UTA11

Race strategy

Run easy on the first mountain, then go all out on the second.

• 285m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Steep 34% wall. Control your pace and stay focused.
• Go easy on the first downhill, save your quads on the descents until 4.9km, then run your race pace.
• Start · 0.0km–1.7km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.7km–5.5km · Descent of 285m averaging 6%, high point 991m. 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 · 5.5km–7.6km · Plus 1 more descent. This is where the race is built: steady, solid effort.
• Home · 7.6km–11.3km · Climb of 350m. Build to the finish: leave whatever you have left out on the course. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. Hike the steepest pitches.

Course

The course climbs 731m+. With 64m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 44% of the distance is uphill, 40% downhill and 15% flat. The longest climb runs 3.7km at an average 9.5% grade (350m of vertical). The longest descent runs 4.9km at an average 5.8% grade (285m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 34.2% over 0.5km. The steepest descent drops at 54.2% over 0.2km.

Poles

Poles bring little benefit here: only about 1.1km of pole-friendly terrain.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is low (index 9 of 100): a few descents worth noting, none of them decisive.

• Go easy on the first downhill, save your quads on the descents until 4.9km, then run your race pace.
• #1 · 0.0–4.9 km · 285 m D−, -5.8% · 6.4 km ahead → control