TCR 10, Transcontinental Race

Is it definitely a mistake by Abdullah?

Looks like Robin took a bunch of small roads parallel to the banned E87 and crossed in the one section that isn't banned.

He'l get barred from entryign future editions after pressure form sponsors like Apidura 😂

Gutted to see Omar scratched but would be surprised if that's the last we see of him at the TCR.

Trying to work it out, so Robin took a route the others like AZ think is a banned road, but he has used side roads?

Yes looks like he found enough side roads just next to the E87. Gravel, a bit of climbing.

The only part of the E87 that is allowed is that short section posted above.

1 Attachment

Doubt Strasser will take that route then if there is gravel.

AZ lost/Robin gained half an hour with the detour/shortcut.

Well done to Robin if he found a route advantage like that. Half an hour is worth having if it gets tight!

I guess he must have spotted there was a bit of road unbanned, that made it possible - there's always a reason for these things. Although I have to say I do find it a little strange when they say 'this road is too dangerous for you to use - apart from this little section here'

I remember the E87 being great, very smooth and little traffic, but I rode it at night / early morning, and it was 8 years ago, probably a different story now and in the daytime.

AZ also used that not-banned small section so it's not a master move/spot by Robin. I think it's the only way to get from east to west without going full gravel south of the O6 motorway.
Strasser also taking the Robin route along the E87.

Abdullah (top line) working on extreme shortness of sleep in the last 4 days, even compared to the other two. Strasser on detour now?

1 Attachment

Yeah what's Strasser doing, sightseeing?

Gravel avoidance maybe. His kryptonite.

He's on a ferry from Gelibolu to Lapseki.

Building motorways destroys permeability--old road alignments are re-purposed for these crap roads, old connections severed. The organisers undoubtedly saw that they had to make an exception from their usual rules in this spot, as there's no way of getting through without travelling some distance on that road. It's clearly well-researched and a sensible move.

It was the earlier detour he did:

1 Attachment

AZ with a mechanical on the parcours? Strasser closing in.

Abdullah was 7 hours behind at cp1, has reeled in 3 hours to cp3, then lost 20 minutes to cp4 (Robin's manoeuvre!) so 4 hours in it.

Robin should have it but it's close enough that one mistake or bad mechanical could decide it.

Why was Abdullah so far behind at cp1? Obviously it's his first tcr, maybe his first time in Europe, so steep learning curve. Maybe if he changes his mind and comes back, with his experience, he would be the man to beat?

AZ with a mechanical on the parcours?

Maybe that's the mechanical that has decided it for sure!

Ah, right. I wasn't watching it as it happened.

AZ passed by Strasser. Not much info to be found. Some photos and someone on FB

5 flats, shredded tyres and another mechanical- And no sleep.
He will still be smiling, trust me.

Thanks for the info. I hope he can get his rhythm going again and cling on to third place. It's always sad when someone falls apart at the end after a heroic ride!

Poor Abdullah. Getting a puncture in lightly-populated areas when your spares have run out is no fun.

Absolutely.

In 2022 I passed a guy 200km from the finish who was up against the crash barrier on a busy road in baking sun in Bulgaria, with his wheel out. He flagged me down and asked for a tube. He said his tubeless had gone, he hadn't been able to fix his punctures and was out of tubes, and had been stuck in that spot for two hours, trying to re-set up his tubeless, with obviously no compressor and probably no sealant.

It was clear his head had gone. I took pity on him and gave him a tube. Otherwise the poor fucker would probably still be there!

I know when I have had mechanicals on TCR, the adrenaline surge can be really powerful and hard to manage. I was once fixing something in a town in Austria and a guy came up to ask if I was ok as he could see that I was shaking. I was fine, just panicking about losing time. All you want is to just get going and get a decent rhythm

The clingfilm guy carries 13 innertubes.
Maybe that's not as over cautious as I thought?

I've done TCR without flatting.

People running stupid spare tubes but not taking enough patches. Won't someone think of the patches!

dun dun dun vulcanise!
dun dun dun vulcanise!
(sorry Chemicals)