Transcontinental Race No. 8 - TCR8 - #TCRN08 - 2022

They did mention something about police escort/working with the local council so hopefully it won't be an issue.

The bit across belgium and Luxembourg has the possibility of being pretty relentless depending on route. Not big climbs but lots of them.

Yeah, already played a bit and heading south of the Ardennes can cut out quite a lot of climbing although adding some distance.

It’s pretty sawtooth in terms of profile around here but there are a lot of cycle paths and river valleys

Entries are live, although you need to stump up £25 to access the race manual

Planning on entering?

Yeah, I'm going to enter this year, TAW was a good warm up and I have a lot of the kit now! I am considering getting my own SPOT tracker as I'll prob enter a few things this year and the could be a slight increase in my chances of getting in. Anyone have any thoughts on whether it's worth it or not? SPOT currently have a 50% off the first years service plan deal.

I've just entered

Interesting quirk at CP4 - you can do it in either direction.

Think I'll try volunteer this year.
Maybe do a shorter race.
TPR would be good but daughter will just be starting school so that's a no go really.

Think I'll try volunteer this year.

Go to a control or dot watch?

I’d like to be at a control.
Not sure of my chances but it’d be nice to give back a little.

If I don't get a place, it would be fun to do a control.

Is it competitive to be a volunteer now? I guess that is good. I wonder how they select. I'd have thought that previous riders would be the first choice, but maybe they don't do that as helping is seen as a way of getting a ride the next year and they want to leave a route in for new people.

Will be interesting to see what the application levels are this year. My hunch is that they will be way up - starting in the west again and the Fiona factor. But maybe not- it is a niche within a niche after all.

Getting hold of trackers is a pain for them, they have to get people like Doug Migden, to bring them over in their luggage from the US. It definitely doesn't make you less likely to get a place so, if you have use for it, it can't harm to have your own.

That was my thinking. Does anyone have an opinion on the SPOT 3 vs a Trace? It looks like they actually use the trace for TCR and it's smaller and cheaper.

I'd guess it'll be tricky to get a volunteer spot.
Also need to progress the loft extension before I even float the idea!

The spot 3 is better than whatever I had from tcr in 2016. Main thing is the batteries are likely to last the whole way so no need to faff replacing them and the controls seem a bit more intuitive.
whether that is worth the price difference I don't know, how much is it?

Based on a few online retailers, the Trace is about £30 cheaper and the subscription is about £20 cheaper so not much in it.

Spare batteries for the tracker was the one additional thing I wish I'd taken.
Even though I didn't need them.

Also need to progress the loft extension before I even float the idea!

A sensible plan!

Spare batteries for the tracker was the one additional thing I wish I'd taken.

Even though I didn't need them.

Yes, I'd always carry them: tiny and weigh nothing. But nice not to have to faff around actually changing them

The other difference I remember is that with Gen 3 you don't need a screwdriver to open them. I carry one anyway on my multi-tool but it might save you having to carry an additional tool if you weren't planning to.

Ben Davies is competing next year.

2020 looks to be an even bigger year, again competing in the TransPyrenees and a return to the Transcontinental Race with the goal of taking the top overall position!
RWGPS Ambassador mail

Would love to see Abdullah go for the 'triple crown' and maybe a return of Fiona / Skinny / Bjorn / RJ. Lots of interesting possibilities after the results and performances of last year. Good to hear Ben is returning too.

Apparently Thomas de Gent saying on Twitter that he is thinking about applying...