Author Topic: TCR no8.  (Read 85244 times)

Re: TCR no8.
« Reply #275 on: 18 March, 2020, 09:06:12 pm »
Not looking likely is it. Things are changing by the day though so who knows. Theres always next year, Its only a bike race and all that.
We have  also cancelled our early June departure for Europe and will see how the lay of the land is nearer the time.
Amazingly we have still had no known cases of covid here on the Island yet. I worry though as with all the International travel (before the lock down) it surely must have slipped though. There is a 15%+ rate of diabetes here, a goodly smattering of heart conditions and plenty of older folks. One small town hospital. Its not a good scenario for an Island wide pandemic.
If the shit hits the fan and a lot of people go down I couldn't in good conscience head off racing. The folks who are still standing will need to step up and help out with things.
often lost.

Davef

Re: TCR no8.
« Reply #276 on: 18 March, 2020, 09:29:30 pm »
Unlikely. This is going to be cyclical until a vaccine arrives en masse. I think in the uk we will be in a trough at that time before the next smaller peak. However the chances of all the territories to be in phase is vanishingly small.


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quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: TCR no8.
« Reply #277 on: 18 March, 2020, 10:41:54 pm »
Not looking likely is it. Things are changing by the day though so who knows. Theres always next year, Its only a bike race and all that.

Yeah. If it doesn't happen this year, I'll try again in 2022. 2021 I really want to give LEL a go.

It's a shame, but it's probably for the best.

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

Karla

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    • Lost Byway - around the world by bike
Re: TCR no8.
« Reply #278 on: 23 March, 2020, 12:51:31 pm »
It's been postponed for a year.

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: TCR no8.
« Reply #279 on: 23 March, 2020, 05:33:53 pm »
It's been postponed for a year.

Gonna clash with LEL :(

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

Re: TCR no8.
« Reply #280 on: 25 July, 2020, 04:24:53 am »
ah well next year.
often lost.

Re: TCR no8.
« Reply #281 on: 11 November, 2020, 12:17:35 pm »
There was a mail-out to TCR entrants this week.
It alludes to the fact that while there is every intention of the race going ahead next year, the route may well be altered to accommodate covid related issues. Likewise the date is not nailed on, though the intention is to keep it as close to the original as possible.
As much as can be, will be revealed in the upcoming race manual which will be released next month.
The email also states that there will be new volunteer roles and opportunities for TCRNo8 which may interest some of you.

often lost.

Re: TCR no8.
« Reply #282 on: 12 November, 2020, 01:48:49 pm »
The vaccine news that came a day or so later makes it seem a more likely prospect, but too early to say.  With LEL already postponed, it is the big events with lots of international participants that are most at risk.

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
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Re: TCR no8.
« Reply #283 on: 12 November, 2020, 08:11:55 pm »
With LEL already postponed, it is the big events with lots of international participants that are most at risk.
Yes, but the fully supported ones have the worst prospects (hence LEL being the only cancellation I'm aware of).
Sad news, we can but hope ...
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: TCR no8.
« Reply #284 on: 10 December, 2020, 11:35:19 am »
Hey
I'm a newbie here, but I've just started to pick things up in preparation for tcr8
I'm intrigued to see if there any changes to the start/finnish, and control points, as I don't fancy the current logistics much in a covid summer window of sort of normality

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: TCR no8.
« Reply #285 on: 10 December, 2020, 11:38:18 am »
It will be somewhat tougher for non-EU folk from high-C19 countries to get into the EU.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

Karla

  • car(e) free
    • Lost Byway - around the world by bike
Re: TCR no8.
« Reply #286 on: 10 December, 2020, 11:50:55 am »
They're releasing news of the new date and adapted route the day after tomorrow.

Re: TCR no8.
« Reply #287 on: 10 December, 2020, 01:16:55 pm »
They're releasing news of the new date and adapted route the day after tomorrow.

Oh did I miss a notification?
last detail I saw was "before the end of December"?
often lost.

Karla

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    • Lost Byway - around the world by bike
Re: TCR no8.
« Reply #288 on: 10 December, 2020, 04:12:50 pm »
No, you didn't miss anything.  I've just checked back and it appears I invented the date of the 12th.  They actually say "before Christmas".

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: TCR no8.
« Reply #289 on: 10 December, 2020, 05:37:21 pm »

However, lost dot are doing medicine of the TCR event on Saturday. Is that what you were thinking of ?

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

Karla

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    • Lost Byway - around the world by bike
Re: TCR no8.
« Reply #290 on: 10 December, 2020, 09:47:16 pm »
Yeah that'll be it.

Karla

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    • Lost Byway - around the world by bike
Re: TCR no8.
« Reply #291 on: 11 December, 2020, 05:14:23 pm »
The CTT calendar is going to be out on Jan 4th, so potentially two or three weeks later.  I wonder how long we'll have to make up our minds?

Karla

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Re: TCR no8.
« Reply #292 on: 22 December, 2020, 04:47:33 pm »
The race manual is out.  Brest to Thessaloniki via Roubaix, southern France, the Stelvio and somewhere far enough south in Italy that you have to take a ferry.  You could potentially have a route involving only Greece, Italy and France, though Switzerland and Albania will provide more error options if teh covidz allow. 

Jan 22nd is the final decision date.  Refunds are available but deferrals aren't - which is a bit annoying given they've been deferring us all for the last year.  Ho hum.

rob

Re: TCR no8.
« Reply #293 on: 22 December, 2020, 05:11:45 pm »
The CTT calendar is going to be out on Jan 4th, so potentially two or three weeks later.  I wonder how long we'll have to make up our minds?

I've managed to find most of the dates I need via the local committees and begging the odd favour.   Any particular events you're interested in ?   Feel free to PM as OT.

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: TCR no8.
« Reply #294 on: 22 December, 2020, 05:46:15 pm »
This new route looks amazing!

Massive improvement. Have been playing around with komoot for the route from CP1 to CP2. Am excited.

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

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: TCR no8.
« Reply #295 on: 22 December, 2020, 08:25:16 pm »

Have now got a draft route for the whole distance now. Doesn't seem to be much option in Greece to avoid a 1500m bump :( But all in all I get 3800-3900km with about 36500m of climbing. Which is a distinct improvement.

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

Re: TCR no8.
« Reply #296 on: 23 December, 2020, 06:42:55 am »
The route is not very inspiring.  It's basically the Orient Express route, only with a leg from Brest, a couple of kinks for controls and a mountain stage in Italy.  Sure, it's a long, challenging ride, but the TCR is supposed to be an adventure, taking you to some places you've never been before, and way out of your comfort zone - and this doesn't really do that. 

I can sort of understand why they have done it this way but I'm not sure their thinking is right - it's not guaranteed that Schengen borders are more likely to be open than those in Eastern Europe, and if some borders are closed anywhere in Europe, it's unlikely to go ahead anyway.

It's a bit shorter, which is significant.  They are saying 3,700km.  A fast rider (ie KA or JH) could probably do this in under a week and it is more like a week and a half rather than two weeks for a mid-pack rider such as me.  That doesn't sound much but, from my experience of doing long stuff, each extra day makes it a lot harder mentally.

There's a lot of France. France is great but it's not an adventure.  It does have a lot of roads, though, as does Italy, so there are likely to be a lot more routing options than a normal TCR.

I've not ridden in Italy below the Po Valley so that is more interesting (although it looks like there will be a slog across the Po Valley between controls 2 and 3).  Riding across Greece is kind of interesting. But lack of Balkans is what stops it from being a proper TCR IMHO.  And having a long ferry that near the end kind of spoils the race element. I did that ferry the other way when I was a student - took about 20 hours. 

I am pleased not to have to do that long, rough descent in Romania, and deal with Romanian drivers altogether. But Italians are pretty bad for close passes.

But having the start in France is clearly not a good idea - groups of 20 staggered at 30 min intervals.   So if there are 300 the last group would be 7 hours behind the first! A TT-style start with 1 minute intervals would be better from a distancing point of view and only take 5 hours.  Or cut it to 30 seconds and have pairs going together - get everyone off on their own in a couple of hours.

Lots of gushing on Facebook from newbies who applaud anything, but I've heard of a few people thinking about giving it a miss. Chris White made an interesting suggestion - get inside the time limit without using the ferry.  Looks a bit tough though, I had a quick look on the map and it seems to add 1000-1200km. 

Re: TCR no8.
« Reply #297 on: 23 December, 2020, 06:47:00 am »
Refunds are available but deferrals aren't - which is a bit annoying given they've been deferring us all for the last year.  Ho hum.

Well it wasn't really 'them' who deferred us! 

Deferrals have never been allowed, for good reasons as it would lead to more drop-outs.  But if you have a good reason for not being able to make it this year, I reckon your chances of getting in next time are good.

Re: TCR no8.
« Reply #298 on: 23 December, 2020, 08:11:05 am »
Just looked at ferries and they have got quicker since the 80s.  There are a few, taking from 7.5 to 16 hours

Karla

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Re: TCR no8.
« Reply #299 on: 23 December, 2020, 10:43:54 am »
Refunds are available but deferrals aren't - which is a bit annoying given they've been deferring us all for the last year.  Ho hum.

Well it wasn't really 'them' who deferred us! 

Deferrals have never been allowed, for good reasons as it would lead to more drop-outs.  But if you have a good reason for not being able to make it this year, I reckon your chances of getting in next time are good.

They didn't cause covid but they did hold onto our money for a year!  It would have been the polite to give us her option of doing the same, and I'm sure they could fill any places. 

As you say, there's a lot of France.  From having very briefly glanced at it yesterday, the make or break moments will be the long mandatory section in Italy (which I presume is gravel / strade bianche) and ferry choice across the Adriatic.  It'll be a shame to miss most of the Balkans though.