The indieVelo "Mountain Top View" Route-22 km (13.7 mi.), elevation 414 m (1,358 ft)-three climbs to conquer before you can enjoy the view.
Route Description
Mountain Top View is one of the four new routes introduced to indieVelo in the v0.2.14 release on September 11th, 2023, along with Northern Hill Climb, Little Loops, and So Near Yet So Far.
While some indieVelo routes offer opportunities for recovery between challenging sections, Mountain Top View is not one of them. This route presents a formidable challenge, starting from the eastern point and gaining an elevation of 414 meters (1,358 feet) in just 22 kilometers (13.7 miles). There’s no time for leisurely rides here; it’s a full-throttle effort from start to finish.
After a 0.9-kilometer (0.56-mile) lead-in, you’ll enjoy approximately 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) of flat terrain before confronting the first climb at the 6.7-kilometer (4.2-mile) mark. This initial ascent covers 1.5 kilometers (0.93 miles) with an average gradient of 6.4%.
Route Profile
Don’t exhaust yourself completely on this first climb because there’s more uphill to conquer. Following a 600-meter (0.37-mile) descent with two sharp corners, you’ll encounter the second challenge of the day—a 2.4-kilometer (1.49-mile) climb with an average gradient of 5.8%, including a final 200-meter (0.12-mile) section where gradients peak at 15%.
Once you’ve tackled the summit and covered a kilometer of flat terrain, a 2-minute descent complete with two tricky braking corners awaits.
Then, it’s time to take on the third challenge—a 2-kilometer (1.24-mile) climb with a 5% average gradient, beginning at the 14.9-kilometer (9.26-mile) mark. After 500 meters (0.31 miles) of climbing, there’s a brief 300-meter (0.18-mile) descent to catch your breath, and the final kilometer demands a significant effort to keep pace with the lighter riders.
Route details and description courtesy of Beta-tester Andras Beck!
This descent lasts 2 minutes and 30 seconds, but vigilance is essential. Six challenging braking corners could create gaps between riders.
Immediately after the descent, at KM 19.4 (12.05 miles), you’ll encounter another hurdle—a 1-kilometer (0.62-mile) stretch with a 2% average gradient and peaks at 4%. Don’t underestimate this part, especially as many riders may be fatigued at this stage, making it easy to lose the draft and fall behind.
Finally, with just 1.5 kilometers (0.93 miles) to go, you’ll need to summon every ounce of energy left in your tank to avoid undoing all the hard work you’ve put in up to this point.
Thanks, Luciano!
Check out the indieVelo-Route Descriptions page for more useful recon information.
Semi-retired after more than 20 years as the owner and director of a private Orthopedic Physical Therapy practice, Chris now enjoys the freedom to dedicate himself to his passions—virtual cycling and writing.
Driven to give back to the sport that has enriched his life with countless experiences and relationships, he founded a non-profit organization, TheDIRTDadFund. In the summer of 2022, he rode 3,900 miles from San Francisco to his “Gain Cave” on Long Island, New York, raising support for his charity.
His passion for cycling shines through in his writing, which has been featured in prominent publications like Cycling Weekly, Cycling News, road.cc, Zwift Insider, Endurance.biz, and Bicycling. In 2024, he was on-site in Abu Dhabi, covering the first live, in-person UCI Cycling Esports World Championship.
His contributions to cycling esports have not gone unnoticed, with his work cited in multiple research papers exploring this evolving discipline. He sits alongside esteemed esports scientists as a member of the Virtual Sports Research Network and contributes to groundbreaking research exploring the new frontier of virtual physical sport. Chris co-hosts The Virtual Velo Podcast, too.
