STAGE 2: COURSE DESCRIPTION

Distance: 48km
Elevation: 1135m

Start/Finish Venue: Foreshore Park, Brockman St, Nannup WA 6275

Start Time: 9am

The new Nannup course starts with riders rolling out from Foreshore Park at the end of Brockman Street. Riders will be escorted through Nannup heading south towards Pemberton, left onto Vasse Highway, and left again onto East Nannup Road, where the stage will officially start.

There is another 5.5 kilometres of undulating bitumen until riders turn left onto Helium Road. From here there is 14km of wide, undulating, and sometimes fast flowing fire roads to sort the field out before they hit the single track with some spectacular views.

The race then enters the Tank 7 Mountain Bike Park at the top of the hill with the first single track - Fun Guy. You will experience 20 kilometres of trails inside the Park, with all Green and Blue trails that have been carefully selected as the easiest and most fun so that everyone can enjoy the experience. Everything is ridable and rollable. There are no gaps or big surprises around any corners.

The most technical section comes at the half way point of the stage on Folly Farmer, a Blue Trail. There are two small technical rocky sections, rideable with intermediate skill levels though some may need to dismount. If you do, please be aware of other riders.

From here it is smooth sailing back to the finish at Foreshow Park.

All up there is 1135m of climbing. While it is the most of any stage it isn’t really steep or hard. Anyone with a base fitness level will be able to ride the course comfortably and the climbs are made even better by the descents you are rewarded with after doing each one.

To get the 20 kilometres of trails in the Tank 7 MTB Park, we use a cross over point on a fire road, which will be marshalled. The first time through will be transitioning from Flat Earth to Cheap Thrills. The second will be from Elevator to Roo Beds. Riders coming out of Elevator will have right of way, as they are in front.

This spot will also be a diversion point later in the day for the back markers in the field. Anyone at the cross over after 12:30pm will be sent straight to “Tank to Tank”. The diversion point is based an average speed of 10 km/h. That is, 3.5 hours after the start of the race. This is either the 32.3 km mark (end of Flat Earth), or 34.7 kms at the top of Elevator. The diversion will cut off either 3.3 km (from the top of Elevator) or 5.7 kms if you are at the end of Flat Earth after 12:30pm.

Anyone riding slower than an average speed of 10 km/h will still be deemed a finisher. However, their time will be the time of the last rider to complete the whole course, plus 1 minute.

Subject to change up until race morning briefing.