IRONMAN South Africa · GqeberhaVerified
IRONMAN South Africa · Gqeberha: 180 km bike leg, 1066 m of climbing. Elevation profile, what the terrain asks of you, the weather this race day usually brings, and how to pace this course.
Course intel
Multiple laps along the Gqeberha coast: rolling roads on the Indian Ocean shore, 1066 m of elevation gain. South Africa's wind is famously strong, and the straight coastal sections are mainly about handling crosswind and headwind.
Source: Compiled from the official route and public race information · every course rechecked before launch
The terrain on this course
- The race has moved to Mossel Bay and the new route is not published yet; this is the old route
- Flat (±1.2%) makes up 62%
- Main climb 7.4–13.2 km: 113 m of gain (avg 1.9%)
- Main climb 67.3–73.2 km: 113 m of gain (avg 1.9%)
- Main climb 127.2–133.0 km: 112 m of gain (avg 1.9%)
Speed score
The wind here is part of the terrain: ride the headwind sections to your range, not to the speedometer, and in crosswinds relax your upper body and stay low. The plan already has wind in every segment, so just ride the numbers.
Historical race-day weather (around 03-23): 22.3°C · Wind 5.1 m/s
0 to 100, and the higher it is the easier it is to post a good time. Points come off for terrain, for corners, and for the heat and wind this race has actually had over the last five years at the same time of year. Full explanation in the article “How the course score works”.