WTRL #146 – Harrogate UCI Rev
Course Notes – 2 Laps – 27.3km (480m elevation)
Unlike last week’s Watopia Waistband, this course is definitely NOT straightforward. Strap yourself in for lengthy notes. That said – genuinely this might be a course where riding a W/KG blob is just easier!! Find a power that you can all hold and just go for it. Pacelines could be near impossible to manage.
Remember, on this course, possible more than any, it will be easy to lose more time in waiting for riders than the time lost by them being missing from the pack in the 2nd half of the event. Especially given the amount of slower speed sections. You can hear more about this in my video chat with Si Bradeley Since the arrival of Pack Dynamics v3, the latest thinking is that there is virtually no speed advantage to a bigger group. It really becomes about the power on the front above all else – though I am looking to test this theory soon.
This is also a course where pacing pays dividends – stay (just) within the realms of the group’s capability as a whole early on and aim to build your pace on the crucial points on the second lap. Understanding your own numbers, and recognising where you are in the line and modulating your effort based on that will be vital on this course as pace lines are going to be messy.
Full Details below. Distances are full race distance, starting from the pens. Use the PRINT button for a simplified print out.
Don’t Forget to try my TTT Time Predictor and Power Planner – complete with DS Call Sheet. Tricky one to predict this week with all the hills, but I am confident of being within about a minute or so assuming you get through without too much incident.
| Distance | Feature Length | Elevation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAP 1 | |||
| 300m | 200m | -8% | 20s into the race and you hit the first steep but short descent. |
| I would suggest you all power out of the pens, but those that get out ahead just modulate your effort on this hill – don’t freewheel, but don’t push too hard. You need to hit the first flat as a group | |||
| 500m | 700m | 1.5% | Gentle climbing, should be shallow enough that rotations are possible. |
| 1.2km | 300m | -5% | Another short drop, best to push through this before the longer climb – lighter riders will get back on, so don’t back off. |
| 1.5km | 1km | 1-2% | Long drag now before left up to Sprint banner – rotations here but maybe use your lighter riders – it will help the less w/kg able be fresh for…. |
| 2.5km | 400m | 4% | ..short sharp push up through banner and to 90 degree left |
| 2.9km | 800m | -3>-8% | Steeper towards the end, but turns possible if heavier riders careful |
| 3.7km | 1.2km | 3-5% | Straight onto first KQOM – w/kg target for position 2 (threshold) here all the way |
| 4.9km | 1.3km | -4% | Long descent but with a plateau – tempting to Supertuck last bit, but with sharp incline after, best to keep pushing |
| 6.2km | 400m | 6% | w/kg blob time again – Power Planner position 1 |
| 6.6km | 2km | Undulating, but probably possible to do some turns here. | |
| 8.6km | 700m | 9-13% | blob up – look out for those really struggling by this point and make a call! |
| 9.4km | 1.7km | Time to rejoin if you don’t have enough – otherwise push on with what you have | |
| 11.1km | 600m | 7% | Final effort before long descent to end of lap |
| Distance | Feature Length | Elevation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAP 2 | |||
| 14.2km | 200m | -8% | make sure you have decided on L2 team actions before this point |
| 14.4km | 700m | 1.5% | Gentle climbing, should be shallow enough that rotations are possible. |
| 15.1km | 300m | -5% | Another short drop, best to push through this before the longer climb – lighter riders will get back on, so don’t back off. |
| 15.4km | 1km | 1-2% | Long drag now before left up to Sprint banner – rotations here but maybe use your lighter riders – it will help the less w/kg able be fresh for…. |
| 16.4km | 400m | 4% | ..short sharp push up through banner and to 90 degree left |
| 16.8km | 800m | -3>-8% | Steeper towards the end, but turns possible if heavier riders careful |
| 17.6km | 1.2km | 3-5% | Straight onto KQOM – w/kg target for position 1 here all the way |
| 18.8km | 1.3km | -4% | Long descent but with a plateau – Supertuck last bit could be a respite |
| 20.1km | 400m | 6% | w/kg blob time again – Power Planner position 1 |
| 20.5km | 2km | Undulating, ask who has the power still | |
| 22.5km | 700m | 9-13% | blob up – just look out for each other to keep 4 |
| 23.2km | 1.7km | Last chance to let a pos 4 straggler on | |
| 24.9km | 600m | 7% | Final effort before long descent to end of lap – push to the end |