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According to the PDF you receive when you apply, the relay race will allow riders to ride with each other for ~20km before/after the change-over point whilst sticking to the rule of no drafting.
If one of the riders scratches from an earlier section of the course before handing to the next rider, the entire team scratches.
So, a lot of pressure on everyone, especially the last rider if they fail to complete the last section!
veganjoseph-
especially the last rider if they fail to complete the last section!
Interesting.
The pressure is on the Nullarbor guy.
He is doing over half of the distance, often very remote from food, water and other supplies, and passing precisely zero bike shops where he can get any mechanicals fixed. And if he scratches, the other guys don't even get to play!
frank9755
Relay thing is interesting, and they might get a few takers from people who wouldn't do the full ride. Would work well for mixed ability teams:
The nullarbor leg is way longest and loneliest.
Adelaide to Melbourne is almost as flat (2 climbs) and a lot prettier.
Melbourne to canberra is the hilly bit
And Canberra to Sydney is the shortest and easiest.
I wonder if they actually do it as a relay with riders starting when the previous one has finished. If so, a bit of variability on timing for the later guys.
Also, what happens to the other riders if the nullarbor guy scratches? (A third of riders scratched before Adelaide last time). They'll let them ride, but hard to do an ultra when your reason for doing it has gone!