Nice Roubion-Nice 100K

Course

The course climbs 5397 m+. With 49 m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 35% of the distance is uphill, 51% downhill and 14% flat. The longest climb runs 5.4 km at an average 16.1% grade (880 m of vertical). The longest descent runs 4.6 km at 11.7% (538 m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 37.0% over 0.6 km. The steepest descent drops at 45.2% over 0.2 km. Surface: 75% trail, 17% road, and 7% smooth. Flat-equivalent effort: 158.6 FlatKM.

Summits

The highest summit on the course is Mont Férion (1412 m), 69.6 km from the start. The course also passes close to Colline des Mélèzes (1858 m) and Crête de Gaïrra (1739 m).

Poles

Trekking poles are worth taking: about 15.9 km of the course favours them.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is high (index 66 of 100), with 52% of the load in the first half: 6 critical descents, the last of them run on already damaged legs. Downhill-specific preparation and a controlled early pace pay off here.

• Control on the marked descents until km 54, target pace until km 86, free after that. Short descents not listed: target pace.
• #4 · 8.3–14.4 km · 444 m D−, -7.3% · 87% of the race ahead → control
• #6 · 18.1–20.0 km · 306 m D−, -16.0% · 81% of the race ahead → control
• #2 · 20.4–26.3 km · 704 m D−, -12.0% · 76% of the race ahead → control
• #3 · 27.4–33.1 km · 647 m D−, -11.5% · 69% of the race ahead → control
• #1 · 48.7–60.9 km · 1342 m D−, -11.0% · 44% of the race ahead → target pace
• #5 · 69.6–81.3 km · 1156 m D−, -9.8% · 25% of the race ahead → target pace
• 99.9–106.0 km · 416 m D−, -6.8% · 2% of the race ahead → even, first half under control, let go at the end
• Plus 2 more notable descents not listed: target pace.

Weather

Historically on race day, start temperatures range from 5°C to 12°C, around 10°C at the highest point; the chance of precipitation is about 28%. Heavy rain of 10.0 mm or more falls on about 7% of days around this date.