Anybody know what happened to any of the following?

[Andy Corless]

F007: Frank Proud
A080: Greg Misicko
F144: Judith Swallow
K034: Jon Banks
J108: Barry Brown
G143: Dean Clementson
K113: Paul Gilliver
I098: Ricki Goode
S233: Robert Gray
R200: Melville Kirkland
B190: Richard Lake
R284: Tim Sollesse
A054: Paul Wainwright
E262: Paul Whitehead
K330: Steven Ferry
A013: Matthew Page

Andy Corless

[jiberjaber]

Judith & Richard DNF

[Frank9755]

I can clear up a couple.

Frank Proud
On the way into Mortagne my stoker's pedal fell out. When I tried to put in back in, the threads were shredded. We limped into the control site on three cylinders and saw the mechanics, but they didn't have the kit to help, or even a new chainset, which would have done. So we were out.

I rode back to Rambouillet and met Barry Brown and Robert Gray and we had a beer or two in the bar by the market. They had both stopped for reasons of heat, not feeling well, not feeling up for it, etc. Barry had got to Villaines and Robert to Mortagne.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Deano fell ill and didn’t start.

[farfetched]

B190 had an accident full details are on his YouTube channel.

[L CC]

Deano fell ill and didn’t start.

He has covid

[PeterM]

Rob G and Paul W are DNF

[mzjo]

I can clear up a couple.

Frank Proud
On the way into Mortagne my stoker's pedal fell out. When I tried to put in back in, the threads were shredded. We limped into the control site on three cylinders and saw the mechanics, but they didn't have the kit to help, or even a new chainset, which would have done. So we were out.

I rode back to Rambouillet and met Barry Brown and Robert Gray and we had a beer or two in the bar by the market. They had both stopped for reasons of heat, not feeling well, not feeling up for it, etc. Barry had got to Villaines and Robert to Mortagne.

It is very hot in France at present. Possibly cooler going across Brittany than further south but the big problem (given that riders are finding solutions to actually riding in very high temperatures) will probably be getting good enough quality rest when they do need to stop (and sleeping well in temperatures over 20° is not something you can train for - at midnight in Limousin we are still well over 25°!)

[quixoticgeek]

Anyone heard from IVO? Is he ok? Tracker doesn't show him at brest yet.

J

[quixoticgeek]

He's had to scratch due to the heat and is heading back the Paris the scenic way.

(He posted on Instagram)

J

[Bus Shelter Bertie]

I098 Ricki Goode started out on an unofficial ride without a timer chip (refused to wear a helmet). No matter because he wasn't so well and a 8 hour sleep after only 6 hours riding put paid to any hopes of finishing in time anyhow. Carried on to Fougeres, but now touring back to finish Thursday morning.

[Wobbly]

Blimey. They're dropping like flies out there 

I've been rooting for the rev. Holdsworth - he and I manned the LEL info desk together.

[T42]

It is very hot in France at present.

Max 26° at Loudéac, 28° at Villaines and 30° at Rambouillet - not bad and could be a lot worse.

[D.A.L.E.]

Blimey. They're dropping like flies out there 

I've been rooting for the rev. Holdsworth - he and I manned the LEL info desk together.

I don't think he's going to win, but he's doing well.

There are a couple more AUKers that have dropped out in the last couple of hours. Wonder why people are finding it so hard.

[PeterM]

There are a couple more AUKers that have dropped out in the last couple of hours. Wonder why people are finding it so hard.

Maybe because there's been limited opportunity to acclimatise to high temperatures this summer

[Alex B]

Maybe because there's been limited opportunity to acclimatise to high temperatures this summer

Exactly: there's been some hot days here, but all the qualifiers were in unseasonably cool weather and there's not been much opportunity for 'training in the heat'.

That, and the slightly hillier course, and aftermath of the Great COVID cycling lull maybe.

A lot of riders who I'd categorize as fullish-value-but-usually-comfortable-finishers seem to be struggling to make time.

[cygnet]

R284 got ill and abandoned.

[mzjo]

It is very hot in France at present.

Max 26° at Loudéac, 28° at Villaines and 30° at Rambouillet - not bad and could be a lot worse.

37° where it counts at Limoges at present. I don't know how hot it was at Rambouillet the week-end - it seemed uncomfortably so to me - but it was too hot to sleep easily at Dourdan 20kms away. I am starting to think that getting effective sleep breaks is almost as important as the riding and very difficult to do when the temperature doesn't drop at night. The minimums are probably as important as the maximums. It was good riding temperature at 4am, just in shorts and T-shirt, no need for anything more!
BTW I don't take too much notice of official temperatures, I don't ride inside a Stevenson screen!

[Frank9755]

The main issue is not drinking enough, and not using rehydration salts, which people don't do because they're not used to it.
it's hard to do things differently when you're used to doing something that has always worked in the past when it's been cooler.

Would be interested to know from people who have ridden both if its warmer than LEL.

[Fidgetbuzz]

Kate Churchill and Ian Reid .. going well .. mind you Kate was on the podium at the Worlds just 2 weeks ago.. bronze in her age group

[grams]

Temperatures only tell part of the story. We’ve had intense cloudless sun from early morning until evening and naff all shelter on a lot of sections.

Also since the Brest-Carhaix section is new locals leaving water out seem to be rather sparse, which could catch you out if you were relying on it.

[JonB]

K034: Jon Banks

Andy Corless

I was DNS, didn't make it to France but only made the decision on the Wednesday before. I'm not entirely clear what happened but despite training and planning for this over the last 6 months I decided not to ride. I have been very stretched at work and wasn't in the right head space but I only realised it a few days before travelling. I just couldn't seem to summon any positive mental energy for the ride (and the travel to and from). I sunk a lot of money into PBP but I figured that has gone anyway and no point pursuing it if I'm not feeling the love for it. Not sure where this leaves me and audax but I think I need to find a bit more balance between cycling, work and home life.

[alfapete]

I was DNS, didn't make it to France but only made the decision on the Wednesday before. I'm not entirely clear what happened but despite training and planning for this over the last 6 months I decided not to ride. I have been very stretched at work and wasn't in the right head space but I only realised it a few days before travelling. I just couldn't seem to summon any positive mental energy for the ride (and the travel to and from).

Sorry to hear that, Jon, but it sounds like you made the right decision. I'm sure you'll get your mojo back.

[T42]

Also since the Brest-Carhaix section is new locals leaving water out seem to be rather sparse, which could catch you out if you were relying on it.

I wonder why they did that.  Maybe jumped-up préfets getting officious about too many cyclists on the road.  Here in Alsace our préfète decided to close cycle paths to cyclists between an hour before sunset and an hour after sunrise, i.e. to shove us onto the road when motorists are least likely to see us.  Needless to say, nobody takes any notice.

[Flâneur]

Just a comment from on the route. I’m not sure what the French meteo actual observations have been, but I saw varying forecasts beforehand of high 20s/low 30s highs and mid-teens lows during the night.The days have felt much warmer than that (think LEL 22 day 4 and 5 type hot) and almost unbearable on non-shaded climbs. The nights *have* been much colder (been well sub-10 air temp on my head unit) and lots of water vapour in the air, including thick fog. The dew on my bike outside at Tintineac was so intense this morning, I thought it had rained overnight. All of which makes ‘going nocturnal’ a less appealing option.