Transcontinental Race (London - Istanbul) - #TCRNo4

After my achilles problems I spent a day in Cortina rather than scratch. That put me right in the middle of the bell curve and I was seeing plenty of riders then. The crazy winds in Croatia bunched us all up again too.

The nearest I came to helping anyone was Jack, who I met during the crazy winds. We were at a petrol station and I encouraged him to start eating again as he'd stopped as he had stomach problems. We now know how that ended up!

Spine race, justly renowned for being brutal, one year its rumoured that competitors were deliberately breaking glass at a control so as to cut up other competitors feet. Almost certainly not true but the fact that such stories gain traction is interesting.
Some like to think that these races engender good will and make us better people but the reality is they bring out both the best and worst.

They spent the night on the outskirts of Alexandroupoli in a hotel or hostel. A late start as Min waited for the Italian chaps to get ready and then drink their espresso. They eventually set off from the hotel around an hour ago but look as though they may have stopped for coffee already.

No other rider, that I am aware of, has taken more than a day to reach the end from where they are but then again, no other rider had been on the road for quite as long.

It could be today but if it is, it will be late today.

It looks like Min has gone on ahead. She's just under a mile ahead at the moment...

From Alexandroupoli to the finish it's the smoothest roads of the entire ride and there are hardly any towns to stop in. I just swapped messages with Max who said it was his fastest section.

It looks like Min has gone on ahead. She's just under a mile ahead at the moment...

The decisive attack from Min, or the Italians faffing...?

Ishmael (3rd place in the 24hr and 2xTCR racer) and the guy that gave me a loan of his framebag and some TCR tips is doing that race.

I found the TCR to be nothing but goodwill from everyone involved in the race. It was like MTB enduros back in the day. Fast guys ride fast, slow guys ride slow and everyone achieves something cool.

You seem to have blanked the last 50k from your mind. There's quite a bit of road work and rough crap along there. The road south is lovely though, if a little lumpy and windy.

"Normally, when I traveling with men, I am always been the last ready. But the stories always different if I traveling with Italian guy............ (Waiting)

And, no espresso, no ride. But, they pick the coffee shop like women choose a dress going out, difficult, difficult....!"

Min

You seem to have blanked the last 50k from your mind.

You are right, I'd forgotten that. And Max went via Gelibolou so missed that rougher bit. But some people got tailwinds along there so still fast.

Despite being half crazy with sleep dep, not getting the tailwind and being desperate to finish, I really enjoyed the last 50km and gave it a bit of a blast - which meant I had about 50 minutes to wait at the ferry!

I did it this year as mental prep and to keep fitness levels up over the winter. Toying with idea of doing it again next year but hearts set on TD and PWR so wont have sufficient holiday time for all three :(

PWR

?

I can't keep up with all these race acronyms

I found the TCR to be nothing but goodwill from everyone involved in the race. It was like MTB enduros back in the day. Fast guys ride fast, slow guys ride slow and everyone achieves something cool

Dosen't sound like ultra as I know it, big egos- lots of self delusion (maybe that's just me though)

Pacific Wheel Race.

Pacific Wheel Race.

Ah, the TransOz that's not the TransOz. :)

Yep doing it properly would be following the rabbit proof fence (does that still exist?) and being beaten by an aborigine on a Raleigh chopper.

^ easy navigation that one @hippy ;)

Route66 or following a fence? I'd still get lost...

All you'd need would be hippy-proof fences on both sides.

I 'saw' one of those riding through France*.

*I didn't, it was the colours of the road and they caused my brain to 'see' a glass fence.

I also hit the brakes for a rider in front... who didn't exist.

OT All those primeval, vicious kill-you-to -death-horribly creatures that the Aussies have and they are scared by fluffy Bugs Bunnies.

I also hit the brakes for a rider in front... who didn't exist.<

Worst "I was leading" brag ever ;)

No, the fence is to protect the rabbits...

"in front" not so much "the front"

At no stage of this race was I ever close to the front. Well, at CP1 if I'd pushed on, I'd have been 4th but I was already shredded by then.

I have two new saddles sitting here though so that should help matters...

They have crossed the border and are in Turkey.

The difference in positions can be caused by delays in one or others traacker communicating position. It does look as though they are together.

It is 17:30 local time where they are. I suspect that, if they can, they will stop somewhere for the night and finish tomorrow.

Trackleaders gives them 82km to go but FreeRoute puts is, possibly more accurately, as 137km.