Badlands

Last year: ETA stopped doing TCR and Yellow Jersey and Dogtag won't cover Spain given the current FCO advice for no non-essential travel, but Snowcard will.

insureandgo had some kind of Covid policy but check the policy wording, they're insurance companies so they're all dodgy as fuck and will look for any excuse not to pay out.

I see what you mean. After some research I contacted dog tag and ETA also insureandgo.
Let's see what they can offer.
I also was thinking to try to get though in laws who is from Spain, maybe they can help me with that.

If you have no luck let me know, ill see if someone else

Anyone on here riding this year? Just had an email with the route. Looks to finish quite a way away from Granada and not exactly an easy ride.

I’m going to hopefully be staying in Cadiar again for a week in October and fancy getting some off road miles in this time as well as the roadie stuff.

I notice that the route passes through Cadiar before a meaty climb up to about 10k feet. For those that have done this climb, what is the surface like? I’d be on 40mm tyres. It’s less the climb that’s a concern, but at the top I’d need to descend again and that’s a long off road descent if it’s quite steep and technical. Any insights would be very welcome.

Cheers

Lol you mean pico valeto
Paging @hippy

I know Veleta. I've done that on-road and off-road. Where's this year's route?

Komoot route here .
Edit - Looks like it doesn't do the Valeta Pass this year, or not all of it anyway.

Ah, yeah, that looks quite odd, not going back to Granada. I assume the return is not some kind of neutral section.

I just assumed he was talking about last years

Compared. Red is last year's.
Not sure what's going on with this year's.

1 Attachment

Yep, I was looking at last years route. The section from Trevelez to the top is the bit I meant.

I think there were a couple of hike-a-bike bits (not just because I'm fat, they were basically walls of dirt) but it was mostly fine to ride.

So, is Veleta out of action this year or what?

These were from the other side:
https://twitter.com/firsthippy/status/1303980374327005185

Someone commented on it looking a bit scary (the non-Trevelez side)..
https://twitter.com/firsthippy/status/1304073948196413440

This was from the Trevelez side, higher up though because it was dark when I started the climb
https://twitter.com/firsthippy/status/1303986380779945984

Good to know, thanks.

Are the tracks up there quite narrow with big drops to the side like that pic on your Twitter? Or wider gravel tracks? I guess I just want to make sure it’s not going to end up a really slow crawl descending back home.

This was from the Trevelez side, higher up though because it was dark when I started the climb

https://twitter.com/firsthippy/status/13­03986380779945984

Ah, that looks much more pleasant

I just want to make sure it’s not going to end up a really slow crawl descending back home.

I mean, the course is the course, right? Last year it was the road descent for the most part I think then another small gravel climb and then I was faster down the last gravel descent than Lachy (he'd not slept for 44hrs though and it was night whereas I'd specifically wanted to do Veleta in daylight this time, but still :)).

So as a participant in Badlands this year for the first time and having just received the route from Transiberica a few questions I am hoping can be answered.

1. Why are they not finishing in Granada? The descent from Valeta Pass too hairy?
   
2. So we finish in a small town 75km from where we started. Then what? Just cycle any number of ways back to Granada ?
   

Yeah, also my thoughts. As with everything if the reasoning is explained then it’s much easier to understand/accept. This seems a bit weird and badly conveyed, especially only a month from the start.
Any more info @CarlosBI ?

Yup agree. Any reasoning be better than none. So, in the spirit of the race and not pre-booking anything should be interesting to see what occurs for those who finish between midnight and dawn when fk all will be open in the small town of Capileira. We just ride nonchalantly onto Granada in a non race mode I guess or sleep out the night and do it in the new day.........actually as I pressed transmit on the first portion of this message a white light struck me. Cross the line. The race is over. Therefore can pre book accommodation in Capileira. :-)

If you know when you will arrive!

I don't see how it's different from accomm. on-route. You just book when you need it. I'd still query the route changes.

Update from Transiberica after I emailed asking why the changes:

Sorry for this last moment change. It has been an issue of permissions from Sierra Nevada National Park. The climb to Veleta Pass it's allowed (and 100% recommendable) for particular riders, but not so easy for organized events at this moment.
Capileira is considered one of the most beautiful villages in Spain, and it's where officially the climb to Veleta starts.
Many riders will climb it anyway for sure. The only different is that now there is no pressure about the time and you can do it together with other riders, so it will be safier. We'll provide the tracks with different options in the Handbook within the following days. Also, there will be some buses available from Capileira, we are pending on how many places and the schedules.
Sorry for the inconveniences. We are doing our best to keep the essence of Badlands due to this last moment change,
Transiberica Team

@cjr thanks for passing that along. My reading of that is that essentially they're saying that the descent from Veleta pass is too hairy and a legal case waiting to happen . Fine to do it of your own accord but not under the auspices of an organised race where the organisers would be held accountable should something go awry.

Anyone know where the registration will be and where a good area to stay is? Also, was there any provision for bike box storage last year?

Edit, they responded to my email. No handbook yet which is not ideal, but-
The accreditation and the start will take place in the Palacio de Congresos de Granada, located at: Paseo del Violón, S/N, 18006 Granada
And no bike box storage.