The key to this race is getting your gearing right so that you can climb at a sustainable power. I'd recommend aiming for your usual IM power level on the hills as the bike leg will take longer than your typical bike IM bike leg and almost all of your time will be spent on the flat or climbing. The descents will be fast and won't last long, so get your nutrition in as you approach the peaks as the rest on the descent will allow you to digest more easily.

I did a fairly extreme IM (Wasdale X) where the winning bike was over 7 hours and I used my gearing to keep my peak power down wherever I could. There were climbs upto 33% in places and plenty of 15-20% hill. I used a 53/34 on the front with 11/32 on the back which helped to keep the peak power down. My usual NP for a flat 5 hour IM is 230-240w, but did 220w for the 7:15 bike leg. I think I paced the bike leg about right and ran strongly until I sabotaged myself by not taking on enough nutrition during the 6 1/2 hour run. Here's the Garmin trace so you can get an idea of the power delivery

https://connect.garmin.com/...n/activity/811801200

The elevation data went awry and that bit in the first half that looks like a big plateaux, is in fact just more sharp hills like the second half. Maybe slightly less overall climb than swissman at about 3400m.

Eating on the descents is a good idea in theory, but they generally require you to keep your hands on the bars most of the time and you're travelling at 30-40mph easily so take that into account. That and the fact that so little of your time will be spent descending means you WILL have to eat and drink while climbing as well. Your first descent will not be until km 92, so likely 4 hours into the bike. Also so little cooling effect when climbing. Definitely go with a 34x32 as your easiest gear (or smaller if you want), and don't feel embarrassed to use it. The TSS will be superhigh for this ride probably, not in the least because it will take you so much longer than a regular 180k.

I can offer no advice as to how to pace an IM like this (I'd call it mountainous btw, not "hilly" ;) but I can give some general tips for the parcours, I have cycled in this area quite some times. Biasca-Airolo I have only done the other way, so descending, and even then it was a long stretch! Seeing as you're going to be fairly fresh it is tempting to push a larger gear especially since the rise is rather gentle, but it's basically a 50km climb where the last 14 are the Gotthard, which I am assuming uses the old route which means cobbles which means alot more rolling resistance. Fairly non-technical downhill down to Hospental. Furka climb from there is quite a steady grade at around 8-9% but at least you'll have spectacular views especially as you get to the top. Of course you'll also be able to see the next climb in the distance, Grimsel. Because you descend only to Gletsch however it's a short climb with very evenly laid hairpins. From there a looong descent with some tunnels (lights are a good idea, might even be mandatory from the race org) but also some less steep sections along the lakes. By this time you're most likely already fried though. There's a little ascent and descent of the Aareschlucht but that's nothing after what you've done by then. Expect headwinds on all the false flats and valley sections by the way, this is the cruel thing about cycling in the Alps I've come to understand ;) Also remember you are crossing from the southside to the northside of the Alps, and it is quite normal to have wildly different weather on either side of the mountains here. I've come down from the Nufenenpass toward Airolo in pouring rain only to take the Gotthardtunnel and see sunshine on the other side in Wassen.

Really awesome race though, have "fun" :)

thanks for the input - especially your example-ride. The power-output is more steady than I would have thought! I also agree on the gearing - I tend to be a high-cadence-style rider, and would hate to have to grind 60rpm on the climbs. Im gonna aim for at least a 34/30 as my smallest gear, but will have to do more research on the gradients of the course! (I dont really know if its steady climbing at 7-10 %, or if there are sections substantially steeper than 10%)

Really appreciate this input. The course tackles the Gotthard via the old route, so we have a long section of cobbles yes. Should prove interesting! :) I get the point that both you and the previous poster noted, that the descents will be pretty swift not allowing much time to eat:) After reviewing the profile I figured that I would try to eat quite a lot on the first flat (false flat) section of 40k, go a little harder on the first climb while eating a little less, and easing up before the top to take in nutrition during the last bit to the top and continuing on the way down (IMO the "putting food into mouth"-part isnt so hard, no matter where it is on the course, the hard part is keeping-food-in-belly while pushing hard watts:) So I've figured that I should get my nutrition down just before or at the start of the descents, to give myself some time to digest during the descent (while clutching my bars really hard to stay on-road and not off-cliff! :))

I guess going with a 34x32 would be sensible (I had guessed 34/30) - I am not afraid of light gears - want to be able to go at 80 - 85 rpm even during the steep sections. You seem quite familiar with the mountain-passes. Do you know if there are any sections substantially steeper than 10 %, or is it mostly steady right under 10 %?

thanks

There are some short sections of 10% or slightly above but no sudden ramps where you are forced way over FTP. All these roads are old mountainpasses and horsedrawn carriages (and older cars) did not do so well on steep grades. You still see the occasional horsedrawn stagecoach go up the Gotthard, for touristic purposes I'd assume ;)

What always gets me is that there are not so many hairpins on these passes. Sure, Gotthard has a ton, and Grimsel from Gletsch is all hairpins but for the rest there are alot of straight sections with little opportunity to rest that split second in the turns. Road surface is generally really good (apart from Gotthard obviously).

That is not what the second poster said. He said you have to get all your nutrition in before the peak so that you can DIGEST on the descent...not eat on the descent. Obviously you won't be eating while going down steep declines. This is actually a really good strategy because your HR will be much lower on the descents and therefore you will be more able to digest. This won't be for extended periods of time but these extreme races are all about the small strategies that add up to triumph.

Good luck to the OP! Those European extreme races look incredible (Norseman, Swissman, and Celtman).

You're correct but my comment was not aimed at the second poster or his thoughts on the matter.

I'm more of a grinder and probably went up the 20%+ climbs at 50-60 RPM. I remember the worst being a sustained 20% which had me pushing close to FTP. As the climbs at Swissman seem to be longer but shallower, I think you should be fine with a 34/32 combo even with a preferred cadence of 85. I suspect the bike is a bit like Norseman, long steady climbs. If you work with power, find out the gradients and are ok with maths, you can calculate the lowest gearing you need to keep to a power cap.

Duh, now I see what you were responding to in the OP. My fault!

Haha - rest asured I will be getting my eating done anyhow!

I'm thrilled that you got in and hope you will post a race report to the forum with all the race details including the logistics for you and your support crew. I raced Powerman Zofingen last year and am already registered for IM Switzerland next year. Swissman is definitely on my bucket list to complete the ultimate triple in that country. I'm going to head over to Grindelwald next summer to check out the Swissman finish elevation and see if I can wrap my head around the last part of the "run". I plan to start entering the Swissman lottery beginning fall 2017. I even wrote the race organization earlier this week to ask what the current selection odds were (15%). I think any of the extreme triathlons would be an outstanding capstone for a long course career.

I don't think I have much to add to the excellent advice above. I know some of the better (younger) athletes have used a triathlon bike at Swissman, but I would bring a road bike with clip-ons and a redshift seat post. Whatever you bring, make sure it is stiff for climbing but compliant for the cobblestone section...maybe 90psi in the tires? Gorilla cages and double wrapped bars for vibration padding might also be a good idea. I've read that some folks will ride the gutter to stop the shaking! I have a mid-compact on my road bike and would probably change out the small ring to a 34 and go with the 11-32. And if there was ever an event to make an aggressive race weight goal, this would be it!

You'll love IMZuri! They even changed the run course especially for 2016 as its their 20th anniversary. You'll be running straight down the Bahnhofstrasse!

As far as preparing for the cobbles, I like where your head's at but at the speed you're travelling at its not *that* bad. I've ridden the Flanders pavé and they are much worse, and at higher speed of course. The swiss cobbles are much smaller and quite nicely laid. Still, I did try to ride the gutter where possible but mostly from a rolling resistance point of view :) Maybe I forgot to mention this but the downhill is on the main road! Only the ascent' from the south is cobbled (and closed to most car traffic) Good luck on the lottery. One day I'll try also but I am definitely not built for climbing, will be a tough day for sure.

How do you find the 53/34 in terms of shifting quality and gear jump when front shifting?
Do you use Di2?

I've considered this set up before but have never pulled the trigger.

WOW, I had not heard of this race. Goodness....that is incredible. I can say with confidence I could not complete this course!
Good on ya Mate!
John

Interloc Racing do a 12-34 Shimano 11-speed cassette:

http://www.interlocracing.com/...e-shimano-compatible

I see one in your future.

Best of luck!

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´Get the most aero and light bike you can get. With the aero advantage you can be saving minutes and with the weight advantage you can be saving seconds. In a race against the clock both matter.´

BMANX

I used a compact crank at Norseman, it saved my legs.
Remember that you also will bike in altitude during Swissman making it even harder.

It is always good to have the ability to spin up. The weather can be hard also.
Make sure you have good breaks. The downhills are not easy and not a place to eat and relax.
But Switzerland is beautiful and you will have a fabulous race.

Yes, I'm really looking forward to the race. Last year I spent a couple nights in Zurich before heading to Olten and another night in Zurich on the return to the US. I checked out the transition area for IM Switzerland while I was there. I'm waiting to see what other special surprises they have for the 20th Anniversary. My wife couldn't make the trip last year so I took my daughter with me and she loved Zurich. Next year will be the opposite and my wife is coming for the first time. Eidelweiss flies direct from Tampa, FL where I live so it is logistically simple.

Another thought on Swissman is that I would definitely bring aluminum rims to that race. You don't want to melt carbon rims on long technical descents. Disc brakes would be great but if you have any issues before the race you might not be able to find replacement parts or support locally depending on what wheelset you bring.

I'm still considering if I should tweak my tri-bike for climbing or go with my Road-bike, but in any case I will go for small gears (I might have the Jan Ulrich build, but I aint gearing like him!!:))
For sure I will do a long writer-up of both preparations, logostics and my race:)

Reviving this, since I have thought about the same thing. How did it go and what did end up doing in terms of IF etc. Any tips?

Edit: Found your report, helps a lot....

I found the race report of lovegoat here: https://forum.slowtwitch.com/...an_2016_RR_P5990013/