Page Valley

If you are racing Page Valley this weekend and/or the 24th and haven’t had a chance to preview the course, Miles and I did it yesterday. It’s a bit like Jeff Cup but with nastier climbs.

The first test begins after the right hand turn onto Hollow Run Road (629). Watch this turn, there was a ton of gravel that hopefully will be swept. Shortly after the turn and around the 4.5 mile point you start a 1.75 mile steady climb. The first 1.25 is no big deal but the last .5 mile we agreed is equivalent in grade to the Reas Ford climb back up to Woodlands.

The second test begins at around mile 7.5 just after the left hand turn onto Balkamore Hill Road (628). Use caution, this turn is greater than 90 degrees. Shortly after the tun you’ll see a short hill right in front of you then it will flatten out for 100 meters or so which is where the next climb begins. This one is about .4 miles and looks a lot like Wintergreen.

The next .9 miles will remind you of the Jeff Cup loop with a few rollers and then finally at around the 10 mile mark you’ll hit a very short but steep climb that finishes the uphill stuff. This will look a lot like the short climb after the bridge on Millington (Saturday ride). At the top of this climb is a fast downhill that, after a sharp right hand turn back onto Marksville Road (611) will lead you back to the finish. If you’ve made the selection this is where you’ll want to attack on the last lap. At the top, you can fly down the steep hill to get some distance on the others and the rest is slightly downhill, even after the right turn.

See you there on the 24th!

Alan