Средња стаза

Race strategy

Hold a steady pace and save energy for every section.

• 436m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Start easy and control your HR up to the aid station at 10.2km.
• Hold your race pace up to 17.9km, but stay in control.
• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the way down from it until 10.2km, then run your race pace, and go all out on the final descent from 17.9km.
• Start · 0.0km–2.3km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 2.3km–10.2km · Descent of 436m averaging 10%. Plus 1 more climb. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. This descent is hard on the legs: short steps, stay in control, poles if you have them.
• Work · 10.2km–17.9km · Climb of 460m, high point 992m. Plus 1 more climb and 1 descent. This is where the race is built: steady, solid effort. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace.
• Home · 17.9km–23.2km · Descent of 341m averaging 7%. Build to the finish: leave whatever you have left out on the course.

Course

The course climbs 1160m+. With 49m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 37% of the distance is uphill, 44% downhill and 19% flat. The longest climb runs 5.8km at an average 8.3% grade (483m of vertical). The longest descent runs 5.2km at an average 6.5% grade (341m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 27.5% over 0.4km. The steepest descent drops at 19.0% over 0.4km. Surface: 59% trail, 24% smooth, and 13% road. Flat-equivalent effort: 33.4 FlatKM.

Poles

Poles bring little benefit here: only about 5.0km of pole-friendly terrain.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is low (index 18 of 100): a few descents worth noting, none of them decisive.

• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the way down from it until 10.2km, then run your race pace, and go all out on the final descent from 17.9km.
• #1 · 5.8–10.1 km · 436 m D−, -10.1% · 13.0 km ahead → control
• 14.3–17.0 km · 339 m D−, -12.6% · 6.2 km ahead → your pace
• 17.9–23.2 km · 341 m D−, -6.5% · 0.0 km ahead → free

Weather

On race day, start temperatures have historically ranged from 11°C to 22°C, with around 15°C at the highest point; the chance of precipitation is about 44%. Heavy rain of 10.0mm or more falls on about 6% of days around this date.