Author Topic: Italy Divide.  (Read 12080 times)

Italy Divide.
« on: 26 April, 2019, 12:21:55 pm »
http://trackleaders.com/italydivide19

Unfolding right now.  Some top shelf riders in the mix, a good smattering of TCR alumni too.
often lost.

Re: Italy Divide.
« Reply #1 on: 26 April, 2019, 01:10:36 pm »
Indeed, I've been following since the start. Jay is a multiple Italy Divide winner, and seems to be stretching his legs once more. First time for James Hayden on this type of terrain, so an impressive start for him. Matt Falconer has prior experience, but says he's not at the same level of fitness this year ... not bad to be in 3rd position after 24 hours if that is the case!

Eddington: 133 miles    Max square: 43x43

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Italy Divide.
« Reply #2 on: 26 April, 2019, 01:39:29 pm »


Previous winner has been disqualified. No info yet on why.

Impressive amount of talent in the race!

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Re: Italy Divide.
« Reply #3 on: 26 April, 2019, 01:48:04 pm »
He took the wrong route. Went up the road rather than a rough, parallel hike a bike trail

Phil W

Re: Italy Divide.
« Reply #4 on: 26 April, 2019, 04:04:55 pm »
James dropped back to third but nothing in it between 2nd and 3rd really.

Re: Italy Divide.
« Reply #5 on: 26 April, 2019, 04:13:04 pm »
James dropped back to third but nothing in it between 2nd and 3rd really.

Last update from James was over an hour ago. His tracker seems to be intermittent, usually updating every 30 minutes but sometimes longer between updates.

As I write the above, it's updated and James is showing in second again!

Eddington: 133 miles    Max square: 43x43

Phil W

Re: Italy Divide.
« Reply #6 on: 26 April, 2019, 08:00:17 pm »
James takes the lead  Looks like Jay stopped to eat or similar.

Re: Italy Divide.
« Reply #7 on: 26 April, 2019, 08:47:41 pm »
Front 2 have pretty much not stopped. A few of the others at the sharp end have had an hour or two here and there, maybe that will play out a little later?  I'm intrigued by Matt. At 85 plus kilos and 5 ft 9inches he breaks all the rules about endurance body shape. An enigma. I think he said he was shy a few low gears last year so I presume he has switched down this time. He's shown on TCR how deep he can dig. A very exciting race so it is.
often lost.

Re: Italy Divide.
« Reply #8 on: 27 April, 2019, 07:25:07 am »
James is now in the lead, just over 6 km ahead of Jay. Matt has dropped back to fourth. About halfway.

I wonder if James knows that he is leading. In the Cycling Podcast I seem to remember that he said he rides his own race, and doesn’t look up where he is amongst other racers. On a mandatory route, passing somebody like Jay would give you an inkling that you’re at the front, but the pass might have been made when Jay was slightly off route catching some ZZZs.

Eddington: 133 miles    Max square: 43x43

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Italy Divide.
« Reply #9 on: 27 April, 2019, 10:47:32 am »
Looks like Jay and James are leapfrogging each other. Given the non synchronous tracker updating, telling which of the two is actually in the lead at this point is anyones guess. I notice the most recent update for Jay has him at 666.7km mark...

Really impressive riding from both of them.

Has James slept yet? I know Jasmijn Muller did best part of 48hours and 1000km of Biking Man Oman without any sleep, Is James trying something similar?

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Re: Italy Divide.
« Reply #10 on: 27 April, 2019, 11:36:27 am »
Using a bit of visual interpolation I reckon that Jay is currently about 25 minutes behind James.

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Italy Divide.
« Reply #11 on: 27 April, 2019, 03:53:03 pm »

Got an update from both Jay and James at the same time. There's just 2km between them. This is amazing to watch!

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Re: Italy Divide.
« Reply #12 on: 27 April, 2019, 04:57:34 pm »
Two big hills to get over this evening before the flatter section. I would expect the sleep strategy for James and Jay tonight will be a huge determinant for how tomorrow plays out, and the final outcome.

Eddington: 133 miles    Max square: 43x43

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Italy Divide.
« Reply #13 on: 27 April, 2019, 06:46:45 pm »

Nap time for Jay. James continuing on. Why do I get the feeling this race is going to be won or lost in the next 6 hours ?

Anyone else looking at this event and seriously considering giving it a go next year?

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Re: Italy Divide.
« Reply #14 on: 27 April, 2019, 08:02:30 pm »

Nap time for Jay. James continuing on. Why do I get the feeling this race is going to be won or lost in the next 6 hours ?

Anyone else looking at this event and seriously considering giving it a go next year?

J

Id love to have a go. Its tricky timing though with the early season start.  It would also involve the expense of gear ratio changes on my rig or a different set up all together.  I have taken the year off from an event this year to concentrate on my job but we are trying to set up our lives into the future where it would be possible to do a couple of ultra events and a tour or two each year together. its really giving me itchy feet watching the dots! I'm really intrigued and excited by the ID concept where you are not dealing with the big roads on the likes of TCR as much as I love that race. My past route mishaps on TCR could be good training for the likes of ID or GTBreizh.
often lost.

Re: Italy Divide.
« Reply #15 on: 27 April, 2019, 08:10:51 pm »
Anyone else looking at this event and seriously considering giving it a go next year?

I had it down for last year, but decided against it as a first bikepacking race. At this time of year and with high mountains, I thought more experience would be prudent. I'm now targeting Bikepacking Trans Germany in July, with Tour Divide in 2020. Probably fit something else between the two, but I'll see how Germany goes and decide from there.

Eddington: 133 miles    Max square: 43x43

Re: Italy Divide.
« Reply #16 on: 27 April, 2019, 09:10:50 pm »
Its intriguing looking at the average moving speeds during this race. The spread is squashed right down as opposed to the likes of TCR where James Heydon etc can be riding 7 or 8 kph faster than the rest of the riders. I guess all the hike a biking is a real leveller. The fastest rider here to date, I think, is Jay and its still less than 16 kph. I haven't looked at the course in detail but see there is a big flat section coming up across the Po valley. Maybe a time when the likes of James can gap other riders? I guess bike choice may have a bearing on this too. Some of the MTB orientated bikes doing better on the really broken up stuff, but will struggle when it flattens out.
often lost.

rob

Re: Italy Divide.
« Reply #17 on: 27 April, 2019, 09:52:05 pm »
James has tweeted the mountain terrain is out of his comfort zone and his dynamo won’t charge at slow speeds.  Overnighting at a pizzeria.

Re: Italy Divide.
« Reply #18 on: 28 April, 2019, 04:13:06 am »
Both James and Jay have had about 4 hours sleep and are on the move again, James ahead but neck and neck with Sofiane, who appears to be a cyborg with hardly any downtime throughout the race.

Eddington: 133 miles    Max square: 43x43

Re: Italy Divide.
« Reply #19 on: 28 April, 2019, 11:28:15 am »
Sofiane actually has more recorded stop time than James on the charts but they are barely visible. Micro naps that don't record a flat line?
 Jay has had the most stops of all the three but was riding faster by a margin in the mountains. Perhaps James will gap him on the flatter stuff, though I guess its all still rough trails so maybe still more in Jays world. Matt has had a big kip and dropped off the pace but will likely finish strong after that rest. Very animated.
often lost.

Re: Italy Divide.
« Reply #20 on: 28 April, 2019, 02:39:57 pm »
Jay taken the lead but he's doing 70kph so I guess he has abandoned and is driving to the finish.
often lost.

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Italy Divide.
« Reply #21 on: 28 April, 2019, 02:47:04 pm »
Jay taken the lead but he's doing 70kph so I guess he has abandoned and is driving to the finish.

Or it' down hill... 70kph downhill is not an unreasonable speed...

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: Italy Divide.
« Reply #22 on: 28 April, 2019, 02:51:05 pm »
I'm really intrigued and excited by the ID concept where you are not dealing with the big roads on the likes of TCR as much as I love that race. My past route mishaps on TCR could be good training for the likes of ID or GTBreizh.

Forgive my ignorance of this event - how does this work? Is it a compulsory route?  :-\
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

Re: Italy Divide.
« Reply #23 on: 28 April, 2019, 02:54:03 pm »
Jay taken the lead but he's doing 70kph so I guess he has abandoned and is driving to the finish.

Or it' down hill... 70kph downhill is not an unreasonable speed...

J

It is dead flat where they are.  All the logged points are on roads.  Maybe someone nicked his tracker ?

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Italy Divide.
« Reply #24 on: 28 April, 2019, 02:55:42 pm »
I'm really intrigued and excited by the ID concept where you are not dealing with the big roads on the likes of TCR as much as I love that race. My past route mishaps on TCR could be good training for the likes of ID or GTBreizh.

Forgive my ignorance of this event - how does this work? Is it a compulsory route?  :-\

Compulsory route. Which has been designed to require you take the off road hike-a-bike section, not the nice tarmac next to it...

It is dead flat where they are.  All the logged points are on roads.  Maybe someone nicked his tracker ?

Or just GPS playing silly buggers. Unless he's consistently doing 70kph over a number of readings, it would seem unlikely to be anything malicious.

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/