Transcontinental Race (London - Istanbul) - #TCRNo4

Are you on their as @hippy?

Think so. Found the friend list. There's a few of you, andyp.

I've just had a look at that option for 2 to 3:
Through the alps 500km with 50,000ft of climbing
Cut into Italy with 700km with 48,000fit of climbing

Doesn't seem worth it really.

There's a lot of you too.

I'm user #470857 if that helps.

470857

It does.

I'll have a look tomorrow or Friday and ping you over my thoughts.

In my mind there is only 1 route between cp2-3 that's the best.

*My route.

Over the Stelvio, right?

Both sides for extra credit.

Maybe your climbing preferences aren't going to be all that useful to me... :)

You need to open the map in the new My Maps

You then get a share option

I've just had a look at that option for 2 to 3:
Through the alps 500km with 50,000ft of climbing
Cut into Italy with 700km with 48,000fit of climbing

Doesn't seem worth it really.

When you put it like that it doesn't.
The rough route that I sketched out went via Chur and Morano, which was 8630m of climbing in 386km but people were on about using the SS38, which would mean dropping down to Bellinzona and maybe even Lugano, which would allow you to go alongside lakes for a fair way and then up a valley. It doesn't look massively longer and has to have less climbing, but RWGPS played up when I tried to plot it and so not got the figures on it yet.

I don't know if this is related but...

"NO BIKES - SS38 between Bormio-Sondrio and the Lago di Como and the SS38 MEBO (between Meran and Bozen)"

To get to Bellinzona, you'd have to go over the St Gotthard pass. Then presumably you'd go south to Lugano, a small climb here, around Lake Como, then up the Valtellina to Sondrio, up to Aprica, then over the Tonale to Bolzano?

You'd leave the SS38 at Sondrio.

There's minor roads that avoid the main road between Merano and Bolzano too.

Where's your start/end point for that? 386km with only 8630m seems fantastic

Yes, that sort of thing.
Do you know if you can ride on the SS340 on the North shore of Lake Lugano?
Strava heatmap reckons yet but RWGPS won't route it.

CP2-CP3.
Maybe I missed a bit off the end...

I think you can. There's a tunnel but usually you can cycle through them.

I can't work out why ss241 tunnel isn;t allowed. No signage saying no cyclists and shit loads of heat trace on strava. Silly.

There seems to be a pretty old road around the tunnels of ss241, so they probably just want the riders to take that, instead of the narrow tunnels? Slower, but might be a really nice road, and it's the same for everyone who choose that route.

Yeah fair.

Can anyone help regarding this border:

If you zoom in checkpoint 4 you can see a small road leading out of Pluzine to Bosnia. If I were able to take I'd save about 100km and 1000 metres of climbing.

However is it a proper border crossing?

I've checked strava heat maps and there is a bit of activity I even emailed the Pluzine tourist board about it but they never got back to me.

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There was some chatter on Facebook a while back about this one. I think there are some border crossings which are only for locals but you can apply in advance and get a permit. There was then a debate as to whether that was legal or not - I reckoned it was the same as applying for a visa in advance but most people disagreed!

Here: I've found the relevant bit

Béla Kuzler Notice: Border crossing here: 43.037827, 18.654562 , between Bosnia and Montenegro use only separate licenses. You must report your trip and ask for permission from both side. Or choose another border crossing, this is simpler. smile emoticon
Like · Reply · 1 · 27 January at 13:44 · Edited
Urs Arnold Kutschera
Urs Arnold Kutschera Hi Bela, what about going over the "green" border. There is a dirt road from Gacko to Pluzine a bit north of the point you mentioned. Could it be a problem going over borders like this?
Like · Reply · 27 January at 21:45
Béla Kuzler
Béla Kuzler I don't know exactly , but my friend said , use only official border crossing. This isn't official. smile emoticon
Like · Reply · 28 January at 07:28
Urs Arnold Kutschera
Urs Arnold Kutschera I know 2 cyclists which passed there but the political situation changed, so might be not a good idea! wink emoticon
Like · Reply · 28 January at 07:35

I need to look in that group, seems there is a bit of signal to all the noise.