The flash to the loop is probably the fastest bit as it’s flat ish, just the roads are crap, except the descent off sheephouse, down past the reservoir then left at the top of the rise.
The climb on the shallow side is possible in the big ring, after the black dog steep bit, maybe not the third time…!?
One mate has said its 650 ft less… which is welcome, another 650M which makes it a different race…
The former seems more likely.
Dunno…looks like 650metres to me, judging by the GPX on their own RideWithGPS.
But, I’m prepping for hills now.
my endurance rides are now 1km climbing per 70km riding.
(Which is 2.5km climbing over 180km, so IMUK)
Just need to start adding a run off the bike now
Nearly 2000 ft less has to help…!
I enjoyed the run…! But knew I was smashed starting it.
At my age if you can stay the same your doing well…
My A race looks like it’s a non starter so I’ll certainly do IMUK.
I’m looking forward to testing the new loop
Every Ironman I’ve done had been closed to public traffic, and Roth too obviously. IM70.3 St Polten was also closed roads. Hamburg was desolate because the road network was so well closed-down, supporters couldn’t get anywhere apart from the city itself.
You need to dust-off that passport and do a race abroad 
Yes, but that’s moto-pacing; there will always be official race vehicles on the roads; draft marshals, refs, neutral support etc.
Yes every Mdot race I’ve done has been fully closed roads.
Personally I’ve never seen a car on course.
I’d be absolutely fuming if I got hit by one like @stenard clubmate Joe!
I think it was more the ‘suck’ effect of really fast traffic travelling the same direction next to the bikes.
Is this in Dubai, or on UK TT events? Where Poet cites the 1:55 bike splits for Dubai, that’s closed roads except race vehicles.
Nope. Dubai isn’t closed roads.
Listen to Adam Bowden on the OA podcast where he talks about it (the suck effect)
Ah okay, my mistake. I’d seen some pictures of one of the 70.3s out there in the last few years and it was a procession behind the moto. I know that Bialblocki(sp) chap had been in trouble for riding down the middle of dual carriageways here for the suck effect.
That used to be the case and when I first did the race in 2008 it was mainly on open roads. You got buzzed by tour buses and hire cars through the Fire Mountains and on the LZ1.
The changes to the course in 2018 were because the local police chief was enforcing a strict interpretation of the law that stated that racing should be on closed roads, so the course had to be redesigned to allow traffic closure in both directions.
Doing that on the old course would have resulted in much of the island (including Club La Santa) being cut-off from the airport for most of the day, which obviously isn’t going to work for a holiday island.
Just had a quick look at the top 35-39 men.
Jesus - some bloody rapid bike splits. Looks like the ultimate tester wanker course
Yes I did it in 2018 and remember the discussion about the police enforced changes. I seem to recall a few small sections at junctions/roundabouts where there was traffic in the opposite direction? The majority was closed, which seems pretty good compared to other courses.
2018, wasn’t that Ironman 123.6 UK?
123.8.
The run is long
FTFY.
It’s in Dubai. Of course it is
It’s a fair point that @Poet makes. I was very clear about it in my Bahrain race report. I ran the race analyser on BBS afterwards, and it had me at a ridiculously low cda when I’d not changed my position or equipment at all. That was almost certainly the same effect, along with perfect road conditions and next to minimal crr.
Not exactly unique however. There’s loads of courses where part of the road is still open. If that setup makes Poet say they’re not closed roads, then fair enough, we have a different interpretation. For me, I was simply meaning a bike course that you ride without fear of any traffic being on the race route at all. The fact on one course you might get some “suck”, or on another you might get some “drag” due to the oncoming lane of traffic being open but the race route lane being closed, is just riding the course.
PHEW!!!
I thought I was going mad 
Like “Leave means Leave,” closed = closed.
The local councils are out in force spending the last of their 2019/20 budget at the minute, so there’s a nice new 1km section of totally fresh tarmac, which is mental when you notice the speed increase when on it, then drop as soon as you come off.
I still think you are. Closed, as per Ironman’s meaning, and everyone else I’ve ever spoken to, means that the race route is free of traffic. Not that there’s no traffic anywhere near the race route.