The Mont Tremblant Bike Mount Line
As we prepare for another year of racing Ironman® events across North America, one of the hallmarks of the Team Endurance Nation approach is improvement from learning. Given we have more than 1,000 Ironman® finishers every year, we are able to gather incredible insights about each race course. Every year we work as a team to improve upon our performance from the previous year, regardless of ability level or experience.
Mont Tremblant is no different. Set in a stunning venue, this event has quickly become one of the premier races on the endurance circuit for the terrain, course conditions, local hospitality and overall accessibility. However this race is anything but easy.
In this article we are going to look at a few key sections of the Mont Tremblant bike course. You can take your Mont Tremblant training to the next level with our 3-day race-specific training camp; you’ll have the chance to ride the bike twice, and to run at least one loop of the marathon. Click here to learn more about the Mont Tremblant Training Camp.
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General Overview
The course has approximately 4,800 feet of elevation gain across the two loops, putting it on par with it’s closest Ironman® neighbor, Ironman® Lake Placid. This biggest difference, however, is that the Tremblant bike is much faster than it looks due to nice smooth pavement that blankets the entire course. If you’ve ever skied in fresh powder, then riding in Tremblant is the two-wheeled equivalent.
The course is anything but straight-forward, however. It’s almost always rolling hills, false flats, with two distinct areas of difficulty: the first being the long gradual climbs out on 117, the second being the out and back section to Lac Superior.
#1 – Descent Out of Transition: Miles 0 thru 6
This is a great time, per our race execution guidance, to get settled in on the bike. You’ll want to let your heart rate drop from transition, do a full system check of the bike and your body and get down to the business of fueling your day.
#2 – 117 Climb Out: Miles 6 thru 9
You speed comes to an abrupt end with this three mile climb at the start of 117. It’s long enough to do some real damage, so be patient and stick to the right effort. It might help to reflect on how fun this will be on the return trip!
#3 – 117 Rolling Up on the Out and Down on the Back: Miles 9 thru 30
Once you are over the climb, you have a 1.5-mile fast descent into the rolling hills. This is generally rolling upwards on the way out. The terrain is sprinkled with a few false flats as well, providing ample ground for working too hard on race day. The team has identified this section as challenging not for the elevation for for the deceptive way in which it can sap your energy.
Enjoying the Mont Tremblant Bike
#4 – 117 Climb Back: Miles 30.5 to 32
After flipping it at the turn and flying on the way back, you do have to make the 1.5-mile climb. Again, it’s still early in your day. In fact, for most Team Endurance Nation athletes, right after this climb this is where they will actually begin “working” on race day per our race execution guidance.
#5 – Rolling Terrain thru Transition: Miles 32 thru 45
Nothing super important to note here, other than you have to still work the rolling terrain to your advantage. Smart on the ups, fast on the descents.
#6 – Climb to Lac Superior: Miles 45 thru 50
Having passed transition, you now get to enjoy a solid five-mile stretch that consists of several “stair step” climbs up towards Lac Superior. Whatever average speed you have enjoyed until now will start to quickly deteriorate; but you have to let it go. Not only is this section hard, but you have to do it again in 56 miles (!) making it the most challenging element of the Mont Tremblant bike. Use the five-mile descent as a change to recover and get your heart rate under control again.
Then all you have to do is the whole thing all over again and run a marathon!
Thanks for joining us of this preview of the Mont Tremblant bike course. If you haven’t already done so, be sure to check out our Tremblant Training Camp. Three days of training and learning on your race course so you’ll be 100% ready for race day.
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