Indian Pacific Wheel Race - IndyPac - IPWR

Abdullah did a great job filming and editing this! We're gonna both be racing next year if it's on (I wanna attempt it fixed)!

Documentary of the race: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5b9or1r­Gp8

Fantastic work there - filming, music, conversations, everything. Recommended.

Lots from Kristof and particularly like Mike's cheeky line about making the winner suffer.

No mention to any female rider on that documentary ¯_(ツ)_/¯, too much Mike and Kristof when there was a whole bunch of riders around, bald guy seemed like force-edited in the cut. Also Kristof and Mike where at some moments clearly annoyed by camera presence. Cool to see that close footage of both, but odd edit

I watched it last night. I thought it was good, but very painful to watch Mike in what were his last couple of days.

Logistically it would be hard for them to cover most of the other riders for much of the way as Mike and Kristof were a long way ahead. But Sarah wasnt too far behind, and she's interesting and articulate as well as female. Would have given it a very different feel.

Maybe the Mike and Kristof thing was just too compelling a story to dilute with others? The scene where Kristof caught Mike, was quite haunting.

I agree that the other guy didn't fit in with the flow. Maybe they put him in because he's a well known Aussie blogger / vlogger (cycling maven).

Overall I liked it but I think it might have been better to either put some others in, ie Sarah, or just make it Mike and Kristof, which, after all, was the main story, with its tragic twist.

Yep cycling maven is a friend of the glucose network (Abdullah) but agreed - felt like a fluffer for the Mike / Kristof story.

I asked Abdullah on a live stream during the race if he was getting any footage of Sarah but he mentioned wanting to focus on the front two as he thought that's where the fireworks where going to happen.

To be fair - Sarah was riding pretty conservatively hitting her daily mileage. Didn't seem she was going to break herself to catch Mike. But Mike on the other hand was willing to do everything to catch Kristof. As a film maker in that situation you have one chance and you go with your gut.

I would have liked to have seen Sarah in there - but it is what it is.

Watching now. Worrying seeing Mike shooing camera away and what was KA asking not to be filmed? He's very cagey about his sleep options when anyone asks.

"Guys, how long have you been with Kristof?"

At the end he shows bivi, sleeping mat and liner of some sort. Or do you mean something else?

Watching now. Worrying seeing Mike shooing camera away and what was KA asking not to be filmed? He's very cagey about his sleep options when anyone asks.

Yes, that bit where Mike was all over the place was disturbing, especially given we knew what was coming.
The most haunting bit for me was when Kristof caught Mike and they chatted for a minute.
Kristof has a reputation for being a bit like that. Some top riders (eg Mike and @skinny spring to mind) have been very open about what they do, but some are not and like to keep some things to themselves perhaps because they might think it gives them an edge. When we are in Sydney after Mike's death, Kim Raemaekers, the other fast Belgian on the ride and who was an open, friendly guy, mentioned that he had tried to chat to Kristof in the past about the stuff they did and found the same.

I don't see how it's any disadvantage telling people. Everyone is different and has different needs. So it's not as if you should try to emulate someone else anyway, recipe for failure.

Most people are happy to talk about anything, Bjorn and I had some long conversations about things.

I've spoken to Kristof in person, and he told me. Also it's pretty easy to work out.

There are some things I do I keep quiet, because I feel they do give me an advantage. Though I gave some away this year to some people, because I felt nice.

All the earlier questions he avoids giving any answers. I hadn't got to the end.

I couldn't tell if he was wrecked (he always looked very tired) or if he'd moved over to get a look at the lights behind him (must've seemed weird having KA and the car basically crawling behind for what seemed like ages). Can't quite put a finger on why but KA annoyed me in this film.

You're very generous with your information.

Most of it is no use to mere mortals but I do appreciate racer's posting kit choice info as it makes my panic buy all the more fun :)

Some of my best tricks are so small/silly I'm not sure they've ever been asked about.

Look at my post history though - I'm hardly one to keep shit secret if asked about stuff.

He annoyed me in this documentary because of the I'm not here to win, I'm not going to talk about Mike attitude. Otherwise he genuinely just seems to enjoy riding his bike a long way. He seems remarkably composed and normal apart from when some restaurant staff try to talk to him and he doesn't respond at all.

Yeah, all of that. It's perhaps what he needs to do to win and it's why he's days in front of me but it irks me. Compare and contrast with @skinny in the TCR videos.

My take on it is that Kristof basically isn't a great speaker. He comes across as a fairly quiet, almost shy guy who enjoys riding his bike. Because he's had major success at the TCR, he's been pushed into the limelight, probably more than he ever wanted to. When you meet him, he's very down to earth and not at all boastful about his achievements. I'm sure he expected to win when he went to Australia, but he wouldn't be one to big himself up beforehand.

At the pre-race party, he, Mike and Sarah did a Q+A with Jesse. The other three - especially Mike - had far more interesting things to say than Kristof, and I don't think that was just the language barrier. With Kristof, he lets his riding do the talking and he's interesting because of what he has achieved, not because of how he described it. Mike was of a similar stature as a rider, and in a different universe as a speaker.

In a film of Mike vs Kristof, Mike would always be the good guy, because of his personality and way with words. Throw in the tragic ending, and Kristof has no chance! He's not the bad guy in the story, just the less interesting and less articulate one.

Also English isn't his first language. I couldn't imagine being articulate in another language.

I think the less articulate tag is a bit harsh. Unless you've heard him express himself fully in Flemish?

Mike was a great speaker, interesting and inspiring to listen to. Saying Kristof is not quite his equal in that area is only my opinion, but I'd be surprised if many would disagree

Isn't he a teacher?

Fair enough. Ive never heard them speak so I cant make a judgement. Interesting though.

Kristof basically isn't a great speaker

He's a teacher so I assume in his native tongue this is not the case. But yeah, against Mike, who definitely had a way with words, he stands no chance, at least in English.

Kristof does seem to be saying a lot more in the interviews done with his own language, like this.

Google translator:

"I consciously chose to be so soon
possible to advance. Three hot meals
I've had during the whole ride. Waiting for one
meal is time loss. I'm all time, that's one
automatism that's in me. By the time I
Buying a cashier is half of it
what I want to buy already on. If I need five minutes
waiting in line for the checkout I eat it. I
do not steal it, I'll pay you too, but
I'll take time with that."

etc.

And indeed at least for me, it's not that easy to be articulate with a foreign language vocally in the middle of a race. It's easier when you're writing.

Haven't watched that documentary yet.

I do the same, eat and drink if I have to wait in line.

Uncouth brits, no class.

I normally just ask the waiter to "be quick about it" while snapping my fingers.

Some times I've even been known to skip the cheeseboard and brandy afterwards.