Tour Watopia 2024

Stage 3: There and Back

Date: 4th January
Distance: 40 km | 24.8 mi
Type: Group Stage
Elevation: 328 m | 1075 ft
⚠️ Fuego Sprint Segment is Excluded ⚠️

Overview:
Stage 3, "There and Back," presents a 40 km (24.8 mi) challenge with undulating terrain and a mix of elevation changes. This stage is a true test of endurance and strategy, marking the beginning of the 🟨 General Classification (GC) and 🔴 Polkadot (climbing) battles. Known for its flat sections and two distinct climbs, is a favorite among racers.

Key Highlights:

• Terrain Diversity: The course starts off flat, making its way across the desert and then descending through the redwoods to Ocean Boulevard. This diversity demands adaptability and strategic racing.

• Elevation Challenge: After a flat first half, riders face two key climbs: the Volcano KOM climb at the 20 km (12.4 mi) mark. Hilly KOM Reverse features a bit later in the stage, both key selection points for riders.

• Route Path: The route begins in Fuego Flats, descends through the redwoods, climbs up to the Italian Villas, twists through The Esses, and then turns toward the Volcano. After descending from the Volcano KOM, riders take the flat land bridge road back to the Italian Villas before tackling the Hilly KOM Reverse.

Tips for Riders:

• Climbing Strategy: The key climbs in the second half of the race are decisive. Riders should conserve energy in the first half to tackle these effectively.

• Flat Sections: Utilize the flat sections for recovery and strategic positioning within the peloton.

• Sprints: Just the single intermediate JCW Sprint at 16 km (9.9 mi) present opportunities for points. ⚠️Fuego segment is excluded

Expectation:
This stage is where fireworks start to likely to see a mix of tactics as riders navigate the varied terrain. The moderate climbs and flat sections provide opportunities for breakaways and tactical plays, significantly impacting the 🟨GC and 🔴Polkadot standings.

SPRINTs:

• JWB Sprint Reverse 0.36 km (0.2 miles) average Gradient: -0.1%

CLIMBS:

• Volcano KOM: 3.75 km (2.3 mi), average incline of 3.2%.

• Hilly KOM Reverse: 2.49 km (1.54 mi), average incline of 1.83%.

FOR THE SICK!OS

The first rule of being a cycling sicko is learning to stalk Strava segments. You've got to know what you're capable of to prevent yourself from blowing up and watching the pack ride away. Click on the button below and check out your past results. You'll need to be Premium Member on Strava for leaderboards

Now for the truly ill amongst us there is then head over to Veloviewer which is going to present things to us in a very different way. The information is more detailed, and gives a unique analysis of the segment. It also has a better visual representation of the ride ahead. This tool is free to use

Now this is where most of you will stop, you'll be satisfied now with all of that. Not here at 😷⚡we're a bit kookoo for coco puffs.

Lastly we did course recon on every meter/foot of each stage. From this we built a 😷⚡🍞(breadcrumb) cheat sheet. With this there are very little surprises heading your way you'll be about as prepared as it gets.

Bonus section to take the vail off of the mystery of 🥤🍜 (on/off bike nutrition). Here we will have the entire breakdown of what we ate and drank the day of the event. This is mostly to document this for ourselves but Chef Sick! is creative in the kitchen. You'll have seen these melas on the Social feeds if you've been following us.