Tour Divide 2017 - race discussion thread

[BobM]

will it work if you start a new thread?

I seem to remember this happening to her in a past year.  If Scott sees the post I think he can up the quota.

[PMalcolm]

His girlfriend wrote on Facebook  (in Dutch) that the second half starts now... sounds hopeful.

[Angler]

According to the Spot Dot, Ben is at Summit Bike & Ski in Bozeman.  If he can get the bike repaired and get transported back to the route this afternoon he has a good chance to make up the miles and catch the leaders.  I'm definitely rooting for him!

I seem to remember this happening to her in a past year.  If Scott sees the post I think he can up the quota.

Exactly.  The more riders come thru the more photos I take the more room I use up.  I think he just has to increase the something or other.  Keeping fingers crossed.....

[cousinmosquito]

I think this is Rob Davidsons first TD WITHOUT a Rohloff, and he is currently in 3rd....

[PMalcolm]

Confirmed from the man himself. Ben is back on track!

[THE LONG RANGER]

His girlfriend wrote on Facebook  (in Dutch) that the second half starts now... sounds hopeful.

Ho ho ho! Must be five halves to this race, considering they're still in MT!

I think the second half of the race starts in NM, myself!

Happy to hear Ben is on track - that can take a lot to keep on truckin' after that sort of gear failure.

[BobM]

Ho ho ho! Must be five halves to this race, considering they're still in MT!

I think the second half of the race starts in NM, myself!

Happy to hear Ben is on track - that can take a lot to keep on truckin' after that sort of gear failure.

Motivation factor will be high, though.

[mtbcast]

#TourDivide17 Bonnie Gagnon-Larvick called in from Swan River, Eric Sime called in from Seely Lake, and Peter Kraft called in from Helena!

http://mtbcast.com/site2/category/td17/

[jjmundt]

Stefan Maertans is having himself a race!  What a comeback!!

[mtbcast]

#TourDivide17 Episode – June 14, 2017 – Tour Divide Day 6!
A quick round up for Tour Day 6! Ben Steurbaut gets a new fork and works his way back towards Brian Lucido and Josh Kato! Jay P works his way through the pack on his ITT! And Billy Rice joins the fun for an ITT!

http://mtbcast.com/site2/2017/06/14/mtbcast-episode-june-14-2017-tour-divide-day-6/#t=0:37.861

[OldeBlindDog]

Stefan Maertans is having himself a race!  What a comeback!!

It has been amazing to watch.

[OldeBlindDog]

What is the difference between ITT and Grand Depart?  When you say race winner, do you mean overall.  So, are ITT and Grand Depart actually racing each other for the overall?  Sorry for the Newb Questions.

Also seems like Arthur Kopatsy may be another one to watch - he's been working his way up through the field.  What do you think?

[THE LONG RANGER]

What is the difference between ITT and Grand Depart? 

Just the starting date! Everyone's racing for time, it's just that the Grand Départ peeps just so happen to be doing their personal time trialing with the same start time!

[Angler]

I found out I can at least put down the commentary if not attach any photos.  So here we go for today June 14th:

The parties that were in Seeley and Holland Lakes over the past 24 hours have broken up now that the weather has cleared and are making their way slowly toward Ovando.

To play catch up the names will be listed in alpha order rather than time order. May I present to you:
Alex Cohen, 40, from Alberta Canada.
Colleen O'Neil, 26, of PA whose tracker went out for a while due to wetness from rain. She is the darling of the men's race due to her petite size and that they all admire how tough she is being on a SINGLE speed and nailing it. But a lady she is, all that sparkle on her helmet....it's nail polish!

David Troester, 67 of CA, He may look gruff but he is cynical, and funny and not at all your typical TDR rider. When he appeared and I asked to take his photo: "That'll cost ya $20!". I told him I'd wait. When he came into the Blackfoot Angler to use the restroom I told him it would cost him $20. He stopped. Blinked. and said I guess we're both paid off then! So I got my pictures!

Stand by for more!

[Angler]

Up next on your alphabetical Day 4 in Ovando Montana:

James Woods, 45, from Utah. Not the actor. This James was suffering so badly from hypothermia yesterday along Richmond Ridge he decided to bivy out there for a while to stop the shakes. Worse idea yet. He actually thought he was going to die there. So he packed it up and without ever hitting the seat he made broke neck speed into Seeley to hunker down the day. He made it here so it is proof he lived.

Jeremey Kershaw 46 from MN. Here at 8:30 this morning.

And a photo of the Two Unknowns. Don't think they were even on the race cuz don't remember seeing the dots but rather be safe then sorry.

[Angler]

Next up:
Marketa Peggy Marvanova 22 and Adam Zaviska 23 of the Czech Republic in around 0830 hrs. I had met Peggy during her last ride thru and she is looking much stronger these days.

Martin Robards, 49 of Alaska. He is here for a while suffering from the little known and cycling's most bizarre injury: Shermer's Neck. Where you no longer can actually hold up the head. It comes on suddenly without warning and is cyclist centric. We saw it once before a few years ago. The only remedy is IRI: Ice. Rest. Ibuprofen. So Martin is spending his time in the Sheep Wagon currently.

Next up is Muurtle Tuurtle the Tandem. Geof and Denise out of New Zealand with a combined age of 106! They are having a marvelous time and are still speaking to each other, Fondly even!

Stay tuned for more!

[Angler]

Busy busy day in Ovando cycling wise. Here are more of the entries in no particular order:
Achim Dickmanns 54 of Germany
Adrian Stearn 41 of Hong kong with Pat Kelly 61 of Massachusetts
Alexis Guige 30 Alberta Canada
Andrew Aaron 32 of Wisconsin winner of the best hat award thus far.

[Angler]

Last riders from today before I had to go home:
Angela Paterna, 31 of Wisconsin
Ben Shockey, 29 of Iowa.
Christian Fritze 31, of CA
Eric Sime returned for another time to Ovando upon his pretty much custom built single speeder.
Floris Spandaar, 31 of the Netherlands.
The Iowan twins: Jason Davis 42 and Garret Solditi, 36
Jeff Sapps, 31 of Oklahoma.
Jere Mohr, 39 of Minnesota along with
Leah Gruhn, 39 from, of course Minnesota.
Kammy Schuhmann, 32 of Colorado
Keith Mollet, 51 of British Columbia
Lynn Silvovsky 45 of California
Maayam Gil 29 of Isreal
Ray Rasker, 58, of Bozeman MONTANA!
Todd Otoole, 53 of CO
Wayne Bernkopf 43 of Ontario Canada
and last but not least
Scott Lowry, 33 of Ohio and his neato tire with it's temporary fix that he had to replace.

Again wish I could put in photos but I've reached my quota on this site I guess and it won't let me.  But please know that these folks came; some are staying over, some left, most spent some time, and they all had a story and left with more.

Carry on til tomorrow!

[Russ Kipp]

High Country Lodge is starting to get a steady stream of Tour Divide riders.  Sunshine, little wind and lots of smiles.

[Russ Kipp]

Ben made it back on track today.  He said he felt rested from the day off and headed to Lima late this evening.  Through the help from Rob at the Outdoorsman he was able to find a replacement in Bozeman.