It levels out in the middle but the chunky gravel won’t help, and the descent is technical too, especially with a tight right hander at the bottom.
This is hard, no doubt, and most will need to manage their effort. Yes, there are a couple of steep ascents but a group will do well along here, past Lochs Stroan and Ken before you hit Tannoch Flow. There’s a right hander at the bottom and you’ll ride with the forest on your left and the marshy shore of Loch Skerrow on your right, but this is the time to make progress. I say descending, there’s a daunting looking one kilometre kicker with a maximum of around 8% which will take the wind out of your sails, but generally this is a joyously fast section. Off road again you’ll descend on more excellent, predictable gravel. At the bottom you turn right onto a beautifully smooth, fast 5km tarmac section, if you’re working together you’ll quickly be at the first feed station. This is Kenick Hill and though the 3% gradient over its 3km isn’t too challenging, the surface is a bit more gnarly, pick your line carefully on the descent, the gravel is chunky, even deep in places. Descending through trees there are a few short sharp digs to keep the heart rate up, before you drop onto tarmac for about 100m, take a left over a bridge back onto gravel and a right onto another longer climb. At 281 metres this is the race’s highest point and with no plateau you’re descending immediately. The gravel is firm and even getting the power down is easy enough all the way to the peak 6.5km in.
It’s easy enough on tarmac, but after 600m the gradient ramps up and you turn left onto gravel to climb Fuffock Hill. The profile of the opening 29km is a daunting one, we’re straight uphill the moment we cross the start line.
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