Ultracycling

The routes for Race Across France came out... 500km version has 11000m of climbing.

Road?

Similar to the Mille du Sud numbers.

Yep. The 2500km is 30000m of up

They must be picking every climb on the way across.

Pretty back-loaded. Gets 1500 km in then starts to go up and down like hills are going out of fashion:

Bonette - highest paved road in Europe (2802m) would help.

I've been nearby, probably during Mille du Sud, at Col De La Cayolle
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Col_de_la_Cayolle

I guess if he's pushing back so much, he clearly thinks he's done nothing wrong. Maybe someone who speaks German can ask him like he suggests

I've done a 'request to follow..."

Molly Weaver going for the UK Coastline record in June next year

https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/18105620269444161/

1 Attachment

Is there an accepted direction for this or does it vary? Wondering if the usual headwinds along the south coast going west mean anti clockwise or getting the west coast climbing out the way early and a flatter last third makes clockwise the default?

I would be inclined to go clockwise to get the wind all the way up the west coast, which must be far longer, and just suck it up on the south coast.

Mark Beaumont did it clockwise - https://www.komoot.com/collection/1120567/-around-britain (as did @TheBonk from this parish, if I remember right. I remember a lot of content involving headwinds along the south coast, in fact)

I've got a book from the record set by Nick someone in the 80s...

...

The British coastline record of 22 days has stood for 37 years. It was set in 1984 by Nick Sanders, 63, who is still completing long-distance motorcycle adventures

“Before doing long-distance rides, I was a semi-pro cyclist: I’d won national championships as a youth, and went on to ride with Paul Sherwen for the La Redoute-Motobecane team. When I got fed up with racing, at 23, I decided to turn to bicycle adventuring.

“In 1984 I’d decided to cycle around the world in 80 days to set a new Guinness world record, meaning I’d need to cover 170 miles a day. In order to prepare for that, I chose to ride around the coast of Britain. The first time, I rode it over the course of a few weeks; the second time, I did it in 22 days.

“When I hear of people having a go at it, I smile because I remember that I was a semi-pro cyclist who trained like crazy for six months around the coast before attempting it. Guy Martin attempted it [in 2016] but got Achilles tendonitis after four days and had to abandon. The devil’s in the detail – I got to know the course and what it was all about. Records are there to be broken, but you’ve almost got to be a professional cyclist to beat this one.”

https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/i-literally-couldnt-sit-down-the-visually-impaired-rider-who-took-on-the-british-coastline-record

Looks like he's still breaking records...
https://kickasstrips.com/2014/02/nick-sanders-the-fastest-man-around-the-world/

https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/i-slept-in-a-bush-every-night-in-australia-66-year-old-completes-third-world-circumnavigation-by-bicycle

Just entered the UU XL event. Their shorter event looked nice the past years but I was looking for something longer. The new XL event seems to tick all my boxes https://utrechtultra.com/

Nice! Looks very good, great area for cycling but its gonna be very busy there in August

Is it just me? I feel less and less inclined to pay for self-routed races/rides. TCRs an obvious exception because of its status.

Im signed up for the alps divide next year. Anyone else?

Judging by the entries that the events are getting it might just be you!

I found that when I entered an event for which they gave me a route, I somehow felt less committed to it. The hours of route planning bring the event to life. I do enjoy route planning though, can imagine it could be different if you don't love maps!

I'm with you on this. I have zero interest in route planning and if committing to something that uses up my own free time I really don't enjoy having a big part of that time being used up for something I don't enjoy/find very time consuming. But yeah tcr gets a pass.

I love maps.

I love the ease with which you can start fires with the bastards.

Registration for Unmapping: Sweden (2025) opened last night.

There are two set routes, 2.350 or 2.150 kilometers from Kiruna in the north to Smygehuk in the south. 20.000+ or 18.000- meters of climbing. 80% or 70% non-tarmac.

~250 GBP to register at the moment. Price will increase.

No comments on the route announcement for TCR #11 yet?

Maybe no one can afford the £510 entry fee for the grassroots event.

How much !!?

Everyone's retired, it's all about gravelcross now.

Wow, I knew inflation had kicked up but hadn't realised it was that high!