Day 2: These boots weren't made for walking

Words by Stuart Downie

Photos by Tomás Montes and Liz Seabrook

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Perhaps the most interesting decision riders will have to make coming into this edition of the Trans Pyrenees Race is whether or not to hike-a-bike before Control Point 3, or to play it safe and take a longer road route around.

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When we arrived beneath the pass at Puerto de Bujaruelo after ninety minutes of hiking, no rider had yet crossed but some had signalled their intention. After a paved climb from Gavarnie the road ends at the ridgeline and riders are dropped onto a hiking path. In the early morning, snow swirls in the air above 2,000m and the last of the overnight snowfall has not yet fully thawed, punctuated by delicate purple Merendera flowers. The path is equal parts loose muck, chunky rock, and washy gravel. Water gushes down the mountain toward the river below. For the riders, the descent will take care and attention.

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Robin Gemperle (001) appears rueing the weather overnight, and tells us he heard Robert swearing along the way. The race leader stopped around 04:00CEST for a few hours to rest. It was while he was sleeping that Anatole Naimi (044) took the lead on the road, but as Robin descends the hike-a-bike section with the fluidity you’d expect of an Atlas Mountain Race winner he reclaims that lead and reaches Control Point 3 first.

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Robert Müller (060) has taken the same pass over Bujaruelo with not just one pair of wholly inappropriate shoes, but two. It’s not much of a surprise when he tells us regretfully that crossing in a pair of hotel slippers is the stupidest thing he’s ever done. Before sitting down to rally himself with an al fresco lunch, he belatedly wishes he had taken the 90km paved route around which would have suited the road shoes strapped to the back of his bike much better. Lesson learned: the Pyrenees are not to be underestimated.

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By contrast, Anatole did take the road round, a smart gamble given the snow and low temperatures forecast overnight. It’s an extra 90km, but it has less elevation and is at lower altitude, meaning it would be warmer and easier going through the night. Unfortunately, the gamble hasn’t paid off this time. If fortune favours the bold it might have had a hard time choosing between these contestants.

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Manuel Rudaz (031) is third to CP3, and when we catch him resupplying later he’s glad the ‘baby hike-a-bike’ is complete. He’s planning to get a hotel tonight for a hot shower after a cold night, and is looking to the coast and the familiarity of the Raid – and hopefully some warmer weather. But first, two bags of Haribo.

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Overnight Molly Weaver (009) has taken the lead as fastest woman on the road. Taking the long way round to CP3 in the dark appears to have paid off while Molly’s rival Fiona Kolbinger (004) rested. We catch Molly at the summit of Pourtalet before she descends like a banshee, pro skills on full display.

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Last night Fiona called it a day around 23:00CEST – Molly passing within the next hour – and got a solid 5 hour break. It’s possible with time in hand she treated herself to an extra hour off. We’re hoping to catch her at the CP later this evening to find out. At the point of writing, Fiona is coming over the pass at Bujaruelo in the early evening, with over an hour of sunlight left – CP3 is in reach and a night indoors is a possibility. As far as jinxes go, Fiona’s portentous ‘it looks like good weather’ at registration hasn’t come to pass, but in her defence she was off the bike for a good chunk of it.

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Esther Lloyd (068) is over the iconic Col du Tourmalet, and we’ll wait to see what choice she makes in respect of the hike-a-bike on offer. With only two hours of stopped time so far, she’ll be due a little break, and if taking her bike for a walk appeals then doing that in the daylight tomorrow is a much better proposition.

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Omar di Felice (098), one of the early race favourites, had a long break on the first night and it remains to be seen how this will play out for him. Earlier today he was seen on the slopes of the Aspin. Omar is known to be a strong climber, could he be biding his time for the Raid Parcours?

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Julie von Gruenigen (006) woke up this morning with a cold and tried to ride through it. She changed her plan at midday and decided to stop for a rest instead, in the hope that it would clear. Fingers crossed.

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Towards the tail end of the Race is Sergey Shulubin (049). Sergey’s ridden every edition of the Trans Pyrenees Race, but what’s more is he’s done it on a fixed gear bike with only two cogs, one for going up and one for coming down. Sergey has never finished within the time cut, join us in willing him on to his goal.

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Incidentally, Sergey is bracketed by our Bursary riders Judit Ertl (048) and Maksym Matvieiev (030), both riding valiantly. If you read our earlier Bursary report, you’ll already know that Maksym had been waiting for his bike to arrive, enough to give any rider due stress. Like any adept self-supported ultra cyclist, Maksym problem solved, and began his Race on a rental bike he quickly sourced in Girona.

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Lastly, a special mention for Lucas Cortini Oliveira (010) who took inspiration from TPRNo3 and climbed off-road above the tunnel at Bielsa – this time in the opposite direction – eliciting a nod of sage approval from Lost Dot.

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Until tomorrow, when we head for the far coast and warmer climes. 

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SCRATCH REPORT

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Huw Owen (083)

Sam Doody (046)

Tom Cooling (017)

Lee Shale (070)

Stefan Van Gijsel (076)

Niall Deans (016)

Elliot Gibbs (042)

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