Race Design Thread

[Progsprach]

Re: Re:

Why through the Envalira tunnel and not over the summit?

I wasn't sure if the pass is still rideable this late in the calendar.

They did it in 2013, so it'll be fine; it's been a Vuelta MTF a fair few times as well. Snow tends to linger in the April-May time, won't have set in this far south in September though.

Oh yeah, I forgot, fair enough, I changed the profile to include the final part.

 

[Progsprach]

Maranchon - Madrid (187km)
Well, this is a decently long transfer, but in exchange the riders get a easy stage to parade the winner. The only obstacle is the ascent to Miralrio (4km@4.7%,cat4) between the intermediate sprints at Siguenza and Guadelajara. The GC leader will reach Madrid safely, hopefully, and the fast men who are still in the race will contest among themselves one final time.

 

[May0maniac]

Stage 3 Estes Park - Central City; 206km
The final 200km

This is the first serious test for the gc-riders.
The race starts in Estes Park and after 8km we already have the first climb of the day, 9,3km at 5,4%.
The next 23km are more of a false flat, then we have 2 short climbs, the first one is 4,7km at 4,6%, the 2nd one is 6,5km at 3,8%. The next 80km consist of gentle descents and rolling terrain until we reach Idaho Springs, then we have a hard climb up the Virginia Canyon road and the Two Brothers road, 5,3km at 9,8% with a 20% steep ramp, a nasty steep climb.
The descent is you typical gentle american descent on wide roads and after reaching Idaho Springs for the 2nd time the next climb starts, Juniper Pass on the Little bear Creek rd, 15,9km at 6,5%.
After the descent we climb the short steep climb for the 2nd time, but this time we descent down to Central City, the descent is steeper and shorter from the top of the final climb we only have 4,6km to go.
This is the first real mountain stage, the whole stage takes place over 2100m and features 3 serious climbs, if you have a strong team you can use it to set a really high pace on Juniper Pass to get rid of all the domestiques and attack the other favourites right at the beginning of the final climb.
Central City:

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Hang on, there's a legit Peña Cabarga-alike only 5km from a legit city in Colorado and they still insist on doing those "an eternity at 4%" climbs in the real race?!

 

[May0maniac]

Re:

Hang on, there's a legit Peña Cabarga-alike only 5km from a legit city in Colorado and they still insist on doing those "an eternity at 4%" climbs in the real race?!

Yes, the middle part of the climb is partially unpaved but it's a nice large road that would be perfectly raceable.

 

[May0maniac]

Stage 4 Idaho Springs - Golden; 191,8km

Right at the start of the stage we climb Bear Creek rd once again, but this time we don't climb the whole Juniper Pass, just until reach Sqaw Pass rd, 9,6km at 6,6%.
Then we have a long american descent and 33km of false flat until we reach Boulder after 87km, them we climb on the Boulder Canyon rd, 12,2km at 4,6%.
The next 30km are on rolling terrain and after a short descent we have 2km at 4,5% before the long descent continues.
The descent ends when we reach Golden, from here we climb Lookout Mountain, 9,2km at 5,3%.
Then the final descent that will bring the riders down to Golden starts, the first 5km are steeper and the final 5km of the stage are more of a false flat.
This one should go to the breakaway, the next stage will be the obvious monster MTF that many fans would love to see in the real race, so the favourites will try to save their energy for that stage, but it should be a nice stage.
Golden:

 

[lemon cheese cake]

post deleted.

 

[Brullnux]

Sorry for my ignorance, but where can you create races and profiles?

 

[lemon cheese cake]

Re:

Sorry for my ignorance, but where can you create races and profiles?

Refer to the original post. Plus Croneascalada.

 

[May0maniac]

Stage 5 Idaho Springs - Pikes Peak; 223km

The monster MTF of the race, everyone will just think about the final climb, but I've tried to make the rest of the stage at least a little bit demanding.
The stage starts in Idaho Springs just like stage 4 and after 23km of false flat the first climb of the day starts, Guanella Pass (3557m), 17,5km at 5,6%, not a very hard climb but a nice way to start the stage.
After the 20km long descent we have 19km of false flat before the next climb starts, 4,8km at 4,9%, 6km of false flat on top of the climb followed by a gentle descent and 5km of false flat.
he next climb is 4,3km at 6,3%, followed by another short climb, 2,8km at 4,9%.
After the descent we have 11km of false flat, followed 9,5km at 3,6%. The next 19km are more or less false flat, then we have 3,8km at 5,5% followed by 5km of false flat on top of the climb.
Then we have a long gentle descent before the final climb of the day starts, Pikes Peak, 31,2km at 6,5% with a steeper 2nd half o the climb and the finish line is nearly 4300m above the sea level.
This is the last chance for the climbers, stage 9 will be an over 30km long ITT so they will have to attack and such a hard climb at that altitude has the potential to create huge gaps.
It would be awesome to see such a monster MTF in the real race, the idiots who want to run alongside the rider would collapse at that altitude
Pikes Peak:

 

[BigMac]

Really liking it Mayo. Will you give Cali a try one day?

 

[May0maniac]

Re:

Really liking it Mayo. Will you give Cali a try one day?

I guess i could try it, Utah is already an awesome race and Cali has the potential to be a much better race.
It would take some time because I'm not really familiar with California and the terrain that I could use to create good stages, but I like the idea.

 

[BigMac]

Re: Re:

Really liking it Mayo. Will you give Cali a try one day?

I guess i could try it, Utah is already an awesome race and Cali has the potential to be a much better race.
It would take some time because I'm not really familiar with California and the terrain that I could use to create good stages, but I like the idea.

Yeah Cali is huge, I think the most difficult will be to make a logical connection between stages and places you may want to go. I tipped ToC precisely because it can be so much more. Anyway, no pressure, whenever you feel inspired.

 

[Gigs_98]

Deutschland Tour stage 14: Berchtesgaden-Munich (161 km)
The last "normal" stage (the last one will be a ITT) of my Deutschland Tour is another flat stage for the sprinters. The route goes almost directly from Berchtesgaden to Munich with only one single categorized climb, which is in the first half of the stage. The Hochberg is short and not very steep so it shouldn't cause any problems for the sprinters. Then in the second part of the course the route completely flattens out. There isn't so much more to say about the stage only maybe, that the finish line is at the Siegestor.

Siegestor:

climbs:
Hochberg (4th cat.)

 

[Gigs_98]

Deutschland Tour stage 15: Municht-Munich ITT (15 km)
As I already wrote, the last stage of my Deutschland Tour is an ITT. This one is only about half as long as the other ITT which was on stage 3 (I think 47 ITT kilometers is a good TT distance for a two week long race). The biggest difference between this one and the first time trial is that this one is technically really difficult. there are many narrow turns and some cobbled sections in the second half, which takes place in the historic centre of the city.
The TT starts in front of the "Alte Pinakothek" an old museum for historical art. After the start the riders have to turn northwards where they pass the finish of stage 14, the Siegestor. After that the course shortly goes through the "Englischen Garten" before the riders drive along the Isar, a little river, to the Prinzregentenstraße. Here the course starts to become tricky. The riders have to drive around some kind of roundabout traffic, then a real roundabout traffic before they reach the first split time at the Maximilianeum. After the athletes go over a birdge over the Isar, they reach the historic centre. Here they will pass some sights of munich like the Hofbräuhaus or the Sendlinger Tor. The last kilometer will be especially tricky. First the route goes around the Peterskirche, then the route goes to the Karlstor over the Kaufingerstraße and the Neuhauser Straße. These are two streets which are actually cobbled pedestrian areas but I think its possible to use them in a cycling race. The finish line will be directly under the Karlstor.

Alte Pinakothek:

Maximilianeum:

Karlstor:

 

[fauniera]

TIRRENO - ADRIATICO

stage 7: Alba Adriatica - Fermo, 171 km

first 98 km:

This is the final stage of my Tirreno-Adriatico. It leads back from Abruzzo to Marche, but unlike yesterday we won't stay at the coast, but turn inland instead. This obviously leads to some climbing in the rolling hills of Marche. The hardest climb is to Ripatransone (4 km 9%) at km 40, followed by the easier climbs to Montefiore dell'Aso (4,6 km 6%) and Monterubbiano (6 km 6%).


final 73 km: 4 laps of this circuit:

Then Fermo is reached, where the riders will enter a circuit. They will do three quarters of a lap first, then four full laps. Each lap includes three muri. The first muro leads to Fermo from the south, is 0,9 km long and at average 14% steep. The middle part is 0,4 km at 17,5%. After descending to the river Tenna the riders will tackle the next Muro, Lauretana, 0,9 km at 14%, max. 18% (video). Only 4 km later the final muro waits, Reputolo (0,7 km 15%, max. 24%) (video). From the top of the climb only 225 meters are left to the finish, which are also uphill at 6%. With 15 muri inside the last 86 km this should be quite a massacre.


Alba Adriatica

Fermo

stage map

 

[Progsprach]

Seattle Classic (288km)
The Seattle Classic, one of the five monuments of my World Tour, starts at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The first part of the race is a lttle lumpy, but mostly flat with only ascents about 25km into the race at Maple Valley Highway(2.5km@5%) and 30km later in East Renton Highlands (2,3km@5%). At about km 80, the riders reach the main obstacle of this race for the first time, a 12km circuit (profile at the bottom) containing the climb to Cougar Mountain via 60th street (3.7km@7.5%). At this point the riders do two loops before leaving to go to Sammamish and Redmond, for about 70km with only 4 small climbs with stats of about 1.5km@4-7%. Then they return to the Cougar Mountain circuit for 4 additional loop , make a small detour into Lake Sammamish Park with a climb of 2.6km@6.2% at Hillside Park and return to the circuit for a final 4 loops. From there it is about another 5km, lightly ascending, to the finish at Eastgate Park.

 

[fauniera]

KAKANIEN RUNDFAHRT

Kakanien is a tongue-in-cheek name for the k. u. k. Doppelmonarchie Österreich-Ungarn, which collapsed in 1918. The Rundfahrt covering this huge territory of course has to be a three week tour. We will visit eleven countries, the most important omission being Ukraine. Transfers will be needed, but with one exception big transfers will be done at the two rest days.

This is my second attempt at this race. The first one (not in this forum) started in Triest, then went counterclockwise to finish in Trient. This time we start in Krakau, then go clockwise with the race ending in Wien, the capital of Kakanien.


prologue: Krakau, 6,9 km

Krakau (Kraków) is arguably one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. Start and finish of the prologue are at the impressive Hauptmarkt (Rynek Główny). We are heading north, until the reversal point at Matejko-Platz. Passing by the Barbakan we are crossing the Altstadt again, then head to the Weichsel, where the riders will ride on a bikepath along the river. After circling Wawel hill with its royal castle and cathedral, we return to the Altstadt. The prologue is completely flat, some parts are on (harmless) cobbles.


Krakau

 

[togo95]

@fauniera: That last stage of your TA looks like a real killer of a stage. Carnage guaranteed. I am also looking forward to what you came up with in your Kakanien Rundfarth.

Meanwhile I am preparing yet another 3-week tour, the 4th Grand Tour

 

[Brullnux]

Re: Re:

Sorry for my ignorance, but where can you create races and profiles?

Refer to the original post. Plus Croneascalada.

Cheers

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I have on a couple of occasions tried to put together a Dual Monarchy Tour, although mine always started and ended in Vienna and Budapest, which led to routes that I wasn't happy with as they'd double back on themselves or be very unsatisfactorily paced. Looking forward to seeing what you have in store.

 

[lemon cheese cake]

Unfortunately with the Krakow TT in the Tour of Poland, you dont see much of the beauty of the city. Coming out of the square, along some narrow streets, out onto a highway and back is pretty boring to watch.

 

[togo95]

Tour of California

While watching this years' Tour of California I thought of designing a three week tour covering this large area, if nothing else than at least to get more familiar with its goegraphy. However in the end I quite liked the result, so I will post it here too. First some general facts about the route.

The total distance covered over 21 racing days is 3486 km. Sometimes you will see that the stage length in posts and on profiles won't match. That is because I used Cronoescalada for profiles, but RidewithGPS for mapping and I believe RWGPS more concerning the route length. It features 2 individual time trials and 19 mass start stages with 5 flat stages, 5 rolling/easy mountain stages, 5 hard hilly/medium mountain stages and 4 high mountain stages.

The KOM competition will award point for climbs divided into 4 categories. There will be 5 HC (highest category), 10 1st, 15 2nd and 43 3rd category climbs. In each road stage there are also two inermediate sprints.

As for finishing climbs, one stage end at the top of a HC, 1st and 2nd category climbs respectively and three finishes are categorised as 3rd category climbs.


Stage 1: Crescent City - Crescent City; 16 km

The race starts at the nothwesternmost part of California, in Crescent City. The first stage is a short time trial to open up the GC a bit. After going along the coast and heading through the town, the route loops around the Bertsch-Oceanview settlement with a barely noticeable hill to be negotiated on the way. The finish is back in Crescent City.

Crescent City:

 

[May0maniac]

Stage 6 Lake George - Peublo; 178,4km

An easy stage for the sprinters before the final ITT, the only really boring stage of my version of this race.
Not much to say here, the whole stage is slightly downhill or false flat and will be a rest day for the favoutites after the brutal MTF and before the final TT.
Pueblo:

 

[May0maniac]

Stage 7 Fountain - Colorado Springs ITT; 33,5km

The final TT that should be long enough to force the climbers to really attack on the mountain stages.
This one is pretty much a pure power test, lots of long straight roads and not many technical corners.
I think it's a nice way to end this race and i hope that I've done a decent job and created a race that should be more entertaining to watch than the actual race.
Colorrado Springs: