The Transcontinental Race 2013

[frank9755]

Agree: Kristoff is phenomenal.
Some other riders, like Ed Pickup, have a similar pattern - although obviously not as fast as KA. Rimas does look to me as if he went off too quickly and is now suffering.
I've zoomed in on his route and he may now have turned East to track a valley but I can't help thinking he has gone off course. He is further north than he was almost three days ago! He was taking two GPSs but the batteries could have run out. Maybe he's now regretting not having a couple of panniers of OS maps

 

[ColinJ]

Maybe he's now regretting not having a couple of panniers of OS maps

OS coverage abroad ...?

 

[Aperitif]

OS coverage abroad ...?

By OS, Frank means Old Serbian maps...any fule kno that.

G'os' Rima!

 

[frank9755]

Yes, any Obviously Suitable maps would do!

Meanwhile, Rimas has just turned north again - help!

It looks like he only has OStrian maps

 

[StuartG]

Kristof just blazed through Sofia. Its as if he can already smell the Turkish coffee ...

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Yes, any Obviously Suitable maps would do!

Meanwhile, Rimas has just turned north again - help!

It looks like he only has OStrian maps

He's heading for the Lafnitz river valley which he can follow south-eastwards without hitting Slovenia.

 

[iLB]

Maybe he had conceded before hand that he wouldn't be making it home first? They have 14 days right? So maybe he's taking a route he thought he would enjoy as much as anything else.

He did ask me about cycling in Romania, maybe he was put off by the stories of wild dogs...

 

[martint235]

Maybe he had conceded before hand that he wouldn't be making it home first? They have 14 days right? So maybe he's taking a route he thought he would enjoy as much as anything else.

He did ask me about cycling in Romania, maybe he was put off by the stories of wild dogs...

When I was talking to him about it, he didn't seem interested particularly in winning. He thought whoever did win would probably do it in about 7 days whereas he was aiming for 10 I think

 

[StuartG]

Rimas has re-entered the Warsaw Pact ...

 

[rich p]

He seems to be a t a crossroads of the E66 - will he go east or west?

 

[rich p]

East! Phew!

 

[Aperitif]

Kristof just blazed through Sofia. Its as if he can already smell the Turkish coffee ...

34. something Kph as Allegaert sprints through Bulgaria...mind out for stray uncles, Kristof!

Go East Young Man!
Go Rimas!

 

[frank9755]

East! Phew!

Or north-east...
He looks like he's going north of Lake Balaton, which will take him close to Budapest, and put him on track to have to cross the Carpathian Mts into Romania. He's either got lost or radically changed his plan because he was intending to go through Slovenia but not Hungary.

Meanwhile, back in the race towards Istanbul, EP, MW and JJ are all converging from three different directions, very close to each other. Will be a good race between those three for third place, but my money is on Ed.

 

[iLB]

My alternative theory is that he has put his GPS tracker onto some other vehicle, as in fact storming away by stealth.

 

[Aperitif]

Looks like a bit of an 'Italian job' taking shape, at first glance.
I can only think that Rimas has been scrumping apples and they have fermented en route, giving him cider legs. I like iLB's stealth approch theory too, although Rimas will enjoy telling us his reasoning. Wont you, Rimas?
Go Rimas!

Edit: Frank's EP analysis is my thought too - at the moment he is ticking over twice as fast as MW and 4 x JJ.
Good going everyone - it hasn't been too hard a week sitting in front of a PC watching you. Carry on.