Great capture!

I've enjoyed commenting with y'all during this year's race.  I'm heading off grid for a few days and will be riding 150ish miles of the GDMBR here in SW Montana.  Would have been fun to have done so a few weeks back were a few hundred other riders out there but time off from work and the stars don't always align.  Besides my pace going to be 60 to 70 mpd and not 200!

Didn't she change ratio mid-race? I thought I saw that someplace.

Edit: bikepacking.com is reporting that she didn't change mid-race. Congrats to her on pushing through with the big gear. I love her outlook on life.

A friend of mine, and former multiple-time finisher of the race corrected me on this a few days ago and said she had not changed ratios.  From a ethical standpoint it's arguable it would not qualify but I feel that an equally strong argument could be made in favor that it would still qualify you.  Perhaps if the race was 1,000 miles uphill and then 1,000 miles downhill, making a gear swap at the halfway point would provide unfair advantage but that's certainly not the case for this route so I don't see how making a single change could really be advantageous considering the reason you'd probably have chosen to do it is that you made the wrong choice to start out which ultimately would have slowed you down. 

...It begs the obvious question...what could she do with a ten-speed cassette on the back wheel?

: )

Justinas_Leveika (JL)
13d 07h 23m since start
Route mile 2458.0 mi

Ulrich_Bartholmoes
13d 07h 28m
Route mile 2500.6 mi

Mike_Hall
11:04:40 AM (MDT) 06/23/16
13d 03h 04m
Route mile 2511.8 mi

To add to jjmundt's fine analysis here's my hot take.  Mike Hall pulled into Pie Town at 12 days 10 hours, then slept until 12 days 17 hours.  We're at 12 days 4.5 hours right now and Ulrich is still 123 miles from Pie Town.  If he manages 10+ mph he won't get to Pie Town for another 11 hours which would mean he'd only be allowed an hour's rest and then have to proceed to match Mike's pace (keeping in mind Mike had a six hour rest) for the remaining 295 miles.

...they have been basically matching Mike Hall's pace mile-for-mile, just from a 60-70 mile mud-induced deficit.

I have been astounded by the lead group in this regard for days and days on end.  I was doubtful that gap could be closed but it now seems possible.

And immense kudos to Nation for his strategy.  And close behind, Steven, and Burkard are performing so solidly as well 

I wasn't glued to the dots this weekend.  What happened to Jens?

samh,

They're actually chasing Mike Hall's 2016 record, and if I read the 2016 flow correctly, he only rested more than three hours twice...Montana High Country Lodge and Pie Town.

Thank you for adding that correction.  I had Matthew Lee in my head when I was typing up my comment and meant Mike Hall.  Thanks also for your 2016 analysis.  A lot can happen in a week but an overnight setback seems really hard to overcome.  I'm enjoying following along one way or another.

I just want to voice how wonderful I think it is that these three race leaders are hanging out in a port-o-potty probably laughing and making the most of the situation.  It's kind of the perfect spot since they're at almost the exact halfway point, they have more than likely kissed the course record goodbye (someone correct me if Lee had a long slowdown in the second half that might mean it could still be broken), and they are all riding a very fast and competitive race yet have a kindness and geniality about them where they can be competitors as well as pals!

I haven't checked in to bikepacking.net in a long time.  Great to see there's a '23 Tour Divide thread going on here.  My friend Dylan rode it a bunch a long time ago and another friend of mine, Adam is riding this year so I'm "watchin' dots" again and thought I'd pop in and comment.  I've always appreciate the MTBcasts so keep 'em coming. 

Solid performance, Dylan.  Solid, solid, solid!

Ted Hitzroth and Li Branffors have built excellent maps of the PNT.  Li's are hard to get but Ted's are relatively accessible.

You're most welcome, Scott.  Congratulate her from all of us fan here on bikepacking.net!

I updated my previous post:

http://www.bikepacking.net/forum/ultra-racing/triple-crown-touring-and-racing/msg77460/#msg77460

With the times for all new Triple Crown Challenge finishers. 

...will she also be the only single speeder to ever complete the triple?

You people are nuts enough as it is just doing these races.  Throw in the one speed angle and it's pure lunacy!

With the CTR coming to a close I am coming back to this thread.  Fellow board member Freeskier46 reminded me of everyone participating in all three races this year so I put some data together.  Also, I noticed that Kurt Sandiforth's total time for the record is incorrect.  It is listed as 31:13:19 but should be 31:13:55.  

Dylan Taylor:
AZT 8:06:58
TD 15:03:16
CTR 5:17:25
TOTAL 29:03:39

Robert Orr:
AZT 9:08:09
TD 18:07:41
CTR 6:20:39
TOTAL 34:12:29

Alice Drobna
AZT 9:13:53
TD 19:22:14
CTR 6:19:01
TOTAL 36:07:08

Mark Caminiti:
AZT 11:04:41
TD 23:03:56
CTR 8:18:44
TOTAL 43:03:21

Jay Petervary:
AZT 7:20:03
TD 14:11:48
CTR  5:10:42
TOTAL 27:18:33

Yeah, I've been keeping a keen on Dylan's progress too, but I'm pretty sure JayP will claim the Triple Crown record this year, no?

That's correct, freeskier, but I figure JP is always in the spotlight so that may not have been new news.  I was just putting in a cheer for my bud, Dylan.  And as for Robert, Alice, and Mark, I really should have been paying closer attention to them.  What a treat!

Bottom line: Anyone who can train to ride 3500+ miles of endurance riding in a 3.5 month window (as well as take that much time off work!) is deserving of serious praise.  My hat is off to them all!

Keep your eye on Dylan Taylor.  He rode AZT, Tour Divide, and is set to complete CTR tomorrow to add his name to the short list of those who've done all three in one year - the Triple Crown Challenge.   Not only is he set to finish the Triple Crown, he's also set to destroy the current record held by Kurt Sandiforth by somewhere in the range of three days.

Kurt Sandiforth:
AZT: 9:05:36
TD: 16:22:04
CTR: 5:10:15
total: 31:13:55

Dylan Taylor:
AZT: 8:06:58
TD: 15:03:16
CTR: ??:??:??

This thread needed a good controversy

...and now, back to your regularly scheduled racing broadcast.