 · 25.2–31.1 km · 1228 m D−, -20.7% · 9.3 km ahead → control
• 34.9–40.4 km · 846 m D−, -15.5% · 0.0 km ahead → even, let go at the end

Weather

On race day, start temperatures have historically ranged from 9°C to 17°C, with around 6°C at the highest point; the chance of precipitation is about 35%. Heavy rain of 10.0mm or more falls on about 14% of days around this date.