TransBaviaans 2023 - Race Edt

[DieselnDust]

On 8/10/2023 at 4:35 PM, TIB said:

The humble perspective of someone more often than not addressed as Oom. 

Rule #1 - Make sure the team is on the same page, don't force the weakest link. 

Rule #2 - Take a sense of humor along, actually take a few senses of humors along... 

Rule # 3 – Deflate your front tyre to 0.9bar (zero point nine) 

Rule #4 – Rule #2 reigns supreme!

If you are dodgy in the fitness department, view it as a veeeeeeery long coffee ride, use the same pace, but if you have done a 5hour ride in your life you should be fine.

Start slow, keep that pace.

To CP #1 Vero’s - Nice 52 km of undulating hills, no monsters, control the adrenaline in the beginning, you can start racing up the Neverender (if by then you still feel like racing).  Screaming down the Nuwekloof Pass is about the most fun you will have in the race. Enjoy the roosterkoek!

To CP#2 Zandvlakte - Gentle 42 km downhill meander, but you must still pedal... keep the heart rate at an acceptable level, it is easy to get over-exited on this section with a nice tail-wind going. The food is generally healthy stuff.

To CP#3 Smitskraal – Just 30km. At 115km Baviaansback is the first bump in the road. A not too serious climb but you start feeling the 100 kays! I lied, screaming down the Baviaansback will be the most fun to be had today. The sosaties at CP#3 are out of this word, enjoy but not too many! By now you will have come to realise that at every waterpoint Wicus the Sadist will offer you great food and immediately take you up a steep incline!! Pick up your lights at this point. Any mishap and you will arrive at Bergplaas in the dark.

To CP#4 Bergplaas – Only 20 km, what can go wrong…. Langwater, The Fangs and the small matter of the Bergplaas climb. The hardest two hours of the day. Cycling past the campsite called Doodsklip invokes some irony as one starts the gentle run-in to Bergplaas. Too tired to enjoy the sunset take the turnoff to Bergplaas for some proper soup! Break out the dry clothes and extra jacket as the cold can be rather intense. 

To CP#5 Pakstoor – Going down the Big Dipper is best done in the dark. Your lights will not reveal the fearsome drop next to the road! This is an easy 30km section, save some energy for the last push home. Pizza and some slap chips do wonders for the body. 

To CP#7 Zuurbron – Focus on the Zuurbron Jaffels. That is all that is important over the next 30km. The Neverender is not an issue. It is not too steep and in the dark you cannot see how far it is. Just grind it out. Like a day at work. Just know after 20km from Pakstoor there is a downhill. The biggest challenge of the day is not to pig out on too many jaffels… believe me the temptation is there. Your Rennies must fight cramps, not heartburn.

HomeRun – Only 20 to go, you are in a surreal world with the rear bike lights mixing with the wind turbine lights. If only all those lights could only flash at the same time…  the OCD displaces tiredness and soon the Railroad single track takes you to Mall. There the Second-Best Spur Burger ever will await us again this year. The Best Ever Spur Burger is served at the To Hell and Back Race!

Have fun. Never forget that.

Lekker review of the ride. Do you have the time splits to each check point?

one of my team mates is planning on 10hrs to bergplaas which might mean I’m developing a condition called haventgotanylusalitis

[hboli4]

25 minutes ago, DieselnDust said:

Lekker review of the ride. Do you have the time splits to each check point?

one of my team mates is planning on 10hrs to bergplaas which might mean I’m developing a condition called haventgotanylusalitis

Hi Diesel,

There is a split time calculator on the website which you can download and play around with IIRC.

I would guess 10 hours to Bergplaas wil put you in the 16 to 17 hour total time or what are you aiming for?

This was our roughly 14 hour ride from last year:

Start to CP1 - 02.05

CP1 to CP2 - 02.25

CP2 to CP3 - 01.15

CP3 to CP4 - 01.50

CP4 to CP5 - 02.15

CP5 to CP7 - 01.50

CP7 to Finish - 01.15

We spent about 1 hour at the checkpoints finishing in just over 14 hours. 

Hope this helps. 

Edited August 6 by hboli4

[DieselnDust]

36 minutes ago, hboli4 said:

Hi Diesel,

There is a split time calculator on the website which you can download and play around with IIRC.

I would guess 10 hours to Bergplaas wil put you in the 16 to 17 hour total time or what are you aiming for?

This was our roughly 14 hour ride from last year:

Start to CP1 - 02.05

CP1 to CP2 - 02.25

CP2 to CP3 - 01.15

CP3 to CP4 - 01.50

CP4 to CP5 - 02.15

CP5 to CP7 - 01.50

CP7 to Finish - 01.15

We spent about 1 hour at the checkpoints finishing in just over 14 hours. 

Hope this helps. 

Shot thanks, yes unfortunately the target time is a 16hr ride (not looking forward to) so I guess just under 10 to CP4 is the going rate…..

v@$ how do I get myself into these things 😕

[hboli4]

5 minutes ago, DieselnDust said:

Shot thanks, yes unfortunately the target time is a 16hr ride (not looking forward to) so I guess just under 10 to CP4 is the going rate…..

v@$ how do I get myself into these things 😕

Should be a bit quicker if the current wind prediction is accurate...I've ridden a 22 hour before(what an 'adventure' that was) and loads between 14 to 16 hours, we get our values worth😁

[Skubarra]

I also see they changed the finishing venue (and cut out that 💩 singletrack section right at the finish!)

[hboli4]

8 minutes ago, Skubarra said:

I also see they changed the finishing venue (and cut out that 💩 singletrack section right at the finish!)

This must be the only race in the world where people moan about singletrack😁  But I agree, after 220km it is the last thing you look forward too, especially if it is wet and muddy.

[Skubarra]

13 minutes ago, hboli4 said:

This must be the only race in the world where people moan about singletrack😁  But I agree, after 220km it is the last thing you look forward too, especially if it is wet and muddy.

That section was soul destroying. 220km in, so near the end, on a tar road, you can see Jeffrey's lights - and then suddenly they reroute you onto this 5km of torture.  

[Mamil]

My partner this year is usually a bit stronger than me and is a demonically fast descender but his currently rather more than a little under trained.

I'm anticipating a long day but really looking forward to it. 

[Mook]

7 hours ago, Skubarra said:

That section was soul destroying. 220km in, so near the end, on a tar road, you can see Jeffrey's lights - and then suddenly they reroute you onto this 5km of torture.  

That last singletrack section became the hunting ground of a few skermunkels.

There were a few incidents of TB riders being attacked in the dark.

My guess is that the route was changed due to safety concerns.

[TIB]

On 8/6/2024 at 9:38 AM, DieselnDust said:

Lekker review of the ride. Do you have the time splits to each check point?

one of my team mates is planning on 10hrs to bergplaas which might mean I’m developing a condition called haventgotanylusalitis

I purposefully made you wait a little..... to arrive at  Bergplaas after 10 hours you will have to acquire the skill of patience 

Our moving time were 12:09 hours, times indicated is arrival at the waterpoint, we try not to spend too much time at the waterpoints. 

Have done four races, the first time we also thought 16 hrs would be our target time, but soon found that 14hrs is the sweet spot.

Have fun!

 

 

Edited August 7 by TIB

[Mamil]

I almost failed form 2 geography (on those countour diagrams my rivers almost invariably flowed uphill along the hilltops) but do I magine that the forecast is for a stonking tailwind most of the way on Saturday?

[Skubarra]

40 minutes ago, Mamil said:

I almost failed form 2 geography (on those countour diagrams my rivers almost invariably flowed uphill along the hilltops) but do I magine that the forecast is for a stonking tailwind most of the way on Saturday?

Yes, and apparently graded roads for large parts and no singletrack at the end I'm hoping you are taking your gravel bike!

[DieselnDust]

On 8/7/2024 at 10:39 AM, TIB said:

I purposefully made you wait a little..... to arrive at  Bergplaas after 10 hours you will have to acquire the skill of patience 

Our moving time were 12:09 hours, times indicated is arrival at the waterpoint, we try not to spend too much time at the waterpoints. 

Have done four races, the first time we also thought 16 hrs would be our target time, but soon found that 14hrs is the sweet spot.

Have fun!

 

 

Thanks bru this looks more reasonable on average pacing. But my one team is loves being last. He’s hyena meat at the epic. Patience it will have to be

[Dicky DQ]

If anyone pitches up there and wants an entry I am not going. No charge except transfer.

[Mtree]

Network connectivity is not great.
Live stream for the event.

Edited August 10 by Mtree

[hboli4]

On 8/8/2024 at 8:36 PM, DieselnDust said:

Thanks bru this looks more reasonable on average pacing. But my one team is loves being last. He’s hyena meat at the epic. Patience it will have to be

Hi Diesel,

How did you guys go? That tailwind should have pushed the pacing a bit?

We came in in 13.45 - should have gone better but I had to manage the HR a bit - something brewing in the body..