We had our local tri-race today (650-31-7)… I finished 4 overall and won the junior class with 11 min;) I finished in 1.24, but that’s not the important thing, just wanted to show off.
The bike was a out and back course, with some small rolling hills and one a little longer, but not under 25 km/h. I finish the bikesplit in 48.00, avg. 38,75 km/h, no watts. But the funny thing, splitted 28.00-20.00. Rode as hard as I could both ways, but the wind…! Avg. 45 km/h on the last 15 k, that’s nice for me:D
I raced the Big Kahuna Half Ironman in Santa Cruz, Calif. last fall and experienced this. There were a lot of hills, but the wind was brutal. For the last couple miles before the turnarund I was in the small chainring hammering into the front of a storm on flat ground. I went out in 1 hour 25 and came back in 1:09.
When that happens you really have to hammer into the headwind where your power will do you the most good, because when you turn around with the tailwind it will act as a great equalizer.