Highland Trail 550

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3ZhoyOAiXM

Hope you have a trouble free ride @skinny and remember if you're going to ride through that river again, film it again for our viewing pleasure.

Ha plenty of other rivers too, lots of water about from my brief ride today.

And thanks, sure it'll test me somehow.

They are off. https://dotwatcher.cc/race/highland-trail-550-2021

Interesting names in there. The conditions sound pretty bad too.

Just looked at the route and realised that I did a bit of it in the other direction last year where it overlaps with the GNT (km 321-376). Really beautiful, even in cloud and rain.

I got lucky with the weather but stepping off the road everything was saturated.
Should be a good race.

Skinny starting strongly..

Looks like it will be pretty cold overnight. Josh Ibbett seems to have started strong too. Interestingly his coach (Rich Rothwell) is close behind.

Just noticed this on the Dotwatcher site:

The race organiser has chosen to withhold the results of the 2019 HT550 due to a suspected doping incident. ITT results are the only results available

Anyone know the story?

Liam also starting incredibly well (leading atm) . SS rigid club. He's probably on some high gear. I think 34x19 for Bare Bones.

Wow. didnt know that. please share if you hear anything else on this. Doping not really discussed in Ultra's much. Because I assume it doesnt happen much if at all..

I think it was Tramadol found on the trail. There was a little chat about it at the TCR briefing

Jeez, if you’re going to dope surely you’d hide/keep the packet on you??

I guess it was dropped by accident. I don't know all the details but my hope would it could have been dropped by a hill walker with a bad back

There are some strong riders towards the front: Josh, Skinny, Liam Glen (2016 winner), Andrew Hutcheson (2nd in 2014), Rich Rothwell (3rd in 2017). Should be competitive!

Super close at the front with Chris, Josh & Liam all within a mile or so of each other. Just coming into CP3.

Liam looks to have the faster moving speed and has taken the longest break. Josh and Chris didn't break much so far (40 mins in 24 hrs?) and had been shadowing each other for the last 12 hours! Sally Ozanne scratched, shame she was going really well.

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Liam apparently about 40 mins up on the course record as of this morning.. this is quite amazing.

For anyone on Instagram, JP Robertson has some nice photos in his stories https://www.instagram.com/jprobertson/

The race seems to be pretty close at the front!

40 mins up on the course record

Where did you get this from?

From dotwatcher.cc

Will the course record be broken?
Liam and Josh have consistently been ahead of the course record today. At Ledmore Junction (CP5), Liam was almost 1 hour faster than the record time.

The four leaders have approx 200 miles to go. It'll be interesting to see if anyone tries to ride to the end now without another sleep.

Should be a very exciting final 30 hours or so.

All very similar stopped time too. Liam seems to be just a bit faster than Josh & James.