All Battenkill, all the time

The middle three climbs are the hardest
The last climb requires the big ring
All of it requires a lot of suffering

After yesterday's relatively formal post on the Tour of the Battenkill Valley, I'm going to give a slightly less formal look at the Tour of the Battenkill Valley tonight. I've been dreaming of doing well in this race since I got dropped at miles 7 in last year's contest. This race is captivating, like no other athletic contest I know of. I won't be so bold as to predict an outcome on Saturday, but I will say that I'm optimistic for my chances.

All winter, when I was suffering through 3-hour trainer sessions, I was imagining myself on dirt roads. I dream of Battenkill at night, I see visions at work. I've plotted what I think is a winning strategy, and I've targeted all of my training so far this season at this event. So far, the races I've done this season have gone well, and my fitness seems to be on track. Now, with five days to go, the cards will fall where they may, and all I can do is hope for good luck.

Here are some of my calculations: First of all, the course is insanely difficult. As you can see in the elevation profile above, there are six major climbs. Five of these are on dirt roads. In addition to the natural challenge of needing to ride quickly uphill, the dirt adds the extra challenge of keeping your traction on the dirt road, while skinny tires try to spin out underneath you. I know of no other race available to amateurs that offers such challenging terrain.

Some racers will try to tackle this course with treaded cyclocross tires, but this is a mistake. Although the dirt roads are some of the most difficult sections, the majority of the race is conducted on paved roads. I've now ridden the course five times, in dry condition, wet conditions, and frozen conditions. In every case, I've used regular road tires. Anyone who wants to succeed at Battenkill would do well to not sacrifice speed on the road for extra traction in the dirt.

Then there's the much-feared Juniper Swamp Road, which features an 18% grade for 1/4 mile on a dirt road. Some people will be tempted to race 27-, or even 29-tooth cassettes to help them get over this section. I've used a standard 25-tooth cassette every time I've ridden the course, and can safely say that if you're not turning over your 25 on the climb, you're getting dropped. That's not to say you can't chase back on on the following decent, but remember, the easier your gear, the slower you go.

My most important calculation pertains to my success. I know that if I go out and give the race everything I have, I'll be satisfied. That's because of the event's festival atmosphere. About 1,500 people are racing on Saturday, and many of them are coming with family and friends, and the locals will turn out to cheer the racers on. It's like one giant party, that manages to capture the feeling of the storied classic races in northern France and Belgium, with fans lining the streets in little hamlets, cheering for their favorite riders.

With a few months of preparation, and a little luck, I'm hoping to be among the first to receive their cheers.