IRONMAN Wales Bike Course Explained | The Hard Loop & How to Survive the Climbs

The Hard Loop is where IRONMAN Wales is really decided, and you ride it twice. Here's how to pace every climb so you still have a run left. 🏔️ WALES TRAINING PLANS (built around the Tenby course) 👉 First-timers, 30 weeks: https://www.trainingpeaks.com/trainin... 👉 Competitive / PB, 26 weeks: https://www.trainingpeaks.com/trainin... 📹 Start here: Episode 1, the first 60km and the Freshwater West climb:    • IRONMAN Wales Bike Course: The First 60km ...   --- The Hard Loop of the IRONMAN Wales bike course is where the race truly unfolds. This is the section you ride twice, often called the hilly loop. It has many of the defining features of the Wales bike course: sustained climbs, repeated efforts, and terrain that rewards discipline and punishes impatience. In this video I break down the Hard Loop using on-course footage and maps, and explain how to approach: • The climbs into Narberth • The steep Wiseman's Bridge • St Bride's Hill and other key features This is where strong bike legs are built or broken. Riding this loop well is less about brute force and more about controlled pacing, smart gear choice, and resisting the temptation to chase speed. I'm Lawrence Cronk, Head Coach at Enduraprep. I've coached over 100 IRONMAN Wales finishers, from first-timers to fast age-groupers, including multiple World Championship qualifiers at Wales. I've seen exactly how athletes succeed, and struggle, on this loop. Both Wales plans include: • One plan revision to make it personal to your calendar • Wales/Tenby course-specific preparation • Structured progression for hilly long-distance racing • Embedded course videos like this one • Pacing, fuelling and execution guidance • Optional 1:1 coaching support 🏊🚴🏃 Online triathlon coaching: https://enduraprep.co.uk/online-triat... 🌐 Coaching and free consultation: https://enduraprep.co.uk/online-coach... 📧 Enquiries: coachcronk@enduraprep.com If you're racing Wales, mastering this loop is critical. Get it right and you set up a strong run. Get it wrong and the course will expose you. IRONMAN is a registered trademark of World Triathlon Corporation. Enduraprep is not affiliated with or endorsed by WTC.