Trans Pyrenees Race 2024

Words by Samuel Thompson, headline photo: @lizseabrook

These events are all about the people.

There are the riders. These are normal people doing extraordinary things. Although they are not really normal, each is unique. Getting a glimpse behind each of these individuals’ stories, their motivations to race, their highs & lows has been fascinating and inspiring. They will share a bond with their fellow competitors having gone through a largely shared experience. They are indeed competitors, this is a race after all, but this does not preclude comradery. None of them will be forgetting this in a hurry.

There are also those who help to put on the event. The race organisers, the media team and sponsors. And hugely importantly, the volunteers. Whether situated remotely, at the start/finish, at the CPs, their role cannot be understated, from assisting the smooth running of the event to playing in a key role in monitoring the safety and well being of the riders. Without such altruistic people, these events don’t happen.

There is also you lot, the dotwatchers. Whether direct or otherwise, the riders appreciate the interest that others take in their endeavour. You all add to this awesome community, which is one of the key assets of this niche sport. Even if you don’t ride yourself, keep engaging, keep showing support. It is all so appreciated.

Final General Classification Finishers

Final GC day finishers include, in the order of their arrival, Ben Chuilon, Graham Steward, Esther ‘ultra veteran’ Lloyd, Byron Buck, Ben Wormald, Gregory Garcia, Caroline Buckland, Pierre Miramon, James Illman, Dániel Szontágh, Sophia Attwood Apperley and Paul Williams.

Paul Williams left little room for margin, arriving at 22:20 just 100 minutes before the GC cut-off. He will likely tell you that it was all under control and that was the plan all along. Either way, you and all of those finishing within GC deserve a chapeau!

A shout out also needs to go to Petra Scherer and Maksym Matvieiev, still courageously making their way along the Raid Parcours. Maksym, a Mike Hall Bursary recipient, doing so on a hire bike held together by sellotape after his own did not arrive in Girona on time. You both merit a big chapeau too!

I have little inside info of what actually went down at the party. What happens at TPRty stays at TPRty after all. One person equally in the dark is Caz Buckland who, despite heroically making all of the other cut-off times following an early mechanical setback, found her alarm was no match for the deepness of a post-TPR nap.

One piece of party news I can reveal is that David Ayre truly delivered with his choice of outfit for his all important master of proceedings role. Here he is in his dashing (and in no way garish) get-up.

Race Roundup

Unless you are just emerging from under a rock, you will likely know by now that Robin Gemperle won TPRNo4 in dominant fashion, leading for the majority despite a spirited and dogged chase by Anatole Naimi. Manuel Rudaz took the 3rd step of the podium, as well as the best dressed prize (you’ll never see him in a bin bag).

Of the 88 Starters (84 Solo, 2x Pairs):

• 55 Reached CP3
• 41 Reached CP4
• 32 Finished within GC

This gives a 36% finish rate (39% when Petra & Maksym finish), the lowest for a TPR edition to date. A testament to both the inherent challenge of this event and the added difficulty this year of the far from ideal weather conditions.

Green Leaderboard:

1. Anatole Naimi
2. Marco Stalder
3. Christian Dupraz

A chapeau vert to those who demonstrated that participation in events does not always necessitate the use of carbon heavy air transport.

The Alternative TPR Awards

Recognition will have been given in a slightly more conventional manner during last night's party. But we are far from conventional here, so here are some achievements and people who need some spotlight and an imaginary golden croissant-shaped trophy.

The Follow My Challenge ‘biggest idler’ award:

• Mathias Ulrich, 17th overall, who spent 39% of the time ‘idle’ (FMC’s terminology, not mine!). His average moving speed was however the 7th fastest of all, clearly employing the Lucas Becker approved sleep hard, ride hard approach.

First to finish with flat pedals and trainers:

• Sylvain Arhancet (extra kudos for carrying his other shoes in a backpack to the finish).

The ‘not getting carried away on day one’ award:

• Ben Wormald - 50th at CP1, 25th finisher.

Top multitasker:

• Truly living up to her self-styled moniker of @sophiaudax, Sophia Attwood Apperley duly submitted her final 600km as a DIY Audax. Also earning plenty of AAA points in the process I presume.

The ‘I should have spent a bit more time planning my route’ award:

• Florent de Boisvilliers who, according to FMC, rode 2,178.49km. This is over 100km more than the next lengthiest. Maybe route planning is that Achilles Tendon...?

The Michael Fish ‘what forecast were you looking at?’ award:

• ‘The weather is looking very good’ - Fiona Kolbinger, 26 September 2024

The ‘don’t try this at home’ award:

• Robin Gemperle re. Binbag-gate. Bring appropriate kit folks.

Best pronunciation of the very Basque named location of CP4:

• Iain Broome, him behind those dulcet tones and exquisite production you hear on the Lost Dot podcast. I could listen to him say ‘Zugarramurdi’ all day…

Simile of the week:

• I will let Official Race Reporter Stuart Downie off for stealing my scoops (and puns) for his ability to work ‘like a cool gateau de riz taken under the shade of a broad, old tree’ into his Day 6 report. This is one talented chap.

The Nostradamus award for highlighting the first three finishers in their pre-race report:

• I’ll have that one, thank you very much.

To provide the last word on the race though, I deemed it appropriate to ask race director David Ayre for his views. His answer:

‘For me, it's the most beautiful race on the calendar’.

For us too David, for us too.

Croissant de la Semaine

We have been regaled all week with the magnificent foodstuff that the riders have been fuelling their heroic efforts with. This feature has taken on a wider remit as, although we have proved that viennoiserie=speed, a varied diet is essential to avoid palate fatigue.

For the icing on the cake, the cherry on top and the frangipane in the croissant aux amandes, I may have solved the question as to why Graham Steward needed three coffees when he was spotted in that Luz-Saint-Sauveur cafe the other day. I suspect it is because he in fact has three stomachs. Judging by the hotel buffet he demolished on Thursday morning, a single human stomach could surely not handle such quantities.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed and supported these reports. And thank you to Dotwatcher for letting me loose on your platform. I’ve enjoyed being part of the race in some way and, despite some of the weather the riders have had to endure, feel that fomo seriously creeping back in. Maybe next year…

If you have also been informed, entertained or slightly amused by the reports please let me know, it means a lot to hear from you. The same goes for all of the other content creators associated with this, and other, events. The official race reporters, the photographers, the podcasters. Tell them you appreciate their work. Without your feedback we never know whether anyone else apart from our own mothers is paying attention (it’s raining here today Mum). And finally, if you like what you’ve seen here, I am regularly sharing ultra-distance content on the Acier Instagram page.

À bientôt (for the non-French speakers that is: ‘laters’ ;) ).

Words by Samuel Thompson, main image: @lizseabrook

Ask race director David Ayre to describe the Trans Pyrenees Race and he will tell you, ad infinitum, that it is ‘the most beautiful race on the calendar’.

It is also a beautifully hard race. This is part of its attraction. To paraphrase Theodore Roosevelt, nothing in this world is ever worth doing unless it involves riding a bicycle across a mountain range and back unsupported, occasionally having to hike over rugged walking trails in sub-zero conditions. Overcoming the challenges is a major appeal and leads to the greatest sense of accomplishment for the finishers.

But there are inevitably those who do not finish. It would be intriguing to have a full understanding of the reasons for each individual, but all I have here are the bare facts. For the three previous editions of TPR, the split between finishers and those scratching are as follows:

2019:

Total Racers: 107

Scratched: 38% ( 41 )

Finished: 62% ( 66 )

2022:

Total Racers: 122

Scratched: 34% ( 42 )

Finished: 66% ( 80 )

2023:

Total Racers: 118

Sratched: 50% ( 59 )

Finished: 50% ( 59 )

(for these purposes, finishers include all those who completed the race, whether inside or outside of GC)

This year may well have the lowest % of finishers to date, with below half of the riders who set out last Friday due to return to Girona having accomplished the full route.

The reasons leading to scratches are too numerous to list here, with some more voluntary than others. There will be occasions where an event out of a riders’ control will unfortunately bring their race to an end. For example an unforeseeable & unresolvable mechanical issue or, regrettably, a road traffic incident. As for the rest, an element of luck may indeed be involved but there is a lot that a rider can do to put the odds in their favour, primarily through their preparation.

Events like the Trans Pyrenees Race should not be taken on lightly. With proper preparation, finishing should not have to be a 50/50 gamble. Unplanned events do happen, some easier than others to overcome, but problem solving on the road is a key skill for an unsupported bikepacker. Furthermore, a lot of time, money, sweat and tears often goes in to just reaching the start line. This deserves to be rewarded by a rewarding outcome.

In no way through this am I suggesting that each person who has scratched from this event, or others, does not have a valid reason to do so. If there is a decision to be made, it is one for the individual to make given the circumstances. This is never easy, and must be respected. Nevertheless, a lot can be done in advance to reduce the chances of these decisions having to be made and for the rider to get the most out of their experience.

So let’s hope that those who have scratched from the years’ race have still taken a lot from their involvement in the event, have enjoyed their time in the Pyrenees and, if there are learnings to be taken, can employ these positively for their future endeavours.

L’Arivée

The finisher’s party, a typically raucous affair, will be taking place this evening. Apparently there will be ‘drinks, a buffet, back-slapping, stories, some prizes and a who can down a yard of ale the quickest competition’ (one of those I may have made up). One thing can be assured though, that David Ayre will be sporting his finest garish shirt whilst overseeing proceedings.

The cut-off for a GC finish is not until 23:59 however, so those who roll up to Eat, Sleep, Cycle in Girona during the evening will receive a rapturous welcome and be able to get on the beers right away (or, more likely, sip a beer, get a bit light headed and then find somewhere to sleep for 12+ hours).

As for the riders still out there, I am optimistic that those beyond or approaching the French-Spanish border will make the cut-off. Pavel Krajčík (cap 59) may have to turn on the afterburners to join the party, but from Paul Williams (cap 84) onwards a solid day should be rewarded with a GC finish.

Since my last report we have had 8 additional finishers, giving us a top 20. These are George Hodgkinson, Florian Scattolini, George Juckes, Florent ‘Achilles Tendon’ De Boisvilliers, Mathias Ulrich, David Sanchez, Jean-Christophe Huche & Pierre Vincent Benvenuto.

Florent got in touch, telling me that he is a big fan of the reports (you get a shout out just for that!) and said this about the race:

‘Sacré morceau, c'est la course la plus dure que j'ai faite.’

Again for you non-francophones, this translates roughly as ‘It was all pretty straightforward, probably the easiest race I’ve done. The organisers should make it a bit more difficult next year.’

Postcards from the Peloton

Byron 'Bareback' Buck, presumably by now back riding in his bib shorts, is living the ultra race dream with his choice of sleeping quarters. Warm, dry, facilities on tap - what more could one want? Not quite 5 star, I'd give this a rating of 'bog standard'...

Self-defined ‘ultra newbie’ Esther Lloyd has clearly been reading my reports and wants some of the pun. Nice one Esther, a sense of humour is a key asset in the ultra world and that ‘newbie’ status is well on the way to being dropped.

Molly Weaver apparently managed her 8th place finish without the assistance of caffeine, making her performance all the more impressive. I’m aware of the strategy of foregoing, or cutting back on, caffeine in the run-up to an event to ensure its effect is more marked when really needed but going cold turkey throughout an event is an interesting tactic. She has however wasted no time getting her hands on a posh coffee upon arrival at Girona, this one apparently only setting her back €13,20. (jeez, Graham '3 coffees' Steward's wallet is going to take a hit when he arrives!)

Now, I don't have favourite dots but if I did then Sylvain Arhancet (cap 47) would be a strong contender. He very kindly gave me this exclusive insight in to his race (using auto-translate), following his headline feature the other day:

‘Yes I had a bad race management by not sleeping enough at the beginning and by managing my less good moments badly, I had no experience on such a long.’

‘For my shoes I left with cycling shoes but they hurt too much so at the bottom of the Col d'Aubisque in Laruns I went to buy walking shoes and flat pedals, not ideal but it allowed me to finish, with my old shoe in my backpack.’

Chapeau encore Sylvain, even more impressive that you carried those shoes for such a long way! I’m sure you will learn a lot from this experience and look forward to seeing where this takes you next.

Croissant du Jour

As we have to stray slightly from viennoiserie territory for today’s ‘croissant du jour’, I thought I’d share the map I recently put on Instagram and which received perhaps more attention than anything remotely cycling-related I have ever posted. It does have relevance here though, as our riders were passing between ‘pain au chocolat’ & ‘chocolatine’ country, and if you ask for the wrong thing in the wrong place you are likely to find yourself upsetting some boulangers. They also won’t be shy about correcting you! One for those considering future editions of this race to add to their route notes.

It’s been slim pickings today on the viennoiserie front today. Perhaps the riders still out there have had enough of sweet foods for now. But, to put a Samuel Thompson twist on a Samuel Johnson quote: one who is tired of croissants is tired of life. So, slightly reluctantly, today’s savoury prize goes to James Illman with this splendid looking pizza. Bon appetit James!

Tomorrow will be my final report for this year's Trans Pyrenees Race. If you want anyone or anything mentioned, get in touch and I’ll make sure they get a shout out.

Samuel Thompson is an ABCC Level 3 cycling coach who runs Acier, a coaching and consulting entreprise designed spicifically to assist cyclists preparing for self-supported ultra-endurance events.

Words by Samuel Thompson, main image by @arrieredupeloton

An observation I missed from yesterday’s post is that Fiona Kolbinger, our 7th finisher (& first woman) was snapped wearing a bin bag near the town of Darnius on her way to the Costa Brava, giving a new meaning to junk miles. She joins race winner Robin Gemperle in having to resort to rummaging through waste receptacles (or more likely acquiring a fresh specimen in Fiona’s case) to ensure adequate protection from the weather conditions.

Now, we could focus on the sartorial faux pas element of this matter, or delve deeper into the question of why they had to go to such extremes…

Setups and kit lists seem to be heading inexorably towards the minimalist end of the scale. The picture I posted of Robin’s bike yesterday showed that he had no seat pack and thus very limited storage capacity. Fiona was better endowed in the baggage stakes, but had they strayed too far towards cutting weight and pack size in favour of a lighter and more agile setup?

Such matters are personal and this is an extremely important thing to bear in mind if you are ever thinking about copying the race winner’s kit list for your next event. What works for Robin or Fiona is unlikely to work for you. Unless you happen to be the same shape and size as them, with the same physical & mental capacities and the same experience in ultra-distance self-supported races.

But are we in danger of taking things too far and sacrificing important pieces of kit from a safety aspect in search of saving a few grams? One could argue not, given that both completed the race safely despite some very adverse conditions. On the other hand, having to don a bin bag suggests that their kit alone was not up to the job and things had gotten quite desperate. Plus, how much impact does, say, an extra kilo make in the grand scheme when whole rider and bike systems are 70-80+ times this?

There are more questions than answers at this stage, especially as conducting a scientifically robust experiment of the impact of small weight savings over a 2,000km race is not the most straightforward of tasks. However, the main thing I would like to stress is to respect your individuality. These two may wear a bin bag well, but a slightly more fit for purpose garment may suit you better. Or maybe not and we will soon see the PEdALED cycling-specific bin bag…

The Race

The top 10 is now complete. Rounding it out in 10th position was Franck Gabarrou, followed by Ludwig Steiner and Philipp Baumann to give us 12 finishers at this moment.

Before them, Girona was graced by the presence of former resident Molly Weaver, finishing in a smashing 8th place (6 days, 11 hours, 36 minutes) and ensuring that 25% of the top 8 was made up of women. I’m also delighted to announce the arrival of my favourite mystery man Sylvain Arhancet, just under an hour after Molly. He ‘liked’ my Instagram story yesterday so maybe I can bring you some inside news on his intriguing ride in the coming days.

Digging in to the numbers behind the top 10 finishers, what stands out for me is the moving/stopped time percentages. Besides 10th finisher Franck, the top 9 all maintained at least a 79% moving time. There isn’t much separating 3rd and 9th (83%-79%) on this measure, which is where average moving speed made the difference, ranging from Sylvain’s 15.60km/h to Manuel’s 19.20km/h. The top two were distinguished by their minimal stopped time of 13% & 14% respectively, allied to the fastest moving speeds of 19.40km/h & 19.60km/h (Anatole was in fact the faster moving of the two).

Although the Follow My Challenge statistics rely on the GPS data and frequently overestimate moving time (missing out many of the shorter stops) they give a good indication as to what determines the differences between riders and how little margin there is for ‘idling’ if one wants to be at the point end of a race as competitive as this. 20% stopped time per 24 hours equates to less than 5 hours. Balancing the requirements for sleep, resupply and the inevitable faffing with keeping those pedals turning is vital, but stray too far over one's limits and the finish line will soon be out of reach.

A reminder that the deadline for a General Classification finish is tomorrow (Saturday) at midnight. 42 riders have already scratched (42%), a testament to the demanding nature of this race, added to the less than ideal weather conditions. It certainly hasn’t been an easy edition, but that will only add to the sense of accomplishment for those valiant finishers.

Postcards from the Peloton

Caz Buckland has put in an admirably tenacious ride, with over half a day lost to a mechanical issue on the first day meaning she was chasing the clock against CP closing times. She determinedly pushed on though, narrowly making the cut-offs and is en-route to a GC finish (by midnight Saturday). Climbing the Tourmalet yesterday she highlights the two main challenges of this race - big steep climbs and big calorie deficits. No word on what she has been fueling on but if we assume that it is solely croissants (at ~280 kcal each) that would equate to over 35 per day. Challenge solved Caz.

James Illman is no stranger to the Trans Pyrenees Race, volunteering at the finish line at TPRNo2, and is a 3x finisher of TCR. He is making good progress along the Raid Parcours but over the past couple of days has been stalked by boy racers. Particularly those driving Porsches. On Wednesday on the Tourmalet we had this:

And yesterday they were back:

Perhaps we have another Tortoise and Hare situation going on here. Analysing the Porsche drivers strategy here, it seems they are taking the ‘sleep hard, move fast’ approach to the extreme.

Meanwhile on the Costa Brava, it’s good to see Robert Muller responding to that incident on Gavernie with some characteristically Germanic humour.

Finally, a visit to corrections corner. Achilles Tendon, horse whisperer and owner of very non-waterproof top tube bags has revealed his true identity to be cap 008 Florent de Boisvilliers. Just about to complete the Raid Parcours, we hope to see Florian arrive in Girona later today.

Croissant du Jour

Manuel Rudaz was supposed to give me a finish line exclusive scoop yesterday, but for some reason favoured sleep. He has however delivered today with this description of the most decadent way to get your hit of caffeine:

‘The best thing of doing twice the Tourmalet was to know exactly, for the return, where to stop for the coffee. The best cappuccino "meal" I never drink (and eat), with cream and Chantilly instead of milk’.

Manuel also guests on Acier’s Friday Favourite Five today, revealing even more about the man behind the snazzy jersey.

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A post shared by @zeekspizza

However, for the true croissant du jour I put my investigative journalism to good use once more. In a rare social media outing, 7th place finisher and certified hitter Fiona Kolbinger opened up questions about her TPR experience on her Instagram. Sensing an opportunity to ask the question that we all need answering, I pounced.

And, as with on the bicycle, Fiona delivered.

What I’m even more impressed with is that she even has the time to peruse L’Independant whilst sipping her coffee and enjoying that interesting looking pastry mid-race. Perhaps a pistachio or hazelnut roule…? In any case, I’m a fan of innovation on the viennoiserie front. As well as a fan of Fiona of course - thank you for the contribution!

I want to hear from you about what you want to see more or less of in these commentary pieces. I'm a person of the people and here to serve your wants and needs, so get in touch via here or here.

Words by Samuel Thompson, main image: Ali (007) Macleaod

Sylvain Arhancet is currently lying in 9th position and is likely to complete his Trans Pyrenees journey later today. He initially caught my eye when holding 4th position for an extended period of time during the first half of the race. At this point he seemed to be employing the ‘tortoise’ strategy of constant forward movement, even if this meant his average moving speed was several km/h less than those around him. His moving/stopped time ratio was the highest of all for a while, near to 90%.

However, at CP4 he was described as appearing to be not totally with it and potentially starting to pay the price for such small amounts of rest. He subsequently took an extended break of 8 hours (at the unconventional time of 16:00 to 00:00) at the start of the Raid Parcours, slipping back to around 8th. Although unconfirmed speculation on my part (like a true tabloid journalist), I suspect the dozies caught up with him at his point. A pertinent reminder of the importance of balancing rest with moving time - each person will have their optimal ratio but overstepping that line to unsustainable levels will only come back to bite sooner or later.

According to my sources he is a local to the Pyrenees from Pau whose only race result I can find is a very creditable 5th at Further Persévérance in 2023. Nonetheless, he is no stranger to riding his bicycle a very long way after completing a 6 month tour in 2022/3 covering 17,150km and 23 countries.

Sylvain took another long break overnight and his moving time % has slipped to 78%. Although this is similar to those from 5th-10th, his average moving speed is the first least speedy of the top 20. Let’s hope he has a solid final day before a deserved full nights sleep on arrival in Girona.

To add to the intrigue, the spectre of Sylvain was spotted by 007 Macleod in Saint-Béat on Tuesday wearing trainers and using flat pedals. Apparently this has been the case since the start. Certainly handy for the hike-a-bike but maybe less so for the other 95%+ of the route. But we are all individuals with our own preferences, so live and let pedal.

Manuel Rudaz rolled in yesterday to take the final podium spot in 5 days, 5 hours, 17 minutes. His moving time was the same as that of Anatole, with only the ‘time idle’, as Follow My Challenge puts it, separating the two (less idling next time Manuel!). We didn’t get to see as much of Manuel’s flamboyant dress sense as last year, with the practicalities of layering taking precedence, but he put on a great show in improving on his 5th position in TPRNo3.

4th, 5th and 6th place finishers Jocelyn Roth, Marco Stalder and Christian Dupraz arrived in within a 6 hour period over the afternoon and evening. Super rides by all.

Finishing in the early hours in 7th position with a time of 5 days, 21 hours, 55 minutes was Fiona Kolbinger. Lost Dot recognise the first female visitor, so that is worth mentioning here, but Fiona has demonstrated time and again that she is a certified hitter more than capable of figuring prominently at the upper reaches of the overall leaderboard. She rode a remarkably consistent race, taking a 5-6 hour break every night from the off - clearly someone who understands themselves well and how to manage their effort for the duration of the event.

Molly Weaver is our next rider expected to arrive in Girona during the day (unless our friend Sylvain turns on the afterburners). Her strategy has been very different to that of Fiona, but evidently no less effective. Just goes to show that there are multiple ways to skin this Pyrenean cat and highlights the importance of tackling the challenge in a manner appropriate to the individual.

There is one final routing decision to be made for those approaching Finish Parcours A & B. The two can be linked directly via a gravel option described (exclusively for Dotwatcher) by part time bicycle rider, part time start line photographer Ulrich Bartholmoes as ‘a bit gnarly on road tyres’, or a lengthier tarmac route. It seems that the leaders have favoured one last bit of gnarl before heading to Girona and a nice fancy coffee.

Postcards from the Peloton

Each time I speak to my mother on the telephone she is super keen to talk about the weather so she will be delighted to hear that we have some more weather news (hi Mum!). The riders, however, are rather less thrilled by the soggy conditions that have set in over the past couple of days. @achilestendon33, whose real name I am yet to ascertain (his name on Strava is even Achilles Tendon, so maybe that is it?), found his top tube bag doubling up as an extra water bottle. This is a difficult enough route as it is, so big kudos to those riders pushing on along the Raid Parcours in such adverse circumstances.

Rob Hyde has picked up on-the-ground snooping duties and provides us with this snap of Robin Gemperle’s race winning steed. There is barely space for more than a couple of bin bags in that setup, let alone a Happy Meal. Maybe some kind of tardis contraption is going on in there…

After ‘official’ race reporter Stuart Downie nabbed my exclusive story on Seun’s cheesecake yesterday in the Day 5 piece, I can’t not return the favour. So, in less florid words than Stuart (I’m still trying to decipher that first paragraph...), here is a picture of a thrilled looking David Sanchez sitting in a trolley shelter at the Intermarché in Laruns. Incidentally, I am very familiar with this particular supermarché having visited last year and devouring a whole large sized gâteau de riz sur lit de caramel. For you non-French speakers this translates as ‘very yummy caramelly baked rice pudding thingy’. I wonder whether David went for the same...

Croissant du Jour

A brief update from Seun Alaba deep in the Basque Country. ‘Accidentally’?! - I wasn’t born yesterday, Seun…

The big news however is that we have a confirmed sighting of the lesser-spotted Graham Steward in a cafe in Luz-Saint-Sauveur (photos by Liz Seabrook).

I want to hear from you about what you want to see more or less of in these commentary pieces. I'm a person of the people and here to serve your wants and needs, so get in touch via here or here.

Words by Samuel Thompson. Main image @arrieredupeloton.

Robin Gemperle is the winner of the fourth edition of the Trans Pyrenees Race. A truly dominant performance, having led almost continuously from the start, he becomes the first person to win TCR and TPR in the same year. The Lost Dot ‘double crown’ perhaps.

Robin arrived back in Girona this morning at around 3:30am, having ridden across the Pyrenees and back in 4 days, 20 hours, 27 minutes. Follow My Challenge has his total distance as 1,959 km, with a stopped time of only 15 hours, 14 minutes. This means he was moving for 87% of the time since last Friday. Add this to an average moving speed that only one other rider has bettered and you have a formidable package.

The standard at the sharp end of unsupported bikepacking races has been rising exponentially in recent years and Robin is only raising that ceiling further. Combining undoubted athleticism with meticulous planning, he also showed greater versatility and adaptability to the unfolding circumstances. Although he had to resort to fuelling at McDonalds and using a bin bag for an additional layer during the penultimate night, he refused to relent to the persistent pressure applied by Anatole in chase. Chapeau Robin.

As I write this, Anatole Naimi has just finished in second place, rounding off an impressively tenacious effort. Finishing in 5 days, 1 hour, 43 minutes, he never let up and had very comparable split times to Robin throughout the second half. An athletically notable performance too - he had the fastest averaging moving speed of all. Anatole does also take the honours as the winner of the Green Leaderboard, having committed to travel to and from the event without flying. You can most certainly have a chapeau too, Anatole!

The Leaders

We may well have the first two finishers but the rest of the riders still out there have until midnight on Saturday to receive a place within the General Classification.

Manuel Rudaz should be our third finisher later this morning, followed by Jocelyn Roth. Marco Stalder sits in fifth position, but second in the ‘Swiss Architect’ standings (behind colleague and compatriot Robin).

Fiona Kolbinger retains a healthy advantage over Molly Weaver in the battle for leading lady, but listening to her in yesterday’s Lost Dot podcast it may be more appropriate to highlight that she is 7th overall and Molly 9th. Despite her deserved renown, Fiona seems to keep a fairly low public profile, but on the occasions that we are fortunate to hear from her, it is hard not to be impressed and inspired by her composure and apparent ease at which she takes challenges in her stride.

Keep an eye on the Transpyrenees Instagram page for portraits of the riders as they roll in during the day.

Postcards from the Peloton

I noted that Mike Hall Bursary rider Maksym Matvieiev was spotted with his Tailfin rack held in place with sellotape. I must admit that I initially wrongly assumed the worst, but it turns out that the correct attachment was with his own bike which did not arrive in time for the start of the race. Although he has missed the cut-off at CP3 for a GC place he is determinedly persisting on a hire bike held together with sellotape. There are heroes all across this field.

Photo: @arrieredupeloton

There seems to be a particularly large number of animals out on the Pyrenean roads this year. Although no bears appear to have been spotted, the horses clearly have a preference for hanging around on tarmac instead of the adjacent fields as spotted by @achilletendon33. He tells me that this particular climb was hard enough, but had now become Horse Categorie…

A less amusing incident involving a rather smaller animal comes from Leyla Serbouti who had an ‘encounter’ with a stray cat on a descent, necessitating the intervention of the Lost Dot medical team. Gladly she seems OK but not in a condition to continue. Get well soon Leyla. And a nice illustration of the care that the Lost Dot team have for the riders, including the generosity of volunteer medic Adam to be on hand to assist riders in such circumstances.

Croissant du Jour

Some ride for performance. Some ride for pure enjoyment. Seun rides for cheesecake.

Seun Alaba was clear from the onset with his objectives for this ride. ‘Riding to go get some Basque cheesecake and then heading back to Girona to finish @transpyrenees’ he wrote on his pre-race Instagram post. Although he officially scratched from the race on Monday evening so won’t be completing the second part, his determination to succeed in the first (and most important?) was undeterred.

The excitement was building throughout the afternoon as Seun made his way west, leaving a trail of saliva as he went at the very thought of the cheesecake that awaited him.

Words by Samuel Thompson

Dotwatchers, we may well have a winner today. But more on that later, there are equally important stories to be recounted from across the Pyrenees with riders now stretched across this splendid mountain range.

After learning that Jamie Oliver would be a home-based race volunteer and Nadia Hussian putting in a shift at CP3, we were half expecting Gordon Ramsey to lend a hand at CP4. Alas, the riders were instead met by the Janmart brothers, who you may recall from their very discreet appearances at previous editions of TPR, Julien Gravaud, fellow 3x TPR veteran & perhaps the coolest man in the bikepacking scene, and Simon Everett, who is back for a third consecutive occasion volunteering at the race. It’s people with the enthusiasm and dedication of yourself Simon that make these events such a fabulous experience for the riders, so thank you and all of the other volunteers - your selflessness is appreciated by us all.

With this cast of characters, the atmosphere was electric, as the photograph below clearly shows…

Julien informed me that the arriving riders were either ‘very focused’ or ‘quite smashed’. I presume by the second he is referring to fatigue rather than them turning up rather merry after having filled their bidons with local txakoli. CP4 closed at midnight, the Janmaert brothers slipping off quietly and Julien returning to mayoral duties in St-Jean-de-Luz (yep, I am stealing your line Stuart). The TPR party however must go on…

The Leaders

We have a real race on our hands as Robin Gemperle and Anatole Naimi are now passed the biggest of the passes and hone in on the Mediterranean Coast. Robin still holds a lead of around a couple of hours by my making over Anatole, with Manuel Rudaz slipping slightly further back but still very much solidly holding third. Robin appeared to have stopped for around 90 minutes last night, with Anatole seemingly stopping for no longer than an hour at any one time. Seems that both can get a whiff of that Mediterranean air and are lining up for the final push. We will have more news and analysis of this pointiest end of the race as the day progresses.

I do however have breaking news that Robin was spotted entering a bakery in Axat this morning donning a bin bag.

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Slightly further back along the Raid Pyrenean Parcours, Jocelyn Roth leads the charge for the chocolate medal ahead of Marco Stalder and Christian Dupraz.

Fiona Kolbinger has consolidated her lead over Molly Weaver with around two climbs separating the leading ladies. Both are firmly in the top-10, the pattern of Fiona resting for longer but riding faster persisting.

Postcards from the Peloton

It seems that the commentator's curse has struck. Seum Alaba and Rob Hyde, both receiving mentions yesterday have since unfortunately scratched. Rob explains all in his story below taking the decision that 99.8% of the general population would make in preferring pintxos and beer to riding a bicycle hundreds of kilometres over countless mountain passes including thousands of metres of elevation.

But Rob still had time to fit in one more unplanned gravel detour. You will never guess what routing software he was using…

…Ride With GPS. What?! Did you think I was going to say something different? Although in fairness to all routing platforms there is always scope for user error (I’m sure this wasn’t the case with you, Rob). As the saying goes, a bad bikepacker blames their tools.

Talking of the rough stuff, fixed gear favourite Sergey Shulubin took his turn on the Gavarnie hike-a-bike yesterday, having almost as much fun as Robert Muller.

Elsewhere, Byron Buck has ingeniously repurposed his aero bars as a drying rack. I am yet to receive confirmation as to whether he has a spare pair of shorts to wear in the meantime. Otherwise we may be renaming him Byron Bareback…

You may have thought we had heard the last from 007 Maclead, but no, Macleod never dies. Although still recovering from his illness (get well soon Ali!), he has now taken up a role on Dotwatchers secret service. Using highly sophisticated gadgets such as his phone he located and intercepted race leader Robin Gemperle as he passed Saint-Béat yesterday. Ali quotes: ‘I tried to follow and get a front on shot but he almost put me into cardiac arrest’. Take it easy 007. Below, and for your eyes only, is said photo. Ali clearly has a golden eye for a passing rider and may well catch a few more before his mission is complete.

Croissant du Jour

France is a land of wonderful food, but find yourself in a rural location on a Sunday afternoon or any evening after 8:00pm and sourcing that food can prove difficult. However, the resourceful bikepacker will find a solution. Possibly the holy grail in the middle of a barren night is the pizza vending machine. Last night Anatole came across one such last night and is clearly head over heels at the discovery. (I have a top secret map of all the locations of vending machines in France - slip me a few € and I may share a copy...)

But we are more about the sweet rather than savoury when it comes to dishing out the croissant du jour trophy. Today, it goes to Molly Weaver, still holding a strong top-10 position and adding further evidence to my assertion that viennoiserie=speed. Here she is, demonstrating that the only pain she is experiencing is pain au raisin.

Additional insights will be provided via my Instagram stories. I'd love to hear from you if you have any tales or inside info that you think needs to be shared (particularly about Graham Steward - I'm still after some juicy gossip on him...).

Words by Samuel Thompson

I raced the first three editions of the Trans Pyrenees Race and on each occasion brought no specific sleep system beyond an emergency foil blanket. This was a considered decision based on my race strategy, individual tolerances and personal preferences.

Not having to carry a sleeping bag, bivvy bag, mat etc. does indeed save weight which can be an advantage in a race with so much elevation gain. But the impact of such a relatively small amount of weight, especially when considering the rider as part of the overall system, is often exaggerated. It’s not negligible, but neither is it make-or-break. Not getting good sleep though can cause that break in such a demanding event.

My preference was therefore to rely on quality sleep indoors, saving slightly on weight and (more importantly to me) affording myself extra carrying capacity for clothes to cover most eventualities. The route generally follows the pattern of pass, valley, pass, valley bis repetita, with most valleys reasonably populated and often touristic destinations. This doesn’t mean that hotels abound, but with some planning ahead there are usually options.

Also, as my tolerance for colder temperatures is on the lower side, I figured that I would not likely be sleeping out at altitude even if I had a sleep system, rather descending to the valley for a spot to snooze. So, if I was going to be there already I could make use of the indoor option which usually allows better quality of sleep and guaranteed shelter should the weather be adverse. There is indeed a financial cost to this, but I found most options were reasonable and don’t recall having to spend much above €50 on any occasion, and frequently less (still, on an hourly basis the value is more questionable!).

This is however not an approach that I take to every event. An effective sleep system offering good quality sleep can allow for more flexibility as to where and when you can get your shut eye without being constrained to availability of indoor options - especially when there are less of these. I have made effective use of this on other occasions, with a sleep kit suited to me and my requirements.

The final, and most important, point to stress is that this was my personal choice which worked for me and my circumstances. The ideal sleeping system for another rider may be very different. There is no universal ‘right’ answer. I encourage the athletes I coach through Acier to find out what works for them in different conditions through their training and simulation rides. Yes, some knowledge can be gained through initial research, but you never know what is truly right for you without practice. Just as we train the body, we must work on all aspects of race preparation.

So in brief, the answer for what the ideal sleep setup is, again - it's personal and it depends!

Samuel Thompson is a veteran of the first three edition of the Trans Pyrenees Race and runs Acier, a coaching & consulting enterprise specifically tailored for those preparing for ultra-distance, self-supported cycling events.

Words by Samuel Thompson

There I was thinking that the official Lost Dot reports were to provide us with a straight-faced, serious recounting of the race, whilst we are here to offer some light relief. But no, race reporter Stuart Downie wants some of the pun with his ‘These boots weren’t made for walking’ headline yesterday. Challenge accepted Stu…

I would like to start today with some words about the riders who have unfortunately had to scratch. Making the decision to stop riding can be a hard one, an easy one or both hard and easy all at one. Particularly when it is effectively made for you. Illness, injury or unresolvable mechanical issues may make the decision inevitable, but that makes it no easier to accept. If there is a choice to be made by the rider as to whether scratching is the right thing, the advice I always give is to not hurry, give it some time and explore all possible solutions. I have written more about my experience in TPRNo2 and the consequences I had to deal with here.

My pre-race dark horse pick Tom Fitton finished his TPRNo4 journey at CP3, after stomach issues made it difficult for him to eat, which sounds no fun at all. Perhaps as divine approval of his choice, his SRAM electronic shifting died soon after, despite working ‘flawlessly’ for years until then. Not like SRAM electronics to cause issues in bikepacking races…

Rob Gardiner explains his decision for scratching in a photo showing that his feet are nonetheless in better condition than those of Robert Muller.

Dotwatcher’s own, Ali Macleod (cap 007), has reached the end of his mission, choosing to die another day rather than risk pushing on with a nasty cough. The man with the blue bike can however take a quantum of solace that he is otherwise well and promises to bring some on-the-ground reports from riders on the raid parcours.

One rider who may not have scratched but who will not be appearing on the official results is cap 65 Damien Delbergue who took the explicitly banned Vielha tunnel on his way to CP2. Unless this was a conscious choice, it is a handy reminder for us all to RTFM when planning for an event. That is, Read The Full Manual. Although, in situations like this, that F can be replaced by an alternative word of your choosing…

The Race

The three musketeers of Robin Gemperle, Anatole Naimi and Manuel Rudaz continue to lead the pack as they forge their way across the ups and downs, and ups and downs of the return parcours. About a Pogacar-attack-from-the-finish-line distance separates this trio. All three bedded down last night, with the first two stopping for around 3h30 and sleeping beauty Manuel enjoying 6h30. But quality sleeping time should never be seen as 'wasted' time so this may set him up well for the next couple of days.

Fiona Kolbinger and Molly Weaver both hold top-10 positions with, until now, Fiona generally taking slightly longer breaks but more than compensating for this with a faster average moving speed. They even crossed paths last night close to the Atlantic coast - I wonder whether it was a cheery greeting & hug, an acknowledging nod & wave or icy glares as they passed. Each rider has their own strategy to suit their strengths and watching this play out is fascinating.

Now that the cut-off time for CP3 has passed it is interesting to look back on the routing options between CP2 and CP3. The heatmap on Follow My Challenge is a great tool for this. Here we can clearly see the impact of one’s preferred routing software. Those using Komoot taking the ‘rideable’ shortcut via Gavarnie and those using other software where selecting the ‘road bike’ option generally involves tarmac surfaces. This route, via the Col du Portalet was around 90km longer but all rideable and with slightly less elevation.

Postcards from the Peloton

Is it even a bikepacking race if someone doesn’t get themselves or their bike locked in a hotel? It looks like Esther Lloyd has however since made a Great Escape and is back on the road.

Rob Hyde takes the award for the second most stupid choice of footwear for hiking-a-bike over a mountain pass. What’s wrong with good old sensible SPD shoes people…?

Graham Steward’s wife got in contact asking for him to get a shout out as he has trained so hard and put so much into his preparation. She did however claim that she had no juicy gossip or embarrassing stories about him for me to disclose here, which I am not buying at all. So, if you have any tales that need to be shared about Graham get in touch. You’re doing great though Graham - keep those pedals turning!

Croissant du Jour

Things are starting to hot up on the viennoiserie front. This has me excited. Firstly though, and certainly not winning today’s prize is this rather pathetic pain au chocolat submitted by Ali Macleod. I only include as it’s given me the opportunity to highlight that in this part of France this is in fact named a ‘chocolatine’. You can’t claim that I don’t provide you with enriching information on the local culture. But come on Ali, you can do better than this.

The real honours however go to Anatole Naimi, who is adding further evidence to my assertion that consumption of boulangerie products directly correlates to speed.

Additional insights will be provided via our Instragram stories: Lucas & Samuel. Contact either of us if you have any tales or inside info that you think needs to be shared.

Words by Lucas Becker

It has been a busy day. The top three already started the parcours going back again in the direction of the mediterranean sea with the top ten having finished the fourth parcours. The hikers around the Gavarnie section probably asked themselves why there are so many road cyclists taking their bike for a hike. The timing to get to CP3 is definitely nothing for a relaxed bike ride. Everybody needed to hurry up as it has already been closed now. They will need to push to get to CP4 which will close tomorrow at midnight. At least the weather seems to have turned for the better and no snow is expected in the next few days.

Story of the day One of the highlights of the day might have been the unfortunate news of Robert needing to scratch. I did not expect this, but quickly understood why. A very “German” trend (socks and slippers) and very not “German” decision at the same time (not the proper footwear for the job) took a heavy toll on his feet.

The Leaders The image is clear. The top three are already on their way back with Robin leading the race with almost two climbs of advance. The return parcours are particularly challenging. Not only they will need to climb one col after another. The small towns in the valleys often do not have a lot of options regarding food, opening hours are not consistent and there are not a lot of french pizza distributors around. Fiona now has a good lead over Molly and it seems her decision to take a southern route in Spain was a good one as she managed to make up even more ground after Fiona took the hiking passage at Gavarnie and Molly did not.

The race is definitely not over yet. The way back is long and the lack of sleep will start to pay its toll. And as I am writing this, it seems as both, Anatole and Manuel, stopped to get some sleep. Let’s see what the morning brings.

Words by Samuel Thompson, headline image @radbert_m

‘The weather is looking very good’ - Fiona Kolbinger, 26 September 2024

Who doesn’t like a bit of chat about the weather? Always a great way to keep the conversation going when you don’t have much else to talk about. But, oh my, we have some proper weather action in the Pyrenees. ‘Snow joke out there.

Local resident, double TCR champ and now expert in aeromancy James Hayden alerted us to snow above 1,700m last night and again this morning on the Puerto de la Bonaigua, where all of the riders are passing en route to CP2 at Col d’Aspin. Temperatures at around 2,000m were close to freezing overnight and are not rising above 5℃ throughout the day, made chiller by a frigid northern wind.

However, the riders themselves seem to be having a lot of fun. This quote from an anonymous frontrunner:

Meanwhile, during the Lost Dot Registration Day podcast, Robert Muller sounded relaxed and optimistic, mentioning that he was just hoping to have fun…

There’s plenty of fun to be had there Robert, don’t tell me you forgot to pack your toboggan?!

It looks like plenty of layers are going to be needed for all over the coming 24 hours, as the coming night is due to be even colder, with negative temperatures on Col D’Aspin (CP2) which is ‘only’ at 1,489m. They will then be having to traverse the range again to reach CP3 in Torla-Odessa, which will inevitably involve higher altitudes and drops in the mercury. That fomo I mentioned previously about not being there...that has now well and truly disappeared! Courage to you, riders.

The Leaders

I could tell you who is leading, but it’s likely to be old news by the time you read this. Plus, discering who is actually leading is difficult at this stage with riders choosing differing directions on the free-routing elements. We do however see some interesting route choices emerging to link CP2 and CP3. The most direct route, where Robin Gemperle and Robert Muller appear to be heading, is certainly the most audacious. Lucas tells me that he has been hiking around Gavarnie, but didn’t sound too enthusiastic about the thought of bringing a bicycle here. Plus, just getting there involves a jaunt over the Tourmalet, which riders will be returning to tackle from the opposite side on the return Parcours. The alternative, a la Antoine Naimi, is lengthier but should all be on road (depending on one's routing software…). Will the audacious be rewarded?

Speaking of places a road bike doesn’t belong - after getting smashed about on my gravel bike (and marvelling at the scenery up high) taking the ‘wild shortcut’ between Espui and Espot earlier in the year during El Piri, I’m slightly disappointed to see that the entire field chose to double back at CP1 and stick to the road option.

Postcards from the Peloton

Sleep seems to have been seen very much as optional amongst those near the head of the field, with Robin Gemperle one of the few to have seemingly stopped for anything more than a nap, with a solid 3 hour snooze. Much of the rest of the peloton have sought shelter in the valley leading to Puerto de la Bonaigua, where there are several reasonable sized settlements such as Sort and Llavorsi. Notable amongst these is Fiona Kolbinger, who had more than 5 hours shut eye around Llavorsi. Those playing the long game now may come strong later on in the race. It may ‘only’ be 2,000km, but it is a very long 2,000km so finding a sustainable sleep strategy from now on will be crucial. A night out in those weather conditions may also leave physical consequences that come back to bite in the coming days.

Croissant du Jour

As the riders have spent the majority of their first full day in Spain, I am not surprised to see that consumption of viennoiserie has been on the low side. This is a personal view (and certainly not that of Dotwatcher), but Spanish bakeries generally disappoint. Far too much margarine and not enough butter, which they try to cover up by coating the whole thing in sugar or chocolate. I expect things to improve in the second half of the race as we reach the Basque Country and the Raid Parcours where proper French boulangeries abound. For now though, feast your eyes on the huge tomatoes our undercover agent Ali Macleod (cap 007) has managed to snaffle to accompany his bagels. You only live twice Ali - you may as well enjoy it!

Additional insights will be provided via our Instragram stories: Lucas & Samuel. Contact either of us if you have any tales or inside info that you think needs to be shared.