• Bernd Paul's out??

    Unbelievable - it was forecast about thirty degrees in Provence today.

    He must be absolutely gutted.

    Thins out the race leaders a lot. Josh Ibbett and Ultan Coyle following Skinny onto the second control, which is at a town called Sestriere and then the Strada dell'Assietta.

    Historic military ridge road with 40km of gravel, at about 2000m of altitude...

    I hope he doesn't get there during the night.

  • Looks like the most direct route is over the Izoard too. Tough night/day ahead for all.

    The military road is up and down too so it's not like you're riding a flat gravel road either. But, and I may go and look up the answer to this myself, I thought the race didn't mandate a route, just the four checkpoints enroute? So can you not go to Sestriere then make your own route to the next checkpoint?

  • The military road is up and down too so it's not like you're riding a flat gravel road either.

    I've just used Google Streetview, now I'm echoing @caveatgez concern about skinny riding it at night!

  • From what I understand they have to ride checkpoint routes ie Ventoux from Bedouin and Strada from Sestriere. So it is all N roads from now and @skinny can be happy he got the holidays in last year with all he is missing.

    Mind you when we were out of Gap in the coach heading west for the motorway there was a sign saying Carpentras with a fair mileage that impressed me and he is doing that in a few hours.

  • All the details are in the race manual

    CP 2: Strada dell’Assietta, Italy.
    Parcour: Sestriere to Suza via Strada dell’Assietta and descent of Colle della Finestre.
    Control: Sestriere
    Closes: 30th July
    The second checkpoint will require a traverse of the historic military ridge road, the Strada
    dell’Assietta. Some 40 km of gravel with much above 2,000m awaits riders at control number
    2 so a robust machine, possibly a little extra width on the rubber and good timing will be
    required to ensure safe passage over the parcour.
    CP2 will be staffed day and night from the time of arrival of the first rider until Thursday 30th
    July after which time riders will be required to self­validate as above.
    TCR staff will be stationed in Sestriere before the parcour and will advise on alternative
    protocol if the control becomes impassible due to adverse weather.

  • Yeah, I'm sure that the ethos is for brevet-style checkpoints with no set route, but in addition this year there are also some sections of parcour added immediately before or after. I remember reading something last year from the organisers saying that they wanted to challenge the aerobar set-ups by adding tougher sections.

    I think there's one more section at the Kotor checkpoint next to Mount Lovcen, which they have to summit.

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