Transcontinental Race No. 7 - TCR7 - #TCRN07 - 2019

Looks like another top 10 finish for Stephane Ouaja. He is on the final parcours and appears safe.

His consistency, year on year, is just amazing. He had some dark times during this race but once again pulled through. He truly encapsulates the spirit of the race.

Chapeau.

Seven riders on the parcours for CP3 and three closing in on its start.

It seems as though, after the extreme of last year, this year’s race has fewer stragglers.

Ouaja on the finish parcours. He's had a quiet race by his usual standards, no?

It's when he's not moaning / sharing food pictures / describing swollen body parts / tweeting incoherently, that's when we worry, eh? He's been quiet for a while, think it's just the zen focus of a master.

He’s done nothing crazy but he has been suffering and yet, while suffering, moving slowly up the order and into a top 10 finish. He Instagram stories have shown the battle he has fought. He was at a very low ebb, exhausted, falling asleep on the bike and in a bad place. He pulled through. Very close now.

Yeah Stephane's close now. Chapeau sir!

He’s completed it!

That's great!

By the way, scratch rate is currently at a hair over 30%.

Additionally, a bunch of riders will be out of the race classification.

Really challenging route (without comparing it to previous editions).

Surprised it's that low but probably biased because this edition has been fucked for me.

The cut-offs seemed a lot tighter this year

Insta famous @hippy

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Well, actually comparing time/distance/average speed to previous editions, it has taken more time to do less distance, which can be the sum of different factors: heat, Alps coming later in the race, headwind through France, challenging parcours, including gravel.

In my humble opinion this is what keeps this race so interesting, there are no two editions that are the same, particularly this year is in stark contrast to the previous ones.

Riders now emptying clothes shops not cake shops.

https://twitter.com/peccadille/status/1159426182946926592

Love it. Samuli may be the first LFGSS racer home tomorrow/tonight? Then hipster. Tanja Hacker second female coming in before that. Haven't really spoke about the pairs, but looks to be a battle between 257 and 249? 261 is leading, but one partner has scratched.

this is so sweet...

What's happened to Matthew Falconer this year? Pretty sure he finished second last year but is looking about 20th at the moment. Still a fucking incredible achievement regardless.

Any idea what happened to Zach Warren / Cap 246a

He's done a mighty detour since CP3

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Heading for lake Garda instead of Como by the looks.

Read somewhere that he hadn't put in the training beforehand that he wanted to, don't think he expected to be contending.

What's happened to Matthew Falconer this year?

He was attacked by a bat yesterday. Not scratched.

Based on his receipt, Hippy is about 200km South of where I'm on holiday right now!

Everyone apart from one pair are through CP3. 250 a and b are on the parcours.

Hippy has been riding through the night. Making good progress. Hopefully he will finish within 24 hours.

Packed it in to recharge his garmin out of the rain .

If I stop taking off my jacket I might.