X-Alpine

Race strategy

Hold a steady pace and save energy for every section.

• 2058m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Big early climb with 2140m gain. Control your HR at altitude.
• Final 827m descent. Save your legs to go all out on it.
• 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 84.3km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 130km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• Start · 0.0km–1.4km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.4km–27.6km · Climb of 1026m, descent of 2058m averaging 10%. 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. Hike the steepest pitches.
• Work · 27.6km–69.9km · Climb of 2143m, high point 2817m, descent of 1536m averaging 21%, climb of 1593m. 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. At altitude your pace drops, and that's fine. Hike the steepest pitches.
• Fade · 69.9km–130km · Descent of 1404m averaging 10%, climb of 1106m, climb of 1189m. Plus 1 more climb and 2 descents. 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. At altitude your pace drops, and that's fine. Hike the steepest pitches. Your heart rate drifts down on its own: don't chase your early-race numbers, go by feel.
• Home · 130km–137km · Descent of 827m averaging 13%. No heroics: settle back into your own effort and hold it to the line. Very long descent: first half under control, then even, let go only near the end.

Course

The course climbs 9300m+. With 66m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 46% of the distance is uphill, 43% downhill and 12% flat. The longest climb runs 17.6km at an average 12.2% grade (2143m of vertical). The longest descent runs 19.9km at an average 10.4% grade (2058m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 48.6% over 0.3km. The steepest descent drops at 47.5% over 0.2km. Surface: 70% trail, 12% technical, 11% road, and 7% smooth. Flat-equivalent effort: 236.0 FlatKM.

Summits

The highest summit on the course is Savoleyres (2344m), 12.6km from the start.

Poles

Trekking poles are strongly recommended: about 21.2km of the course is steep enough for them to pay off.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is high (index 76 of 100), with 44% of the load in the first half: 3 critical descents, the last of them run on already damaged legs. Downhill-specific preparation and a controlled early pace pay off here.

• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the descents until 84.3km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 130km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• #1 · 7.7–27.6 km · 2058 m D−, -10.4% · 109.1 km ahead → control
• #2 · 45.2–52.5 km · 1536 m D−, -21.3% · 84.3 km ahead → control
• #3 · 69.9–84.3 km · 1404 m D−, -9.8% · 52.5 km ahead → control
• 110.1–124.5 km · 1856 m D−, -12.8% · 12.2 km ahead → your pace
• 130.2–136.7 km · 827 m D−, -12.6% · 0.0 km ahead → even, first half under control, let go at the end
• Plus 1 more notable descent not listed: your pace.

Weather

On race day, start temperatures have historically ranged from 8°C to 17°C, with around 8°C at the highest point; the chance of precipitation is about 47%. Heavy rain of 10.0mm or more falls on about 7% of days around this date.