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Lausanne 20km Race Report by Michael Bissett

Many people assume that races in Switzerland are going to be extremely hilly. In fact most of them are flat and fast. The 20km de Lausanne breaks the Swiss trend with a lot of uphill.
The race itself starts on the shores of Lac Leman near the port of Ouchy. It is a fast and flat start for the first 2km taking you past the Olympic Museum. A left turn takes you towards the city and this is where the climbing starts.

From 3km to 4km is a steady climb before levelling out and even a little downhill section. If you are going downhill in the first half if the race you know you will have a climb later on! The climbs do
indeed return for the next few km there is a mix of downhill/uphill. From 9km you are starting to see the Cathedral which is the high point of Lausanne. The climbs around the Cathedral are steep and partially on cobbles. Swiss cobbles are much kinder on the legs than UK ones though. The support at this part of the race is great. The fire brigade are even out.

Reaching the Cathedral at about 13km is a big milestone. You are mostly on the downhill from then. The views are also stunning. Once you pass 14km you have a fast downhill section taking you to the start. There is a small section around a park before heading into the athletics stadium where you finish.

I managed 1.34.34 which I was pretty pleased with. It’s not a PB course, (Geneva 20km is a great course for a PB). Is a 20km any different from a half? I think so, two ten kms gives it a very
different mindset completely.

The next 20km de Lausanne will be May Bank Holiday 2020. It’s a fun, challenging race with great support. There is music on course which is eclectic to say the least, everything from the latest tunes to Italian lounge music!!!

Lausanne is a beautiful part of the world and runs a very organised 20km.