GaryvdM Posted August 19, 2014 Share Here is one for the bucket list:Single stage race from London to Istanbul, approximately 3400km taking 7 to 15 days to finish.http://www.transcontinentalrace.com/The 2014 edition is currently running, and at the time of posting, 6 riders have finished. In the early days of bicycle racing there was a time when plucky riders took on long hard stages alone with no team cars and no soigneurs to look after them. They were hardy and desperate men who ate what they could get, slept when they could and rode all day. They weren’t professional athletes or men of means, they were “mavericks, vagabonds and adventurers” who picked up a bicycle and went to seek their fortune.The founders of the Tour de France wanted to create a race of thousands of miles of cycling, whatever the weather and road conditions where “even the best will take a beating” Often they would race through the night to distances of over 400km each day in stages that would take more than 18 hours. Henri Desgrange, the father of the tour once noted that “the ideal Tour would be a Tour in which only one rider survives the ordeal.”Running from the streets of London, to the tip of Asia via Parisian Suburbs, the high cols of the Eastern Alps and the rugged dalmatian coast, the Transcontinental is part Brevet, part Ultra Marathon and part Bikepacking Race. Call it what you will, it fills a need for those who want to see a distance race of a magnitude and difficulty that would rival the so called toughest races on earth but without the ecological footprint of vehicle support and a cost of entry that would exclude Desgrange’s tourist routiers. For us though it also pays homage to those courageous souls of yesteryear and re-kindles the adventurous spirit of the early grand tours .Redeeming features include…One stage - The clock never stops. Racers chose where, when and if at all to rest.No Support - Racers can only use what they take with them, or what they can find en-route at commercially available services.No Route - Between London and Istanbul only two mandatory controls ensure that racers visit some of the most famous pieces of road in Europe and connect with the suffering of their forebears. The rest is up to them.Live Tracking - Unlike the races of the 1900s, which featured much skull-duggery and deviousness which eventually saw the stages made shorter and more controlled and bike racing become more professional, through the miracle of modern satellite technology and the interweb we can check up on our riders progress wherever they may be. So too can you wherever you may be. Don’t forget to share. Edited October 29, 2014 by GaryvdM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryvdM Posted August 19, 2014 Share Rules 1. Riders must ride from the start point to the finish point and visit all mandatory controls en-route.2. 3rd party support is prohibited. All food, drink and equipment must be carried by the rider or acquired en-route.3. Drafting is prohibited.4. All forward land travel must be human powered.5. Ferries are permitted for expedient coast to coast travel, by approval of the Race Director.6. Riders are responsible for maintaining positional updates and evidence thereof.7. More than 3 days of inactivity without contact will be deemed a scratch.8. No Helmet, No Insurance, No Ride.9. It is the rider’s responsibility to know and observe local laws.10. Riders must act in the spirit of self sufficiency and equal opportunity for all racers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryvdM Posted August 19, 2014 Share Control 1 / Montgeron For control 1 riders will need to find the Cafe Au Reveil Matin, the starting line for the very first Tour de France in 1903. Now don’t get too excited about this one, it might be the genesis of the greatest cycle race in history, but its current owners don’t think its worth preserving as such, so they made it into some kind of a Cabaret restaurant. If you arrive during business hours, you can let them know how disappointed we all are. Nevertheless it all happened here so it has its place in history and if its sign seeing you want you can cut your line down the Champs-Élysées and past the Eiffel Tower on the way in.To set the pace for the race and a two week arrival in Istanbul, CP1 will be manned until 36hrs after race start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryvdM Posted August 19, 2014 Share Control 2 / Stelvio Pass The Stelvio Pass makes its return for 2014, one of the most stunning mountain pass roads in the world. At 2757m, the pass is the highest paved road in the Eastern Alps and a frequent feature as the ‘Cima Coppi’ of the Giro d’Italia. Our riders will tackle the classic 48 switchback climb from Prato Allo Stelvio on the Eastern side, climbing 1824m in 24km (avg grad.7.6%). Once they reach the top only Mount Lovcen in Montenegro stands in their way. Riders can descend the pass in whichever side they choose but the Transcontinental is about packing light and being self sufficient so depositing baggage at the bottom of the pass will not be permitted. As the Pass is situated in the heart of the Eastern Alps, the road to get there won’t be easy and neither will the exit. Riders will face the decision of more hard climbing to exit the Alps to the East and along the dalmatian coast to CP3, or take the flatter option to the South of Italy and wait for a ferry across the Adriatic Sea which may add time and distance. Only time will tell which is the quickest route. See climb profile on Strava here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryvdM Posted August 19, 2014 Share Control 3 / Mount Lovcen Mount Lovcen rises to 1600m from the Adriatic basin in the Montenegrin town of Kotor with a narrow and twisting road of 25 switchbacks and panoramic views over the dramatic Kotor and Risan bay. Its a climb which equals the beauty and effort of any in the Alps and a real gem of Eastern Europe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryvdM Posted August 19, 2014 Share Control card: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryvdM Posted August 20, 2014 Share Video interview with this years winner: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=664360370300501&set=vb.415996748470199&type=2&theater Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryvdM Posted August 20, 2014 Share Where did you sleep last night?https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=663344973735374&set=vb.415996748470199&type=2&theater Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryvdM Posted August 20, 2014 Share Racer #01 Kristof Allegaert was informed on his arrival at the Restoran Nevjesta Jadrana at Control 3 that the ferry he took across the mouth of Kotor and Risan bay was not race legal. Kristof stated he was [annoyed] and was unaware that the ferry was illegal but volunteered to return to the point at which he took the ferry and ride the correct route to CP3. This was to be the exact instruction by race control so within minutes the Belgian was gone without protest and has repeated the section. TCR were impressed with how Kristof handled the mistake and corrected by repeating a long climb in 36C heat without hesitation, a correction which cost him around 5hrs riding time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryvdM Posted August 20, 2014 Share https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=662218877181317&set=vb.415996748470199&type=2&theater Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryvdM Posted August 20, 2014 Share Documentary of 2 Specialized employees who did the race last year: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryvdM Posted August 20, 2014 Share Man, I've been thinking about this all day, and I still can't get over how crazy it is. nonky 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkerr Posted August 20, 2014 Share Certaiinly an interesting one. Might go on my list after PBP and RAAM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirtypot Posted October 1, 2014 Share That's hectic! Would be an awesome adventure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaos_za Posted October 1, 2014 Share Sounds like the Tour Divide... Except its an organised version Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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