Classics Circuit Pro ~ 31km 9 Ints
Introduction
The Classics Circuits are,
along with the Climbageddon Circuits, the signature road
sessions of the flamme
rouge programmes. Each one
builds on the intensity and volume of the last.
As an add-in, to a week-end endurance ride, they are a perfect pre-season, race simulation, tester. Once the season is under way, just use the "circuit" as a mid-week, high intensity, low volume, race pace, top up.
We are blessed by having "everything" within five miles of our door. I'm sure wherever you are in the world, if you look hard enough, you should be able to recreate a similar concept in your own "playground" of choice.
Follow The Rules...
You are totally responsible for your own actions. Ensure your
bike is in tip-top condition, keep your head up at all times, have
regard for other road users and never go faster than the speed in
which you can clearly see to stop in. Ride safe, give it a
hundred percent, and have fun.
Course Description
This circuit takes place almost entirely in the Parish of St Martin
and is the middle option of our Classics Circuits, making it ideal
for a pre-race tester session. It's 31 km's long and can
be done and dusted in around a hundred minutes (if you live in town), including
warm up and cool down.
To start you need to get yourself to St Martin's Arsenal, which is near the Durrell Wildlife Trust. Whichever way you approach it, turn off the main road and head down the road behind the Arsenal, to La Ville Bree. Go through the S-bend at the end and turn right at the guest house on to Rue de Huquet. You're now heading for your first interval.
You have 50 metres, down the slope, to get up to full speed. Hit the dip full-on and give it everything for the 100 metre St Martin's Sprint from the bottom of the dip to the two big trees at the crest.
Carry on, gently to ensure recovery, to the end of the road and take a left to St Martin's Public Hall. As you hit the church junction, turn right and head for Maufant and the second interval.
Pick up your speed as you drop down towards La Preferance, and, again, as you hit the dip, accelerate out as though it was a Champs Elysee lead out. Keep going all the way to the shop on the corner. This 300 metre Maufant Push will fill the legs with acid, coming so quickly after your first big sprint.
Carry on to the Midland Store and take a left to head for Hougue Bie and Queens Valley Reservoir.
The next challenge is the climb from Queens Valley; drop down St Saviour's Hospital Hill and from the bottom of the valley gates, attack Ransom's Climb all the way to the finish, 30 metres from the Give Way sign at the top of the hill. There's a tiny lane on the left which marks the finish.
Take a right at the yellow line and head towards Gorey, be very careful on the descent. There are many hidden entrances, blind corners and car parking induced pinch points. Climb to the left of Gorey Castle (above), past Geoffroy's Leap and in to Anneport. Gently, climb out of Moonraker's as you'll be taking the first left turn to attack Archirondel 2.
Tackle this "climb of two halves" with circumspect at the bottom. There is a steep section until the turn, it then flattens slightly but resists all attempts to overcome it, continuing to climb until around the next corner.
Archirondel 2, finishes at the crest, where the side road appears from the right. This is your target for this section of the ride. Once completed, continue the 300 metres to the yellow line, as slowly as dignity will allow.
When you get to the end, wait for your mates and turn left to get back on St Martin's main road and head back to the church.
Turn right at the church and drop in to, and out of, the small valley; when you get to the junction at the end, turn left and follow the road all the way to the junction, and the left turn, for Rue de Huquet and lap two.
You are now about to start the second set of intense intervals. You will follow the course above to re-do the 100 metre St Martin's Sprint, the 300 metre Maufant Push and the Ransom's Climb.
Again take a right at the top and head back to Archirondel , paying particular care to traffic and parked vehicles on the descent. When you get to Archirondel , it's time for something different.
If you thought "two" was bad, brace yourself for this one. Archirondel 3 continues from where "two" finishes, and pushes from the crest of the hill, up the false flat to within 30 metres of the yellow line.
Be as circumspect as you were before, but when you get to the crest, push on for all you're worth to the yellow line. Ride it like you stole it, across the plain. Get everything out.
Once again, wait for your mates, turn left, get on to the main road, back to St Martin's Church. Turn right at the church and drop in to, and out of, the small valley; when you get to the junction at the end, turn right and follow the road all the way to Rozel Harbour, where you start your last, and longest, interval.
Rozel, a killer climb of three thirds. A steep initial third, starts at the harbour slip road. This initial steep, valley climb, precludes the long false flat at La Tourelle, that dupes you in to changing up to too high a gear as you seem to pick up speed.
Just as you feel like you're winning, you hit the leg-snapping rise at the Parish Sheds, that constitutes the final third. This is where everyone comes back to you if you've got it right, or goes away if you get it wrong.
On a good day it's a big ring climb. If you're having a "jour sans", it's a little ring slog.
As you hit the walled corner, you're 20 metres from the finish, of the interval and the circuit. At this point you should be sprinting. Well done!
Game over! Cool down, go home and get your recovery process started.
There are nine significant EFR ~ Intervals on this course...
▼
Segment 1
sprints out of the St Martin's dip ~ 10 secs
▼
Segment 2
surges from
La Preferance to Maufaunt ~ 30 secs
▼
Segment 3
speed
climbs Queens Valley to Ransom's Corner ~ 1 min
▼
Segment
4 runs to the crest of Archirondel
~ 2 min
▼
Segment
5 sprints out of the St Martin's dip ~ 10 secs
▼
Segment
6 surges from
La Preferance to Maufaunt ~ 30 secs
▼
Segment
7 speed climbs Queens Valley to Ransom's Corner ~ 1 min
▼
Segment
8 runs up the end of Archirondel
~ 3 min
▼
Segment
9 grovels out of Rozel ~ 5 min
Who's it for?
This course isn't for the faint hearted. If you
have a race-level fitness it can be used to build strength,
stamina and speed. If you're a racer, it combines all the
elements of a race in to a longer, training session, to help
with stamina and endurance.
If you're stuck for time, there are little better options to maximise your most precious resource.
If you're not in the island, obviously you can get the drift of what we are trying to achieve. You just need to find a course near you that allows you to replicate the intervals in the order shown above. Generally, shortest first, longest last.
What Next?
If you're looking for something a little more
challenging, we have the
Classics Lungo
Circuit to test your mettle.
Due to the "lap" nature of this course,
Strava doesn't handle the timing too well, unfortunately
as the course timings bear no relation to reality, we've left
them off this page.
