Transcontinental Race - Heads up

[frank9755]

You are of course at liberty to do whatever you wish, Steve. But I'd challenge your assertion that the approach you describe is in the spirit of the race, as it doesn't sound like it to me! This is what Mike Hall said, which is still in the race manual FAQ:

Can I just ride it at my own pace?
There are no time limits as such so technically yes. You will be a part of all the fun and have your ride tracked and followed on the race website but the control points and finish lines are not permanent features and so may not still be there when you get there. TCR No.7 is actually a race, so if it’s a relaxed cycle tour you want this might not be for you. Places are limited on the race so spare a thought for those who might want to be in a race and be competitive.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

It's a shame you can't enter this race on a recumbent. It's hilly enough that a recumbent would offer no real speed advantage unless it was a fully faired velomobile.

 

[ianrauk]

Frank is doing really well. 593km already. Though the TCR dot watching page is not very good so can't see where he is in relation to others in the race.
Edit. Looks like he's about a 3rd down the field in relation to the othes. Not far from CP2

Steve has scratched at 147kms @steveindenmark

 

[StuAff]

Frank is doing really well. 593km already. Though the TCR dot watching page is not very good so can't see where he is in relation to others in the race.
Edit. Looks like he's about a 3rd down the field in relation to the othes. Not far from CP2

Steve has scratched at 147kms @steveindenmark

Bjorn Lenhard scratched as well, saddle sores. Now hoping to recover in time for PBP. Julia (quixoticgeek on YACF, #67) was unable to cope with the conditions- her body shut down in the heat & she wasn't able to eat anything. The amount of climbing early on (whereas the west-east variations 'ease' people in) was also a factor. Ingrid from my LBS (#98) is also doing well- about 30km behind Frank if I read the stats correctly. She's strong and does a lot of miles (over 5,000 this year before TCR) but this is really pushing herself. She really doesn't like gravel roads either....

 

[ianrauk]

There seems to be a whole heap of problems due to the heat over there. It looks bloody hard work.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Surprised how many have given up so early.

 

[steveindenmark]

I got heatstoke on the first day

 

[StuAff]

I got heatstoke on the first day

Rotten luck Steve. But you certainly weren't the only one to be affected that badly by the heat. Great effort just to get to the start, frankly...

 

[StuAff]

Both Frank and Ingrid through CP2 in plenty of time. It closes Tuesday morning. A fair number of the field haven't made it there yet. Most certainly will, but there are a few (if tracking is accurate) that definitely won't.

 

[steveindenmark]

Surprised how many have given up so early.

It was the heat. If you got to the 30km climb at the wrong time it was boiling. I think there were 6 of us on the climb and we all scratched.
200 km back to back days in Denmark on the Brompton couldnt prepare me for the heat.

On top of that I made the other silly mistake of not stopping when I should have and just taken shorter days until it cooled off. But the damage was done by then. A real rookie mistake. But I was a real rookie

 

[StuAff]

Frank's still bombing along nicely, 777 km to CP3 for him. Ingrid's at 916km, absolutely hated the CP2 gravel parcours & found it only passable by walking (even that was difficult- and I know from the FB feed she wasn't the only one who had to walk). 'Hurt everywhere and look like piece of ****'. Also dreaming of tea. But today was flat on paved roads, so she's hopefully feeling better. Julia, OTOH, is slowly riding home through Serbia. Still feeling the effects of the weekend, and rode about 150km today. Transcontinental Pootle sounds more like my kind of thing.....

 

[slowmotion]

Can people follow the riders as dots on a map, like the Aussie ride? If so, can somebody post a link?

Thanks.

Edit: I just found Frank on the map!

 

[Heltor Chasca]

Well played @steveindenmark and speedy recovery.

Following two Audax Club Bristol riders, a Club Hackney rider and a couple of ultra ‘celebs’. They are as good at riding on their summer holidays as they are at the weekend. Impressive.

Fun fact: There are 3 riders called ‘Dennis’ this year. That’s impressive.

 

[Ivo]

It's a 3-up battle at front with Fiona in the lead at the moment. But it's too close too call, only about 30km between the 3 top runners.
I'm amazed by how many people rode straight through the worst warzone in Croatia and so few people taking the sweet run through the Sava valley.

 

[StuAff]

Jonathan Rankin, no 15, who was leading, has scratched this morning. Foot problems. He'd got to Steinfeld, Austria- 1900km in four days. Fiona Kolbringer now leading, 155km from CP3 still about 30km ahead of Ben Davies. Frank's now 607km from CP3, Ingrid 828km.