WTRL TTT – Out & Back Again

Course Notes – 1 Lap inc Lead-In – 42.5km

For such a long course, this one is actually quite straight forward, with lots of opportunity for some good team tactics. Do you for instance burn some riders early on a course that less than 20% of teams broke the 1 hour mark at previous running of this course.

There are 5 points of note for your team to consider (distances from desert start pens)

• 2-3% incline out of the desert @ 10km. Lasting 900m before the left turn as you enter the trees
• The dreaded Esses, coming at 18.5km with 4-5 lumps. In this direction it starts with a long drag
• Volcano KQoM, starting at 22.2km. 8-10mins of effort where riders may choose to drop off – or maybe you agree they will be!!
• Gravel switchbacks after returning from volcano, over the cobbles and past the waterfall. 1km of varying incline where someone could easily fall off if not concentrating. Starting at 32.2km
• Hilly KQoM Reverse – one of my favourites. Starting just after 34km, it builds gently, but kicks up from 34.5-35km before the longer, shallower drag all the way to the arch… Do you supertuck on the way down? You can, all the way to the bridge, but pushing 4w/kg in those final several hundred meters will be faster and might make you a place or two!