Transcontinental Race (London - Istanbul) - #TCRNo4

He is no ordinary man...he is machine!!!

I bought a groupset from him once. Frankly I'm proud.

Ishmael (#10) is taking a different route to everyone else.

Lost or knows something the others don't?

Still a long way from the notorious Dalston Dynamo though.

SRAM Red?

I kinda can't believe how much he's smashing it. So good.

Maybe he is a big fan of Asti Spumante?

Ye of little faith

Nah, just Rival. Off the bike when it was new before he replaced it all

3h30 ahead of Josh which is about the difference in "Stopped Time" between the two (Josh having stopped more), so that may mean they're pretty even if Skinny does need to erase a bit more of his sleep debt.

Slovenia isn't flat, which will slow everyone down too.

Good to see Ultan starting to overtake people again.

I'm just catching up - skinny is doing s brilliant job!

@skinny is past Venice whereas Josh is just going through the suburbs. This will allow @skinny to build up a little more of a lead as he lost time on the more congested roads. Also Josh is going through at rush hour.

Wonder what josh plans are for the night. Wouldn't mind a good night sleep tbh. Let me know if you're pulling and all nighter hey!? Truce?

— James Hayden (@JamesMarkHayden) July 28, 2015

Leo Tong about to start the ascent of Ventoux. He's been eating nougat

We both know that the New Oxford Street ride is far too dangerous to be attempted without support though, so their a different kettle of fish.

I'm not sure Frank Proud is racing this but I think he's doing PBP...

He raced last year and finished. There's always a possibility he's gone awry but he might have done more research and found a tricky detour. I never did throw him some coin for this year's. He was going to be doing phone-ins.

Do they swap to Pedalos?

Lead down to 38km now...

He had a brief stop.

I sold him some fixie wheels.

He beat me by 6 minutes in a TT, surely that means I'd only be 6 minutes behind him now?

I bought his Sidi's. I have worn the shoes of a God.

Kinda gross actually.

@skinny Back up to 44km lead - Josh not moving

It is both addictive and thrilling. I hope he can hold on.