Most recent activity
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Thanks for a photo, wouldn't tell it could be stimulating to anybody to get into ultracycling,
but I guess any photos from that horrible climb to Andorra would have even less outcome.
Of course I remember you and that walking competition closer to the top, nice to hear that you went alright, it was fantastic experience, the best event I was into so far. -
Finished TPR fixed gear yesterday morning at 6:45, so was just after finish closed, got a flat tyre 30km before, still hoped to make it, so stopped every 5 min to pump ut up until it finally blew up. Event was fantastic, 10 km to Cap de Creus and back in slapping wind blows and climb to Andorra section were something I couldn't think of before. As well never been to mountain this time if year, so drscent from passes in night through intense mist and cold was something quite special. Had ro flipflop rear wheel for gear change about 30 times in total so finally was quite used to it even in the darkness. As usually a lot if time was lost for nothing - missed turns, waiting for coffee in restaurant, missing alarm clock erc. which cost an official classification in the end, but I can't complain as it was a great time.
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Yes, it was pleasure to meet you, glad that it resolved, after all that talking non-stop photographer in cafe was right, I won't forget a picture of you holding the wallet in Dreux talking enthusiastically to French people around.
That pile of lost & found stuff on the finish was really impressive. BTW, for those who wasn't lazy, there was the last opportunity to obtain Paris/Brest road signs as they had a number of those in the corner -
Yes, it's my bike this year and I remember you alright in 2015, actually after the finish I've seen in you in the food shop and waved the hand but you didn't notice. I don't have a computer so had no idea that it was so fast then, looks like I've become much slower in last few years, but anyway with 48x17 against mine 53x16/15 after all you were hours ahead at the finish both times, so that proves another time that gears matter less then attitude. Am I right that you were on TCR with the same 48x17 SS?I'm still wondering how Bjorn managed to do this with the ratio that was announced when he presented his bike for PBP.
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It was my fifth PBP and second fixed, but every time it's like new and you realize that it's actually pretty hard, after last ones I was sure that I should make it into my 80h no problem, but was just 10 min before closing time to the finish. After few events with extreme wind I was a sort of used to it, but realized that it affected my speed so much only after 24h in Loudeac, while in 2015 I was in Brest already. I could only imagine how bad it would be if it was raining. I used to hang around with Russians and one of the stories was from the guy who went on fatbike, was quite stressed, and while he was having a rest in Loudeac one the cyclists next to him suddenly just fell to the floor - dead, thrombosis after extreme exhaustion. Boy walked out to take fresh air and decided that it's too much for him for this time.
People on distance are great, take fives with a pancake in the hand after that, old lady with her company cooking all night long in Sizun, two drunk young guys who enthusiastically jumped and cheered for hours in the night offered me such a nice sofa next to the road at midnight after Fougeres so it destroyed every intenion to go anywhere, until I realized that it's just 1 hour before control closes. It's the only event I know where every participant feels like a star, and it's so natural for you to wave back, talk to locals etc. and so strange to see people dedicated to their own, no smiles, just rushung forward (probably in order to spend couple of hours at next checkpoint after that). I remember after PBP going to LEL seemed so strange as there were naturally no pancakes or whatever and local people had no idea why these syclist appear here in such numbers, seemed like only sheep were the ones who could support you (but food, as mentioned, was much better, I remembered porridge with whiskey in Edinbourgh, strangely enough it was just right at that moment).
Organization seemed to me better than before, especially in consideration 6000 of participants instead of usual 4000, maybe because of my time there were not as many people in queues, but I tried to spend as less time at control as possible unless it's the night, no use to pay for the food they offered, much nicer to stay in some nice place drinking cider and watching people passing by. I remember in earlier days I've seen much more enthusiastic people in the cities, with music, dancing etc. maybe again because I started too early, wasn't even offered any wine, but mirabelle from local guys was something new which I really enjoyed. The same story with the veeeeery last people you meet on the way back, some was indian who was already walking up the hill before reaching Loudeac, from what I understand it's a question of weather, so it's terribly hard for people from India, Brazil or Thailand to ride in the cold night, but still strange how they managed to qualify. Unlike last times there were less bizarre devices like bike, which is pushed on "walking" principle (don't know it's name) or rowing machine, but a number of sweet tricycles, one was even custom tandem tricycle which looked just perfect for event like this.
From my previous experience I remember road in Britanny pretty bad with a lots of patches, but this time I realized that they're fine in terms of riding, no really bad bumps or potholes so felt much more confident cycling in the dark then I'm usually.
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I wonder if that could be an option to leave tent and some other stuff for a time of event?
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Nice to see that Mikko has gone through it, unbreakable Mighty Finn, good luck to him for the rest of it, he's fantastic person
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Here in Russia the most typical reactions are like this:
- She's certainly taken some pills or another treatment
- It has some commercial background behind it, everything was organized by big companies
- Girls from our cycling club can play piano better
- She's certainly taken some pills or another treatment
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Well, I've got brake lever on the end of one bullhorn so safety/control should be OK, probably will put another one just in case, the question is what French people on control will think about that, usually they're very friendly, especially for fixed geared bikes
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Could anybody clarify situation with handlebars? In 2015 I went with bullhorns alright, this year looks like the only new regulation is about tri-bars not sticking out beyond brake levers, but it's hard to figure out whether it's gonna affect bullhorns
Riding fixed gear brevets since 2014, playing guitar in surf band
https://www.strava.com/athletes/9157748