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Likewise for Backstedt. Super impressive.
Same again for Wout today.

Three steps to greatness

Brilliant result for Evie. Its been coming for a few years. Like her win at Namur and Neff at the Olympics, it seemed to be one of those rides where everything clicks. Especially pleased for her after the BBC described her Tokyo result as disappointing, despite her seeming elated!

Oops, my fault for being loosey goosey again. Just my interpretation of the idea that an act of kindness from a dotwatcher can be loosely defined as premeditated (i.e. not random) by the fact that they know where to be.

Count me out of re-writing the rules!

I think the justification for the DQ is that dotwatchers aren't strangers. Or if they are, their act of kindness isn't considered random.

Yep, it addresses the original point from page three about Angus's DQ. Josh and the bridge might have been a red herring on my part (soz!) when discussing the wider issue of rules, interpretation etc.

Haha, it has generated almost as much chat as the race itself.

Comments section here shines some light on the organiser's decisions.

Sorry, I might be mistaken. I'm sure the discussion has been had. Either way, it relates to the difficult task of an organiser to either create a watertight set of rules or risk being critiqued when they enforce the spirit of the rules in a way that isn't universally accepted. Granted they did a U-turn with Angus, possibly because they read 'the comments'.

Enter, pass through...same but different. Therein lies the challenge for the organiser - drawing up a set of rules that avoid ambiguity. At least it gives us something to debate!

It was a different set of rules last year. Not familiar with them myself but I think Josh discussed it in the Overland podcast

Popinjay...thank you for this word :)

You've only got to look at the enduro format in mtb'ing to see the growing pains that a new discipline has to go through.

As an example of interpretation and spirit, I think back to Josh Ibbet in last year's event where he had to decide whether seeking shelter under a bridge contravened the rules. Technically it did so he pressed on. As with all these things, it would have been a thankless call for the organisers if he did stop.

That third option would be pretty unsatisfactory.

One of the issues is that we are talking about officiating a discipline where there are no established laws, hence the degree of judgement.

Interested to know about their form for bad decision making. I feel that Cotsduro should have taken place a week later but as you say, we all make mistakes.

Totally agree.

Could the King of Grasstrack be on for the win...?

Latest updates show that Angus is now ahead. Not sure how weather compares between the attempts. Lachlan's time will likely have been affected by electing not to maximise rest at the CPs. As you say, same route so more an apples and pears comparison than apples and oranges.

In fairness the route was a couple of years in the planning. Too much for one person so the likes of Liam Glen and Katherine Moore (and me!) helped recce some of it.

Not sure what the intended split for road/dirt was at the start of planning but as @Nikk says, some of the road sections provide a bit of relief or they have to strike a balance in terms of progress and time. Others are pretty special in themselves.

Nice touch!

And they're off...

Behind the top five it looks like a lot of riders will be bedding down nr Ebbw Vale tonight, poor fuckers

Other than grass track, not sure

Love this insight! Was it for a GCN feature or pre-BBC? And how did he pose the request...begging, threatening, don't you know who I am??

Amazing, nice one @Nikk.
Do you have a link for donations?

Was hoping for a superman tbh