Tour Divide record questions

[paxton coyote]

 Having trouble finding a little info on a TD talk I'm doing for my local cycling club, any answers?

 What year did the TD start from Banff to Antelope Wells?
 Who was the first woman finisher? (was it Mary Collier?)
 What woman holds the record & what was the time? (Jill Homer maybe?)
 Who holds the ss record & what is the time?

[THE LONG RANGER]

What year did the TD start from Banff to Antelope Wells?

Pretty good question, as Matthew Lee did it as his, "Prologue" for the border to border Great Divide Race. At least for the recorded times, it goes back to '05, but I'm not sure there was a grand départ or anything:

http://tourdivide.org/Full_GDMBR_Times

Who holds the ss record & what is the time?

Gotta be Jefe Branham from this year w/16 days, 16 minutes, followed by Chris Plesko in '09 w/19:00:21. This year's course was a large deviation of the standard route, though.

Jill I think still holds the record for the standard route? But again, Caroline this year kind of smoked that with the deviated route.

[BigPoppa]

Caroline and Jefe, while phenomenal in their performance this year, will not have recorded times under the all time GC classification. The old ss and female records still stand. Times are only counted for the GC if the route is completed in it's entirety.

Don't forget about JP's crazy mad skills and new overall record from this year(fall ITT)!

[annoying crack]

Caroline and Jefe, while phenomenal in their performance this year, will not have recorded times under the all time GC classification. The old ss and female records still stand. Times are only counted for the GC if the route is completed in it's entirety.

But why does the tourdivide.org site not mention any times/rankings for 2011. Just pretend 2011 never happened?

[Jilleo]

Technically, Jenn Hopkins of Great Britain was the first woman to race and finish the full Banff-to-Mexico route, finishing in 28:16:40 in 2008. However, she raced the Great Divide Race with a prologue instead of the established Tour Divide. Mary finished that same year in 29:17:37. Thanks to different start times, they actually arrived at the border only about an hour apart.

Jenn is also the only woman as far as I know to race on a singlespeed, giving her the singlespeed record.

As for 2011 times' effects on the current "records," who really knows? Caroline, Kurt and Jefe have clearly all raced the Tour Divide in the fastest times, although not on the established route (which does change from year to year anyway, although never so dramatically.) I think its popularly accepted in the ultrabiking community that the route itself is still the overall record goal, given Jay Petervary's and Cricket Butlers 2011 ITT challenges of Divide records rather than the Tour Divide itself. I also believe ITT Divide racing will become more prominent in the future, giving Divide records more of a Fastest Known Time kind of standing rather than a reflection of TD race results.

Although not the expert on Divide racing, I have tons of journalistic tidbits and facts. Ask me more questions. :-)

[paxton coyote]

 GREAT INFO Jill, thanks! What was your time again & what year did you do it, was it '09 if I remember right? This is for a little get together my local cycling club is having & we're discussing the TD over wine/snacks on Sunday, one of the members just rode the Divide from CO to Canada on his dual sport BMW in 13 days & he CAN'T IMAGINE that it could be done in it's entirety on a mt bike in the amount of time we're talking so I'm gathering a few fun facts to discuss about the TDR.

[BigPoppa]

But why does the tourdivide.org site not mention any times/rankings for 2011. Just pretend 2011 never happened?

I'm not sure why the times for '11 aren't listed YET. I would guess that Matthew Lee has a lot going on in life right now (what with the filming of The Path and the birth of his second child) and he will get to it when he can.

Also this year had three different courses; 1) The original course with the snow reroutes, 2) The snow reroute course with a short water rereoute through a town (I can't remember the name but it has a sign that says "Welcome to such-and-such, population 50, dogs 100".), and 3) The snow reroute, with the water reroute, and fire reroute for a forrest fire that broke out between Abiquiu and Cuba mid race (I think only the first 15 or so riders made it through before the park was closed).

As you can see, coming up with some sort of defined, sorted, and ranked field seems pretty impossible.

[JayP]

the results generally go up at the end of the year, between now and the end. i belive he only wants to do it once and make sure the year has sorted itself out with ITT'ers and any other shinangins with the TD.

doing the TD and setting a record on the route can be 2 different things. records only apply to full route completions and as a kind hearted gentleman, this year, Mathew has done the work (for others) to reroute the actual route to accomidate the date (and racers) that is set the year prior. when there is large rerouting due to weather, fires, trail closures etc it is just a time that a record is not achievable. it is always a gamble but ultimatley the rider is responsible for themself and the route they ride.

pretty sure we will be seeing many more ITT's.

it will be another intersting day at the end of the year when Matt puts up next years challengers, TD starters and ITT. how many do you think, more or less then last?

[BigPoppa]

it will be another intersting day at the end of the year when Matt puts up next years challengers, TD starters and ITT. how many do you think, more or less then last?

More of both. The sport of ultra-endurance cycling (mountain, road, and snow) is growing at a phenomenal rate at this point. I think that the TD will continue to reflect this growth in both the Grand Depart and the ITT.

I would venture to guess that the Grand Depart will grow at a faster rate than the ITT though. The Grand Depart takes guts but an ITT takes a whole 'nother level of b@lls that VERY few people have.

[Jilleo]

Paxton — yes, I rode in 2009. Finished in 24:07:24.

I've already spoken to several fast women who are planning to give the route a go in 2012. So far, most of them are taking a "wait and see" approach with the snowpack and the weather, rather than just assuming they'll go with the Grand Depart. There's definite strategy to the ITT.

I share JayP's opinion that ITTs will grow in popularity in the coming years. The survival of the Grand Depart is almost entirely dependent on Matt Lee's continued organization of the Tour Divide, which may continue indefinitely but it's tough to say. If he does "retire," I don't see too many volunteers lining up to invest the kind of time and money he does, given there's no financial incentive. Without central organization, too many people are likely to do their own thing to really call any one depart the main race.

But Divide "racing" will live on. I just believe it will eventually become more like the Pacific Crest Trail, AT and CDT records, pursued by individuals doing their own thing on their own time.

[mikepro]

My personal opinion is the opposite of BigPoppa and more inline with Jilleo and JayP .... the ITT entrants will grow at faster rate.  Not as many numbers yet as GD, but increased number of official entrants.  I like both, so I'm partial to them being equal in numbers thru the years.  And FWIW, an ITT attempt and a GD attempt are 2 different things.  They might seem the same (same course, mileage, etc, so what gives?) ... it's all in the group versus solo perspective.

[Climb On]

My personal opinion is the opposite of BigPoppa and more inline with Jilleo and JayP .... the ITT entrants will grow at faster rate.  Not as many numbers yet as GD, but increased number of official entrants.  I like both, so I'm partial to them being equal in numbers thru the years.  And FWIW, an ITT attempt and a GD attempt are 2 different things.  They might seem the same (same course, mileage, etc, so what gives?) ... it's all in the group versus solo perspective.

Curious about this and other comments about ITT's being more difficult than the GD. I'm speaking out of ignorance, not yet having ridden either, but in my competitive rock climbing life the group approach is more challenging because one doesn't have the luxury of choosing the date of the competition. I like that aspect of the GD. Whether you are ready (rested, uninjured, peaking in performance) or not, the date of the comp is set and the competitors have to cope with it. I imagine that riding with others, following tracks thru snow, etc. add to the GD's appeal, but the spirit of the race as espoused on the Tour's website is "solo/self-supported." This also gives rise to another question. As a new blue-dot junkie this year, I saw some ITT's with riders starting at the same time and riding the same direction. How are those ITT's?     

[ridingman1]

we're discussing the TD over wine/snacks on Sunday, one of the members just rode the Divide from CO to Canada on his dual sport BMW in 13 days & he CAN'T IMAGINE that it could be done in it's entirety on a mt bike time we're talking so I'm gathering a few fun facts to discuss about the TDR.

As a person who has experience in the TDR and dual sport motorcycles, I think it is possible for an experienced dual sport racer, say someone who has done Paris Dakar, to do the complete motorcycle version of the TDR route, Banff to AW unsupported, camping along the way, in less than  7 days or even faster. This assumes a rideable course (no snow slogging) and an allowance for the fact that motorcycles can't go on some parts of the TDR route. There are motorcyclist who have done the route.
Check out http://www.twotaildog.com/Motorcycling_the_Great_Divide/00Intro/Great_Divide_Intro.htm

[phil_rad]

As a person who has experience in the TDR and dual sport motorcycles, I think it is possible for an experienced dual sport racer, say someone who has done Paris Dakar, to do the complete motorcycle version of the TDR route, Banff to AW unsupported, camping along the way, in less than  7 days or even faster. This assumes a rideable course (no snow slogging) and an allowance for the fact that motorcycles can't go on some parts of the TDR route. There are motorcyclist who have done the route.
Check out http://www.twotaildog.com/Motorcycling_the_Great_Divide/00Intro/Great_Divide_Intro.htm

That would be fun too! I'm an ex-motocrosser, from my teenage days so I can relate to the story. Even if I've never done any moto-packing. I bet it would be a PITA trying to horse one of those beasts through the peanut butter mud around Bannack! ;-)

Thanks for sharing this.

[BobM]

...... This also gives rise to another question. As a new blue-dot junkie this year, I saw some ITT's with riders starting at the same time and riding the same direction. How are those ITT's?     

They are and aren't, same as the GD is and isn't depending on whether you end up riding with others or not (and whether you are paying any attention to the position of others).  For TD purposes, anyone not starting in the GD is considered ITT regardless of the number of individuals starting at the same time.

[Climb On]

They are and aren't, same as the GD is and isn't depending on whether you end up riding with others or not (and whether you are paying any attention to the position of others).  For TD purposes, anyone not starting in the GD is considered ITT regardless of the number of individuals starting at the same time.

Got it. Thanks. The no drafting and no support already serve to make this race a proud accomplishment regardless of whether one rides alone or paces with others.   

[TXMTBCHICK]

Will we ever see the list of 2011 finishers?

[THE LONG RANGER]

Will we ever see the list of 2011 finishers?

Well, here's a great start:

http://trackleaders.com/tourdivide

Scroll down to "Leaderboard" That table shows the time made into various points on the route (looks like it's only Sobo?) The last point, Antelope Wells, shows roughly the time it  took to do the entire course.

That could be good info to move into a spreadsheet, to allow a racer to confirm their "official" time.

[THE LONG RANGER]

Actually there's even more info to be gleamed here, including NoBo riders. For example, Aidan's personal tracker:

http://trackleaders.com/tourdividei.php?name=Aidan_Harding

Has his finishing time, as well as his, "rank", not sure if this has ITT times in it as well, but the info is certainly there, for someone to formulate. Looks like you can get his time a few ways - add his moving and stopping time or subtract his end time from his start time - so you get 18:14:51


And NoBo winner Paul:

http://trackleaders.com/tourdividei.php?name=Paul_Attalla

15:26:52

I'll be happy to throw together something on Google Docs and have racers confirm their times and at least have a record that Scott/Matt/Somebody can then just add to the TD site under TD Race results. We can also add things like singlespeed/etc.

[sheilar]

I would love to see the results from 2011 posted. 
In my understanding, an official GC finish means completing exactly the course as it was given for this year within the time allotted for men/women.
So individual riders could just confirm their time as noted on Trackleaders but some did not do the CDT alt as required or had other track deviations known or not. Or had gone beyond the time allotment. 
If Matt could pass along some guidelines, I'll bet there are some techie bike geeks who would pitch in for the results analysis.   Fox in the hen house or I'd help too.
sr.

Actually there's even more info to be gleamed here, including NoBo riders. For example, Aidan's personal tracker:

http://trackleaders.com/tourdividei.php?name=Aidan_Harding

Has his finishing time, as well as his, "rank", not sure if this has ITT times in it as well, but the info is certainly there, for someone to formulate. Looks like you can get his time a few ways - add his moving and stopping time or subtract his end time from his start time - so you get 18:14:51


And NoBo winner Paul:

http://trackleaders.com/tourdividei.php?name=Paul_Attalla

15:26:52

I'll be happy to throw together something on Google Docs and have racers confirm their times and at least have a record that Scott/Matt/Somebody can then just add to the TD site under TD Race results. We can also add things like singlespeed/etc.

Actually there's even more info to be gleamed here, including NoBo riders. For example, Aidan's personal tracker:

http://trackleaders.com/tourdividei.php?name=Aidan_Harding

Has his finishing time, as well as his, "rank", not sure if this has ITT times in it as well, but the info is certainly there, for someone to formulate. Looks like you can get his time a few ways - add his moving and stopping time or subtract his end time from his start time - so you get 18:14:51


And NoBo winner Paul:

http://trackleaders.com/tourdividei.php?name=Paul_Attalla

15:26:52

I'll be happy to throw together something on Google Docs and have racers confirm their times and at least have a record that Scott/Matt/Somebody can then just add to the TD site under TD Race results. We can also add things like singlespeed/etc.

Actually there's even more info to be gleamed here, including NoBo riders. For example, Aidan's personal tracker:

http://trackleaders.com/tourdividei.php?name=Aidan_Harding

Has his finishing time, as well as his, "rank", not sure if this has ITT times in it as well, but the info is certainly there, for someone to formulate. Looks like you can get his time a few ways - add his moving and stopping time or subtract his end time from his start time - so you get 18:14:51


And NoBo winner Paul:

http://trackleaders.com/tourdividei.php?name=Paul_Attalla

15:26:52

I'll be happy to throw together something on Google Docs and have racers confirm their times and at least have a record that Scott/Matt/Somebody can then just add to the TD site under TD Race results. We can also add things like singlespeed/etc.