Silk Road Mountain Race (SRMR)

PoiDH

@frank9755 are you able to post any correspondence for those of us who aren’t on Facebook? Thanks!

After talking things out with Race Director @nelsontrees , the decision has been made that Kim Raymaekers and Pierre Arnaud Le Magnan will receive a finish and have their arrival time recorded but will not be included in the general classification. After riding together for most of the race, an incredibly strong partnership was forged that helped them get through everything the race threw at them and complete the route in 9 days 9 hours and 5 minutes. This should always be viewed as a positive. However, they also enjoyed mutual support that was not available to other solo riders and their ride cannot be counted as a true solo effort. This decision is based on first hand experience on the ground. The riders were warned that they would not be considered solo if the continued to ride together. Think of the riders behind them. Nonethless, chapeau on a very strong ride.

There's then a dozen or so posts complaining. I made a post saying I thought it was the right decision and also sent a PM to Nelson expressing support, as it can be lonely when you have made a tough call if loads of others disagree!

I agree, based on what I've read, but it's very difficult to know how together they were actually riding and where is the line. Though it seems they have been watched from the control cars. And they should've avoided anything that might induce doubt.

Seems fair, especially given that it says they were warned

Can't see his comments as I'm not on facebook, but I'm sure there's enough of a reason to feel slightly aggrieved. However if they've been told previously and continued to race together then it can't really be too much of surprise.

The riders were warned that they would not be considered solo if they continued to ride together.

Some of the comments:

Stefaan Vanbillemont:

This decision is a joke. Maybe you should rewatch
the movie of their dots from start to finish?

Paul Verwimp:

Bullshit of the organisation

Nun Di:

What does it mean "they also enjoyed mutual support"? There's a pic
from Jay with a local helping him pushing the bike... Isn't that the
same "support"?

Joachim Rosenlund:

I do not understand or support this decision. I am pretty sure they
follow the rules to the dot. Or is there something we don’t know
leading to this decision?

I mean, where do you draw the line? In races this long, you will
always bump in to other riders, exchange words and maybe ride a few
kilometers together. So how many Kilometers do you need to ride along
side someone before being out? 10/50/100/500/800km?

It is a grey area, but I think as long as the riders let you know that
they did not support each other, and the race organizers have no proof
stating otherwise, they should not be disqualified.

They shouldn't need warning in the first place. Everyone knows it's supposed to be a solo effort.

I can't see that Kim has actually commented yet but he has 'liked' some of the negative comments.

Different tone on instagram

1 Attachment

Thanks @banaskid and @frank9755

KR finished http://trackleaders.com/transam15 'at the same time' as ED for joint 2nd place.

Anyone remember how the end of that race panned out?

If you look at the RaceFlow they appear very close for 150hrs. Was one of them really unable to shake the other in 6 days?

I am pretty sure they follow the rules to the dot

Yeah, except the race fucking org didn't and warned them about it and then still had to DQ'd them.

Kim's was the first comment:

Kim Raeymaekers 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
What a joke!!!

but it's very difficult to know how together they were actually riding

I've followed it every day, and Kim was one of three riders I know from before so I particularly followed him. Every time I checked, apart from two occasions - so say 18 out of 20 times - they were riding together. They also had multiple breaks, for food and overnight stops, where they stopped at the same place and then restarted together. Restarting together was Mike's particular red flag to show when people were not riding independently.

KR finished http://trackleaders.com/transam15 'at the same time' as ED for joint 2nd place.

Interesting. Somebody made a ref to Kim forging friendships along the way before, but I didn't realise what it meant as I didn't follow that edition at the time. Why isn't Jesse on that timeline - he won that one didn't he?

Well, I hope they're both happy to submit their GPS tracks for us to judge but he seems to have form for sharing the workload.

The Race Flow stops before half way so I guess trackleaders have an issue?

I agree and act accordingly, but it has not been as clear as in TCR in other events. In NCT, the first two riders shared hotel rooms for at least a couple of nights, started same time in the morning and rode those days very close to each other, though not together, in the middle part of the race, and 4th and 5th rider did this for a longer time. If they'd all be DQ'd, I'd be the only one to finish of the top 5 :D

I just wasted 10 minutes watching the playback on Mapprogress and it looks like they might have been together less than I had thought, although still a fair bit. Still, if they were caught, warned, and did it again, has to be the right decision.

If ever you want to waste an entire evening (or day) then go and watch the replay of a race you were in on slow speed, looking at who you were close to and when, who passed you when you were sleeping, etc, etc. Brings it all back.

In NCT, the first two riders shared hotel rooms for at least a couple of nights, started same time in the morning and rode those days very close to each other

I wasn't able to follow NCT closely but I did wonder about how close they were. I don't think they would get away with that on TCR, or clearly on SRMR. I expect they would on TABR.

Congrats on being first solo rider!

Thanks! But they did go by the rules of that race. The sport is so young still, it seems, that it's not really commonly clear how it should be done.

Ignore me, changed my mind about this comment.

They actually have official kalpaks!!

1 Attachment

It says no drafting but doesn't explicitly prohibit 'company' riding. Paired up solos would have to prove they weren't drafting then I guess.