This is great. It’s been ages since it felt like the route was heading exactly where it needed to go and despite the fact that stage 729’s a climber, the fact that it’s heading in the right direction (which is east towards Moncton) makes this a really positive feeling stage. There’s a reality building that the North American leg of Around the World is finally drawing to a close after 248 stages but the reality is that there are still nine to go, including this one. The stage is a loopy west/east climber that takes out about a third of the distance between the Grand Lake and Moncton.
The rollout is flattish and north east for five miles ahead of a looping right hander that crosses the Canaan River at the lowest point on the stage after five miles, and after that it’s all uphill to seventeen miles, which shades the elevation at the finish by a whisker.
The climb from the river crossing is featureless but curving left then right: firstly between miles seven and sixteen and latterly between miles sixteen and twenty two which coincidentally is the finish as well as being the highest point on the stage. There are water crossings, but none of them are significant enough to be named, with the exception of that last one, Whiteside Brook, a mile before the finish. Of course having crossed the stream, the run in to the line is guaranteed to be uphill and this one does not disappoint: the final mile is indeed a leg burner if you feel up to it.
Distance: 22 miles / 35 kilometres
Ascent: 791 feet / 241 metres
RGT Magic Road: Xa1rzIKMjmKa
Max elevation: 370 ft
Min elevation: -51 ft
Total climbing: 789 ft
Total descent: -520 ft
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