Ultracycling

Yeah so written about 2018, but by the winner of this year? Lols

Oh, is it the same guy?

Yeah, Rodney won Bikingman Oman in 2018 too, and also Bikingman Inca Divide, Taiwan and the whole championship series.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BikingMan
https://www.dotwatcher.cc/profile/Rodney%20Soncco
He is sponsored by Bikingman, so you'd expect he might be more invested in the races they organize than some others.

But those race reports, WTF

Being sponsored by the race organisation that you race in, and win. Screams fair play to me!

It was 7 in the evening when the organizer came to me saying that Paul was just 6 km from me.

So sweet of the organizer.

Sounds a bit like that Russian Red Bull thing.

More reports of drafting: https://www.facebook.com/michael.knudsen.505/posts/2154941407930197?__tn__=K-R

After a long long period where the drafting was quite severe it finally split up around km 150 when people started to stop for food and water

Indeed. He isn't the first one to race sponsored by a race organizer, but that doesn't look good.

How is drafting viewed at the start of a race?
I cant imagine there will be any variance in the route to CP1/ Parcour on this years TCR, people will grouped along that route by default almost.

Normally there's a cutoff distance (first lap maybe) or an understanding that after the first x minutes everyone should have split apart.

Whilst I'd expect it to break up a bit, given how flat it looks surely the majority of people will be riding a similar pace and therefore in somewhat of a group, potentially for some time.
Maybe my perception is different from what the reality will be.

You will see other people, but it's not a deal.

If you're drafting your breaking the rules. Ride side by side (no crosswind) or just back off and let them get 5m ahead. Not hard, no excuse.

It's a bit of a mindfuck in the beginning. You want to preserve as much energy as possible and your brain says to follow that wheel in front of you, like you normally do. I really had to force myself to leave a gap. :)

You either pass them or let them go, that's how "no drafting" works.

I was fucked off in the 24hr Worlds when three fuckers spent the first 12hrs drafting. It's fucking bullshit for people like me following the rules. In TCR and such I'm usually lost immediately so I don't see most of the likely infractions :)

I hope people in the RaTN will be sufficiently informed about the rules. Looks like a lot of newcomers to the ultracycling world based on the types of Facebook messages/questions.

Indypac was a designated route and the start was flat. There were big groups until the first hill, about 25km in. Then it all broke up.
there were quite a few sets of traffic lights and big junctions so next to impossible for groups not to form.
I expect the start of tcr might be similar given the terrain and lack of alternative roads. Unless organisers do something there could well be a big bunch until cp1.
That was a big advantage of starting in geraadsb: lots of alternative roads after a steep hill to break things up.

I seem to remember Mike saying in the race briefing in 2016 that it had been said the previous year that they would not be that strict during the first night of the race, about riding with others, as you're so close and might want to have a conversation. But that a few had understood this as it being okay to actually ride as a group for the night. So from that year on, 2016, it would not be tolerated. And something like that if you see a fucker trying to draft you, take a picture and he/she is dq'd.

True, I remember that. If they emphasise that at the start it should work.

Unless there was a large number of people who didn't buy into the ethos and just wanted to ride in a big group so none of them would complain.

Or, you know, just don't draft. It's pretty simple.

I don't race or compete in these events so my opinion is likely to be way off the mark but...

My view is that if you can't drop someone then you've got to put up with them drafting you or slow down so they're forced to ride off if it bothers you. I get really annoyed if people are sitting on my wheel and either make a concerted effort to ride them off my wheel or accept the fact I'm not strong enough to do that and live with it.

Riding in a big group taking organised turns is different though and definitely unfair on lone solo riders.

I guess the flat no drafting rule is the simplest way to try and make it fair for all. Or go the other way and allow it and bring a more tactical nature into the event with alliances formed and broken along the way.

The one other thing I can't understand is the agro that people express to those who shared spare inner tubes / water with other competitors. Is it a pre-requisite of ultra racing to not look out for each other and offer support. I've always thought the good thing about cycling is how people are willing to help each other and the sense of community. Being in a race shouldn't suddenly make you a dick!

As I say maybe I just don't get the ultra distance race community...

The one other thing I can't understand is the agro that people express to those who shared spare inner tubes / water with other competitors.

100% this. I think I would be willing to take a penalty rather than leave someone stranded at the side of the road or without water.

you've got to put up with them drafting you

No you don't. If they can only keep up by saving 30% of their energy then they can't keep up at all. You take your phone out and video them and report them to race orgs for cheating.

Self-supported. If you need someone else to get through it, you've failed at the basic principle of the event.

Ask for their brevet card if they need help then. If they can't get through the race unsupported, they've failed at the race. If they aren't willing to sacrifice their brevet for help, then they don't really need your help.