Tour Divide

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turnpedal

https://dotwatcher.cc/race/tour-divide-2019

Meanwhile, back at Brush Mountain Lodge, the racers faced the
indignity and reality check of Reid Passmore, a tourer on his heavy
touring bike, riding solo NOBO over the "impassable" trail from
Steamboat to Brush Mountain Lodge. It seemed to be a wake-up call for
some of the racers who were convincing themselves that the track was
"not passable" - despite 4 riders having already passed it. That from
a group of 11 racers, no-one would harden up, suck it up and start
hiking with their bikes on their backs, was surprising to many
veterans in the bikepacking community.

Embarrassing!

From Kim Raeymaekers post you can hear that they were relying on
hearsay and someone doing a reconnaissance ride on Lael's film crew's
electric bike:

That sounds like cheating to me.

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skinny in reply to @turnpedal

Ha turning into a joke at that lodge.

Sounds to me like a bunch of people cracked mentally.

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turnpedal in reply to @skinny

Yeah, group-think can do some crazy shit. I guess they were convincing one another that it was impassable, then the tourist came from the south on a heavy bike and some started having doubts. Lael had her reasons for quitting, but it seems using her film crew's e-bike for a reccy should probably be included in that. I doubt Matt Lee will be happy about the film crew having influence over the race at all, even if that meant riders quitting. I suspect that will be the last documentary he allows. I certainly hope so.

If you want to experience the divide, go ride it. I for one get enough Wahoo advertising on strava, I don't need paid 'documentaries' with product placement.

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