3 Pistes Rider Notes 2017
Depending on what time you have gone to bed there is only 4.5 sleeps until 3 Pistes 2017
Here is everything you need to know.
First, if you have booked bike and coach transfer you must remove your pedals before loading. Please check your pedals have not seized. Remove them today. If they don’t budge use some SHOCK AND UNLOCK today. More on coach transfers at the bottom.
If you still wish to book coach transfer please complete the form liked below before Thursday 11pm
https://goo.gl/forms/Uok3SndPdPHmMSmm1
Start HQ – Pitlochry High School, East Moulin rd, Pitlochry. PH16 5ET
Finish HQ – Cairngorm Mtn, Aviemore, Inverness-Shire PH22 1RB
Registration – Pitlochry High School, East Moulin rd, Pitlochry. PH16 5ET
2pm – 5pm Saturday 27th May 2017
or
7.45am – 8.15am Sunday 28th May 2017
Aviemore coach check in & registration 5.45am
Coach pick is from the central car park of the MacDonald Highland Resort PH22 1PN.
Aviemore coach departure 6.00am – arrival in Pitlochry 7.45am*
*actually hopefully much earlier than that, we are being cautious.
Start opens at 7.00am
Riders who registered at PHS on Saturday afternoon can start whenever they wish after 7am.
Riders who registered on Aviemore coach can start as soon as they arrive.
For all other riders – Sunday morning Registration will not open until 7.45am when we get access to PHS building.
Registration will close at 8.15am. Riders have until 8.30am to start.
YOU MUST BRING PHOTO ID and HELMET to registration.
We will give you:
- a timing chip to be placed on the left hand side of your helmet
- rider number for back
- seat post number
- duplicate seat post number to use like airport luggage tag on your bag
- Your cycle top if you ordered one at entry
We will collect from you
- One small sports bag with your warm clothes for the finish. You will label it with the number tag given to you
BAG DROP
Please don’t pack laptops, ipads, anything that is fragile – particularly large screens that crack. You’ll be riding, sleeping and eating. Pretend it’s the 90’s again.
We will collect your bags at the start and drive them to the finish.
START
Riders will start in groups of 30 every 3 minutes from 7.00am-8.30am. There is no wave system, you start with your pals when you are ready, first come first served.
If you want to start before 8am you must register on the Saturday.
FEED STOPS
Gels, Powder, Coke, Water, Aussie Bites, Cake, Kit-Kat, Jelly Bean, Pretzels, Bananas, oranges and whatever is cheap in Costco
46km Glenshee
92km Goodbrand & Ross (Water & Toilet only)
98km Lecht
130km Nethy Bridge
FINISH – BIG BOWL OF PASTA
All feed stops will also have first aid kits, tools, track pumps etc
RIDER SUPPORT
There will be 3 sweep vans, 2 mobile mechanics, 2 ambulances and a load of other support vehicles on the route. Most of the route has mobile signal. We will give you the race control numbers at registration
Accidents / Emergencies
If you see a fellow rider in difficulty please stop and check they are ok. Stay with them if required and if no mobil signal send someone else onwards to get help.
For serious issues your first call should always be 999, but please also call us, our team might be close by.
GROUP RIDING
The 3 Pistes route features key roads through the heart of the Scottish Highlands which are wide enough for overtaking. Please be courteous to your fellow road users. It is perfectly legal for you to ride in pairs. Please DO NOT ride more than 2 abreast EVER. When the road narrows (particularly early stages of Moulin Moor the climb up from Balmoral) please allow other road users to pass safely.
SAFE DESCENDING
The route features a couple of tricky, narrow, steep down hills early on, so cool your jets and enjoy the scenery.
The Route
Pitlochry – Glenshee – The Lecht – Cairngorm
102miles or 165km
2690m of climbing
Start 7.00am – 8.30am @ Pitlochry High School East Moulin Road, Pitlochry, Perthshire, PH16 5ET
0.5km Turn right onto A924
20.5km After Kirkmichael Turn left onto B950 following signs for Braemar
26.5km At T junction turn left onto A93 following signs for Braemar
40km Spittal of Glenshee
49.5km Glenshee Ski Centre – Feed station, mechanical support, toilets, cafe, first aid & public telephone.
Broom wagon cut off at Cairnwell Summit 11.00am
64.5km Braemar – Feed station, shops, public telephone & toilets
Continue on A93 past Balmoral Castle.
78.5km Turn left onto B976 signposted Tomintoul – CAUTION – sharp left corner onto narrow, steep, minor road with cattle grids and fast descents.
Broom Wagon cut off at junction of A93/B976 11.30
85km Gairnshiel Lodge Public telephone
86km Turn left onto A939 signed Tomintoul – water stop
86.5km Gairnshiel Brig – CAUTION Narrow hump back bridge with blind summit. No stopping on the bridge.
87km CAUTION – narrow road with cattle girds and uphill ramps of 20%
92km CAUTION – Fast, steep descent.
96km Turn left onto A939 signed Tomintoul
100km Corgarff – public telephone
CAUTION uphill ramps of 20%
104.5km The Lecht Ski Centre – Feed station, mechanical support, toilets, cafe, public telephone, first aid.
Broom Wagon cut off at Lecht Summit 14.30
CAUTION – Steep descent with slopes in excess of 20% – Riders must ensure they do not break national speed limit of 60mph
107km Well of The Lecht – CAUTION Steep descent with blind 90 degree left hand turn with junction.
115km Turn left at T Junction signed Tomintoul & Grantown on Spey
116km CAUTION – RIGHT TURN at T Junction follow signs for Grantown on Spey
116km Tomintoul – Water stop, toilets, shops, cafe, public telephone.
117km CAUTION – Steep descent 20%
129km Turn left immediately after snow gates onto B970 signed Dorback & Nethy Bridge
CAUTION – Sharp left turn on narrow road with passing places and immediate steep descent.
135.5km Nethy Bridge
137km Turn left at T Junction signed B970 Coylumbridge & Aviemore
137.2km Feed station, mechanical support, toilets, shops, cafe, public telephone.
Broom Wagon cut off at Nethy Bridge 16.00
153km Coylumbridge – Turn left signed Glenmore & Cairngorm
160km Glenmore – FINAL water stop, toilets, shops, cafe, public telephone.
CAUTION – feel elation for THE FINAL CLIMB.
165.38km Coire Cas Car Park, CairnGorm Mountain THE FINISH
COACH & BIKE TRANSFER
Aviemore – Pitlochry for start
Coach pick is from the central car park of the MacDonald Highland Resort PH22 1PN.
Please park in the central car park, however as a courtesy to hotel residents and guests please park away from the main entrance.
5.45am Check in & registration
6.00am Depart for Pitlochry – If you are late we will leave without you.
7.20am Arrive Pitlochry High School
In each rider’s registration pack will include three event numbers – 1 for bicycle, 1 for rider and a disposable chip. Before your bicycle is loaded onto one of the numbered trucks you must secure your number to the seat post of your bicycle. All riders must remove their pedals before loading onto the truck. Keep note of your truck number.
On arrival in Pitlochry search out your truck, then our security team will match up your bicycle number with your bib number. After all of that you will ride off all happy and full of excitement.
CairnGorm Mountain Car Park – Pitlochry after finish
Coaches and trucks will depart from the bottom of Coire Cas car park.
The first coach will not depart until 15.30 at the earliest. The last coach will depart at 18.00.
Riders will only get their bicycle if their bib number and bicycle number match up.
3 Pistes Cycle Sportive 