TCRNo10 Day 6: Degrees of Perspiration
July 28, 2024
Words by Andrew Phillips
Degrees of perspiration
If yesterday’s metaphor to describe the map was of tree roots searching for fertile ground, today’s is the salt stain plastered across a rider’s jersey. As the riders descend from 50 degrees north in Roubaix to the southernmost point of the Race at just 39 degrees, the reduced distance to the equator is becoming increasingly obvious, and thermometer and latitude may even intersect. On Saturday, Control Car 1 reported that temperatures in North Macedonia were around 35 degrees in the shade.
They all scream for ice cream
How riders cope with the increased temperatures could define the remainder of their Race. Some choose to change their sleep strategies, resting in the hottest hours and pedalling through the cool of the night. Others stop at Türkiye’s many hayrat fountains and taps, memorials to the dead, lifeblood to the still living. Some riders are less prosaic, and limit their cultural experience to a petrol station Calippo down the back of a jersey, as race leader Robin Gemperle (002) was seen doing yesterday as he leads the charge south into the crescendoing temperatures.
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Further back, Jaimi Wilson (004) has been dreading the hotter weather, but so far the only side-effects seem to be aromatic “don’t come too close… I’m disgusting… I’m really conscious of it” she told Race Reporter Hannah Larbalestier. Further up the road in Kosovo, fastest woman Jana Kesenheimer (010) also seems to be coping well with the heat, keeping a metronomic pace at around 15th place overall.
The tip of the spear
In second place, Australian rider Abdullah Zeinab (021) is unfazed by the soaring temperatures and it’s possibly this advantage which saw him catch, and briefly overtake, Robin to seize the race lead at ~0600CEST in the North Macedonian capital, Skopje. But Abdullah’s brief lead seemed to be built on a strategy of minimal rest, and when Robin continued after a break of around 4 hours, he quickly regained his position at the vanguard of the field.
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Drama Farmer
In the scramble for placings between CPs 3 and 4, two main route choices have emerged for riders. The first, and most popular, heads south-east through North Macedonia and passes near the Greek town of Drama, en route to Kavala and riders’ first sighting of the Mediterranean coast. Both Robin and Christoph opted for familiar roads, around the northern Greek lake of Kerkini — as seen on the TCRNo9 Finish Parcours.
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The second route, so far adopted only by David Tschan, skirts north along the Bulgarian plain, crossing into Türkiye near Edirne before plummeting almost due south to Çanakkale and CP4.
Getting Diverted
After the fastest riders passed through CP3, word came through from the volunteer team on the ground that the road between the end of the parcours at Prevalle and Control Point 3 was closed. Lost Dot control and volunteer teams swung into action, creating an alternative parcours route and establishing a temporary Control Point further down the valley. Riders expected through the Parcours during road closure times were notified individually by Lost Dot’s UK-based Rider Communications Manager, and the reroute has passed relatively smoothly so far.
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The Curse of the Victor
Back in Bosnia Victor Bosoni (232), freshly reunited with his passport, raced for CP2 hindered briefly by mechanical issues with his brakes. Ahead of him, Mark Kowalski (243) felt a sinking feeling which Victor will be very familiar with “I went to pay for my two banana ice creams and orange soda, and realised I didn’t have my wallet… At CP2 I visually remembered putting my passport in my bag, and thought it’s fine, I’m not going to check because I know it’s in there,” said Mark. Realising his mistake, he turned back towards CP2, a 70km round trip, with around 1200m elevation in the baking heat.
Turkey Frazzlers
The frontrunners are even now crossing into Türkiye, and nothing — not even the summer’s oven-like temperatures — will stop them racing for Istanbul. Tune in to tomorrow’s Report, when the leaders will find themselves racing in Asia for the first time in the Transcontinental’s history.