Looking for some input and opinions on which race to consider for 2016. I’m a MOP age grouper (so Kona slots are not a factor) from the US who likes to travel the world and race at interesting locations (done Canada, Cairns, NZ internationally)
So, I’m considering Roth or Nice. Any suggestions on which of these 2 you’d pick, and why? Considering I don’t speak German or French, logistics is a consideration too along with race specifics.
Thanks for any and all input.
Roth is flat and Nice is hilly
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Roth would be on my bucket list since I have deep German blood lines. With 220,000 spectators! lining the course it must feel like the famous professional bicycle races. A canal swim essentially beats the unpredictable Ocean swims. It appears this is a Festival event that can provide the non-participant companion a fantastic life time memory. Downside? Housing/Hotels?
I’ve been to Roth, going to Nice in few weeks. I’ll let you know my choice by then. Yes Roth is flat, but last year had 20% dropout rate due to heat. Nice should be a much better weather. Course wise, that’s what I will be checking out. Also, if you have a road bike, you can use in Nice and no need to buy a Triathlon bike.
Kona and Nice are the oldest two triathlons… also, do you perform better in heat?
I’ve been to Roth, going to Nice in few weeks. I’ll let you know my choice by then. Yes Roth is flat, but last year had 20% dropout rate due to heat. Nice should be a much better weather. Course wise, that’s what I will be checking out. Also, if you have a road bike, you can use in Nice and no need to buy a Triathlon bike.
Kona and Nice are the oldest two triathlons… also, do you perform better in heat?Nice can be very hot and sunny!
I suspect that Nice could be unbearable heat wise - I’ll let you know in 6 weeks, that said given my long rides outside at the moment start at 5am when its 36 and finish at 9.30 when its 42-45 - Nice should be cool and balmy in comparison
If I wanted to travel in europe around races - either would do, the upside is that Nice is, well, in Provence and IMO - other than the dalmatian coast, the almalfi coast it does not get better than that in europe
Both, if I recall align nicely with Le Tour, both have excellent transport links - go all round europe on high speed rail
I don’t know what the spectators are like in Nice - how many there are out towards the airport but Nice will be hot, flat, is ran on concrete I believe and quite exposed - in fact there is a post here about a guy that was struck down so severely by Dehydration I believe he was medi vac’d back to the US by the military? and took quite some time to recover
all that said - whilst I want to move to Nice next year - I also want to complete Roth and that was my choice last year when determining what to sign up for
I have done Nice twice, Roth once and racing there again this year, so for me they both have pros and cons. btw I’m French living in UK.
Nice: Registration is easy, it never fills in the first few days, rather in months. Swim is in a clear blue warm sea. Hilly 1 loop bike, 100% flat 4 loops run. The bike course is stunning, but not as hilly as the old Nice course (pre-Ironman). Forget PB there. However the scenery is beautiful. It is generally sunny and hot, especially on the run. The atmosphere is good with a lot of people along the run course, though it’s a bit quieter toward the far end of the loop. On the bike some villages are very animated, and and other parts much quieter, but the views make up for it. Speaking English is a very small limiting factor as it’s quite touristic and most restaurants, cafe etc will understand what you order. For tourism and family there is enough to do and visit (mountains, all the cote d’azur with Cannes, Monaco, etc), enjoy the sea. Travel and logistic of the race are extremely easy. The airport is at the turn around of the run course, accommodation is easy as there are numerous options in a large range of prices in walking distance from the start.
Roth: Registration is hard, full in few minutes. Swim is in a large canal in wave start. Less fighting than most swims, no issue of navigation. Bike is 2 loops quite flat (not as flat as many people think it is) course, but the road surface is very smooth, and of course it’s a very fast course, very good potential for PB. Run is a one loop course, mostly along a canal. The atmosphere is unique, it’s what makes this race really special (in addition to its history and PB potential). Spectactors can walk along most of the swim. They are crowding the bridge above the canal. You can actually see and hear encouragements during the swim. On the bike the Solarberg makes you feel you are doing the Tour de France. On the run there are places with again crazy atmosphere, but also much quieter portions along the canal. The finish is again amazing with a really good party. Logistics is a bit hard. Language is mostly not a problem. The best airport is Frankfurt, but it’s some distance from Roth. Accommodations are limited, Roth being a small town with few hotels, but home stay is a possibility. Otherwise a lot of people stay in Nuremberg, but you need to rent a car. T1, T2 and finish are in different places. Although they bring your swim bag to T2, you still have to go from finish to T2. If you go alone, it’s a bit of pain. If you have a crew able to drive your car, it’s a lot easier.
So, which one is best for you? I don’t know, they both are very good races and whichever you chose you should not be disappointed, but they are very different, both with a great history.
Edit: corrected 2 loops bike course in Roth, not 3
The bike course has 2 loops, other than that great comparison. I’ve done Nice in 2013 and will do Roth this year, so I’ll post my contribution to this thread after that. The temperature was very high during the run in 2013, so I don’t think you can take that into consideration when deciding which of the two you want to do.
If you want to go for the triathlon experience go for Roth, if you want to go for the overall experience go for Nice. Nice is a great city, the bike course is second to none but I expect the Germans to be a little more enthousiastic when I pass them.
The bike course has 2 loops, other than that great comparison. I’ve done Nice in 2013 and will do Roth this year, so I’ll post my contribution to this thread after that. The temperature was very high during the run in 2013, so I don’t think you can take that into consideration when deciding which of the two you want to do.
If you want to go for the triathlon experience go for Roth, if you want to go for the overall experience go for Nice. Nice is a great city, the bike course is second to none but I expect the Germans to be a little more enthousiastic when I pass them.My mistake. I went on memory, haven’t checked the course in details yet. Strange how sometimes the number of loops become blur between the different races.
Sorry to hijack. What wheels will you be using in Nice? I’ll be out there as well. I’m trying to find reports and pictures but haven’t seen much.
Torn between zipp 404/808 or 404/404.
I would go for Nice, it’s a great city, super easy to fly into and the whole region is a holiday paradise. I have trained there extensively and love the region. Roth will give you a great race experience for sure, but I am not sure the time in the area will offer nearly as much as the Riviera.
Jack
I had the same choice a couple of years ago, and I picked Nice. Easier to get to, great course (bar the old swim course, which was horrible in my opinion), and a lovely spot to have some couple time (since the kids were with the grandparents). We really enjoyed ourselves. I chose it over Roth as, whilst I would love to do the event for the event itself, the location would have been a pain to get to, and it had nothing of interest to me or the wife before or after the race.
Plus the food is soon much better in Nice.
Sorry to hijack. What wheels will you be using in Nice? I’ll be out there as well. I’m trying to find reports and pictures but haven’t seen much.
Torn between zipp 404/808 or 404/404.I would go 404/808. I have Hed Jet 60/90. Of course lighter wheels would be better on the climbs, but I feel that there is enough flats to tip the balance toward aerodynamics advantages (and you want to look good on the pictures ;). Just make sure you are used to technical descents.
To stay on the thread theme, disk all the way in Roth.
Nice: Nasty water (Mediterranean sea is very salty). Mountainous, one-loop bike course with some nice views. Boring, pancake-flat 4-loop run course that can get very hot with next to no shade. No crowd support except near the finish line. Full of tourists that see the race as an annoyance. Bike and run courses are short. Plenty of hotels very close to the swim start.
Roth: Unique atmosphere. Uninteresting swim, but lots of spectators. The bike course is certainly not flat… Don’t know why it has this reputation. Although flatter than Nice of course. Run is kinda nice, one loop with some variety, not hilly but not flat either. Amazing crowd support, but only in a few spots. Logistics can be a problem with two transition areas. They have shuttles to get to the start line on race day but it’s still kind of an adventure and pretty stressful in my experience.
Plus the food is soon much better in Nice.
if you dont like large pretzels, bier, and sausages something is wrong with you. it is the fuel of many top winning long course athletes.
I prefer red wine and Duck L’Orange. I don’t eat only for racing, so don’t care what others eat, or ride, or… 
Plus the food is so much better in Nice.
if you dont like large pretzels, bier, and sausages something is wrong with you. it is the fuel of many top winning long course athletes.
Roth is the best place on the planet. Do it, then go to coast if you want to hit the beach.
Another option for next year I’d suggest is Challenge Regensburg. It’s in August, so more summertime to train, and you’ll get a “Roth light” experience.
Either way, most people speak good English in Germany, so logistics are not a problem.