Kalba hills finale 98

Route overview

Riders comfortable with 97.1 km who want a long flat run before a modest 565 m of climbing in the closing half.

A 97.1 km point-to-point from Kalba through the Hajar Mountains, flat for the first half before climbing to 335 m near the finish.

The route starts at sea level in Kalba, dipping to -1 m in the opening metres, and heads out past the hamlet of Yaif at km 2 and the villages of Al Qor, Sha'biyyat Milāḩ, Sikhе̄bar, Al Wa'ab and Munay inside the first 16 km. This whole opening section is flat: none of the day's 565 m of climbing falls in the first half. At km 21.9 the road passes beneath Jabal Al Miqsha, at 400 m. Al Uqdah arrives at km 40, followed by the built-up stretch of Al Saaf, Al Ghail and Al Maqt'a around km 47-48, where two cafés sit at km 49.2 and km 49.7 — the only refreshment marked on the route. Just after, the first graded rise begins at km 51.4: 2 km at 2% averaging, 40 m of gain, topping out at only 39 m. From Al ‘Ayn al Ghumūr and Wahala the ground tilts upward more seriously. A second climb starts at km 78.9, 1.8 km at 3.4% with a maximum of 6%, reaching 288 m. Minazif and Al Qilē'ī follow, with an unnamed 556 m peak beside the road at km 84.1, and the high point of 335 m comes late, at km 95.6, just before the end.

Highlights

• Jabal Al Miqsha, 400 m, at km 21.9
• Flat first half: zero climbing before halfway
• Late high point of 335 m at km 95.6
• Unnamed 556 m peak beside the road at km 84.1

Practical information

Surface

Paved

Route shape

Point to point

Riding time

4½–6 hours riding

Season

The single recording is from April.

Know before you go

• No café or water marked over the final 48 km after km 49.7
• Almost all of the 565 m of climbing packed into the second half

Routes are for inspiration. Roads, surfaces and conditions change — check locally and ride within your limits.