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Wed, 31 Aug 2005

Fitz’s Epic v Audax Alpine Classic - 20:58

I did not finish the epic last year, but, according to Mike's quote below it looks like the epic will become am institution just like the classic
Many of you would have received your invite in the post from Audax Australia to ride the 2006 Audax Alpine Classic. I have always found that if I can complete the Fitz’s challenge then the Alpine is a delight. But, like last year Pedal Power if offering something more. The Challenge Pedal Power ACT offers is 'Fitz's Epic' a non-competitive randonnée event on Sunday, 20 November 2005. While this is not an Audax event, the format is very similar to the annual 'Audax Alpine Classic' event conducted by Audax Australia from Bright, Victoria in late January Audax Alpine Web Site
I found some useful info and quotes from the Pedal Power web site.
The 'Fitz's Epic' 210km option was a welcome and successful addition to the event in 2004, with a very encouraging turnout of 43 riders, nearly all of whom finished successfully within the 12.5 hour target time. The Epic makes for short but pleasant (and demanding!) excursions into the higher reaches of the Namadgi National Park.
The Fitz's Epic course includes most of that for the shorter 160km 'Fitz's Challenge' that has an estimated 2600m of climbing. This includes the tough climbs over Fitz's Hill (10.4% over 2.6km), Glendale Crossing, and Pierces Creek (8.8% over 1km), amongst lots of other hills.
To this already challenging course the Fitz's Epic course adds 3 tough 'out & back' sections – the series of short hills in the Orroral Valley and the longer steep climbs up to Honeysuckle Creek and Corin Forest. The elevation profile illustrates the consistently 'up and down' nature of the Epic course:
Fitz's Epic' elevation profile There is an estimated 3830m of climbing on the 210km Fitz's Epic course, virtually identical to the 3810m scaled during the 200km course of the annual Audax Alpine Classic event. This takes in the very long climbs to Falls Creek and Mt Buffalo in the Victorian Alps, as well as the shorter and steeper sections over both sides of Tawonga Gap.
The profile below for the 200km Alpine Classic course illustrates that despite a similar amount of climbing, the two courses are vastly different, with the many short sharp climbs of the Fitz's Epic contrasting with the less steep but very long hauls uphill of the
Fitz's Epic v Alpine Classic: anecdotal comparisons. The introduction of the Fitz's Epic led to a healthy though inconclusive debate amongst Canberra long distance cyclists about which of the two events is the hardest.
Michael Carden, a veteran of many Alpine Classic rides, who commented as follows regarding the inaugural Epic in October 2005: "…En route we tried to work out whether the Alpine Classic or the Fitz's Epic is harder and I concluded that the ride you're doing on the day is harder".
Michael's comment implicitly recognises the vastly different nature of the two courses, and the need to tailor preparation for the type of terrain that will be encountered on these long hard rides: short, steep hills for the Fitz's Epic, and longer mountain hauls at lesser gradient for the Alpine Classic.
Michael's other observations are interesting:
"Prior to taking on the Epic I thought that the planned route was madness and couldn't be completed in the time allotted. I discussed this with a number of other riders and most thought that it couldn't be done, but we decided to give it a go anyway. I was quite surprised when we managed to complete the course in well under 11 hours". Fitz's Epic and the Alpine Classic are both rides which reward solid preparation. The weather on the day will also play a big part in the outcome.
Both rides take place in some of Australia's most picturesque alpine environment, and are worthwhile goals for their sightseeing potential if nothing else. The Alpine has been a must-do for me every year since I first rode it in 1998, and I expect that the Fitz's Epic is destined to be the same. I think that rather than trying to define one or the other as "harder" or "better" or anything else, riders should be encouraged to attempt both so they can join in the perpetual debate."

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