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Ironman Frankfurt - 2019 bike course
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Hello. I have signed up for Ironman Frankfurt in 2019. Can anyone give any advice/tips on the course? I understand it was long last year (185km) due to roadworks. However I have seen reference to the course being 185km again this year. Can anyone confirm this? Thanks.
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Re: Ironman Frankfurt - 2019 bike course [mattsimmonds] [ In reply to ]
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Again, are you kidding me?
I will ofcourse do it anyway, but how can the EU champs 2-3 years in a row be 5km too long?
Lets hope they fix it in time. Went to their webpag at it says 185 also when you click the link which says 2019 route.
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Re: Ironman Frankfurt - 2019 bike course [mattsimmonds] [ In reply to ]
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I can't confirm, but talk in the German triathlon forums seems to indicate that indeed, it will be 185km this year again since the roadworks responsible for this year's detour are planned to continue for another year.

The extra 5km are absolutely not required. The course has a short out-and-back in Friedberg (northern end of the loop) with several roundabouts on it which can definitely be skipped - but I assume are kept there fore sponsor obligations.

On a personal note, the course was pretty neat. It's not fast, with an extra ~400-500m of climbing compared to the old course, but engaging. I'm signed up again...

ZONE3 - We Last Longer
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Re: Ironman Frankfurt - 2019 bike course [lassekk] [ In reply to ]
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lassekk wrote:
how can the EU champs 2-3 years in a row be 5km too long?

You mean unlike most other courses that are short but no one seems to mind?
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Re: Ironman Frankfurt - 2019 bike course [tessar] [ In reply to ]
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tessar wrote:
I can't confirm, but talk in the German triathlon forums seems to indicate that indeed, it will be 185km this year again since the roadworks responsible for this year's detour are planned to continue for another year.

The extra 5km are absolutely not required. The course has a short out-and-back in Friedberg (northern end of the loop) with several roundabouts on it which can definitely be skipped - but I assume are kept there fore sponsor obligations.

On a personal note, the course was pretty neat. It's not fast, with an extra ~400-500m of climbing compared to the old course, but engaging. I'm signed up again...

What is the max grade at this race?
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Re: Ironman Frankfurt - 2019 bike course [BigBoyND] [ In reply to ]
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I believe ~4-5% for short pitches. No "big climbs" (in my opinion), but there are three main ones:
  • "The Beast" - about 20-25km into the ride, nothing special.
  • "The Hell" - cobbled, ~30km into the ride. The cobbles hurt more than the terrain, I thought I wouldn't have to shift out of the big ring but the cobbles slow you down a lot. Anything not solidly bolted onto the bike can and will be dropped.
  • "Heartbreak Hill" - near the end, straight downhill to the finish from there. Slightly longer than the others but less steep. Pretty nice atmosphere.

All in all, the names are a bit over-dramatic (well, The Hell really does beat you up - Josh Amberger lost his entire rear bottle assembly last year) but it's more rolling hills than proper climbs.

ZONE3 - We Last Longer
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Re: Ironman Frankfurt - 2019 bike course [tessar] [ In reply to ]
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Thanks for the info! This will be useful for cassette/chainring selection. So it isn't anything like Heartbreak hill in Switzerland? That one needed every bit of a 36 chainring and 28t cog. Funny how every course uses the same names for hills.
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Re: Ironman Frankfurt - 2019 bike course [BigBoyND] [ In reply to ]
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The naming is pretty unoriginal, yeah. I raced with a 52/36 and 11-28 simply because it's my default but I don't think I used anything bigger than the 23 or 21 in the back.

ZONE3 - We Last Longer
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Re: Ironman Frankfurt - 2019 bike course [mattsimmonds] [ In reply to ]
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There is a video from the lead moto from the 2014 bike course:

https://www.youtube.com/...ed&v=J9S65191l-U

Looks like the main difference to previous years is the out-and-back near Friedback. I doubt this would add 400-500m of elevation.
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Re: Ironman Frankfurt - 2019 bike course [mattsimmonds] [ In reply to ]
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I did the race last year and it turned out to be a very hot day (3rd time there). Maybe this year will be milder since it's a week earlier. That extra 5k is pretty annoying and it's not flat. I remember there was a head wind and false flat, maybe you make up some time on the way back b/c it's slightly downhill. I know it's "only" 5k extra, but seems to throw you off a bit. Hope they take it away soon!
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Re: Ironman Frankfurt - 2019 bike course [tri@thlete] [ In reply to ]
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Anyone know how much of the course (the loop section, not the initial 13 km into Frankfurt) can be tested prior to race day?
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Re: Ironman Frankfurt - 2019 bike course [tri@thlete] [ In reply to ]
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tri@thlete wrote:
I did the race last year and it turned out to be a very hot day (3rd time there). Maybe this year will be milder since it's a week earlier. That extra 5k is pretty annoying and it's not flat. I remember there was a head wind and false flat, maybe you make up some time on the way back b/c it's slightly downhill. I know it's "only" 5k extra, but seems to throw you off a bit. Hope they take it away soon!

Nice jinx! Heat wave over eu next few days, will cool down a bit till sunday but still projected to be 32/89 degrees. How the hell am i supposed to run a marathon in that? 😀
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Re: Ironman Frankfurt - 2019 bike course [Hoffmeister] [ In reply to ]
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Hoffmeister wrote:
There is a video from the lead moto from the 2014 bike course:

https://www.youtube.com/...ed&v=J9S65191l-U

Looks like the main difference to previous years is the out-and-back near Friedback. I doubt this would add 400-500m of elevation.

That's not the main difference at all. At 01:04:57 into the video, the new course goes right, not left, taking completely different roads through Schöneck and Niderrau until rejoing the B45 after about 20km. In other words, 40k of the course is new. This new section (I live nearby) adds about 200-250m climbing per lap - about 500m overall. In addition there is a section after Friedberg that is new, about 6km. In total about a third of the couirse is different.

It's a much slower and longer course.

I raced last year, and the out and back in Friedberg is for sponsorship. It's an obvious place to remove 5k, and frustrating that they don't!

The worst thing about the race is the new swim course - starting with the small U means coming back directly into the sun. Swimmers were all over the place.
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Re: Ironman Frankfurt - 2019 bike course [bluefever] [ In reply to ]
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Any chance you can tell if the frankfurt loop is rideable prior to race day?

thanks :)
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Re: Ironman Frankfurt - 2019 bike course [bluefever] [ In reply to ]
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bluefever wrote:
Hoffmeister wrote:
There is a video from the lead moto from the 2014 bike course:

https://www.youtube.com/...ed&v=J9S65191l-U

Looks like the main difference to previous years is the out-and-back near Friedback. I doubt this would add 400-500m of elevation.

That's not the main difference at all. At 01:04:57 into the video, the new course goes right, not left, taking completely different roads through Schöneck and Niderrau until rejoing the B45 after about 20km. In other words, 40k of the course is new. This new section (I live nearby) adds about 200-250m climbing per lap - about 500m overall. In addition there is a section after Friedberg that is new, about 6km. In total about a third of the couirse is different.

It's a much slower and longer course.

I raced last year, and the out and back in Friedberg is for sponsorship. It's an obvious place to remove 5k, and frustrating that they don't!

The worst thing about the race is the new swim course - starting with the small U means coming back directly into the sun. Swimmers were all over the place.

I stand corrected - I last raced in 2015 and my GPS file shows me I went nowhere near Schöneck. Swim course looks the same/similar as 2015 and agree the return leg of the short lap was difficult to sight into the sun. In 2008 from memory I think the swim went the opposite direction.

Looks like it's gonna be another toasty one this weekend. Good luck if you're racing!
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Re: Ironman Frankfurt - 2019 bike course [tri@thlete] [ In reply to ]
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Are you dusting-off your swimskin again for this year?

29 years and counting
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Re: Ironman Frankfurt - 2019 bike course [mattsimmonds] [ In reply to ]
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mattsimmonds wrote:
Hello. I have signed up for Ironman Frankfurt in 2019. Can anyone give any advice/tips on the course? I understand it was long last year (185km) due to roadworks. However I have seen reference to the course being 185km again this year. Can anyone confirm this? Thanks.

Having participated in this race twice: 2013 & 2019: last one was an evil joke. It was supposed to be 185kms due to roadworks but nobody of us could explain why we should go inside Friedberg for U-turn while we could avoid it and make 180kms as it has to be the distance (U turn could easily done before Friedberg.

If you have time, read carefully the race report and review by a triathlon portal :


https://swimbikerun.gr/...oke-english-version/
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Re: Ironman Frankfurt - 2019 bike course [katojohn] [ In reply to ]
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katojohn wrote:
mattsimmonds wrote:

Having participated in this race twice: 2013 & 2019: last one was an evil joke. It was supposed to be 185kms due to roadworks but nobody of us could explain why we should go inside Friedberg for U-turn while we could avoid it and make 180kms as it has to be the distance (U turn could easily done before Friedberg.

If you have time, read carefully the race report and review by a triathlon portal :

Not sure who you have talked to, but this has been discussed and explained several times in all kinds of forums, so again: There is certain obligation by the race directors to show presence in some supportive communities, e.g. Friedberg. Friedberg closes roads to get the race coming through. Therefore, they want to have the athletes coming into town, have them on TV and in photos. As simple as that.

Obviously, you were disappointed with a lot of things. I raced IM Frankfurt four times, the last time was in 2018, and it always delivered! Strongly recommended!
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Re: Ironman Frankfurt - 2019 bike course [motorcity] [ In reply to ]
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motorcity wrote:
katojohn wrote:
mattsimmonds wrote:


Having participated in this race twice: 2013 & 2019: last one was an evil joke. It was supposed to be 185kms due to roadworks but nobody of us could explain why we should go inside Friedberg for U-turn while we could avoid it and make 180kms as it has to be the distance (U turn could easily done before Friedberg.

If you have time, read carefully the race report and review by a triathlon portal :


Not sure who you have talked to, but this has been discussed and explained several times in all kinds of forums, so again: There is certain obligation by the race directors to show presence in some supportive communities, e.g. Friedberg. Friedberg closes roads to get the race coming through. Therefore, they want to have the athletes coming into town, have them on TV and in photos. As simple as that.

Obviously, you were disappointed with a lot of things. I raced IM Frankfurt four times, the last time was in 2018, and it always delivered! Strongly recommended!



Got your point, in that case its better (as a race director) saying "hey guys, Friedberg is must spot to come through, as they sponsored my race", instead of saying, that on top 5kms, is due to roadworks. Athletes are Athletes and should be treated as precious customers, not like animals (many athletes said this in 2019 event). So far (as I mentioned above) have been racing 8 Long distance races (South Africa, Brazil, Austria,Frankfurt, Barcelona, Roth, etc) but first time in my life, was that joke. Maybe some were happy that +900 quit the race, truly SUFFERING by the egoism of some directors. Maybe IM Nice race director (he braved decided to update race distance), was from another planet .. (if you read carefully the link, you should change your mind about Frankfurt event)
Last edited by: katojohn: Aug 13, 19 0:43
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Re: Ironman Frankfurt - 2019 bike course [katojohn] [ In reply to ]
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katojohn wrote:

Got your point, in that case its better (as a race director) saying "hey guys, Friedberg is must spot to come through as they sponsored my race", better saying that on top 5kms is due to roadworks. Athletes are not animals. So far (as I mentioned above) have been racing 8 Long distance races (South Africa, Brazil, Austria,Frankfurt, Barcelona, Roth, etc) but first time in my life, was that joke. Maybe some were happy that +900 quit the race, truly SUFFERING by the egoism of some directors. Maybe IM Nice race director, was from another planet .. (if you read carefully the link, you should change your mind about Frankfurt event..

I read your race report and I might change my mind. I do not have to. Anyway, I made my own experience in 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2018. I loved it, I would race Frankfurt again and I can highly recommend it.

Nobody stops you to become a race director, put up a race and do everything better...
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