Race to the Rock 2016

So I just went to my local bike shop Treadly and ran into Jesse Carlsson and Sarah Hammond, whom I both knew of because of the Trans Am. Both will compete in the "Race to the Rock". Jake, one of the guys at Treadly, also will take part.
On my way through town, I spotted another 4 bikes with tri bars and bikepacking gear, so I guess I know what they're up to as well.

I thought this deserved a thread, as personally I couldn't get enough of refreshing live tracking websites during the Transcontinental Race.

So, starting this Saturday, 2,300km from Adelaide to Uluru, mostly on barren Australian outback gravel roads, sometimes hundreds of kilometers between water supply, past the Lake Eyre salt lake:

https://www.curvecycling.com.au/pages/2016-race-to-the-rock

Route:

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/15180278

Live tracking:

http://racetotherock2016.maprogress.com/

I posted this before on the functional bikes thread:

So they set off 12 hours ago, at 6am. Darkness has set in about 45 mins ago. Jesse Carlsson leading the pack with 227km covered, Gunther Desmedt and Justin Matthews not far back as 215 and 207.

They seem to be the only guys able to keep way up. Then it's Sarah Hammond at 185km. Jake from Treadly is at 145, slap bang in the middle of the field.

It's been a very rainy day today, and the biggest risk they face on their journey is actually getting washed out. The past week, some parts of their route were closed down due to flooding. Lake Eyre is full. Quite an unusual circumstance in one of the most arid regions of the world.

There might be some more updates from the hub page

So this is the morning's view. After 25 hrs ish, Jesse Carlsson is the race leader with 380km covered. Massive!

Also cyclingtips has come up with a great into writeup for the the riders:

http://veloclub.cyclingtips.com/blogs/entry/19-day-one-the-contenders/

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Massive ride by Jesse today. He's just scraped past the 600km mark and finds himself north of Port Augusta. How is that even humanly possible?
Justin Matthews at 510km and Gunther and Sarah shortly behind. No5 Keith Payne at 410 km ish.

Darkness has set in about an hour ago, and I am looking forward to find out tomorrow who's been riding through the darkness and who found a spot to bivvy. What a race!

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My mate wanted to race this with me but he's not able to and I'm going to Oz later in the year so two trips is too much. I'd like to ride PWR or TransOz but TABR has to be priority.

Cheers for posting though, I'll try and follow more closely.

It's been a cold cold night, down to 7 in the city and far lower in open country I bet.
Jesse did quite a bit of riding over night, now at 740km, 130 in front of Justin Matthews.

So far it's been a grim mud fest. People already having problems finding supplies is an indication of what's to come, as once they're further north there are in the shits.

Gunther had a cleat fail, and his instagram is full of pretty pissed off-ness with the mud.
Before he had forgotten his gloves and aquired some gardening ones to see him through.
He did make it to Melrose though and got new shoes and new pedals. Lucky for him it didn't happen after he passed, as it's the only bike shop along the track.

https://www.instagram.com/bikepacking.be/

There's a video and a wrap up:

https://vimeo.com/181379525

http://veloclub.cyclingtips.com/blogs/entry/29-day-two-wrap-up/

Weather will be much nicer the coming three days with sunshine and temps about 20 to 24 on Wednesday, no rain.

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Should've ridden SPDs :)

People already having problems finding supplies

hippy must be riding ahead of them, then, and someone else is currently posting from his account.

You mean frogs, right?

doesn't sound good. crash?

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Sounds like it. He's posting though so it can't be too bad :)

This is past the 900k mark, mind, and his lead is more than 120k easy. Hope he can dust himself off and keep up that superhuman effort. Also he was a bmx guy, right, so he must know how to take a fall.

Just been reading about this on cyclingtips, what a race! Madness to see them on dropbar MTBs with tri-attachments, hammering it along with all those bags as well.

https://vimeo.com/181485479

Cold and wet.

Australia, you've changed.

Keep in mind that it is just the first week of spring down here.

Sad news, Jesse Carlsson has just abandoned due to his wrist and ankle injuries after fall. He test rode 60+ k to get to next way point, but it must've been grueling.

Sarah Hammond has nearly caught up with him and is now the race leader and possibly favourite to win.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BJ_9tO8hc1t/?tagged=racetotherock

Also Jake Thomas had to stop at Laura to give his knees a rest, but is hoping to continue tomorrow.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BJ_m5DTDPbU/?taken-by=lilbikenerd

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Anything can happen. Poor bloke. Go Sarah!

Poor bloke yes, but awe inspiring and superhuman like for the southern half of the ride. 900+ k in under 3 days in those conditions is just nuts. Can't wait to follow his next attempt.

I wonder how much sleep deficit and strategy had to do with accidents like that, could imagine focus to be diminished.

Oh yes and go Sarah indeed.

In the video he was seeing shit. Oddly enough I only really had odd visions in France right at the start of TCR (hitting the brakes for a cyclist in front of me on an open road) even though I seemed to be operating on less sleep than sensible through most of it. Seems I just get really tired such that I'll crash before I start seeing strange shit. Literally dozing off on the bike. Maybe he pushes through that stage? Guess this is what can happen if you push it too hard but it could've happened anyway, never know.

Brutal day by the looks of it, Justin Matthews and Jake Thomas have abandoned, Sarah Hammond is having a race proper with Gunther Desmedt for 1st and cracked the 1300k mark, so past the half way point.

The next competitor is Keith Payne, who's sitting at 980k ish. Weather down here was great, 25 degs and sunny, if a little windy. No idea how it was up there past Augusta. Clear skies make for cold nights.

Absolutely crazy weather has just arrived in Adelaide, blowing down from north, where they are riding. Crazy torrential downpours, lightning strike and thunder. I hope they're all safe, especially Sarah and Gunther who are right in the open road.

The videos from yesterday gives us an idea what they're up against.

https://vimeo.com/181855657

https://vimeo.com/181869339

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Speedplays would be fun in that gloop

From Timothy Krieger's instagram:

Shit got pretty hectic last night. I got caught in the mud on the
Beltana Road just as the sun was setting and a thunder storm was
brewing. Made the right decision to bivy out, desperately trying to
keep things as dry as possible. I spent the night considering pressing
the 'help' button on my tracker. Woke up and basically pushed the bike
for 11km to the bitumen and have made Leigh Creek. Hearing from locals
the roads north are closed despite what the internet says. Gonna stay
here for the day/night and consider options.

You know people used to pick on me for sticking with Scouting for so
long but last night two words I learned when I was a kid saved my ass.
Be prepared.

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