Indian Pacific Wheel Race 2017

[Shrike]

With ultras usually all you get is a few blogs, tucked away obscurely somewhere in the ether. But this one seems different. Both durianrider and Cycling Maven are going to upload along the way. Maybe even get some live feeds occasionally. Pretty cool actually, and paves the way for a new generation of ultra-athlete bloggers. That would be super inspirational. It's one thing to have a write up in a roadie website afterwards, but to follow along the drama daily, even if it's just a few minutes of video - that's class and admittedly, adds an extra layer of difficulty and organisation. The pay off here may be worth it though, in terms of motivation from followers.

Vloggers doing the IndiPac

durianrider
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_K0S2 ... c77d6oRE7w

Cycling Maven
https://www.youtube.com/user/cyclingmaven

Ride Adelaide (not sure if he's actually going to upload along the way)
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmpfVq ... f7VX1nAJ7w

Map Progress
https://indianpacificwheelrace.maprogress.com

Facebook
https://en-gb.facebook.com/IndianPacificWheelRace/

Indian Pacific Wheel Race website
https://www.indianpacificwheelrace.com

Some big guns here too looking to win:
Kristoff Allegaert
Mike Hall
Jesse Carlsson
Juliana Buhring
Sarah Hammond

[PSM]

Following this event with huge intrest.

[jeffy]

will be very interesting to follow both the big guns and the Youtubers.

[Shrike]

Wonder how Maven will get on. Someone said he was running a semi-compact, with 11-32 at the back. Lots of guys running much easier gears than that. Think they start in about 20 mins! They must be a nervous mess

[prendrefeu]

That live map is really cool!!

[Shrike]

Yeah that tracker's class. Durianrider's tracker is down at the moment, organisers are keeping an eye out for him to sort a replacement. Seems it pissed down relentlessly all day 1

Some Day 1 action shots

durianrider


Mike Hall, with the 'tash


Sarah Hammond


Jesse Carlsson

[Shrike]

One rider took a wrong turn already. Someone local seems to have sorted him out though!

[Shrike]

durianrider and Jesse Carlsson are out. DR's just not physically is form right now (he was hit by a car few weeks back and was pissing around on an e-bike trying to recover leading up to this), and is struggling to hold even 130 watts so will pack it in. Jesse has abdominal issues flaring up.

[CarlosFerreiro]

Kristof Allegaert just hit the 1500km checkpoint after 2d 15h. Mike Hall 2nd, currently about 75km back. Start of the Nullarbor.

[Shrike]

Superhuman effort this far by Kristoff, Mike and a bunch of others. Any word on Kristoff's average moving speed so far?

[CarlosFerreiro]

The tracking site says about 24.5kmh for Kristof so far, but not sure if that's solid.
I think somebody out there is spreadsheeting it all?

[jeffy]

Kristof only 20km ahead of Hall currently 12:30am local time.
Kristof currently at Nullabor Border Village (rest?) Hall 20km back on the road.

My first time spot watching, and with social media following it is really quite interesting.

[Shrike]

Kristoff had a steady 60km lead for the best part of a day there. Looks like Mike's closing that down now, which will be good for his morale. Even if you tell yourself there's a long way to go, lots of rests etc - it's still not good for your motivation if some guy is 60km up the road at any given time and you're suffering.

Also a first for me following an ultra. Between Youtube, Facebook and Instagram you can get really nice coverage

[Shrike]

Update from Mike:

"The schedule Kristof is on is unsustainable. He's riding a super tight race, I can't seem to take time and it's messing with my head. I may have to play the hunter, try to outsmart him and take back the time I have lost in the first few days. ~ Mike Hall

[Sam]

Amazing really. Just an observation: Allegeart has come twice as far as Cycling Maven so far.