The Lapu-Lapu 70.3 Bike Course: Fast, Flat, With a Bridge That Calls the Shots

The course in brief

90.2 km over 3 laps, with an official elevation gain of 645 m. On paper it's a fast, mostly flat course. You ride the ML Quezon National Highway, pass through Cordova, and cross the CCLEX bridge toward Cebu City and the South Road Properties (SRP). The U-turns are at km 24 (SRP), 34 (CCLEX), 45 (SRP), 55, and 66; the CCLEX exit is at km 77. Three laps means hitting the same spots multiple times: learn the course on the first lap and use that knowledge on the next two.

The CCLEX dictates your gear choices

The bridge is the most exposed point of the leg. Gusts can be strong at the top, to the point that the 2025 athlete guide strongly advises against disc wheels. Don't ignore that advice: with crosswinds on a high bridge, a disc becomes a safety issue, not just a watts issue. The practical call: mid-depth rims front and rear, and at least a couple of training rides in strong crosswinds to get used to handling the bike in the aero position. If you tense up in the wind, come off the aerobars on the bridge and get back down after: you lose seconds, not the race.

Those 645 meters of climbing aren't zero

The official elevation gain is 645 m over 90 km: no real climbs, but the bridge ramps, repeated over 3 laps, add up. No need to change your gearing compared to a classic flat course, but don't attack the ramps above threshold out of vanity. The bill comes due later, on the half marathon.

Pacing: the flat is a trap

On a course this fast, it's incredibly easy to go out too hard. The problem is that after the bike comes a half marathon with highs of 33°C, high humidity, and heat indices that past reports put near 38°C. The rule is simple: you ride the bike at Lapu-Lapu thinking about the run. As a rough guide (estimates, not official data): a comfortable finisher can target around 3:20 on the bike, a mid-pack goal is 2:55, a fast athlete 2:35, a top age-grouper 2:20. Pick your target, shave off 2-3% of ambition, and hold it steady for 3 laps. If you still have legs on the third lap, that's where you gain.

Aid stations: 7 chances, no excuses

In the 2025 edition, bike aid stations were accessible 7 times across 3 points on the course, with water, Ion+ electrolyte drink, GU gels, and bananas. In this climate, hydration starts at km 1, not when you're thirsty. Drink at every pass, use the electrolyte drink from the start, and test the official products in training before race day: changing your nutrition on race day is a classic, avoidable mistake.

What to do now

Three concrete actions. One: pick your wheels now, mid-depth, and do at least two long rides in crosswinds to validate the choice. Two: define your pacing target in watts or RPE and simulate it in a 90 km long ride followed by a 20-30 minute run during the hot hours. Three: memorize the key points on the course — U-turns at km 24, 34, 45, 55, 66 and the bridge exit at km 77 — so in the race you always know how far is left and where to slow for the U-turns. The course is fast for everyone: the difference is made by whoever gets to T2 with the head and legs to run.