PhilipV Posted March 20, 2018 Posted March 20, 2018 Affirmative, my stage 8 was a good one!. Too much recovery drinks............your wife had a panic attack after every time she saw you at a water point, certain that you were about to die. Stage 8 wasn't welcome-home-nookie, it was glad-you-didnt-die nookie.
CogitoErgoSum Posted March 20, 2018 Posted March 20, 2018 your wife had a panic attack after every time she saw you at a water point, certain that you were about to die. Stage 8 wasn't welcome-home-nookie, it was glad-you-didnt-die nookie.Well that is assuming it was the wife.... he only said it was his first baby... Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk
PhilipV Posted March 20, 2018 Posted March 20, 2018 Well that is assuming it was the wife.... he only said it was his first baby... Sent from my SM-G925F using TapatalkNaah, he's a good friend of mine. I'll act as a character reference for both of them.
mrcg Posted March 20, 2018 Posted March 20, 2018 I feel the same. Would be great opportunity for another team to win and I really really like the look of Last and Strauss. A pretty steady pairing. De Groot and Spitz will also be in contention too. Sent from my SM-J200H using TapatalkThe two "smaller" ladies are definitely struggling more than their more esteemed partners. But from tomorrow the body increasingly adapts and they will get "stronger". Kate in better form - Gita burnt a lot of matches today - questions is how she will recover and what they do. Heat and distance very new to her - and she only "entered" two weeks before start. Little did she know what partnering with Arianne meant lolGita rides with camelback because of bike frame set-up - she doesn't have space for second bottle in frame - unless she uses seat post. She's probably not comfortable to grab behind her. But she might still ditch camelback for bottle. As Sauser explained, it is added heat on back and effects aero. On the Epic "toughness" - a REALLY moot discussion! Maybe best to ask a better positioned person on their views - Hanlie Steyn perhaps? Or somebody that has done more than 5 Epics. Otherwise, if you haven't done one at all or only one or two, you have no tyre to stand on. Fact is, just like in nearly ALL sports, everything surrounding performance has improved tremendously - in this case: bikes (weight, suspension, parts etc etc), training science and programmes and thus output is much higher. The SPEED of all athletes is higher so they SEEM to finish more comfortably on SAME tracks (yes, some trials are a little better prepared but this drought has evened the playing field - essentially though nature hasn't changed much at all.However, despite above, there are definitely MORE people taking part and some "should" NOT be there. I have seen plenty walking simple downhill single track (dubious skill levels) and very poor shape/conditioning. And that is because they can afford to take part. But of course they can do that as it is a free market world. If they're happy to drop out after first stage or third, that's their prerogative....
SwissVan Posted March 20, 2018 Posted March 20, 2018 To be honest I envy people being able to do long multi day stage races. Finances aside, I would love to be able to do it. But my health is seeming to be making a turn for the worst in the past year (I still need to see the doc to find out what is wrong with me) and I just don't see me ever being able to do an Epic. Hell, I struggled just doing the Helderberg Red route this past Sunday. For those with the health, I would make a plan to get the finances to do something like the Epic. You never know when you will lose the physical ability to do something like the Epic.Boeta go make that appointment now!!
nathrix Posted March 20, 2018 Posted March 20, 2018 Blah blah blah.... On the Epic "toughness" - a REALLY moot discussion! Blah blah blah.... Every year the epic is tougher than the previous year’s epic...
GLuvsMtb Posted March 20, 2018 Posted March 20, 2018 The two "smaller" ladies are definitely struggling more than their more esteemed partners. But from tomorrow the body increasingly adapts and they will get "stronger". Kate in better form - Gita burnt a lot of matches today - questions is how she will recover and what they do. Heat and distance very new to her - and she only "entered" two weeks before start. Little did she know what partnering with Arianne meant lolGita rides with camelback because of bike frame set-up - she doesn't have space for second bottle in frame - unless she uses seat post. She's probably not comfortable to grab behind her. But she might still ditch camelback for bottle. As Sauser explained, it is added heat on back and effects aero. On the Epic "toughness" - a REALLY moot discussion! Maybe best to ask a better positioned person on their views - Hanlie Steyn perhaps? Or somebody that has done more than 5 Epics. Otherwise, if you haven't done one at all or only one or two, you have no tyre to stand on. Fact is, just like in nearly ALL sports, everything surrounding performance has improved tremendously - in this case: bikes (weight, suspension, parts etc etc), training science and programmes and thus output is much higher. The SPEED of all athletes is higher so they SEEM to finish more comfortably on SAME tracks (yes, some trials are a little better prepared but this drought has evened the playing field - essentially though nature hasn't changed much at all.However, despite above, there are definitely MORE people taking part and some "should" NOT be there. I have seen plenty walking simple downhill single track (dubious skill levels) and very poor shape/conditioning. And that is because they can afford to take part. But of course they can do that as it is a free market world. If they're happy to drop out after first stage or third, that's their prerogative....Agreed on all points. Perhaps another point to ponder is that to date the weather has been ‘kind’. Last year we saw a stage shortened for the first timeIn Epic history due to extreme heat. I am guessing that the margin for extreme weather will play a role going forward. The ‘shorter’ days have definitely added to the racing imo. Fast trains on district roads are less prevalent and decisive moves are more frequently made on technical terrain these days. On the jippo guts in the race village: get flushing toilets and have the dining mesh on the opposite end from the toilets in the village. Also drive home the concept of regularly sanitizing your hands (at race briefings, MC announcements, before and after meals, etc). A few years back at a BCBR I sat through a comprehensive briefing on this matter by the race doctor. He essentially said that “you get diarrhea if you eat pooh” (his exact words). Despite a very hot and humid BCBR, I don’t recall a single incident of diarrhea. I believe that flush toilets, an acute awareness of hygiene by participants and organizers, and fully separated dining and ablutions were the reasons for this. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
scotty Posted March 20, 2018 Posted March 20, 2018 Race regards training, equipment and pro rider caliber has moved on, one of the earlier epics a team from Kenya riding Trek 4500 with Deore components, Rockshock Judy shock and V brakes got top 10 position.
dev null Posted March 20, 2018 Posted March 20, 2018 Must say, weather today was very kind to the riders.
nathrix Posted March 20, 2018 Posted March 20, 2018 Must say, weather today was very kind to the riders.Except for the heat and powder dust, yes
Gen Posted March 20, 2018 Posted March 20, 2018 Robbie Hunter at next years epicI see Robbie McEwen is here this year in what capacity I have no idea.. https://www.instagram.com/p/Bgij0npAb3I/ Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk
Mntboy Posted March 20, 2018 Posted March 20, 2018 The two "smaller" ladies are definitely struggling more than their more esteemed partners. But from tomorrow the body increasingly adapts and they will get "stronger". Kate in better form - Gita burnt a lot of matches today - questions is how she will recover and what they do. Heat and distance very new to her - and she only "entered" two weeks before start. Little did she know what partnering with Arianne meant lolGita rides with camelback because of bike frame set-up - she doesn't have space for second bottle in frame - unless she uses seat post. She's probably not comfortable to grab behind her. But she might still ditch camelback for bottle. As Sauser explained, it is added heat on back and effects aero. On the Epic "toughness" - a REALLY moot discussion! Maybe best to ask a better positioned person on their views - Hanlie Steyn perhaps? Or somebody that has done more than 5 Epics. Otherwise, if you haven't done one at all or only one or two, you have no tyre to stand on. Fact is, just like in nearly ALL sports, everything surrounding performance has improved tremendously - in this case: bikes (weight, suspension, parts etc etc), training science and programmes and thus output is much higher. The SPEED of all athletes is higher so they SEEM to finish more comfortably on SAME tracks (yes, some trials are a little better prepared but this drought has evened the playing field - essentially though nature hasn't changed much at all.However, despite above, there are definitely MORE people taking part and some "should" NOT be there. I have seen plenty walking simple downhill single track (dubious skill levels) and very poor shape/conditioning. And that is because they can afford to take part. But of course they can do that as it is a free market world. If they're happy to drop out after first stage or third, that's their prerogative....Mmmm good points all round. I agree with you that Kate looks a lot better than Gita at this point in time. That said I am not sure whether Kate can keep holding Annika's wheel. So far so good but tomorrow is going to be a tough day as will Thursday. In fact each day from now on will probably get harder and harder with fatigue setting in. Kate did a lot of good training before getting here but I am not sure it'll hold in racing conditions. Gita will blow, it's case of when not if. As for the whole how hard is the Epic discussion thing I haven't paid it much mind but 2c's fwiw is this: any and all Epic's are tough. Each race will throw up a set of problems to each of the contestants and they need to manage it in order to finish, nevermind winning it. How each team deals with that will play a role in how they do and it wouldn't be unfair to say that each individual rider/racer will have their own take on things too, including how to cope with it. Fatigue plays a role especially later on and most probably it's a fair bit worse for the backmarkers. My armchair opinion, fwiw. Sent from my SM-J200H using Tapatalk
hboli4 Posted March 21, 2018 Posted March 21, 2018 I think that Kate will be fine. They have a good team strategy going and Annika will keep on managing her. They seem to have a strategy where Kate rides her own tempo up front on the climbs with Annika leading the way down and they both share the work on the flats, at least this is what it looks like on the highlight packages.
Jaco-fiets Posted March 21, 2018 Posted March 21, 2018 Annika and Kate will only build on that lead. Clearly in a different class to the other teams. I am very disappointed in De Groot and Spitz's performance so far. Was expecting them to be right up there in the mix. On the men's side, the marathon guys have today and tomorrow left to save face on Alban's statement that the marathon races will school the XC guys this year. I can only see Cannondale and Songo to build on whatever lead they have at the end of tomorrow
hboli4 Posted March 21, 2018 Posted March 21, 2018 Annika and Kate will only build on that lead. Clearly in a different class to the other teams. I am very disappointed in De Groot and Spitz's performance so far. Was expecting them to be right up there in the mix. On the men's side, the marathon guys have today and tomorrow left to save face on Alban's statement that the marathon races will school the XC guys this year. I can only see Cannondale and Songo to build on whatever lead they have at the end of tomorrow I think someone (Gerald) said that Robyn suffered from an injury/illness in the weeks up to the event, Spitz apparently battling with cramp on the stage yesterday. Agree on Annika and Kate. Songo men off to a good start, 2 minute lead at the moment on the road.
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