The Busselton Bike Leg: 180 Flat Kilometres Where the Wind Calls the Shots

The course at a glance

180 km over two identical laps, 196 m of official elevation gain. Genuinely flat, not brochure-flat. You ride along the Geographe Bay coast and through the Tuart Forest, on tarmac that race reports describe as being in good condition, with a few rougher sections near the beach. Each lap is built around five "fingers": cul-de-sacs in the forest where you ride in, turn around, and come back. The result: you change direction many times per lap. Views of the coast, bush and local wildlife included.

The wind decides your day

With 196 m of climbing, hills aren't a factor. The wind is. The finger layout means you'll almost never have a steady headwind or tailwind: the angle changes every few kilometres. A 2019 race report names the wind as the number one variable on this leg; in 2024, on the other hand, it rained for most of the bike. The practical takeaway: don't think in terms of speed. An easy 36 km/h on one section can become unsustainable on the next, and chasing your average is the fastest way to torch your marathon. Think in power, or in RPE if you don't have a power meter.

Pacing: the flat is deceptive

On a course this fast there are no descents to recover on and no climbs forcing you to back off: you're pedalling the whole time. The classic mistake is going out too hard and paying for it from km 25 of the run onwards. Set a power target in training and stick to it, especially on the first lap, when your legs are fresh and the group around you is pushing. Concrete test: in the final 6-8 weeks, do two or three long rides at steady power, no surges, and measure how much your heart rate drifts and how long you can hold your position. If the drift is high, your target is too high.

Sustained aero position

Here you're down on the aero bars for hours without a break: no climbs to get you out of the saddle, no technical descents. Neck, traps and lower back are the real limiter for many age-groupers on this course. Train progressively longer blocks in race position, get your bike fit checked well in advance, and arrive in Busselton with a position you can hold for 5-7 hours, not the most aggressive one you can hold for 90 minutes.

Gearing and setup

With zero real climbs, you don't need easy gears: what matters is the combination that lets you hold your target cadence on the flat into a headwind. On wheels, deep-section rims pay off in speed but expose you to crosswind gusts on the coastal sections: if you're not stable on very deep rims in windy conditions, pick something you know you can handle. Decide in training, not on race morning.

Cutoff and plan B

The bike cutoff is 10 h 30 min from your individual start; anyone outside it gets picked up by the organisation's vehicles. If you're aiming simply to finish, the margins are generous, but a headwind and rain can eat into them: keep a plan B for 2024-style conditions, with rain for most of the leg. That means brakes checked, tyre pressures not too extreme, and caution at the finger turnarounds, which are where you slow down and accelerate again.

What to do now

• Set a power (or RPE) target for race day and test it on two full long rides, nutrition included.
• Build aero-position blocks: start with 30-40 continuous minutes and work up to holding it for your entire long ride.
• Deliberately ride on windy days: learn to keep effort constant when your speed is all over the place.
• Prep the bike for the chance of rain: brakes, tyres and bolts checked before you leave for Australia.