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The Transcontinental race has wrapped up its ninth version, with Cristoph Strasser as soon as once more the primary rider to traverse the almost 4,000km distance between the checkpoints that ran from Belgium via to Greece.
The self-supported race, based by ultra-endurance chief Mike Corridor who tragically misplaced his life on the roads of Australia 6 years in the past, has continued to develop and evolve, with riders going through a shorter however extra mountainous route in 2023. The sphere of round 350 riders this yr additionally confronted obligatory gravel sections alongside the journey from the beginning on the unrelenting cobbled ascent of the Muur-Kepelmuur in Geraardsbergen on July 23 to Thessaloniki.
Between the 2 factors, riders plotted their course throughout the continent via 4 checkpoints, local weather extremes and as much as 11 border crossings. The icy situations got here early within the journey, with the primary management level taking riders to the heights of the Italian Alps and over a few of the highest paved roads within the area to achieve the Passo dello Spluga and registration in Livigno.
Then whereas the rivals might have had management of their very own path, the situation of checkpoint 2 meant there was little selection however for a mountainous path to the management level at Zgornje Jezersko within the Slovenian Alps. This took riders to the Carinthian area, a spot of rugged peaks and dense forests the place the paved roads give technique to rougher surfaces, generally gravel and generally rough-hewn rock.
After that, the race headed right down to checkpoint three in Albania, into distant territory and thru the mountains to Peshkopi earlier than transferring on to the UNESCO World Heritage web site of Meteora in Greece. The monasteries perched on the large sandstone rock pillars had been truly the end vacation spot within the fifth and sixth editions of the race, this yr, nevertheless, because the fourth management level, it signalled the ultimate stretch. From Meteora, riders turned northeast towards the coast and Thessaloniki to dip their wheels within the Aegean Sea as a symbolic conclusion to a journey throughout Europe.
The successful rider, Strasser, took his remaining pedal stroke of the race after 8 days, 16 hours and half-hour, and the ultimate rider within the official GC arrived close to on per week later. Nonetheless, even now, a few of the monitoring dots are nonetheless working their manner throughout the map, as whereas the race for GC positions could also be over, the extraordinary sense of accomplishment for individuals who full the journey stays.
There’s a myriad of notable achievements transpiring alongside the 1000’s of kilometres between the beginning and end, than simply who wins the race, however for now, allow us to check out the highest and remaining GC finishers, the primary pair, the quickest girl and inexperienced leaderboard winner.
Neck and neck to Greece for Strasser and Gemperle
Austrian rider Christoph Strasser gained the 2022 version of the Transcontinental in 9 days and 15 hours, greater than eight hours forward of his nearest rival Adam Bialek, even with a one-hour penalty after he shouted a rival Ulrich Bartholmoes a can of coke when his card did not work – undoubtedly a sportsman-like gesture however one which fell foul of the strict self-support requirement.
It was a formidable outcome as whereas Strasser was an achieved ultra-endurance racer, being a six-time Race Throughout America Winner, self-supported racing was an entire new ball recreation again then.
“Final yr looks as if a warm-up experience for this yr,” stated Strasser in an announcement from Transcontinental Race organisers.
Then in 2023, whereas he had the expertise, there was one other component that threw in an unknown component, and that was the mountains and gravel – an space the rider thought-about a weak spot pre-race. Although maybe not a lot anymore, given he took victory in Thessaloniki after eight days, 16 hours and half-hour.
It was an in depth run battle via a lot of the journey, with Robin Gemperle forward at checkpoint 1, Strasser taking the lead by simply 19 minutes at Zgornje Jezersko, and whereas it was shut heading into Greece, Strasser stored pushing to open up the hole additional and completed extra six hours forward of his Swiss rival, who had gained the Atlas Mountain Race earlier in 2023.
“Within the race, it was the joy to go to my restrict, the joy of the battle and problem with Robin. I believe we’ve been motivating one another – if you see the opposite goes deep, you wish to do your greatest, and the opposite manner round.”
Now the query is will he return for the tenth version of the Transcontinental in 2024 and make it three victories?
“I can think about I will likely be again,” stated Strasser. “Possibly we’ll see different robust riders past me and Robin. After two profitable races, there isn’t any motive for me to cease and if robust individuals are right here, I’m very motivated to return.”
The Inexperienced Leaderboard
There was a brand new class launched to the race this yr, with the very first Inexperienced Leaderboard. It was designed to incentivise and reward riders choosing sustainable journey approaches, avoiding flights and travelling overland to and from the race as a part of the trouble to cut back the general carbon footprint.
“We have skilled the consequences of climate-related excessive climate occasions first-hand in our Racing grounds, with extreme flooding in Slovenia placing riders in danger whereas raging heatwaves within the south of Europe exacerbated riders’ struggling on an already arduous route,” TCRNo9 Race Coordinator and GL Lead Hannah Larbalestier, stated in an announcement.
A couple of quarter of the sphere was a part of the Inexperienced Chief board, which was gained by the third-placed rider on GC, Tim de Witte, who headed house from Thessaloniki. on buses and trains. De Witte completed in 9 days, ten hours and 12 minutes.
Quickest ladies
The Transcontinental would not have a ladies’s class as this can be a kind of racing the place ladies have a historical past on the very high of the general leaderboard. In truth, it was Fiona Kolbinger who gained the Transcontinental in 2020, over in the US Lael Wilcox has gained the Trans Am whereas Sarah Hammond gained the Race to the Rock, via the Australian outback thrice in a row.
In 2023 on the Transcontinental it was Jaimi Wilson who was the quickest girl, ending in 11 days, seven hours and 39 minutes or twenty fifth general within the GC. It was then Marei Moldenhauer that was subsequent, simply three hours again. The British rider had been hoping to publish a outcome greater up the general standings, however subsequent yr might maybe nonetheless ship that chance.
“Regardless of the frustration, crucial half is that I actually did have an incredible two weeks or so, together with driving to the beginning of the race, hurtling my manner via 11 very distinct nations travelling in one of the simplest ways potential, as all the time by bike,” stated Wilson in an Instagram publish.
“The landscapes had been at instances mind-blowing, the individuals legends and the animals much more so (other than the stray canines), the chaos of the Balkans threw me again in time and I cherished the chaos and the liberty that accompanies it.”
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Quickest pair
There have been solely two pairs ending the Transcontinental throughout the GC in 2023 and the primary of those, Sherry Cardona and Gereon Tewes pulled out a transparent lead and completed after ten days, 21 hours and 42 minutes.
“The TCR was a bucket record expertise,” stated the Colombian and German duo in a race media launch. “I assumed it will be extra bodily difficult, nevertheless it was extra mentally difficult … This was type of the primary race the place we wished to race rather well [rather than simply finish it], which introduces extra conflicts right into a Pair state of affairs.
“All the pieces is a joint choice, and communication and expertise actually helped us – we agreed it’s a race and an journey collectively and, if issues do not go as deliberate, it is nonetheless a great journey. We’re a pair, so it helps with these conflicts alongside the way in which.”
Maglia Nera
The Maglia Nera was awarded within the Giro d’Italia, between 1946 and 1951, going to the rider who completed final on GC. Whereas it might be a few years because it was donned within the Italian Grand Tour, the Transcontinental awards this to the final rider over the road throughout the GC cut-off. There have been 125 riders that completed throughout the restrict, the final being James Vernon, who rolled into Thessaloniki and was greeted by those that had been persevering with the finishers’ celebration late into the night, stopping the clock at 15 days and 18 minutes.