Tour Divide 2015 for armchair viewers

[Pirahna]

The bloke at the back is 1500 miles behind. Bear in mind he's done 1200 miles in two weeks, not a shabby effort.

[FLV]

The bloke at the back is 1500 miles behind. Bear in mind he's done 1200 miles in two weeks, not a shabby effort.

Spot on.

Its crazy really, the milage at teh back of the field is admirable, at the front, unimaginable to me

[Scattamah]

Congrats to Josh Kato who's just made it to AW. Outstanding effort to all the front runners for pushing way past JPs ghost.

Greetz

S.

[gairym]

Wow, less than a minute between the top 3 finishers.

Over that distance that's bloody amazing!

And totally agree about those bringing up the rear - it's all impressive, inspiring and intimidating stuff.

[Blackhound]

Less than an hour gairy, not a minute! That was a great race to watch. I did a 620km audax recently in 39 hours. That was on the road of course but these guys were keeping that pace up off road for 2 weeks. Nuts.

Gabe looking towards a 21 day time which is broadly +50% of the winners time and what has traditionally been considered 'competitive'.

[gairym]

Yeah, I may have misread the timings.

Still.....

[jameso]

Pretty amazing last 100 miles for the front 3, a movie-plot win for Josh Kato too. I wonder how he got 10 miles on the others in such a short time? Maybe he was simply fresher at the end. Amazing ride from them all.

Interesting read from Jay Petervary here, http://salsacycles.com/culture/why_tour_divide
Seems that the record / PB is his motivator, not the placing. To know you raced well and improved each time.

[jameso]

Lael Wilcox just finished, new women's record by a big margin. 17 days 3hrs ish.

[Justchris]

Pretty amazing last 100 miles for the front 3, a movie-plot win for Josh Kato too. I wonder how he got 10 miles on the others in such a short time? Maybe he was simply fresher at the end. Amazing ride from them all.

Interesting read from Jay Petervary here, http://salsacycles.com/culture/why_tour_divide
Seems that the record / PB is his motivator, not the placing. To know you raced well and improved each time.

James. My thoughts, (and anyone feel free to debate or correct me, as it's always good to get others insight ) is that Josh's body was used to working at a higher intensity. He had to close down jp and Neil over the last week. Both jp and Neil where exhausted and had been going for 14 days at a steady pace.once josh had passed them, neil and jp couldn't kick it up a gear to match or catch josh. As their body's were accustomed to a slightly lower intensity. Josh also had a goal to pass them and when he did he got a lift. While the other two where deflated.

[touch]

James. My thoughts, (and anyone feel free to debate or correct me, as it's always good to get others insight ) is that Josh's body was used to working at a higher intensity. He had to close down jp and Neil over the last week. Both jp and Neil where exhausted and had been going for 14 days at a steady pace.once josh had passed them, neil and jp couldn't kick it up a gear to match or catch josh. As their body's were accustomed to a slightly lower intensity. Josh also had a goal to pass them and when he did he got a lift. While the other two where deflated.

Yeah, that sounds conceivable to me.
I think it's also more stressful being chased rather than chasing. You're always looking behind. Every time you stop you imagine being passed, every time you get going again you check for fresh tyre tracks in front of you. It makes you more tired in my experience.

[jameso]

Justchris, you could be right. Josh's blog says he's not into specific training but how you react over 2 weeks is probably really variable, even to an individual doing the ride a few times like Jay P. I read on BP.net that he passed them when they slept and Jay P said he'd had 5 hours kip on that last night, maybe suggests he was really tired, and an open door for the rider who's been gaining / chasing hard. A rider who knew he'd passed them so would have had the motivation to dig deep, with possibly greater motivation to win at that point (purely speculating) and a sense of the once in a lifetime chance that he had? Chance well taken!

From how the last 250 miles went for me I can only imagine how motivated Josh must've felt when he got past the other 2 and he must've been strong at the end to stay clear. Was fantastic to read how it finished, really pleased for him.

I think it's also more stressful being chased rather than chasing. You're always looking behind. Every time you stop you imagine being passed, every time you get going again you check for fresh tyre tracks in front of you. It makes you more tired in my experience.

Could not agree more.. you may think you're the stronger rider and feel good to be ahead but all that changes when the sleep deprived mind starts to get properly stressed. I think it'd take confidence to let a rider go ahead, as a tactic, though. I know coverage is patchy but this is still where I think riders using smartphones have a real advantage over those not using them or not checking trackleaders online. Smartphone / web use mid-race means missing out on some really interesting mental games and tracking judgements that the rider simply using tyre tracks or occasional spectator-given updates (sometimes wrong .. so do you take notice of them?) has to cope with.

[johnnystorm]

Gabe arrived at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abiquiu_(Breaking_Bad) to find everything shut. He grabbed an hours kip around the back of the http://www.abiquiuinn.com/home before setting off for Cuba 80 miles and 9000ft height gain away in 40 degree heat. He plan was to find a motel, have a decent rest and then try and push on to Pie Town (190 miles away) in a single stint.

[Richpips]

Andy Laycock (another Brit) finished just under an hour ago.

[Scattamah]

That's a big push from Abiquiu to Pie Town in the heat that is outside here at the moment. Fingers crossed for an overcast day for all the NM segment riders.

Greetz

S.

[Mart]

Interesting read - Keeping it real all right
https://gypsybytrade.wordpress.com/2015 ... el-wilcox/

[Richard G]

Properly hardcore.

[Ray Young]

Interesting read - Keeping it real all right
https://gypsybytrade.wordpress.com/2015 ... el-wilcox/

Properly hardcore.

Makes me realise.................I am a pussy .

[Richard G]

Yeah, I'm quite comfortable with my ability to not suffer.

[Blackhound]

I see Gabe is up early and on the road to Pie Town. Should be there in 2-3 hours. I recall the road as horrible, lots of ups and downs and a badly washboarded surface. Pie Town does not open until 7.30 though so he is going to have a bit of a wait to get fed before the 180 mile push to Silver City. He may get some R&R at the Toaster House.

The Toaster House:

101_0161 by blackhound59, on Flickr

Breakfast dessert in Pie Town:

101_0164 by blackhound59, on Flickr

I had the usual plate of eggs, toast, coffee first but would not leave without my pie.

[jameso]

Good going Gabe.. Pie must be the best motivation possible : )

[Scattamah]

Big storm in here in Albuquerque yesterday evening. Not sure if it's wetting the route out to the west of here.

C'mon MB...not far to Silver City now!

Greetz

S.

[Mart]

Looks like MB finished in the early hours. Congratulations good riding

[FLV]

Well done gabe, does that make it 21 days then?

Top effort that man.

[Blackhound]

Well done Gabe. 21 days 16 hours 25 minutes or there abouts.
How many pieces of pie and what flavour in Pie Town?

[jameso]

Looks like MB finished in the early hours. Congratulations good riding

Congratulations GM!
How's Antelope Wells at 1am? Kipping at the border for a bit or getting out of there asap?