MUZ30

Race strategy

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

• Final 1705m descent. Save your legs to go all out on it.
• Steep 35% wall. Control your pace and stay focused.
• Control your HR on the first mountain, and start the final descent from 15.2km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• Start · 0.0km–2.1km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 2.1km–15.2km · Climb of 1620m, high point 2124m. 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.
• Home · 15.2km–29.8km · Descent of 1705m averaging 12%. 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. Hike the steepest pitches.

Course

The course climbs 2000m+ and descends 2000m−. With 66m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 44% of the distance is uphill, 33% downhill and 22% flat. The longest climb runs 15.2km at an average 10.7% grade (1620m of vertical). The longest descent runs 14.7km at an average 11.6% grade (1705m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 25.9% over 0.5km. The steepest descent drops at 38.5% over 0.6km. Surface: 59% trail, 17% smooth, and 16% road. Flat-equivalent effort: 46.3 FlatKM.

Summits

The highest summit on the course is Penken (2095m), 13.1km from the start.

Poles

Trekking poles are worth taking: about 5.0km of the course favours them.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is moderate (index 24 of 100), with 7% of the load in the first half: 0 descents deserve a plan and a couple of downhill sessions before race day.

• Control your HR on the first mountain, and start the final descent from 15.2km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• 15.2–29.8 km · 1705 m D−, -11.6% · 0.0 km ahead → even, first half under control, let go at the end

Weather

On race day, start temperatures have historically ranged from 11°C to 20°C, with around 12°C at the highest point; the chance of precipitation is about 57%. Heavy rain of 10.0mm or more falls on about 11% of days around this date.