Grande Epopée Ventoux - GEV

Race strategy

Hold a steady pace and save energy for every section.

• 1561m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Long race. Control your HR and effort. Early mistakes cost the most.
• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the descents until 69.8km, then run your race pace, and go all out on the final descent from 79.0km.
• Start · 0.0km–1.9km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.9km–22.4km · Plus 1 more climb and 1 descent. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. Running pays off here: run wherever you can.
• Work · 22.4km–41.3km · Climb of 563m, descent of 336m averaging 9%. This is where the race is built: steady, solid effort. 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. Running pays off here: run wherever you can.
• Fade · 41.3km–79.0km · Climb of 1362m, high point 1879m, descent of 1561m averaging 10%. Plus 1 more climb. Your energy fades, and that's normal: hold a steady effort and stop counting the miles. 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. Your heart rate drifts down on its own: don't chase your early-race numbers, go by feel.
• Home · 79.0km–85.6km · Descent of 408m averaging 6%. No heroics: settle back into your own effort and hold it to the line. Long descent: keep it even and let go only near the end.

Course

The course climbs 4200m+. With 48m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 41% of the distance is uphill, 38% downhill and 21% flat. The longest climb runs 13.1km at an average 10.4% grade (1362m of vertical). The longest descent runs 15.4km at an average 10.1% grade (1561m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 33.3% over 0.3km. The steepest descent drops at 30.2% over 0.3km. Surface: 49% trail, 30% smooth, and 21% road.

Summits

The course also passes close to Mont Ventoux (1910m).

Poles

Poles bring little benefit here: only about 15.3km of pole-friendly terrain.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is moderate (index 44 of 100), with 39% of the load in the first half: 2 descents deserve a plan and a couple of downhill sessions before race day.

• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the descents until 69.8km, then run your race pace, and go all out on the final descent from 79.0km.
• #2 · 30.8–34.4 km · 336 m D−, -9.4% · 51.2 km ahead → control
• #1 · 54.4–69.9 km · 1561 m D−, -10.1% · 15.7 km ahead → control
• 79.1–85.6 km · 408 m D−, -6.2% · 0.0 km ahead → even, let go at the end