Why You Should Always Preview Your Event Course

Knowing the basics of your event course will help you to avoid surprises on the day.  While it’s not necessary to know every curve and climb, knowing the character of the course and where the major obstacles are will help you plan your day.  For example, if the ride has one major climb that takes place in the first quarter of the event, you know that you will need to conserve a bit on that climb in order to have enough energy to complete the rest of the course.  Check the course profile and the character of the roads. Are they straight, or twisty? Rough or smooth? Narrow or wide? Are the climbs steep or shallow? Which way does the prevailing wind typically come from? If the event has checkpoints or rest stops, where are they? Knowing the answers to these questions can help you plan your ride strategy and make your day as smooth as possible.  If the event stakes are high, it is highly advisable to ride tricky segments of the course in advance.  There's no substitute for experience. Most events provide GPS route guidance that you can review on your computer and use on your cycling computer.  We love Ride with GPS for previewing the course.  You can select from a variety of map types and even see the course from a "Street View" perspective.