Author Topic: TCR no8.  (Read 85227 times)

TCR no8.
« on: 23 November, 2019, 04:41:15 pm »
Route and controls released today.
https://www.transcontinental.cc
often lost.

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: TCR no8.
« Reply #1 on: 23 November, 2019, 06:42:45 pm »
Can't see any route or controls there  :-\ Do I need to watch the video?
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

rob

Re: TCR no8.
« Reply #2 on: 23 November, 2019, 07:12:15 pm »
Can't see any route or controls there  :-\ Do I need to watch the video?

I think the presentation is going on at LMNH at the moment.  Might need to wait until it’s posted on the website.

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: TCR no8.
« Reply #3 on: 23 November, 2019, 07:24:29 pm »

Mikko Just tweeted.

Breast to Burgas. Via Roubaix and Romania.

This looks great, tho I'm slightly worried that this means Pavé on the CP1 parcour. I hate pavé...

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

Phil W

Re: TCR no8.
« Reply #4 on: 23 November, 2019, 07:34:04 pm »

Mikko Just tweeted.

Breast to Burgas. Via Roubaix and Romania.

This looks great, tho I'm slightly worried that this means Pavé on the CP1 parcour. I hate pavé...

J

Are you entering for a second crack at it?

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: TCR no8.
« Reply #5 on: 23 November, 2019, 07:35:36 pm »

Are you entering for a second crack at it?

Yes. I have unfinished business. If I don't complete it in 2020, I'll be back in 2022 to have a 3rd go. 2021 crashes with LEL.

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

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: TCR no8.
« Reply #6 on: 23 November, 2019, 07:46:04 pm »

At least I know how to get back from Burgas by train...

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

Phil W

Re: TCR no8.
« Reply #7 on: 23 November, 2019, 07:54:14 pm »

At least I know how to get back from Burgas by train...

J

This time you'll have time to get used to the heat as you head east. Best of luck with your preparation.

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: TCR no8.
« Reply #8 on: 23 November, 2019, 07:59:15 pm »

This time you'll have time to get used to the heat as you head east. Best of luck with your preparation.

Yep, and 1000km run up to get to the mountains.

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

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: TCR no8.
« Reply #9 on: 23 November, 2019, 08:47:22 pm »

Website seems to be slowly updating, lots of dead links for the cp specific pages, but it outlines the route at least.

Start: Brest
CP1: Roubaix, France
CP2: Grosser Speikkogel, Austria
CP3: Durmitor, Montenegro
CP4: Transalpina, Romania
Finish: Burgas, Bulgaria.

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

bludger

  • Randonneur and bargain hunter
Re: TCR no8.
« Reply #10 on: 23 November, 2019, 11:49:54 pm »
I was at the launch. Can confirm that there is pavé parcours though I don't know if it's been finalised.

I wouldn't be too stressed about it, if it does go through the arenberg the tarmac on the right will be open and the gutters are really not so bad. I shouldn't think there will be much in the way of length. If the racers are lucky they'll be able to use the velodrome showers to freshen up!
YACF touring/audax bargain basement:
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Ban cars.

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: TCR no8.
« Reply #11 on: 24 November, 2019, 12:16:18 am »
I was at the launch. Can confirm that there is pavé parcours though I don't know if it's been finalised.

I wouldn't be too stressed about it, if it does go through the arenberg the tarmac on the right will be open and the gutters are really not so bad. I shouldn't think there will be much in the way of length. If the racers are lucky they'll be able to use the velodrome showers to freshen up!


I've done Paris-Roubaix before, I know what to expect. Last time I needed ice on my arms from the rattling.

The canny dot watcher will go down the pave after the riders, and collect all the stuff that falls off to ransom back to us :p

Interesting a quick sketch route goes very close to Bitche and Fucking, as well as the other Brest...

I wonder what the finish parcour will be.

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

bludger

  • Randonneur and bargain hunter
Re: TCR no8.
« Reply #12 on: 24 November, 2019, 12:32:22 am »
I think the parcours to be more concerned about is this one in Romania.

https://www.transcontinental.cc/cp4-tcrno8

Romania and the Carpathians are one of the few places in continental europe you might have a reasonable chance of running into a bear or wolves. It really isn't something to be sniffed at, especially if riders are going to be riding through the night and wild sleeping, with bike bags crammed with sandwiches giving off a delicious whiff.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-50473443 https://www.wildtransylvania.com/p/safety-tips-bears.html
YACF touring/audax bargain basement:
https://bit.ly/2Xg8pRD



Ban cars.

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: TCR no8.
« Reply #13 on: 24 November, 2019, 12:58:07 am »
I think the parcours to be more concerned about is this one in Romania.

https://www.transcontinental.cc/cp4-tcrno8

Romania and the Carpathians are one of the few places in continental europe you might have a reasonable chance of running into a bear or wolves. It really isn't something to be sniffed at, especially if riders are going to be riding through the night and wild sleeping, with bike bags crammed with sandwiches giving off a delicious whiff.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-50473443 https://www.wildtransylvania.com/p/safety-tips-bears.html

Nah, I'm so slow the bears will have eaten all the riders ahead of me and be full by the time I get there :p

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

Re: TCR no8.
« Reply #14 on: 24 November, 2019, 10:29:49 am »
Yet again the TCR organisation has a weird concept of safety. Stressing helmets on the one hand and sending riders through bear and landmine infested area's on the other hand. Not my concept of safety.
(When riding from Austria to Durmitor you'll have the choice between the heavily trafficed magistrale or the landmine infested borderlands between Croatia and Bosnia. With this routechoice it's only a matter of time before a rider blows himself/herself up when trying to sleep in a boobytrapped house in an abandoned village.

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: TCR no8.
« Reply #15 on: 24 November, 2019, 10:33:38 am »
Yet again the TCR organisation has a weird concept of safety. Stressing helmets on the one hand and sending riders through bear and landmine infested area's on the other hand. Not my concept of safety.
(When riding from Austria to Durmitor you'll have the choice between the heavily trafficed magistrale or the landmine infested borderlands between Croatia and Bosnia. With this routechoice it's only a matter of time before a rider blows himself/herself up when trying to sleep in a boobytrapped house in an abandoned village.

In the new year I may have some questions on route choice for this leg.

The bears don't worry me, I'm more concerned for idiots with guns aiming for bears and missing, or idiots in cars who value being 30 seconds earlier more than my life.

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

Phil W

Re: TCR no8.
« Reply #16 on: 24 November, 2019, 10:50:11 am »
Yet again the TCR organisation has a weird concept of safety. Stressing helmets on the one hand and sending riders through bear and landmine infested area's on the other hand. Not my concept of safety.
(When riding from Austria to Durmitor you'll have the choice between the heavily trafficed magistrale or the landmine infested borderlands between Croatia and Bosnia. With this routechoice it's only a matter of time before a rider blows himself/herself up when trying to sleep in a boobytrapped house in an abandoned village.

In the new year I may have some questions on route choice for this leg.

The bears don't worry me, I'm more concerned for idiots with guns aiming for bears and missing, or idiots in cars who value being 30 seconds earlier more than my life.

J

I'd be concerned about the fierce dogs kept to keep bears off livestock.  Maybe I've read too many stories about those dogs.

Salvatore

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Re: TCR no8.
« Reply #17 on: 24 November, 2019, 11:52:13 am »
Yet again the TCR organisation has a weird concept of safety. Stressing helmets on the one hand and sending riders through bear and landmine infested area's on the other hand. Not my concept of safety.
(When riding from Austria to Durmitor you'll have the choice between the heavily trafficed magistrale or the landmine infested borderlands between Croatia and Bosnia. With this routechoice it's only a matter of time before a rider blows himself/herself up when trying to sleep in a boobytrapped house in an abandoned village.

In the new year I may have some questions on route choice for this leg.

The bears don't worry me, I'm more concerned for idiots with guns aiming for bears and missing, or idiots in cars who value being 30 seconds earlier more than my life.

J

I'd be concerned about the fierce dogs kept to keep bears off livestock.  Maybe I've read too many stories about those dogs.

Same here. Sheepdogs in Romanian uplands (and elsehwere in that neck of the woods) are not the mans's best friends we see in the UK whose job it is to keep the sheep in line. Their job is to protect sheep from wolves, and unless you are a sheep or a shepherd, you might as well be a wolf as far as they are concerned. I've seen one in action in the Fagaras Mountains. It was a huge beast and had knocked someone down and was poised to continue the attack before a whistle from a shepherd indicated to it that we weren't a threat (and it became as friendly as a little puppy).



But I'm sure it will be fine.
Quote
et avec John, excellent lecteur de road-book, on s'en est sortis sans erreur

Re: TCR no8.
« Reply #18 on: 24 November, 2019, 01:37:14 pm »
Yet again the TCR organisation has a weird concept of safety. Stressing helmets on the one hand and sending riders through bear and landmine infested area's on the other hand. Not my concept of safety.
(When riding from Austria to Durmitor you'll have the choice between the heavily trafficed magistrale or the landmine infested borderlands between Croatia and Bosnia. With this routechoice it's only a matter of time before a rider blows himself/herself up when trying to sleep in a boobytrapped house in an abandoned village.

In the new year I may have some questions on route choice for this leg.

The bears don't worry me, I'm more concerned for idiots with guns aiming for bears and missing, or idiots in cars who value being 30 seconds earlier more than my life.

J

I'd be concerned about the fierce dogs kept to keep bears off livestock.  Maybe I've read too many stories about those dogs.

Same here. Sheepdogs in Romanian uplands (and elsehwere in that neck of the woods) are not the mans's best friends we see in the UK whose job it is to keep the sheep in line. Their job is to protect sheep from wolves, and unless you are a sheep or a shepherd, you might as well be a wolf as far as they are concerned. I've seen one in action in the Fagaras Mountains. It was a huge beast and had knocked someone down and was poised to continue the attack before a whistle from a shepherd indicated to it that we weren't a threat (and it became as friendly as a little puppy).



But I'm sure it will be fine.

If it were me (and it most certainly won't be,not on your life) I would be inclined to hang my sandwiches in a tree at least 5m away from where I planned to sleep. That way the bear or wolf will probably be distracted long enough for you to wake up and exercise plan B (whatever that might be). And don't count on the landmines as protection, the wildlife will have a much better idea where they are than any human being.

Re: TCR no8.
« Reply #19 on: 24 November, 2019, 04:09:15 pm »
Yet again the TCR organisation has a weird concept of safety. Stressing helmets on the one hand and sending riders through bear and landmine infested area's on the other hand. Not my concept of safety.
(When riding from Austria to Durmitor you'll have the choice between the heavily trafficed magistrale or the landmine infested borderlands between Croatia and Bosnia. With this routechoice it's only a matter of time before a rider blows himself/herself up when trying to sleep in a boobytrapped house in an abandoned village.

In the new year I may have some questions on route choice for this leg.

The bears don't worry me, I'm more concerned for idiots with guns aiming for bears and missing, or idiots in cars who value being 30 seconds earlier more than my life.

J

I'd be concerned about the fierce dogs kept to keep bears off livestock.  Maybe I've read too many stories about those dogs.

Same here. Sheepdogs in Romanian uplands (and elsehwere in that neck of the woods) are not the mans's best friends we see in the UK whose job it is to keep the sheep in line. Their job is to protect sheep from wolves, and unless you are a sheep or a shepherd, you might as well be a wolf as far as they are concerned. I've seen one in action in the Fagaras Mountains. It was a huge beast and had knocked someone down and was poised to continue the attack before a whistle from a shepherd indicated to it that we weren't a threat (and it became as friendly as a little puppy).



But I'm sure it will be fine.

If it were me (and it most certainly won't be,not on your life) I would be inclined to hang my sandwiches in a tree at least 5m away from where I planned to sleep. That way the bear or wolf will probably be distracted long enough for you to wake up and exercise plan B (whatever that might be). And don't count on the landmines as protection, the wildlife will have a much better idea where they are than any human being.

Exactly. I've once heard a German soldier on EU duty in Bosnia use the word 'Minensuchtiere' Minesearchinganimals (he ment sheep). Whenever you could see their traces, the field could be considered safe.

Re: TCR no8.
« Reply #20 on: 24 November, 2019, 04:32:20 pm »
I was intrigued to see the start in France.

Does that mean no aerobars, no mass start, or have they cleared it with relevant authorities?

Re: TCR no8.
« Reply #21 on: 24 November, 2019, 06:38:08 pm »
I was intrigued to see the start in France.

Does that mean no aerobars, no mass start, or have they cleared it with relevant authorities?

Now I am intrigued as well. I didn't think there was any federation in France that specifically banned aerobars. They can be used in other audax, just not PBP as far as I know. Is my knowledge that far out of date?
I can see that a mass-start race might cause complications, but surely not any more than anywhere else? Please someone enlighten me?

Re: TCR no8.
« Reply #22 on: 24 November, 2019, 06:47:46 pm »
Aerobars were permitted on PBP this year provided they didn't extend beyond the brake levers  when they were checked.

Re: TCR no8.
« Reply #23 on: 24 November, 2019, 08:54:17 pm »
I was intrigued to see the start in France.

Does that mean no aerobars, no mass start, or have they cleared it with relevant authorities?

Now I am intrigued as well. I didn't think there was any federation in France that specifically banned aerobars. They can be used in other audax, just not PBP as far as I know. Is my knowledge that far out of date?
I can see that a mass-start race might cause complications, but surely not any more than anywhere else? Please someone enlighten me?

It's French law, not PBP-specific: no (normal) aerobars in mass start events. 
I've not actually looked up the law myself but that is what is the generally held belief. 

Re: TCR no8.
« Reply #24 on: 24 November, 2019, 09:03:46 pm »
Aerobars were permitted on PBP this year provided they didn't extend beyond the brake levers  when they were checked.

Yes I forgot that. Let's say permitted without restrictions (and now someone will say that there are restrictions)