TD'12 Race Discussion

[JayP]

Yep, I was a clear threat to the leaders Jay. I guess you're right, listening to comedy while riding alone shouldn't be allowed either.

People do it for different reasons. Not everyone is going for your record.

lets try again. watching trackleaders on an IPhone while riding is an unfair advantage as well as using it when pulling into a town which does not have an available computer (which there are plenty of).

listening to comedy is great.

i hope we do it for our reasons, many fail for doing for doing it for the wrong.

ok, back to the race. ollie is killing it and wyoming has such a diverse type of riding. tetons, high passes, flat terrain, high desert.

[DaveH]

and maybe look at trackleaders....hhhmmmm...nobody seems to want to chime in on how IPhones are a unfair advantage....it should become a new rule, just like no visitors from family and friends...

Phones (and trackleaders & bluedot) are available to all.  A well placed phonecall to a friend can (and does) impact race outcomes, and that is NOT available to all.  The latter was the motivation behind bluedot.  It's not an unfair advantage - if anything it levels the field by making knowledge available to all.

Not that what somebody else is doing should have any impact on what you are doing in your own ITT though, right?  

Technology connects people.  That will only continue to grow.

[Cosmo K]

Wow, that seemed like a long stop for Stappler.  I wonder if he was doing some serious refueling for a long pull, mechanical, etc.  It'll be interesting to see what happens tonight.  Ezster seems to be putting serious distance between herself and Katherine...maybe an additional 15-20 miles today so far.  It looks like her pace today is significantly above her average.  Possibly from better weather or flatter terrain?

[moosevt]

In addition to Ollie and the Tandem, I know of two other Rohloffs in this years race. 
Georg - http://kgdeck.blogspot.com/2011/05/29er-finished-in-time-for-td-2012.html
Jon Cox - http://www.paradivideride.org/

Are there other Rohloffs?  And anybody riding with Alfina 8 or 11 this year?

I don't know if there are any Alfine users this year but Tremblay used the 8 in 2010 and I will be out there next year with the 11. I have used the Alfine 8 on my mtb with great success. Good stuff and much more affordable than the Rohloff. Although, there is the obvious compromise in gearing.

[Jeff Tomassetti]

Well, it appears that the long awaited gap has opened, with Ollie about 30 miles ahead of Craig. Will both make Pinedale this evening? Pinedale has 24 hour stores so a late arrival is not a hinderance.

[JayP]

thanks dave for the level headed answer.

yes tech grows and that is why we must manage it in these scenarios.

how many times in your racing have you said or heard people say "if i knew he was right there i would have done this".

did we forget how this event was brought about? and what it was meant for? it is suppose to be a "race" of purity to some level". "purity" is going out the window...
by taking the phone away it levels out the field and also brings some purity back.

on the sarcastic side, pedal assisted bikes are available to all too and in time they will be light and efficient enough...

sounds like we can move this to another thread topic.

[mathieu]

the Teton view isnt bad either...

There is indeed some merit in suffering with a lofty vision.
As for the beautiful descent into the Warm River gorge, that roughly starts at 215.6 mi on map 2A and is also there for those that take the easy dirt-road bypass.

[Area45]

thanks dave for the level headed answer.

sounds like we can move this to another thread topic.

Apologies if you thought my reply was harsh Jay. I've taken all of your words of wisdom to heart and while I'll never be at your level, you do inspire me.  I'm looking at doing an ITT next year solely based on your words to me last year. A record setting ride on the Tour Divide is not for me, but the chance to challenge myself, and learn about myself, is.

[SimonK]

I also wanted to chime in that I enjoyed the Rail Trail. I rode it in this drenching rain and then the sun came out just as I was rounding the gorge over the Warm River. That section reminded me of Alaska in its own way.

I suspect there is a huge difference between riding it wet vs dry. I would certainly skip the first half of it if I was touring there in the dry (or racing and the rules allowed). That said, it may have improved  - wouldn't take much to smooth out the worst of the corrugations. And the last third was lovely.

Wonder what problem Craig has had? Ollie has some big decisions ahead of him this afternoon!

[bmike-vt]

and maybe look at trackleaders....hhhmmmm...nobody seems to want to chime in on how IPhones are a unfair advantage....it should become a new rule, just like no visitors from family and friends...

and if you live at altitude you must race with a tennis ball in your mouth and your nose pinched.
and if your VO2 max is above a certain threshold you must pull extra weight.

[mikepro]

It looks like her pace today is significantly above her average.  Possibly from better weather or flatter terrain?

Flatter terrain for sure, from Grasshopper Inn/Mtn Vly Lodge/Polaris all the way to Togwotee Pass, with some short hard stretches in between, but nothing like the first 6 days of up and down.  And of course, even though flatter, it's only faster in good weather (i.e. no mud).

[patrickTsai]

i believe using gps is just as much of an advantage to a racer as using a smartphone to know one's race position. i also think using either as an argument against any rider's efforts and/or accomplishments is petty. love watching this year's race, keep kicking butt everyone.

[DenisVTT]

What's all that white from Whitefish to Lincoln when you turn on 'current radar' in Trackleaders?

Not snow, I hope!

[mikepro]

Is it just me, or is Jarral gaining more ground and catching back up to where he was?  Gonna be fun if/when he catches up to EH, taps her on the shoulder and says "boo".

[Climb On]

Ezster seems to be putting serious distance between herself and Katherine...maybe an additional 15-20 miles today so far.  It looks like her pace today is significantly above her average.

I'm going to predict a new, sub 20 days, record for Eszther. Yeah, I know it's early and a lot can happen, but I'm also thinking the realization that she is on pace for a sub 20 finish will keep her highly-motivated. However it finishes, watching this year's race is awesome and inspiring.
      

[Pivvay]

I only used stuff that required AA or AAA power. No charging devices for me. Then again I went without a cell phone which was really hard for me. I'm not sure I would do it again, esp with JJ at home.

As to training, when I was fit in 2009 I could do 100 mile road rides and pretty much feel like I spent 6 hours riding very easily. I had between 4000 and 5000 miles in from Jan to June prior to TD.

[Pivvay]

Oh and I don't honestly care about iPhones. People want to use them, so be it. If i want one I'll get one and deal with charging it. If I don't want people to know where I am I'll turn my SPOT on and off or ITT the route.

I just personally don't see it as a purity thing.

[DenisVTT]

Re high tech tracking of the race vs purity: I think it's a discussion worth having. I don't have a strong opinion one way or another, and there are arguments on both sides that I like.

But it's a moot point for this year at least: it is allowed (or not specifically disallowed, at least,) and you can't begrudge a racer for doing something that is allowed. It may or may not provide him/her with a competitive advantage, but at least for now, it is within the rules and so any criticism is somewhat unfair, IMO.

[Jeff Tomassetti]

Wow, frontrunners already in Wyoming and a sizable group still north of Holland Lake. That is a huge spread of riders.

[bmike-vt]

There is always the GDR for those 'purists':

Cell phones are allowed for GDR racers' emergency use only. By all means--bring it with you to satiate that need for "insurance", but keep it stashed away unless you're in dire straits. If you really, really need to use it, DO NOT HESITATE to do so. Once you've used it, you are DQ'd from the race. No exceptions.