Transcontinental Race (London - Istanbul) - #TCRNo4

Twitter list added: https://twitter.com/buro9/lists/tcrno4

If I'm missing riders, other important accounts... PM me their Twitter handle and I'll add them to the list.

http://captiongenerator.com/98200/Organizer-explains-the-Transcontinental-race

0:00.00 - 0:05.00 Everything is ready for the Transcontinental race start on 29th of July.
0:05.00 - 0:07.50 Support cars have lined up the spare wheels and water bottles.
0:07.50 - 0:10.50 Route from Belgium to Turkey is marked.
0:11.00 - 0:16.00 Now we just wait for the crowds and sponsor caravan.
0:17.50 - 0:21.50 Riders have no idea what they signed up for.
0:21.50 - 0:24.00 There is no support car, there is no team.
0:29.00 - 0:31.00 Even the start isn't in the morning, but just before midnight.
0:31.00 - 0:34.50 There is no route, only 4 points the have to go through.
0:38.00 - 0:40.00 First they go to a volcano in France.
0:41.00 - 0:47.65 Then they climb up to the Alps. Grosse Scheidegg, Grimselpass, Furkpass, its a freaking roller coaster.
0:47.65 - 0:50.75 After that they have to continue climb to Dolomites and Passo di Giau.
0:50.75 - 0:56.00 There are no easy routes available, just more mountains.
0:58.00 - 0:59.50 Then you'd think you could just follow Danube to Black sea.
0:59.50 - 1:01.50 Instead everyone must ride to Durmitor in Montenegro.
1:04.20 - 1:06.00 They roads in Balkans is as hilly as the Alps.
1:06.60 - 1:08.50 After Durmitor there is another 1000 kilometers to Turkey.
1:13.00 - 1:14.50 This year I put the finish line to Troy.
1:14.50 - 1:16.50 Which makes a lot of sense.
1:16.50 - 1:20.00 As the Transcontinental is a big Trojan horse.
1:21.00 - 1:27.00 Even though there are 200 riders they aren't allowed to help each other.
1:35.00 - 1:36.50 They can't even call home for help.
1:36.50 - 1:39.70 Everything has to be done as they were traveling all alone.
1:41.00 - 1:44.00 They can go to shops for food or stay in hotels.
1:44.00 - 1:47.00 Even have their bike fixed in a bike shop.
1:47.00 - 1:49.00 But the clock never stops. It keeps going 24/7.
1:50.00 - 1:53.00 They can ride the night, ride the day or both.
1:54.25 - 1:56.00 And whatever you do, don't forget to navigate.
1:56.00 - 1:58.00 Or else you might end up on goat path.
1:58.00 - 2:02.50 Or turn around like Steffen did in Trans Am this year.
2:04.30 - 2:07.00 If you see Lael you are likely on a wrong road.
2:09.10 - 2:11.00 What do you do when you get lost?
2:11.00 - 2:13.00 Get unlost!
2:15.00 - 2:17.00 Transcontinental race was a excuse anyways.
2:17.00 - 2:20.75 I just wanted to have my friends over for a beer.
2:21.00 - 2:28.00 Then I realized you have to ride at least 3800 kilometers to make Efes taste good.
2:29.00 - 2:30.00 And its gonna taste good.
2:30.00 - 2:32.80 There is no time limit, but finished party is 15 days from start.
2:36.90 - 2:39.80 Fastest will finish in less than ten days.
2:40.00 - 2:42.75 Some might take a month.
2:50.75 - 2:55.00 I can't wait for the show to start.
2:56.70 - 2:58.20 All riders have a gps tracker.
2:58.20 - 3:04.00 You can follow riders real time online at http://www.transcontinental.cc
3:04.00 - 3:09.00 Or follow the official hashtags #TcrNo4 in social medias.
3:09.00 - 3:11.50 Boy, its gonna be rough two weeks.
3:16.70 - 3:20.00 Riders will be sleeping at bus stops, 'cause they can't find a hotel.
3:23.90 - 3:27.50 They'll be stuffing pizzas to their pockes, 'cause can't waste time sitting down for food.
3:31.00 - 3:36.50 Just before finish there will be hundreds of angry dogs waiting. Have fun.

Brilliant....

If i said no, would anyone believe me?

The brewery is just up the road. I did not visit.

Keep drinking its all good carbs #breakfastofchampions

Belgium is renowned for waffles too

I've decided that if any riders are doing it for charity, then I'm going to make donations to each of them.

Noticed only one with a charity link so far:
https://twitter.com/abbiconnor
http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=AbbiConnor

If people point out others I'll send tenners here and there.

Ricky Egan - https://twitter.com/tanglestangles

Edit: and he's also doing it for charity.

https://twitter.com/AliceRosella
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/AliceRosellaTCRNo4

Ricky Egan - https://twitter.com/tanglestangles

https://crowdfunding.justgiving.com/rickyegan

Added him to the Twitter list too.

^ definitely following Alice, she's lovely. Doesn't have masses of experience of cycling very far, but really determined to make it as far as she can.

Also https://www.facebook.com/AliceRosellaTCRNo4S109/?fref=ts
and her blog https://twotyredcycling.wordpress.com/2016/07/24/its-the-final-countdown-to-the-transcontinental-race-across-europe/

.

Ricky is a strong rider - looking forward to seeing how he does!

Rose McGovern #136 is riding for:

Help Refugees UK
Prisoners Education Trust
Katherine House Hospice

https://www.justgiving.com/teams/RosesTCR

Damn, she provides a choice. I can't be mindless.

Oh well, a fiver each.

#57 Michal Plech @michal_plech on Twitter

Added to the Twitter list.

I feel as though my small donation is akin to the ticket price to spectate at a magnificent sporting event.

Little shocked to see that she is barely older than my elder daughter. Then again, perhaps the shock is to realise how old Louisa is.

There's no money for anyone doing this, and such an outlay by everyone.

The least we can do is support as many riders goals as possible.

For hippy I think this will involve getting him beer and pies on his return.

I think hippy should be allowed to consume whatever beer and pies he wishes for the next year on the back of his ride. Lucky @skinny doesn't appear to eat.

Darren Franks is also collecting for charity :0)

this is as exciting as the tour de france. it's brilliant that non professionals are doing something so extraordinary.

Let's see how far I get before talking of beer and pies. :S

Josh I and I presume his old man appear to be staying in our hotel. Time to start doing shots in the lobby.