Los Gatos, California.

Time to location by car from Fremont (Niles):

Approx. 45 minutes if the freeway flows.

Parking and other info:

Parking is on the streets in the local area. Finding a space can be difficult. I have never found a parking garage or lot that was reasonably close by or had spaces available.

There are problems with finding a suitable location for a good warm-up. The course is completely closed. If you have a trainer or rollers, I highly recommend you take them.

Porta potties are located at 3 locations around the circuit. Los Gatos has plenty to offer in the way of shops and restaurants, so alternative entertainment is available for your significant other if they do not want to watch the racing, or for post race fun.

The Course, street by street:

The course is the same one as used since 1974. It is a clockwise 1 mile loop with 5 90 degree right turns and one 90 degree left turn (at the base of the hill). The hill has a grade of 23-24% and is approximately 100 yards long. This relates to about 25 pedal strokes, gearing dependant. The basic course details are Tait-Bean-Massol-Nicholson / Ellenwood-Belmont-Bachman-Tait.

The start is at the junction of Tait and Nicholson. You commence south on Tait for 250 yards then turn 90 degrees right onto Bean for 75 yards then turn 90 degree right on to Massol. It is now 250 yards to the left hand 90 degree turn onto Nicholson and the ascent of the famous Cat's Hill. The section of road between Bean and Nicholson is concrete pavement with a construction joint down the middle. The pack will flow from the far left of the road to the far right in preparation for the ascent. BE CAREFUL. The construction joint down the middle is not even and has gaps that can catch a wheel. I have seen a crash here and nearly fell myself. On final approach the left turn you will be doing down shifts to both the front and rear gears. You have to get this correct or you will be in a world of hurt on the hill.

The hill road surface is poor to average, with a bumpy surface with only one or two really good riding lines. Each side of this narrow road has a high concrete curb. There are gazillions of spectators here to watch the poor unfortunates, help the less fit with a push and generally breath in the toiling riders expelled carbon dioxide. Just over the brow of the hill is a concrete drainage channel crossing the road. This will hinder getting into a good rhythm if your ride up the hill has been "difficult". The road dips for 40 yards and then up again for about 50 yards and then you turn 90 degrees right onto Belmont, at the far corner of the park. The turn is slightly uphill and riders go through pretty hard, so you need to be concentrating still.

The following straight is one of the few places to take a breather. The road is flat to downhill and is about 250 yards long. It's not very far but gives enough time for a re-group. The next 90 degree right is very fast on a descent onto Bachman Drive. This is a long 400 yard downhill on an average to good road surface. The field will string out very quickly so if you want to be in with a chance of contesting a sprint for the win or a prime you need to be within 10 yards of the leader.

The next 90 degree right is into Tait (the home strait). From the turn it is about 300 yards to the finish line and it is a full speed, high gear sprint. The road surface is again not very good, with constructions joints perpendicular and parallel with the road to catch the unwary. You should be able to maintain top speed or accelerate all the way from the turn to the finish line.

Other stuff you might need to know:

This is a high profile event and a lot of guys and girls train up to it. I have seen two way's of winning here. Option 1 is the solo breakaway with many laps remaining. If you're solid on the hill and can maintain a decent pace on the rest of the course you can stay away. The other type of win I have seen is the monster attack on the last ascent of the hill. This breaks the field into small groups and the guy who normally instigates this type will either win or find himself on the podium, unless of course something goes badly wrong with the plan.

Gearing for the hill will depend upon your ability and weight. As a cat 4 rider I climbed on 39x21 or 39x23. I always felt that on the 23 I was spinning too fast and my lungs would give out. But better to have it and prevent embarrassment on the hill. I weigh 180 pounds and was a contender when I rode in 1999 and 2000, so you do not have to be a real lightweight to do well here.

Because this race goes uphill very early on you will nedd to be well warmed up. If you're cold you will not survive.

For a picture of the hill there are a couple of photo's of me doing the race on the club picture pages and there is a fine set of pages on the Los Gatos Bicycle Racing Club website: www.lgbrc.org or www.catshill.org.

A map of the area: