X-Traversee

Course

The course climbs 4200 m+. With 55 m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 47% of the distance is uphill, 42% downhill and 11% flat. The longest climb runs 8.6 km at an average 12.6% grade (1086 m of vertical). The longest descent runs 3.9 km at 16.3% (642 m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 37.8% over 0.2 km. The steepest descent drops at 45.5% over 0.2 km. Surface: 73% trail, 12% road, 7% technical, and 7% smooth. Flat-equivalent effort: 122.5 FlatKM.

Poles

Trekking poles are strongly recommended: about 11.5 km of the course is steep enough for them to pay off.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is high (index 54 of 100), with 37% of the load in the first half: 4 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 37, target pace until km 60, free after that. Short descents not listed: target pace.
• #4 · 9.2–10.3 km · 292 m D−, -25.2% · 86% of the race ahead → control
• #1 · 14.5–20.4 km · 853 m D−, -14.5% · 73% of the race ahead → control
• #2 · 36.1–44.3 km · 649 m D−, -7.9% · 41% of the race ahead → target pace
• #3 · 52.0–62.8 km · 1551 m D−, -14.3% · 16% of the race ahead → even, first half under control, let go at the end
• 68.3–74.8 km · 824 m D−, -12.7% · 0% of the race ahead → even, first half under control, let go at the end

Weather

Historically on race day, start temperatures range from 8°C to 19°C, around 10°C at the highest point; the chance of precipitation is about 46%. Heavy rain of 10.0 mm or more falls on about 8% of days around this date.