Маркукуле Треил

Race strategy

Short race: go all out.

• Hold your race pace up to 6.6km, but stay in control.
• Control your HR on the first mountain, and go all out on the final descent from 6.6km.
• Start · 0.0km–1.7km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Work · 1.7km–6.6km · Climb of 541m, high point 1076m. This is where the race is built: steady, solid effort. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace.
• Home · 6.6km–12.6km · Descent of 495m averaging 8%. Kick for the line: give it everything you've got.

Course

The course climbs 730m+. With 56m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 49% of the distance is uphill, 40% downhill and 10% flat. The longest climb runs 6.6km at an average 8.2% grade (541m of vertical). The longest descent runs 6.0km at an average 8.3% grade (495m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 29.3% over 0.4km. The steepest descent drops at 15.5% over 2.1km. Surface: 75% trail and 7% road. Flat-equivalent effort: 18.5 FlatKM.

Poles

Poles bring little benefit here: only about 1.5km of pole-friendly terrain.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is low (index 10 of 100): a few descents worth noting, none of them decisive.

• Control your HR on the first mountain, and go all out on the final descent from 6.6km.
• 6.6–12.6 km · 495 m D−, -8.3% · 0.0 km ahead → free

Weather

On race day, start temperatures have historically ranged from 0°C to 12°C, with around 5°C at the highest point; the chance of precipitation is about 34%. Heavy rain of 10.0mm or more falls on about 5% of days around this date.