Stage 349 reads like the sweetest cup of tea: three big lumps and a longer small lump, but although the total descent is almost the same as the total ascent, climbing wins out again by fifty feet.
The rollout from Balumbah Park just west of Solomon is steep and severe for the first two miles and the two hundred foot climb will split the peleton for sure. The climb peaks at a left hander that sets up a lumpy two mile descent to Lagoona where a longer, lumpier four mile climb to Alton Downs kicks in.
As the road enters Kimba, it descends steeply and turns right and left through the centre of the town. On leaving the Kimba, the Eyre Highway hangs a right and begins the steepest climb of the stage to Millbrae at fifteen miles, and the highest elevation of the stage at almost a thousand feet. Over the top, there’s a sharp one mile descent to Pine Park but that merely kicks off the fourth and last big climb of the stage.
The final summit comes at eighteen miles which is followed by the steepest descent of the stage, but alas that bottoms out half a mile before the finish and you’re left with a final short climb to the line on the edge of Lake Gillies Conservation Park.
Distance: 22 miles / 35 kilometres
Ascent: 614 feet / 187 metres
RGT Magic Road: UwdS6rRq3tzt
Max elevation: 959 ft
Min elevation: 756 ft
Total climbing: 614 ft
Total descent: -583 ft
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