Tour Divide 2018 Race Discussion Thread

[ron]

Here's an update from SS killer Gary Pellas, who's laid up in Kremmling at the moment - https://www.instagram.com/p/BkKkF0nhCbQ/?taken-by=gggpellas

[danwiz]

Seb Dunne yet again....  I wonder what happened to him to scratch?

[salsola]

Nobo ITTer Andrew K. just cleared pie town.  Looks like he is slightly faster than Dom Irvine through Pie Town:

Dom Irvine,  AW-- Pie Town:  1 day 9 hrs 25 min
Andrew K, AW-- Pie Town:  1 day 7 hrs 20 min

WOW!

[chainagent]

Seb Dunne yet again....  I wonder what happened to him to scratch?

see reply 116: http://www.bikepacking.net/forum/ultra-racing/tour-divide-2018-race-discussion-thread/msg93815/#msg93815

[hanyo66]

see reply 116: http://www.bikepacking.net/forum/ultra-racing/tour-divide-2018-race-discussion-thread/msg93815/#msg93815

I read #116 multiple times trying to figure out what that had to do with Seb then realized it was #115 with the Seb update above it haha

[Two Tired]

Has a NOBO ever won the TDR?

C$?

[Adam Alphabet]

C$?

No north bounder has ever won outright...
Winners the year C$ lined up.
2012 - Ollie W (GD) Jay P (ITT faster time)
2013 - Mike H
2014 - Jefe B

[woody]

No north bounder has ever won outright...
Winners the year C$ lined up.
2012 - Ollie W (GD) Jay P (ITT faster time)
2013 - Mike H
2014 - Jefe B

The year Billy Rice did his Yo-Yo did he technically win because he did the whole route without any reroutes? I believe he did the complete route both ways. Got a special permit coming back south to do closed section (I think).
C$ was moving fast but got shutdown around the border maybe a little north of border due to flooding.

[schillingsworth]

Looking at some time splits from Plesko's 2016 run, Bailey N. is about 10 hours off the pace through Salida. Still over 4 days for things to change. I suppose a lot depends on any upcoming fire reroutes, but still fun to see how it shakes out. CP's finish time was 15:08:04 FWIW.

[MarkW]

So looking through track leaders and reading racers blogs I came across this one. She has a great story and I tip my hat to her, but you signed up for a race and it’s an UNsupported race. Maybe you should get your Spot tracker moved to the tour page.

“Thank you NICA team, Randolph Team for supporting Grace this past weekend! you rode over 50 miles with Grace! Knowing you were rolling with her gives Grace he extra power to roll on!”

[THE LONG RANGER]

"racers alone must police themselves" (http://tourdivide.org/the_rules)

Please relax on the calling out.

[MarkW]

Sure thing

[aarond]

"racers alone must police themselves" (http://tourdivide.org/the_rules)

Please relax on the calling out.

I have a slightly different take.  To me, this means that it is the responsibility of the riders to police themselves, i.e., not the responsibility of some non existent race director.  While it would take a LOT for me to call out another rider, I can see it happening if I saw a particularly egregious violation, like caching food or driving in a vehicle.  Even then, I might not call the rider out, instead taking solace in the fact that we both know they violated the honor system.  (Probably best to not call it a "gentlemen's agreement.")  However, I have no problem with rule breakers being called out publicly, and cheaters being held to account and don't believe doing so violates the spirit of the rules.

[Angler]

The rain has ceased and the legend that is Mark Beck, 69 years young of Glendora CA has finally made it to Ovando.  He is a legend as he has been off track so many times since day one that folks were beginning to worry about him.  Told him that while lost all those miles that he was never really alone as hundreds of people were watching over him.  All told, by the time he reached Ovando Monana at mile 540 something he had put on over 1,200 miles on his GPS and that doesn't count the miles he walked to get his electronics that came off his handle bars during one of his treks off track and his GPS said "Make a U Turn".  Upon his returning to his original location he noticed his missing equipment, and in frustration, he just dropped his bike and walked the 2 miles to retrieve it and walked back again. 

His left side of his upper body is a mass of purple flesh after a fall that left a divit in the ground.  He spent another off track day at a hospital to make sure he could still ride, which obviously he still is. 

Grace, if you read this, as you know he is riding for MS and he said:  "Grace you are a far bigger man than I am".  And if you know how petite Grace is you know what a huge compliment that is. 

For those wondering,yes US Customs did find him to make sure he was okay.  :-)

A remarkable man who is going to finish this race no matter what and is hoping that if folks are watching that they actually do donate to find a cure for MS. 

Oh and he is currently NOT off track.  He is at Trixi's getting a meal before heading off to Lincoln.  Hopefully.

First photo is of Mark with two Lewis & Clark riders that had actually heard of him and met him in town.

[Angler]

Also leaving Ovando Montana today:  Ralph Karsten 62 of MN who had was happy to find shifter cables at the Angler so he could start braking again.  He had been riding with Gary Braun, 60 of WA.  Unfortunately Gary left Ovando via a vehicle as he is scratching from the race at this point.  Despite his possible disappointment at ending it here a group of ladies made sure he knew that what he had accomplished was very admirable.

[Iowagriz]

So looking through track leaders and reading racers blogs I came across this one. She has a great story and I tip my hat to her, but you signed up for a race and it’s an UNsupported race. Maybe you should get your Spot tracker moved to the tour page.

“Thank you NICA team, Randolph Team for supporting Grace this past weekend! you rode over 50 miles with Grace! Knowing you were rolling with her gives Grace he extra power to roll on!”

I tracked down her blog and read it differently. NICA is not big in Montana, plus the fact that she was riding down the Seeley/Swan valley, I imagine those kids were riding "virtually" with her.

The closest kids to ride with her during a weekday would be from Whitefish, Missoula and Helena. No way they have 50.

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[MCandler]

Greg Gleason is riding full suspension.  Seems to be one of the very few, if only, riding FS.  I'd be interested to hear observations of TD and GDMBR veterans or fellow armchair observers about this choice.  How unusual is this?  So far, seems like a great call for him.

I am curious on why Greg Gleason switched from Salsa to Specialized. I have not been able to find that story.

[MarkW]

I tracked down her blog and read it differently. NICA is not big in Montana, plus the fact that she was riding down the Seeley/Swan valley, I imagine those kids were riding "virtually" with her.

The closest kids to ride with her during a weekday would be from Whitefish, Missoula and Helena. No way they have 50.

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Noted!
Not 50 kids, but it said  “you rode 50 miles with her.”
Another reason not to have real-time blogs and FB updates while racing.

[schillingsworth]

Things are getting interesting in the top10. Greg G. may have made his move last night putting 30 miles on the other 3 fellas he's been in close contact with the past couple of days. He took a short <4 hr break last night after riding past midnight. Then there's the batch of 6 riders kinda bunched up this morning in Breckenridge. Justin D. has kept saying he's been waiting for the big mountains of CO, will he continue to climb the leaderboard? He's chugging some coffee this morning... His LIVE feed updates have been hilarious.

[bikeny]

Noted!
Not 50 kids, but it said  “you rode 50 miles with her.”
Another reason not to have real-time blogs and FB updates while racing.

Does it really matter at this point? She is not going to win the women's race, and she is well behind the 30 day pace marker. Great for her if she finishes this beast!