Salomon Mitja Pirineu 21K

Race strategy

Run the climb at race pace, build your speed on the downhill, and go all out at the finish.

• Start easy and control your HR up to el Cau.
• Final 844m descent. Save your legs to go all out on it.
• Control your HR on the first mountain, and start the final descent from 10.3km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• Start · 0.0km–2.2km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 2.2km–10.3km · Climb of 845m, high point 1544m. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace.
• Home · 10.3km–20.5km · Descent of 844m averaging 8%. Build to the finish: leave whatever you have left out on the course. Very long descent: first half under control, then even, let go only near the end.

Course

The course climbs 1200m+. With 57m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 38% of the distance is uphill, 44% downhill and 18% flat. The longest climb runs 10.3km at an average 8.2% grade (845m of vertical). The longest descent runs 10.3km at an average 8.2% grade (844m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 29.4% over 0.5km. The steepest descent drops at 33.6% over 0.3km. Surface: 75% trail, 13% road, and 11% smooth. Flat-equivalent effort: 30.3 FlatKM.

Summits

The highest summit on the course is el Cau (1539m), 10.3km from the start. Other named summits along the route: Roc dels Quatre Batlles (1376m). The course also passes close to Serrat dels Moixons (1133m).

Poles

Poles bring little benefit here: only about 2.2km of pole-friendly terrain.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is low (index 13 of 100): a few descents worth noting, none of them decisive.

• Control your HR on the first mountain, and start the final descent from 10.3km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• 10.3–20.5 km · 844 m D−, -8.2% · 0.0 km ahead → even, first half under control, let go at the end

Weather

On race day, start temperatures have historically ranged from 9°C to 18°C, with around 15°C at the highest point; the chance of precipitation is about 38%. Heavy rain of 10.0mm or more falls on about 4% of days around this date.