He had his ways, out on the route checking at the one place you could deviate, without adding lots of extra time. One year my touring bike missed a flight home, had to phone up and ask if it was ok to use a race bike. Year before one turned up with no mudguards, he let him cycle round but never signed the card, was ok if you asked beforehand. Only had good numbers on PBP years. Ran the best audaxs, all the riff-raff never entered 😄.