Transcontinental Race (London - Istanbul) - #TCRNo4

What is Lee Pearce doing?

Looks like he is getting a ferry from Ancona to Zadar, can't really see the sense in that.

Ferry from Ancona ---> Split

Why not? The roads?

The rules.

"
The following routes are permitted.
Ancona to Split or Hvar
Bari to Dubrovnik, Bar or Durres
"

More info: https://www.lfgss.com/comments/12417115/

get some rest at least!

Gareth Baines is also on his way there but has slowed down. At one time he was only 20 km behind but is now a long way back.

He's outside a pharmacy in the centre of Bologna

#heatstroke #sunburn #losingconciousness #ferrytomorrow #TCR2015 #notdead

@skinny's transponder hasn't broadcast for 45 minutes. Raising a little tension.

Some rudimentary googling suggests the Ancona split ferry leaves at 8;15 local time. Rider is still about 25-30k away.

If my googling is right it is going to be a tight squeeze for him to catch the ferry.

Hope everything is OK. Perhaps stopped for some rest in some piece of soviet era concrete construction?

He may still be moving. Just that his transponder isn't transmitting. If not, he is about to be overtaken and lose the lead.

He has stopped.

Seems to have fallen asleep in a supermarket

@Greenbank And you have to wait for a ferry.

Yes, but it can still work out better for the slower riders, even with up to a 12 hour wait for the ferry.

People need to sleep regardless of the route they take, the slower riders are taking longer stops, so a 12 hour wait for a ferry could mean time to eat, get clean (at a motel), possibly buying new clothes (I'm sure Anconca has a bike shop), service the bike, eat again, nap or full on sleep.

The 11 hours on the ferry can then be put against the (roughly) equivalent time it would take a middle/tail-end rider the 180km the ferry saves (including the food stops required during that 180km). But instead of riding that 180km the ferry user gets another 11 hours to rest/eat/sleep/relax.

Another way of putting it is that, in a 24 hour period, a rider could either:
a) Sleep 6 hours, eat/faff for an hour, ride 60km in 3 hours, eat/faff for 30 mins, ride 60km in 3 hours, eat/faff for an hour, ride 60km in 3 hours, eat/faff for 30 mins, sleep 6 hours
or:-
b) Do no cycling in 24 hours but still cover the equivalent of 180km (by taking the ferry).

That's a lovely recovery day mid-ride without much (if any) ground on your rivals (if you're mid/back of the field).

It's even better if you arrive at the ferry with less time to wait.

And, sure, 180km in a 24 hour period isn't a lot, but in the context of the longer ride I'm sure many mid/tail-end riders will have 24 hour periods where they don't ride more than that.

On my last refresh his transponder moved to a different part of the supermarket so it's definitely broadcasting. Looks like he might be heading from the bakery aisle to the dairy aisle.

He's back on the road.

Less than 15km between them, the tension!

Meanwhile ultan coyle seems to be taking a different route to skinny and josh. Interesting.

Skinny is now back up to a shade under 30kph, post-supermarket.

Aha. Rules are rules.

Stephane

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Fixie skidder can't repair a puncture?

There must be a reason why everybody's avoiding Germany, though I can't think why. It could have something to do with Germany's recent display of anti-European spirit, of course.

The control point before Mont Ventoux