Transcontinental Race No. 5 - TCR5 - #TCRN05 - 2017

Would love to see a fully fit Kristof/James battle in a TCR. Both are beasts who have really got their shit together.

If Skinny keeps it together and wins this, should we expect to see him back to defend his title next year, or taking on the TABR?

Skinny vs Kristof at IPWR next year

On one hand you'd want to come back and prove to yourself you're the real deal, and on the other he's worked at this for 3 years and touch wood is mission complete, time to move on.

I don't think there's any question over his authenticity :)

Skinny cusping the border right now; Hellas exciting!

I have loads to do today but I can't tear myself away... 188km to go! 186! 185! etc.

Gary McGowan still shown as active.

He's in Greece! I haven't been letting myself think @skinny has got this because I know there is so much to potentially go wrong, but now it's 134km he's basically on the home straight right...

However hard he is racing, Skinny still takes the time to troll Hippy!

(tried to paste in tweet dialogue and failed, but it was just two words):

Hippy: Romania!
Skinny: Greece [blows kiss]

He's in Greece! I haven't been letting myself think @skinny has got this because I know there is so much to potentially go wrong, but now it's 134km he's basically on the home straight right...

He has, but it will be the hardest 130km he's ridden as he will be feeling completely exhausted, emotional, a few hallucinations kicking in. He'll be willing it to be over, with muscles will be trying to shut down and brain too. It feels like he's almost there, but 130km is still a long ride in its own right, by any usual standards.

Could it not go the other way, excitement and adrenaline kicks in and carries him through?

Would love to see a fully fit Kristof/James battle in a TCR. Both are beasts who have really got their shit together.

Here's Kristoff's day by day stats from last year.
Kristof 2016
vs
Skinny 2017

Kristof was still slightly faster over a much hillier route. Although Skinny had much worse heat to deal with.

Skinny put more back-to-back days of 400km+ together, but Kristof did some beastial days: eg day 6:
Track / Route: 388.9 / 484.3 km
Climbing: 17437.0 m
Moving: 22.6 hours, 21.4 km/h

plus 3 other days with >14,000 m of climbing

But Kristof is another year older now. Skinny is 15-20 years younger, so time is on his side!

Could it not go the other way, excitement and adrenaline kicks in and carries him through?

I'm mainly speaking about my own experience from last year but, after the finish, both Kristof and Skinny said they had felt similar

Stay safe @skinny!!

Serious man crush...

@skinny will be cast in gold after this and will be forever in the forum hearts! FUL SPEED AHEAD!!!

Can we have the banner in GOLD to celebrate @Velocio ?

I'd definitely come to London if there was a celebratory victory party in his honour!

First thing I do when I wake up at the moment is check Track leaders and then this thread. Go go @skinny and @hippy!!

What a description.

Throw in Lael Wilcox to the race also, I think she'd rise to it.

17k m of climbing and 480km of riding. Lord alive that's a lot.

He pulled off an 800km non stop stretch in IPWR when he lost the lead to Mike through the Victorian Alps

Presumably there is someone already stationed at the finish? skinny has 88k to go and Jacopo's car is 350k behind. :)

It's not quite the same without the wait for the ferry etc this year is it? That added a little twist to proceedings last year I seem to remember