The 70.3 Worlds course has been posted, see https://www.ironman.com/im703-world-championship-2024-course. It seems like a nice and rolling course that’s not too technical. In their email they mention Hearbreak Hill though. Since they mention it specifically, is it a serious hill or can you still ride it on the big ring?
It got that name at 165km into an Ironman, with a 15km/hr headwind. It’s just a drag.
The 70.3 Worlds course has been posted, see https://www.ironman.com/...pionship-2024-course. It seems like a nice and rolling course that’s not too technical. In their email they mention Heartbreak Hill though. Since they mention it specifically, is it a serious hill or can you still ride it on the big ring?Here’s some commentary:
https://tri-today.com/2024/07/revealed-check-out-the-ironman-70-3-world-championship-taupo-courses/
It’s starting to get real…hopefully someone will do a video/go pro of the bike and run courses for us from foreign lands…
Course seems pretty tame for a World Championship. Could they not have added more elevation on the bike and run or did they just choose not to.
The NZ chip seal makes up for lack of hills 😉 When Kyle Smith came back from Taupo 70.3 at the end of the year he said he thought something was broken on his bike because he was going so slow for the watts.
Ugh. That doesn’t sound fun. I hate those sections of road where you’re certain you’ve got a flat tire, but it turns out you’re just cycling in molasses.
The 70.3 Worlds course has been posted, see https://www.ironman.com/...pionship-2024-course. It seems like a nice and rolling course that’s not too technical. In their email they mention Heartbreak Hill though. Since they mention it specifically, is it a serious hill or can you still ride it on the big ring?Here’s some commentary:
https://tri-today.com/...nship-taupo-courses/
It helps a bit but not much. There’s unfortunately a huge difference in what people perceive to be “punchy hills”. I’m mostly interested in what the steepest climb will be (and for how long 
).
I’m fairly sure the biggest hill is the bit in the urban area up Rifle Range Road Road. Sure on the return down Broadlands there is one very short climb out of a dip over a bridge but that’s 30seconds where you are out the saddle, but you go in carrying a lot of speed from the descent immediately before.
So you won’t want to be on a single 60 chainring, but it’s very much long drags and rolling than anything you’d call an actual climb.
If you go into strava, use the map, then go to Taupo and filter for segments and climbs you can see there are hardly any on there which is a good indication of how easy it is. The segment for the climb at 80k is shown to be 800m at 11%.
So not 100% sure of your question, but as a strong cyclist, it’s the wind and the surface that helps me, not the gradient. If it was asphalt and sheltered it would be a very very fast course. So it’s 100% tt bike and disc if you have one (and it’s not cyclone conditions). Certianly 1x if you are so inclined, but it’s not pan flat - there’s enough variety to mean you’ll almost certainly get out the saddle a few times but there is no-one going to be getting off and pushing.
I’m mostly trying to decide on the gearing actually and thinking of putting a 58-44 on. I’ve done IM Maastricht multiple times, there you really need your small ring (as in a 36 or 39 with an 11-25). Those hills are also classified as short and punchy but can be 1km at 10% with a steepest bit of 15%.
Hmm, for IM then I was on 53/39 and 12-27 (10sp). 172.5mm cranks. I certainly used the 39 in a few places, but then I am a 90+ rpm spinner not a masher.
I’d certainly not want to go with a 44, but then my speed improved massively on my road bike when I swapped to 50/36 - so I would never be thinking of the chainset you mentioned. Sorry, I think I’ve given all I can so will leave to some of the others to add.
I do note that the two steep climbs there has been on the full IMNZ course over last 20 years are not on this December course.
I’m mostly trying to decide on the gearing actually and thinking of putting a 58-44 on. I’ve done IM Maastricht multiple times, there you really need your small ring (as in a 36 or 39 with an 11-25). Those hills are also classified as short and punchy but can be 1km at 10% with a steepest bit of 15%.@cyclenutnz has plotted the Taupo (December) route here: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/47484418
You can see the various gradients to help you make your gear length choices.
The steepest climb (from that trace) is 16.4km to 17.4km (a climb of 68m in a km), after 3km of easier (2%) climbing up from the lake.
The long climb at 78km (gaining 120m in 5km) will feel ‘harder’ for sure, after two hours, but riders won’t need a shorter gear.
Oh wow! That looks good.
So not 100% sure of your question, but as a strong cyclist, it’s the wind and the surface that helps me, not the gradient. If it was asphalt and sheltered it would be a very very fast course. So it’s 100% tt bike and disc if you have one (and it’s not cyclone conditions). Certianly 1x if you are so inclined, but it’s not pan flat - there’s enough variety to mean you’ll almost certainly get out the saddle a few times but there is no-one going to be getting off and pushing.
It follows the full IM road, correct? Years ago it was sheltered by trees. But that’s converted to farmland so it can be windy now. I live in a hilly area so none of it seemed steep. One short climb leaving town that I remember.
I felt like I was dragging sometimes with the headwind inbound and the surface. Try not to let that get in your head.
Finally, be very careful around aid stations. Lots of people haven’t raced in left-side driving roads before. Left handed bottle grabs = more drops.
Edit: I see outbound is on Broadland like the full IM, inbound is on hwy 5.
The big hill you may be thinking about from IM was the one from lake up towards the start of broadlands which isn’t on the half. Or the no longer used logging road behind the racetrack, also not on this.
The half course you’re reading wrong, it’s out on SH5 and back on Broadlands (I assume the means riding contraflow - it is odd, but I’m basing this on the map distance markers). You are right that its a lot more exposed than it used to be with minimal protection from the trees on Broadland. A tiny bit more on SH5, but that will be a tail wind.
For those not local, there is a 90% chance that the wind will be from the south and will build up as the day goes on. The local climate is driven by the lake.
I’m sure the map is fine, I just glanced and assumed a left turning loop. My bad.
Which is a good point. If it’s alright turning loop, that’s going to throw a lot of kiwis and Aussies.
Ah, but explains how they are using SH5. All traffic southbound will be diverted into Broadlands road. And all northbound off Broadlands and onto SH5.
Which is a good point. If it’s alright turning loop, that’s going to throw a lot of kiwis and Aussies.
Ah, but explains how they are using SH5. All traffic southbound will be diverted into Broadlands road. And all northbound off Broadlands and onto SH5.
Does that mean bikes will stay on the right side then? Otherwise I don’t see how they avoid traffic control.
So not 100% sure of your question, but as a strong cyclist, it’s the wind and the surface that helps me, not the gradient. If it was asphalt and sheltered it would be a very very fast course. So it’s 100% tt bike and disc if you have one (and it’s not cyclone conditions). Certianly 1x if you are so inclined, but it’s not pan flat - there’s enough variety to mean you’ll almost certainly get out the saddle a few times but there is no-one going to be getting off and pushing.
It follows the full IM road, correct? Years ago it was sheltered by trees. But that’s converted to farmland so it can be windy now. I live in a hilly area so none of it seemed steep. One short climb leaving town that I remember.
I felt like I was dragging sometimes with the headwind inbound and the surface. Try not to let that get in your head.
Finally, be very careful around aid stations. Lots of people haven’t raced in left-side driving roads before. Left handed bottle grabs = more drops.
Edit: I see outbound is on Broadland like the full IM, inbound is on hwy 5.
The only times I have raced that way have been in NZ, South Africa, St. Croix and each time on race day it’s a weird scenario, because I am so used to taking the hand off with my right hand at aid stations. I am pretty good at “catching” a bottle with my right leg down, upper body weighted on left base bar and catching the bottle with right hand. The first few hand offs are weird, because I just don’t have the instinct of doing it with my body oriented the opposite way !!!
Yes, cycles riding clockwise but on the right side of the road (opposite to how traffic would normally use the road).