Strava stats: the climbs of the Aviva Women's Tour

Expert road bike reviews and the latest road bike news, features and advice. Find rides & events, training articles and participate in our forums

Share

Racing

Strava stats: the climbs of the 2016 Aviva Women’s Tour

Strava bragging rights up for grabs alongside the Strava Queen of the Mountain jersey

The third edition of the Aviva Women’s Tour rolls out tomorrow (Wednesday June 15), with Strava again backing the Queen of the Mountain competition.

World champion Lizzie Armitstead and former winner Marianne Vos are among those due on the Southwold startline, with a varied route awaiting the riders.

Former British champion Sharon Laws won the Strava Queen of the Mountains title in the inaugural Women’s Tour in 2014 (pic: Alex Broadway/SWpix)

Flat roads and headwinds await in the Norfolk countryside, while the Derbyshire Dales will test the legs over short, steep hills.

And Strava have detailed every climb featuring in the 2016 race – how will your times compare to the pros? Check them out below.

Stage one, Wednesday June 15 – Southwold to Norwich (138.5km)

The roads from Southwold to Norwich are more challenging because of the potential for high winds than for the climbing but there are still two classified climbs on the stage – as there are on all five stages.

First up is Halesworth, with the segment dubbed the ‘Bramfield Beast’ on Strava and boasting a five percent average gradient for the 400m climb.

The second climb of the day is an undulating one in Homersfield – the gradient will not trouble the pros on the 2.5km ascent but finding a rhythm on the heavy roads could.

Stage two, Thursday June 16 – Atherstone to Stratford (140.6km)

The two climbs the following day pose very different challenges, with the first – in Burton Dassett Country Park – short and steep and the second, Nebsworth Hill, longer (by British standards anyway).

Some 7,460 Strava attempts have been logged on the Burton Dassett Hill Climb which – though just 0.6km in length – features an average gradient of nine per cent and boasts a sharp right hand turn towards the summit.

Nebsworth Hill offers a steadier climb, with an average gradient of five per cent over 2.5km and an average time of the previous female Strava users to tackle it of 13 minutes 13 seconds.

Stage three, Friday June 17 – Ashbourne to Chesterfield (109.6km)

Stage three is the shortest of the race, but also the hilliest as the peloton heads into the Derbyshire Dales.

Again the two classified climbs are polar opposites of each other, with the first – the “Ivy Bar Brook Climb” to give it its Strava segment name – the longer of the two at 4.3km.

The latter, Bank Road, is just one kilometre in length but the gradient is into double figures with an 11 per cent average for the climb.

Stage four, Saturday June 18 – Nottingham to Stoke-on-Trent (119.2km)

The penultimate stage of this year’s race is bottom heavy, with the two categorised climbs of the day part of a series of hills before the peloton reaches the uphill finish into Stoke-on-Trent.

Ramshorn is first up, peaking 94.5km into the 119.2km and offering a steady three per cent average gradient across just shy of four kilometres worth of ascending.

Immediately after the descent of that climb comes Oakmoor – an ascent on which former British hill climbing champion Dan Fleeman holds the Strava KOM and ‘cross ace Annie Simpson is the QOM.

Stage five, Sunday June 19 – Northampton to Kettering (113.2km)

Northamptonshire hosts the final stage with two final chances to claim QOM points before the downhill finish into Kettering.

Daventry Road, or Newnham Hill, is the first of the two relatively short climbs – 1.6km in length with a five per cent average gradient.

Finally, the last chance to grab Strava Queen of the Mountains points for this year’s race is at Naseby – the quaintly named Naseby Nibble segment is largely straight, with a three per cent average gradient.

Topics:

Women's Tour 2016

Related Articles

Reports

Lizzie Armitstead wins 2016 Aviva Women's Tour

World champion: "It's nice to put bad memories to bed"

Lizzie Armitstead wins 2016 Aviva Women's Tour
Newsletter Terms & Conditions

Please enter your email so we can keep you updated with news, features and the latest offers. If you are not interested you can unsubscribe at any time. We will never sell your data and you'll only get messages from us and our partners whose products and services we think you'll enjoy.

Read our full Privacy Policy as well as Terms & Conditions.

Cookies help us deliver our services. By using this website, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More

Accept
production