X-Alpine

Race strategy

Hold a steady pace and save energy for every section.

• 2054m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Big early climb with 2.1km gain. Control your HR at altitude.
• Final 820m descent. Save your legs to go all out on it.
• Long race. Control your HR and effort. Early mistakes cost the most.
• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the descents until 84.1km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 130km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• Start · 0.0km–1.3km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.3km–27.6km · Climb of 1026m, descent of 2054m averaging 10%. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. 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.
• Work · 27.6km–69.7km · Climb of 2140m, high point 2817m, descent of 1509m averaging 20%, climb of 1555m. This is where the race is built: steady, solid effort. 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. At altitude your pace drops, and that's fine. Hike the steepest pitches.
• Fade · 69.7km–130km · Descent of 1393m averaging 10%, climb of 1022m, climb of 1180m. Plus 1 more climb and 2 descents. 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. At altitude your pace drops, and that's fine. Hike the steepest pitches. Your heart rate drifts down on its own: don't chase your early-race numbers, go by feel.
• Home · 130km–137km · Descent of 820m averaging 12%. No heroics: settle back into your own effort and hold it to the line. Very long descent: first half under control, then even, let go only near the end.

Course

The course climbs 10400m+. With 74m/km of climbing, the course is exceptionally steep, with long hiking-grade sections. By gradient, 44% of the distance is uphill, 44% downhill and 13% flat. The longest climb runs 17.6km at an average 12.1% grade (2140m of vertical). The longest descent runs 19.9km at an average 10.3% grade (2054m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 49.1% over 0.4km. The steepest descent drops at 48.5% over 0.2km. Surface: 70% trail, 12% technical, 11% road, and 7% smooth. Flat-equivalent effort: 234.1 FlatKM.