Maybe less sleep deprivation is the best strategy for winning?
I was under the impression that Ollie Whalley was pretty consistant when he broke the record.

Very cool http://45.55.173.141/tourdivide15

(Time out of the saddle)

Neil is using a 1x11 with a 34 tooth chainring (he explains it at 2:15 in the video on our mag) - and he's rocking it! http://bikepackersmagazine.com/tour-divide-rig/

- Lindsay

Neil to JP : Your little is my big !
Go Neil !

Would you really get any sleep the last night if you are lying there wondering what the other guy is doing?  I wonder if the sleep deprivation is just going to happen anyway and you might as well be moving towards your goal as long as you're not sleeping.

We are lucky over here, our main events have a compulsory 6 hour stop-moving per 24 hours rule. Hammer time when you get up ! Each to his own I guess.

I don't like to see much of a sleep dep contest at the finish (or even elsewhere). Nor do I like to hear about skipping pie. C'mon! To make a massive horse-race more massive they should mellow out on the dep and stick to the hammer. (Unless they really do get in a groove and don't need it now and just plain don't wanna be layin around wastin time.) All 3 should get 5 hours then hammer down. C'mon! No skippin or sneakin!

I hear you !!
If they put sleep deprivation in the Olympics I might change my mind though.

I'd be impressed by anyone even reaching that speed on a loaded bike, let alone sustain it.

If the aforementioned ratios on JPs rig are correct, and they look correct to me, going from the pix, then its a pretty sensible mix. Hes not taking any risks. In my experience, when people blow, they resort to a lower cadence and that has to be more comfortable in a 48, and if the tailwind and DH arrive he is well sorted. 550grams is half a water bottle. I don't think anyone is stirring, just stating the facts WRT to Soaring Eagles.

I read a number of articles when choosing a road bike on bike gearing and overall pace impacts, and the common thread was that given that the number of people who can really push the big gears at 90-100 rpm on the flat can be counted on the fingers of a careless woodsman, the gearing issue may not be such a significant factor. Of course, I see just now that Jay pulled out a mile on Neil on a slight downhill ....

I think you nailed it on the head there Kiwi Dave. On the flat, loaded, a 1x will do, but with some long gentle downhill, you could glass-crank away with a double or triple and put on some pace and kms very quickly and easily while down on the aeros.

Didn't your buddy have one Cossrider?

Possibly a Walty Titanium if he used the same rig he did earlier this year for the Kiwi Brevet.... CTRL F on Seb.
http://kiwibrevet.blogspot.co.nz/p/rider-profiles-2015_18.html

Four of the top six riders are 40+! Just think how fast some of these younger riders will be when they're 40+

or 50+ !!

Is that a Tioga Spyder saddle on Marketa "Peggy" Marvanova's bike?

Yes - as long as you don't go ahead in any way on the actual route. The problem I had with my asthma attack was that the only way to hospital was along the highway which was the TDR route so by flagging a vehicle I had broken the rule.

That does seem like a harsh rule. I wonder what that's about? You'd think if you returned to the same spot you would be good to go ?

It's so good to see Geof Blanc hammering away out there. I think hes lied about his age though. I'm sure hes older than that ; )

If you want an idea of the type of terrain that will be likely at least in parts of the Tour Aotearoa Brevet, then check out some of the bloggage from the Kiwi Brevet site. There are stories from people that did this years one in 8 days, and one that did it in 3 and a half. 1100kms.

Dave Sharpe's Brevet 2014http://restroomraider.blogspot.co.nz/2014/03/a-high-waitride-ratio-kiwi-brevet-2014.html
Dave Ryan's Brevet 2014http://grumpyridesagain.blogspot.co.nz/2014/02/id-taken-130-bluebridge-ferry-friday.html
Martin's Brevet 2014 http://mtbmartin.blogspot.co.nz/2014/02/kiwi-brevet-2014.html
Niel's Brevet 2014 http://niel-the-wheel.blogspot.co.nz/2014/02/the-kiwi-brevet-2014.html
Brett's Brevet 2014 http://kiwibrettsadventures.blogspot.co.nz/2014/02/kiwi-brevet-2014-event-report.html
Jeff's Brevet 2014 http://jeffsbike.blogspot.co.nz/2014/02/kiwi-brevet-2014-long-player.html
Calum's Brevet 2014 http://calumchamberlaincyclist.blogspot.co.nz/2014/02/it-doesnt-get-any-easier-in-morning-it.html
Richard & Mark's Brevette 2014 http://www.velocrazy.blogspot.co.nz/2014/02/the-conception-idea-of-participating-in.html

http://kiwibrevet.blogspot.co.nz/

My third Kiwi Brevet.
http://jeffsbike.blogspot.co.nz/2014/02/kiwi-brevet-2014-long-player.html

For anyone looking for an adventure, in 2016 its looking like there might be a length of New Zealand brevet. LONZ. Stay tuned.

This is a 1100 km event in the beautiful South Island of New Zealand. Not a race as such, but run in similar style to the Tour Divide. It's the event that last year's Tour Divide winner, Ollie Whalley, cut his teeth on. He finished it in a little under four days. Most riders take 5-6 days and there is an 8-day limit to keep everyone honest. There were 45 finishers last year.

No bears, snakes or deadly spiders, but plenty of awesome scenery ranging from coastal sounds to sub-tropical rain forest to a crossing of the Southern Alps.

Drafting is allowed, as are teams of two. Most ride solo.

For the first time next year, we'll include a shorter (700 km) Kiwi Brevette for those wanting to take a more leisurely pace.

As with the Tour Divide, there is no entry fee (although a modest donation to local trails and/or search & rescue is encouraged).

You can find out more at http://www.kiwibrevet.blogspot.co.nz/

The Kiwi Brevet is officially open !
http://kiwibrevet.blogspot.co.nz/2013/11/how-to-enter-for-2014.html

I have to say. JP's time just makes me so much more impressed with Ollies effort.
Ollie was racing a race, not a target time, and had some pretty crap conditions in the early days.
To be only 10 hours behind what was a focussed TT effort is pretty amazing in my view. Even more so for a TD novice.
Well done to everyone that ever finished this crazy event. I am in awe of you, but that doesn't mean I want to do it myself!

I'm probably not going to make many friends with this one, but this is a forum, and I am entitled to expressing an opinion so here goes.

JP's "crows and eagles" statement really has gotten under my skin. I've read the statement before on those motivational posters you see plastered on the walls of corporations all across the country. I have to say I never expected to hear it from the mouth of someone that has no problem speaking out when he thinks the "solo and unsupported" ethic is being infringed. I find it hypocritical for this reason: the eagle has no stature without the crow. If JP can't define himself without the use of other TD participants, "the crows", then he's exactly the same as the racers he complained about this past June. All his talk about ITT being the true standard is crap. He derives motivation by chasing a record that someone else laid down. His effort and decision-making is affected by the result of another rider. Does it really matter that it's a number on a page instead of a blue dot on a web site, or a cloud of dust disappearing over a distant rise? Or that the ride was done three months ago instead of concurrent with JP's? I think not.

I tend to think the purity call is a bit suss when it seems to be acceptable (at this level) that ingesting caffiene pills is the norm.

LOL didn't know anybody watched that. A few hours of fun for our family.....my daughter had a great time even if she didn't understand it. (No surprise there).

Erik

Thats awesome Erik. Completely entertaining. You have renewed my faith in these types of things.

Thats not a good sign if hes losing crap already. Usually happens when you are "losing it" yourself. It would fit in with his purist ideals though. Its pretty vital for course verification though I would have thought.

I thought I saw a bladder tube sticking out the front on one of his shots somewhere. That might be it in that shot too.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-imwTXaHEfcw/T7hBaxcoZ8I/AAAAAAAABfU/3XrPdz4TNfU/s1600/2012-05-19_17-10-55_996.jpg