The 2022 Tour Divide watchers thread.

[Richpips]

This woman is riding the Divide and she can't see any of it https://www.instagram.com/shawn_cheshire/

[pistonbroke]

I realise that the events are about as far away from the Tour Divide as chalk and cheese but I've noticed in the very popular sportive road events that abound here that a group of male riders from the same club ride together in a group with one or two women in the group tucked away from the wind and effectively getting towed around to finish well up in the female results. Seems a bit rough on those who have to rely on luck or race craft to get a good result. You may say so what but decent placings in such events can lead to lucrative sponsorship deals for these riders, especially those with good social media profiles.

[Bearbonesnorm]

This woman is riding the Divide and she can't see any of it https://www.instagram.com/shawn_cheshire/

Much respect.

[BobCatMax]

@shaf - the MH flag has appeared

I read a very interesting article a week ago about how a segregated section for women was decided upon in various disciplines from as recently as just 100 years ago, and the main reason, so the article said, was that they started winning against the men. How much of it is true I have no idea but given the general fragility of some male egos, I can well beleive it

[redefined_cycles]

@shaf - the MH flag has appeared

Ace. That's brought such a big smile to my face. I hope MH smashes it the amazing Yorkshireman. No disrespect to Sofiane, but so that he can get his head out of the clouds and concede and go get some sleep (at least the 2 hours rhat he has every day already

Go Mike...

[woodsmith]

Something else I've just been pondering (sorry) .... with the talk of equality and non-segregation, how do we feel once it's all over and the dust has settled? We denote the first person to cross the line as 'the winner' or 'the fastest'. However, we often than bestow the accolade of 'fastest woman'. Should we do that or should an equal and level playing field at the start remain so at the end too?

And when a woman wins overall I can't ever remember seeing anyone being proclaimed as " fastest male" or "winner of the mens race. He's just in second place. The sexism works both ways.

[stevenshand]

The sexism works both ways.

No it doesn't. That's not how sexism works. That's not how any form of discrimination works.

[ton]

FFS, have i logged on to STW...............

[rollindoughnut]

Well said Ton

[Richard G]

One of the ladies racing posted up she was glad they did an all women start as it meant she got to meet them all..

In other news Jim and Chris are veering off the td route as the weather and conditions are pretty dire. They're going to ride the Fernie-GDMBR to the border

Cheers. Was wondering what was going on there.

[fatbikephil]

Not sure what the route differences are between now and 2016 but despite not stopping so far, Sofiane Sehilli is still well behind Mike Hall's time and he was stopping for a few hours every night.

Steve is going incredibly well!

[Dave Barter]

Not sure what the route differences are between now and 2016 but despite not stopping so far, Sofiane Sehilli is still well behind Mike Hall's time and he was stopping for a few hours every night.

Steve is going incredibly well!

Big snow issues apparently. Think both Galton and Red Meadow passes are hike-a-bike

[Scattamah]

"Think both Galton and Red Meadow passes are hike-a-bike" - shades of 2014. We had a short hike over Galton, long hike over Whitefish Divide resplendent with its broken trees/avalanche deposits and a long hike over Red Meadow. Next snow we hit was Richmond Peak (very interesting when you can't see the trail) and then nothing down to the pass after Kirstens and some small patches between Indiana and Stunner passes.

I hope Steve remembered his Subway socks and let's hope it's a peanut-butter free traverse of Bannock-thru-Sheep Creek for everyone this year.

Greetz

S.

[GregMay]

I think I walked about 50m of snow in 2016. Pretty much a non issue. That being the year that Mikes flag is based off.

It was most definitely a fast year. We had very little rain to deal with after Canada.

[Boab]

Not sure what the route differences are between now and 2016

This page has an interactive map showing the difference between 2019 and this year - https://bikepacking.com/news/2022-tour- ... e-preview/

[Dave Barter]

Steve has had another late night but should hit Ovando tomorrow. He's got the Richmond Pass to climb before that, hopefully not as snowy as the course has been early. Fair play to him though as he is storming along in poor conditions. Zoe posted up some snow pictures that looked horrible.

[voodoo_simon]

Steve has had another late night but should hit Ovando tomorrow. He's got the Richmond Pass to climb before that, hopefully not as snowy as the course has been early. Fair play to him though as he is storming along in poor conditions. Zoe posted up some snow pictures that looked horrible.

For those who aren’t on the ‘gram

[voodoo_simon]

Looks like a buried car in the first photo and here is her second photo of the snow

[fatbikephil]

Nice....
Looks like proper porridge too so not even a fat bike would be any use. Steve seems to be avoiding the comforts of Motels - third night bivvying

[jameso]

RE Mike's record dot, the Koko Claims hike a bike on day 1 may add time over the route he set the record on. The route changed in 2019, I think? The olds TD / original GDMTBR route from Elkford to Fernie via Sparwood was a fairly easy section. Not sure what the Koko Claims HAB's lower distance vs far tougher terrain works out as in terms of time, +/-.

[BobCatMax]

SS's tracker is waay off course...

[fatbikephil]

Sophiane Sehilli is off route and heading away from it....

Looks like Steve had a lie in, but off again

[Lazarus]

A long way off [10 km ish] is the map showing the correct re routed route ?

Steve is indeed going well so far - amazing what these people can ride in a day and then repeat

[Mike]

Wonder why sofiane has gone so far off route?

[BobCatMax]

Mechanical of some kind?