Route planning. - Mind boggling

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Ming the Merciless

There is no mercy
Location
Inside my skull
"The race is expected to start either late on Friday 26th or early Saturday 27th July 2019" from Burgas, Bulgaria.
I'm sure Steve will share his race number in due course.
https://www.transcontinental.cc/
https://www.facebook.com/transconrace/
And it's planned to finish (15 day party) in Brest on 11 August, 10 days before rather more cyclists arrive there!


Reckon timing must be set such that many TCR riders will be in Brest or heading towards Brest when PBP runs.
 

Ajax Bay

Guru
Location
East Devon
I expect it's just drawing on the (long distance cycling) resonance of the name of Brest. Most riders will have long gone a week after the party (though I expect a few will ride PBP as well (lunatics - full moon)) but I guess a few later ones might see PBP early birds coming through. Of the 223 TCR starters last year, 104 finished within 17 days (so 13 Aug this year) and 30 finished after that, presumably most within 5 days (so 18 Aug this year). PBP first rider should make Brest by Monday 19 Aug around 1400.
 

Beebo

Firm and Fruity
Location
Hexleybeef
Therefore I'd say that the option of working it out the day before, whilst not ideal, would work just fine.

I'd go with whatever it comes up with as your basic route and keep the tinkering to a minimum
That would be my approach.

Keep it simple, be aware that you will never be able to plot the "perfect route", I dont even have a perfect route from my house to London, I have a few options that i change depending on how I feel.

So just go with the flow, you aren't trying to win the race, so just enjoy it.
 

Ajax Bay

Guru
Location
East Devon
https://reportage.transcontinental.cc/?cat=15
This reminds me of a conversation I had with Rimas after his first TCR. I asked how did he work out a route. He said he didn't. He just plotted an A to B on Bike Hike... The day before.. :wacko:
"Rimas Grigenas won the Continental tyres prize for longest route, taking the wide lines through France and Switzerland towards CP2 and venturing a good way East into Hungary before making a right hand turn through Romania en-route to the finish. The Lithuanian admitted . . . he was at the mercy of his routing software."
I wouldn't rely on routing software on a 3000+km ride and those that do are rare.
Why would such software produce a better route than a well planned (by a competent human) one?
Otherwise use https://cycle.travel/map
I'd go with whatever it comes up with as your basic route and keep the tinkering to a minimum
How about: 'see what it comes up with and adapt that, and check every mile of the route online before riding'?
Keep it simple, be aware that you will never be able to plot the "perfect route"
Would you care to expand on what, in the context of a 3000km cycle, you mean by 'keep it simple'?
A starter in the TCR is aiming to finish and a good, well thought and prepared route, with 'costed options' is one element of a successful campaign. Start without one and I suggest that will reduce the chances of "just enjoy[ing] it".

I've inserted the start, finish and controls into RidewithGPS and the route it offers is:
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/29284468?beta=false
Caveat randonneur/racer.
There are at least half a dozen draft TCR No7 routes on RwGPS ('Find' tab and set start to Burgas, Bulgaria and distance to 'over 500k' (ie the max)).
 
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steveindenmark

steveindenmark

Legendary Member
Im working through it bit by bit. Getting from the start to Austria is quite straight forward. As is getting across France. The bit inbetween is more challenging as the roads will be very busy in summer and the cycle paths wander about a bit.

I am looking forward to visiting Vukovar and I am sure I will find some other places to visit on the route. I have decided not to stay at "Hotel Feel Yourself". But I have found a few Irish pubs.
 
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