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IM Wales Bike Course Explained – The Hard Loop

The Hard Loop of the IM Wales bike course is where the race truly unfolds.

This is the section of the course you ride twice, often referred to as the hilly loop, and it contains 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 of the Wales bike course, using on-course footage and maps to 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 finishes, from first-time athletes through to fast age-group performers, including multiple Ironman World Championship qualifiers at Ironman Wales. I’ve seen exactly how athletes succeed — and struggle — on this loop.

🏔️ Training for IM Wales?

This course knowledge is built directly into my Wales-specific training plans, where it’s applied at the right time during the build:

👉 30-Week Wales Long-Distance Triathlon Plan – Beginner (Tenby Course, Premium Edition)
https://www.trainingpeaks.com/trainin...

👉 26-Week Wales Long-Distance Triathlon Performance Plan – PB / Competitive AG (Tenby Course)
https://www.trainingpeaks.com/trainin...

Both 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

👉 Episode 1 covers the First 60km & Freshwater West climb

👉 Coaching enquiries: [email protected]

👉 Coaching & support: www.enduraprep.com/online-coaching

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.