...just announced...
...looks the epitome of adventure and a damn hard race...
http://www.transcontinentalrace.com/
Anyone fancy it?
how the hell can you call an event a race when there are no set routes, albeit with a few obligatory checkpoints? it's more like cycle orienteering than a true race
Are the OMM Mountain Marathons not worthy of the term race? If it's a Line course, you're essentially left to your own nav and route selection. But I'd still call it a race?
well I guess you could call any event which is point to point a race but in my world a race is over a set route as that way everyone is on the same terms.
Everyone can make the same choices at the start, though I guess it depends what the rules (not yet clear) state about what you can or can't do. It'd be hard for somebody racing with a tent to keep up with somebody happy to pay for hotels every night, for instance. Though that is the same as racing on a £300 bike vs a £3k bike...
The MdS has a route, but contestants can choose where they run provided they move between checkpoints... is that a race? Hard to define.
I just think it looks friggin' cool!
Im with Fat Buddha on this one. After you've done it, you want to be able to reasonably guage how you did against everyone else. The rules appear to be too loose for that.
Bit like turning up to Silverstone and the organisers saying 'You can race whatever you want.' ........ your old Ford Cortina might just not win against some of the other cars no matter how good you might be.
TE - don't get me wrong, I think this event looks interesting but it's just that the ground rules look a bit bizarre. no doubt somebody will try to do the whole thing as non-stop as possible (it's a race innit.. ) and find that half the obligatory checkpoints aren't open yet!
looks like a Euro version of RAAM I guess
Looks like a race to me, there's a winner after all.
Route selection is all part of the tactical element. Too advanced for me, but I'll keep an eye on it - I'm sure it'll attract plenty of adventurous souls. You in TE?
TE - did you check out the crazyguyonabike.com website out?? we're looking at another Spiceroads trip at the year end.....
Which one you looking at? I don't think there's many trips on there I owuldn't do!
the Rajasthan one....
have done their Bangkok-Phuket (easy riding but was convenient as we had a need to be in Phuket for a wedding so used that to get there from Bangkok) and the Northern Thai MTB one. the company is superb - well organised, good staff and support trips well. run by a Scot who's been in Thailand a long time
I'm after something with challenging riding - lots of km, climbs, etc etc. That said, I'm aware that my mindset tends always to be pretty focussed on maximum distance and difficulty. Maybe by booking something that's tough but not abominable, I might be less blinkered and appreciate the tourism aspect too...
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