It’s about to begin! Dot watching and general race discussion starts here. Follow the dots here:

http://trackleaders.com/tourdivide16

Lots of interesting entrants this year, including STWs Greg May, Mike Hall gunning for a record, Josh Kato, and possibly Guy Martin.

Greg reports a pre-start position at Banf, as does Mike Hall. No sign in from Guy Martin yet.

Guy might not be racing with a spot tracker. Can’t imagine why he wouldn’t do though!

“Can’t imagine why he wouldn’t do though!”

He’s pretty famous you know. Perhaps he just wants to get away without a mob at every town.

The TT is a premier international event on the motorbike scene.

anyway as reported on the other thread taken over from bearbones, gregs bike was delayed and they were shuttled to banff once it arrived.

the ugly bike has started already and iirc expects to be passed on day 4 was it he said ?

Rob Colliver is underway, started yesterday. Hes doing it as an ITT and has done 140miles in his first day.

Do we think Mr Martin will be using a non de steed?

guys on a fargo according to twitter…. with a rohloff and minimal baggage

I’m hoping Guy will switch on at the start line – what’s Terrahawks real name?

Trevor Hork. He has a lisp.

terrahawk isn’t riding.

terrahawks off to sri lanka instead to get chased by elephants and tigers.

Ah – ok, ta.

& whys Rob set off on an ITT when he could do a grand depart? i’m guessing its his personal preference that just happens to coincide with the grand depart. To win – do you have to be on the Grand depart start line?

I think if you were planning an itt then a day or two before would be great. You’ll have the leaders coming past you for a chat.

no and no .

cant see the leaders stopping for much of a chat. if you have been caught up after a few days your moving MUCH slower than they are.

EG – day 1 Grand depart riders will do 200 miles on day 1.

how ever it has been touted by other people leaving just before grand departs that their reason is that they want to feel included in the event and not just slip to the back of trackleaders out of the minds of those watching the sharp end. Their own mini race if you will.

but i think robs had snow and fire diverts on a previous attempt and believes this is his best window of opportunity.

who said anything about stopping for a chat? I’d be reckoning rob might speed up a little to say hello, even if only for a minute or likewise they may slow up. 🙂

So… if you don’t have to be on the Grand depart start line & don’t have to have a spot tracker…. could Guy Martin already be racing it???

Could be but i figure it would be at a disadvantage to do so.

the blue dot watchers that hold open the mountain top lodges etc till late into the night for a blue dot arrival etc.

depends why he is there though. personal journey it would be pretty awesome imo.

figure of speech – stop , slow down etc i just cant see it happening when they are traveling at a much faster pace and gunning for the lead.

Looking forward to following this again this year.

Greg’s bike has turned up at last.

Thats good news. many likes Shaggy.

Just seen this pic

Greg’s bike has turned up at last.

Proof

Is the grand depart at 4pm our time?

Edit: just spotted the countdown on the tracker page: 3pm

There’s a race preview here http://bikepackersmagazine.com/2016-tour-divide-preview/

Hmmm, maybe Guys under an alias Spot Tracker… all the benefits of a tracker without the faff of fan stalking…

Good point qwerty. Someone with Greg’s number text him and ask if he has seen guy there.

And, we’re off!

Wow, what an experience. Good luck all. 😀

I assume if Guy is doing it, there will be a TV crew tagging along ?

They’re off! http://trackleaders.com/tourdivide16

Again?

I think Greg has stopped for coffee and pancakes.

his tracker wont have gone bing yet.

I assume if Guy is doing it, there will be a TV crew tagging along ?

Novel idea, he might just be doing it as an ordinary person for fun? It’s not exactly an expensive undertaking (compared to renting a warehouse and building a massive wall of death for example) so maybe doesn’t want/need a TV crew following him in return for footing the bill.

Also, dunno if the TD is the same but TV crews are against the rules of the HT550 as they constitute a sag waggon. I guess because you could travel light/fast and rely on them if the excrement hits the fan, so even if you never use them you’re taking less gear (or using lighter wheels, not taking a first aid kit, etc).

NOTE: A time trial completed with friends, family or media following the ride, effectively acting as a sag-wagon, is not a true self-supported effort.

Perhaps if Terrahawk shows up on this thread he could enlighten us as to guy’s tracker alias (if indeed he’s riding with a tracker) but you know just for us 😉 spoiling our fun if we can’t trace his progress. 🙁

qwerty – Member
Hmmm, maybe Guys under an alias Spot Tracker… all the benefits of a tracker without the faff of fan stalking…

Shouldn’t take STW long to work it out. 🙂

i think jekyll has a man crush .

Anyone got a list of the British riders?

Where on earth is Mike Hall going?