Left, Right, or Straight: Leg Analysis #19

 

 Left, Right, or Straight: Leg Analysis #19

A landscape of this type can be seen in many European countries, such as Italy, Spain, or Portugal, as well as in Turkey. It also resembles Australia. However, this is in North America (USA, California). It’s a vast continent where you can encounter a great variety of landscapes.

 Leg 5-6 presented in this analysis is from the C10 distance of the competition CalOFests Stage 3 NRE Long, which took place on 2023-07-19.

link for GPS tracks 

The route choice is significantly influenced by the amount of climb. Moreover, a climb that follows a gentle road is much easier than one on a steep slope. Therefore, this factor should also be considered.

The right-hand route seems too complicated and physically demanding. The easier approach to the control point is not worth it. (The red sectons represent areas with a climb).

After excluding the right-hand route, we are left to consider "straight" or "left" options.

The straight route is also not exactly straight and has some lengthening. Also, it has more climbs than the left option.

The left route seems the most optimal. To simplify the execution of the route, the leg can be broken down into smaller tasks by placing 'intermediate control points' in the saddles along the main roads. Now, it's easier to handle the task. All that remains is to decide on the'micro route choice' for the intermediate legs 5-A and A-B. 

The micro route choice largely depends on the athlete's physical condition, as well as the state of the ground cover and soil.

The approach from B to 6 will be the same for everyone, whether on the left or straight route.

If we compare the left and straight routes, we can see that they converge at saddle B, and the distance of these routes is approximately the same.

Therefore, the deciding factor will be the climb. On the left route, it's about 130 meters, of which the first 60 meters are along a gentle road and last section too. On the right route, it's about 150 meters, and mainly this section runs across a slope that is quite steep.

Unfortunately, the leaders of this distance did not upload their GPS tracks, so we cannot see the actual routes and the differences between the various ones.

Aleksandr Alekseyonok, October 12, 2024.