Trans Am Bike Race / TransAm / TABR

The tracker logs don't prove anything either way.

But he has admitted he got a lift back to the course (although he claims this was for security reasons), which is against the spirit of the rules as (from my reading) you should only get lifts from motor vehicles if the bike is unrideable.

But the timings are such that he could have got dropped off back where he left the course and then only remembered to turn his tracker on a bit later in Lander (where it looks like he stopped for food).

There's 8h18 missing between the two points. That's more than enough time to have stopped, played with guns and had clothes dried and then been dropped off back where he left the course and cycle down to Lander before he remembered to turn the tracker back on.

James Fountain's tracker doesn't help, indeed it is even more sparse as there are large chunks of the ride missing in this area.

I see another racer fixed his dynamo cable

The thing is, from what he posted, it doesn't seem like it was hard to fix. The cable snapped (I'd guess rubbed through ) so anyone with a bit of tape and a pen knife who has half a clue could have done it. Why he could neither see it nor fix it once seen, who knows?

Yeah, the organiser knows and he will make a judgement after the race is over. I'd expect a DQ.

Anyway...

Back to people that deserve to be talked about! The front of the race is hotting up, all fairly close, and janie H has managed to bridge across. The Podium is going to be a real fight!!

Also Ben C is out, scratched. Sad to see that. But I did say I think he would suffer from his riding pattern and he did. Still, always a shame. Achilles issue.

Seems like hippy is using the earth's gravitational pull to his advantage and has put a bit of a gap between himself and JS.

Really happy to see my friend Andy (Lawrence) doing so well (currently in 13th). He's a very consistent rider and has finished heaps of ultra stuff. Just look at his sleep patterns, very solid rider. He was hit by car about 5 weeks ago, and hasn't even ridden much since. Doing amazingly, and he's ahead of hippy!

Things will really hot up when the fast people hit the sawtooth profiles of the eastern mountains. With that many miles in their legs, it's gonna hurt.

You erroneously seem to assume that it's the Earth pulling hippy.

@hippy just remember: you finished the New Oxford Street ride.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdPAH0cejYg

Amazing

@hippy gone mad https://mobile.twitter.com/firsthippy

That's normal.

Bit richer then normal.

@skinny do you think Evan is consciously pushing for the course record rather than just the win? (Based on him finishing third last year while also pacing Lael for most of the way, this time he doesn't have that to worry about.) Like you said he was in and out of Newton Bike Shop like a ferret. Jon looked pretty sharp and collected too, but he apparently is more of a rookie? It's between them two, do you think? Also agree to hoping Hippy pulls back some places on the flat, but from an outside perspective 2,000 miles in 10 days is an insane achievement already.

I think any of those 5 could still win, there is still a long way to go any anything can happen.
I think even is just pushing on as he feel good, he knows there's a pack at his heels and he wants to win, so while he's feeling good he wants to put some distance between himself and the other 4, if he can. He's experienced as so knows his body.
Jon is a rookie at this kind of thing, but he's clearly really strong. It'll be interesting to see if he can keep it up or if he fades or has problems in the later part.

question.

What do people think of the blue/pink tracker dots? I always thought it a bit off, but someone's pointed out to me that it's downright sexist.

Interested in everyones opinion. Especially women.

Fine by me . Easier to see where the women are . I dont have issues with pink . Neither do most women .

I have often thought this too. But then the sexism comes from the same era that the trackleaders software was built in. I've often thought there's an opportunity to build something better, but I haven't the time.

It plays on traditional gender stereotyping tropes. Some people will ask if a baby is a "blue one or a pink one".

While not outraged I just think it's lazy and predicable. There are so many others colours they could have used for differentiation.

Are you female?

I don't see why we need to single out women. Last year the race overall was won by a woman, so why highlight them in a different colour.

If you want to see women individually you can select them, or other choices, from the categories tab.

in this sort of event it's not necessary - no other category like age is split out.

ISTR Mike considered changing it for TCR last year but the women riders said they preferred it so he changed it back (I think he said this in the briefing talk at Geraardsbergen).
Doesn't mean it is always the right answer though and worth reviewing.

My mate Andy has scratched, sounds like Shermer's :(

I thought you meant should there be any colour separation. Blue / pink is as good as any colour if you can ignore the historical references. Personally I see them all as equal racers so do need to know that some are female.