Thats all a little negative.
I agree some explanation of what SKR is about would be useful, so I’ll try and address that below. I’m out here working on it, currently sat in an ancient fort waiting for riders to finish for the day.
If you know the Transprovence, then you know the basic format. 6 big mountain days, some uplift, some hike-a-bike, quite a lot of pedalling. 4 blind timed downhillish stages per day. The route heads from inland, camping each night and finishes at the coast. We’re spending a lot of time in Italy at the moment.
The difference with SKR -v- TP is that the trails are mostly “new” in that they’re centuries old deserted routes unearthed by Ash, or brand new, fresh cut in liasion with local communities. All the trails are being published on Komoot with the aim of creating a network of awesome routes across the Maritime Alps that can be ridden by anyone. The “Rally” is merely the public launch of 3 years of hard work. There will be guided trip, but anyone can do self-supported rides as big or as small as they like – Ash & Melissa are only too aware that the cost of the Race is beyond the reach of most riders.The ultimate aim is to use bikes to bring tourism cash into the local communities. These trails need riding to stay open – the area they are in is VAST, so visitors are positively welcomed.
Yes Santa Cruz are the title sponsor, and with the TransProvence pedigree, it sells out almost immediately – I’ve worked on 5 TPs, and I know maybe 80% of the riders, so maybe it’s a victim of its own success – the race can’t grow any more as the campsites can’t handle it, and logistics are already hellish. As an aside – with my Ride Sheffield hat on Santa Cruz Paydirt fund is putting a lot of cash into some of our local trails. Interestingly, I reckon there’s more Transitions here than SC though…
Again – just taking the headline cost at face value, it seems horrendous – however factor in there’s about 50% as many staff as competitors (mountain staff, doctors, catering, camp staff, drivers, timing(me!) – all of whom need food and accom), 20+ vehicles, food, beer, transfers for 7 days, and its easy to see on the ground where the cash goes. I know for a fact Ash & Melissa are not swanning round in Rolls Royces or living in a palace.
The riding ain’t easy either. Day 1 had a truly awful hailstorm – part of mountain riding. I’ve been around the block but I’d have had a wobbly bottom lip if I got that col and wet, then had to sleep in a tent. Yesterday was 12hrs+ in the saddle for most riders. Just going “oh its the Maritime Alps” doesn’t really bring home the scale of the physical undertaking required. But it was smiles all round last night as riders rolled into camp. That’s what matters.
If I sound like I’ve drunk the Koolaid – I have. It’s something I believe in, as do a lot of the other staff, as we keep coming back year after year to do a week of 18+ hour days but no riding of bikes.
So get on the SKR website or look it up on Komoot and get out here and ride it!
