For this year's Worlds Only this might all make sense. No descent, and anyone who misjudges power output could lose Huge time on that hill. The pro women's race was won by a Dutch woman who went marginally slower in the first third and saved extra for the climb---and they had to descend.

I am betting more than a few male riders will run out of steam two-thirds of the way up that hill. A five-second bike change could almost pay for itself given the steepness of the first three k of that climb.