Transcontinental Race No. 5 - TCR5 - #TCRN05 - 2017

To's route has me slightly baffled, as it appears he could of achieved a route predominately along valley floors that was far shorter than he is doing but he must of chosen it with good reason so should be fun to watch it unfold. He is Ian to velocite ultracycling on Facebook and someone is posting good regular updates of his thoughts and progress.

Places five to ten is quite good, five riders within 40km according to frrt and constant leapfrogging but only virtually as on different roads

Have to say,I really enjoy searching the #tcrno5 tag on Instagram and seeing all the gravel and messed up route shots as this is 100% what I imagine myself mistakenly doing

Looks to me like bjorn was trying to get onto the 66, found it was no bikes, tried to reroute south before doubling back?

Looks to me like bjorn was trying to get onto the 66, found it was no bikes, tried to reroute south before doubling back?

Yes, I've ridden that bit on a tour four years ago. They were building a new road in the bottom of the valley and we could go round the roadworks and then got onto a decent, fast road, but it was a bit of a mess. DK how it is now. If he could have got through that way it would have been a shorter route than the one he is taking.

Skinny going a different way, maybe he has done better research

Fucking roads

Skinny is about to become virtual race lead, go skinny!

If Bjorn couldn't use the 66 is Skinny not going to find it the same?

Keep your spirits up @hippy, you are doing great!

Yep, doesn't look like you can get on to the 66 from Banska Bystrica without going on the R1 (which will be prohibited for bikes).

Looks like Skinny is off the 591 and trying to go through the villages to join the 66 at Salkova (so no problems with the R1) and then head up the 72 over the Low Tatras (just 1200m) and down to the 18 towards Poprad before swinging North for the parcours.

If it works it could be enough to take 1st as Bjorn is taking a longer route via the 59 and Ruzomberok (or cutting that corner with the 2224 via Zelezno).

If Bjorn couldn't use the 66 is Skinny not going to find it the same?

I'm guessing the 66 is ok, it's just you couldn't get to it from where Bjorn was without using the R1 which probably wasn't ok.

[EDIT] Well, he might if he'd just gone a bit further into that industrial estate and took what looks like a dusty track to the road next to the river, then he would have got to the road just south of Salkova. Assuming that it's not closed off somewhere or signposted to look private. And almost certainly not the gamble you'd want to have to try unresearched when tired/etc.

Ruzomberok really stinks at this time of year, big paper/cardboard factory settling ponds fester a bit in summer. Hope Bjorn can ride whilst holding his nose.

Fuck Austria

In that case its going to be super close to the CP.

Skinny has 116km to go and 1805 metres climbing.
Bjorn has 109km to go and 1205 metres climbing.

Not even a fucking schnitzel

Keep going! It's all downhill till Slovakia now?

The 66 and 72 in Slovakia look like beautiful roads, from a bit of Street Viewing.

A very different story if you're thousands of KMs in and sore down below though I guess.

They were within 1km just now on free ride but it's opened up again

If they're close on distance then Bjorn will have the advantage as he's almost to the top of his crossing of the Low Tatras.

Skinny still has to climb up from 500m to 1200m to cross the Low Tatras once he's on the 72.

Bjorn will still beat him to CP3 but not by long - predicting they'll pass each other on the control

I'm guessing the 66 is ok, it's just you couldn't get to it from where Bjorn was without using the R1 which probably wasn't ok.

That's right. I've ridden the exact route that Bjorn was trying to do.
I think we debated what to do for a while, then I persuaded my wife that we could brave about half a mile of motorway, and it was fine.
After that the 66 is a lovely fast road, then a pleasant climb up a valley to an alpine col with a pub at the top!
Bjorn being super-obedient of the rules in changing his route.

Bjorn's Lower Tatras climb is probably faster than Skinny's, just much less pretty and a busy, boring road. And it's longer.

Not even a fucking schnitzel

No mention of arse - must be having a good day

Bjorn being super-obedient of the rules in changing his route.

Looking at Google Maps, it seems he's completely changed his route to avoid the tiniest bit of motorway. Would it really have mattered?

Bjorn had around 2 hours on Skinny as they went through/near Zvolen.

This increased to 2h30 at the closest points near Banska Bystrica and Salkova but Bjorn took an hour in Banska Bystrica with his u-turn, however I'm guessing he also stopped for some food so not all of that hour would be wasted time.

Next direct comparison point should be where the 72 joins the 18.

Will wait to see whether Bjorn takes the 2224 or stays on the 59 and then I really have to get some work done!

[EDIT - He stayed on the 59 to Ruzomberok. Nice fast descent by the looks of it.]

Looking at Google Maps, it seems he's completely changed his route to avoid the tiniest bit of motorway. Would it really have mattered?

He'd probably receive a time penalty (of at least a couple of hours) which could be enough to lose him the race if it ends up being that close. Not worth the risk at the pointy end of the field but I'm sure some further back will just take the penalty.