The right hand turn onto Webberville comes off a downhill, is graded backwards, and is a tight, narrow hairpin with crumbling asphalt. It is the site of a lot of crashes because it doesn’t look that bad as you approach it. The volunteers will most likely be screaming at you to slow down. If you have not ridden this turn, taking that advice to heart is a good idea. I rode it today on a road bike (slowly) and it was a struggle. The guy in front of me nearly wiped out and we all knew it was coming. Please be careful!
I am not sure if the rain last week has changed that corner, but the last we rode it, I don’t remember any technical corners on that course. I have several friends who are racing there, so if the road has deteriorated, that is bad news, and I would suggest anyone racing should pre-ride the course (on a Sunday morning for the safest traffic).
I didn’t think to look at my computer at the time but it looks like its about 41ish miles in. My suggestion is to at least drive the course beforehand if you want to take a look at it. It’s a perfectly do-able corner if you know it’s coming but I could see someone rolling down that hill and really eating it.
It’s just before mile 41. Drops about 100ft coming into the right hand turn. There’s always signs & volunteers yelling, but people don’t pay attention. I highly suggest you do!
I drove support for a crew on the course today, wife took it at full bore in the aerobars and was fine as was everyone following her. There is a little bit of bumpyness to it, but no need to stress about this, just take note of the right hander around 40-41 miles in and take it at a speed that is comfy for you. Definitely a tricky corner for people who are not used to cornering on their TT bikes though.
Hi Jack - looking at google maps, the roads look paved…any chip seal? shifting gears - water temp >76? as a first timer to 70.3 after 6 olys this year, my plan is to settle into a below Oly effort on the bike, gel and drink often, check in at mile 40, and increase effort if it makes sense (seems my mantra already is eat, drink, effort). Is this about right? What pitfalls have you seen for those making the jump from oly to HIM? thank you
This is always a rough corner for the 100’s of times I have ridden it. I would always take this corner easy mainly b/c this road is not closed to traffic either. If you take that turn super wide, you may be greeted by a Chevrolet grill to the teeth. Just sayin’ don’t pull a “stravacide”
Yeah there is some chip seal, probably near all of it is cheap seal, some smoother than others.
Don’t really want to throw suggestions at you a couple days before the event, you should go with whatever pacing/eating/drinking plan you have been practicing in training, don’t change plans now!
good luck!
Hi Jack - looking at google maps, the roads look paved…any chip seal? shifting gears - water temp >76? as a first timer to 70.3 after 6 olys this year, my plan is to settle into a below Oly effort on the bike, gel and drink often, check in at mile 40, and increase effort if it makes sense (seems my mantra already is eat, drink, effort). Is this about right? What pitfalls have you seen for those making the jump from oly to HIM? thank you
It’s also the corner where the course switches from having the full road closed to just having access to the shoulder. The road you turn onto stays open to cars so there isn’t a ton of room to take the corner wide.
Thanks for the heads up on the turn. I say up and started slowing down about mile 40. The volunteers did a good job trying to make everybody aware too. After all that I still made it to the on Pliny lane when I made the turn (I could have stayed to the inside if I needed too, but saw that they had all the traffic stopped (and no osu behind me of course)). It was nice knowing it was coming though, so thanks!
Def. nice to get a heads up, I started down the hill and thought, “is THIS the hill they were talking about?” It was also nice that they had traffic stopped farther back on the adjoining road for those that did go wide. Thanks again for the heads up!
