whose the loon signed up for the transcontinental race?

[stripy7]

Geoffrey Dassault, currently 5th, is apparently a Pro,

[Dizeee]

I like most am baffled by the quick finish of Kristoff.

I am not saying he has done for a second, but, are these riders checked for doping?

[JustinF]

Really that's your first thought? sad.

[stripy7]

The long duration and relative low intensity of these races is such that sustained doping would be counterproductive. On short duration events or when you have the opportunity to recover than yes dope works. But sustained over days at a time, I really don't see the leaders doing it.
Kristof is renowned for the quality of his preparation, his road books and routing are researched over months., and even though there is no prize money, I believe he trains full time.

[Seek]

2nd place is going down to the wire.

3 riders around 25km apart on the same road.
160-180km remaining to the finish

[Dizeee]

JustinF said:

Really that's your first thought? sad.

My "first" thought? lol

Your comment highlights a huge lack of awareness.

[Dizeee]

stripy7 said:

The long duration and relative low intensity of these races is such that sustained doping would be counterproductive. On short duration events or when you have the opportunity to recover than yes dope works. But sustained over days at a time, I really don't see the leaders doing it.
Kristof is renowned for the quality of his preparation, his road books and routing are researched over months., and even though there is no prize money, I believe he trains full time.

Makes sense. I guess its preparation combined with experience, not to mention a personal mindset that makes all the difference.

To me, I can imagine the darkest times are being on your own, after hours of automated pedalling, not knowing where you are, and then not knowing where you are in terms of position, wondering where your next decent rest / feed comes from. The hours on your own, sometimes in ste weather - and the gruelling task of keeping going, must be a massive weight on your mental state.

I don't pretend to understand "exactly" what Gruffy is going through - but I often find myself through the day imagining it - and I can see a person full of determination, exhausted but willed to continue, hungry but getting by, tired but ok to go on, often in euphoria of what is being done but occasionally drained by the process. It's a long term game where the joy of continuation matches the drain of fatigue.

He will finish - and finish with a respectable time, of that I have no doubt.

[Marcellus]

Dizeee said:

I like most am baffled by the quick finish of Kristoff.

I am not saying he has done for a second, but, are these riders checked for doping?

He's got form;
TCR#01 - won it
TCR#02 - won it
TCR#03 - missed it as he was doing the trans siberian

I think like long distance yacht racing, he has a routine, ride for x hours sleep for y, and train train train long distances at low heart rate up steep long hills.

[ALawson]

Marcellus, exactly. Having done 4 transatlantic crossings on yachts I think a solo racing effort on a boat is similar to this event. Similar physical exertions, not much sleep (or as much as you want), the balance being you can sail harder the better aware you are. Only real difference being the boat will sail itself when you are asleep (even better now than years gone by). The ability to make the correct decision whilst fatigued is something that not everyone can do, I do think that the more you subject the body to the better it develops. Look at SAS/SBS levels of performance and other elite sporting competitions.

I expect some TCR chaps may not always be able to get to sleep, I found on "watch" either 3 or 4 hrs on I could go out like a light, whereas others would struggle to fall as sleep when dictated by the watch system (regardless of tiredness level).

Is the winner relatively light? I expect Gruffy isn't the lightest for the alps, he is only mid 70's and it was always a case of managing the knees. The chap who won obviously knew what route he was going to take and had options depending on weather etc. If you look at his time/distance graph you can see he did regular 20-25 hr stints with 3-4 hr sleeps. Thats shows total conditioning to the event.

A most impressive performance, what does he do the rest of the year?

[Marcellus]

Also, I think his planning was a different level to the point that as you say he had options of several routes plus the phone numbers and locations of hotels on all of these options stored on his phone so when he needed a sleep he knew where the hotels were and could phone ahead to book a room for a few hours!

[BoRED S2upid]

Dizeee said:

I like most am baffled by the quick finish of Kristoff.

I am not saying he has done for a second, but, are these riders checked for doping?

No drugs tests. That was my first thought. Read his blog you will soon change your mind. 25,000km this year shows the level of training he's done Gruffy was 7-8000 before this. His planning is superb he is sponsored for everything lightweight handmade bike etc... Plenty of reasons why he's won it for the second year running.

[pincher]

ALawson said:

what does he do the rest of the year?

Trains for events like this by the sound of things!

[okgo]

Lets be 100% clear, there will be a lot of drugs being taken in this event, I doubt anyone is on EPO, but there will be lots of people on various cocktails of things to keep them alert and numb pain.

Gruffy even said so a few pages back.

Edited by okgo on Monday 8th August 10:09

[stripy7]

okgo said:

Lets be 100% clear, there will be a lot of drugs being taken in this event, I doubt anyone is on EPO, but there will be lots of people on various cocktails of things to keep them alert and numb pain.

Gruffy even said so a few pages back.

Edited by okgo on Monday 8th August 10:09

Agreed but most are over the counter. EPO? LOL really maybe if you have a camper van following you.

Caffeine via double expressos will be the go to drug.

Edited by stripy7 on Monday 8th August 10:57

[stripy7]

The trick is to wean yourself off coffee some months prior to an event so that you get maximum effect.

[Gargamel]

stripy7 said:

Agreed but most are over the counter. EPO? LOL really maybe if you have a camper van following you.

Caffeine via double expressos will be the go to drug.

Edited by stripy7 on Monday 8th August 10:57

Pit stop at CP2 for a total blood transfusion ? Would be the way to do it in style.

This isn't pro sport and with nothing more on the line, I agree most competitors will be on Vitamin I, Caffeine and perhaps various over the counter snake oil for awakeness.

Personally I'd want large doses of horse painkillers just to quieten my arse after more than a day in the saddle.

[kiethton]

Has darren's transponder gone down again?

[dazren]

Battery on the tracker being replaced.

[Gruffy]

Just replaced batteries
I weigh 79kg
Achilles both borked (since Bolzano)
210kph wind in Croatia crushed spirit
Vitamin I, diclofenac and Haribo for me. Others, I'm told, are using stronger stuff.
Don't drink coffee
The damage is making me super tired all the time
So happy to have left Croatia
Sarajevo tonight, if this headwind will relent a little
Freak floods in Macedonia may force a rethink when I get to CP4

Haven't done the sims but I think I'm close to 2/3 done, which means I'm close to overtaking my fund-raising amount. If you haven't already, please consider donating, or I'll post a picture of my arse. Ta.

[okgo]

stripy7 said:

Agreed but most are over the counter. EPO? LOL really maybe if you have a camper van following you.

Caffeine via double expressos will be the go to drug.

Edited by stripy7 on Monday 8th August 10:57

For most yes.

But there will be stuff like I mentioned (modafinil) in this race. I know that for sure.

Its remarkably common in the long distance stuff.