Pre-Ride TT Course - Report

After the Crankmasters Ride along the Bow Valley Parkway we hit Banff to pre-ride the TT course. Here is my take:
0-5km - start steady, get aero, smooth cadence, find your rhythm.
5km - very steep hill, get on the horns, out of the saddle, and pound your way up. I don't think sitting down is an option.
6km - after a false flat, 2nd not quite as steep hill, but who are you? I think a cardio beast should spin up, but a pedal masher should be out of the saddle again.
to 12km - there is a slight dip to let you recover, then flat, you should be just short of redlining here.
12km - last kicker hill over left abutment, which is why you didn't redline into it.
to 13km - flat across the dam, probably fighting a wind, so all those core/neck exercises pay off here. Normally I wouldn't say this, but the "finish" line is here. I expect the split times at 13km will pretty nearly predict the race order.
to 21km finish - mostly downhill with only 2 little risers. They will be more annoying than consequential. At race speed you should be able to make a quick power pop to get you over the top, then back to aero to the finish.

This week's workouts - I'm going to repeat last week's workout early in the week, then, and this is unusual, late in the week I'm going to do hill repeats on my TT bike.

The WNS race this week is a TT, but don't use it to replace one of your workouts. It is too short and too fast. I'm going to do it, but view it as a form check for fast downhill riding, not a workout that will build race fitness.

Also - our Sunday Ride from Longview will include plenty of hills, although I don't advise doing it on your TT bike.