Day 1 // A Living Legacy

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Words by Stuart Downie

Photos by Liz Seabrook and Tomás Montes

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It would be a vast understatement to say Mike Hall cared about cycling.

Mike dreamt this race up in 2016, but he didn’t see his vision come to fruition – TPRNo1 didn’t take place until 2019. The world has changed in the past 10 years. Things change. But one thing that does matter is preserving the spirit that makes the sport great.

Mike was clear in his ideals. He believed races should be decided by an individual’s aptitude, attitude and athleticism, not by their means or the privileges afforded to them. To that end, Lost Dot began the Mike Hall Bursary in 2022 at TCRNo8 to increase access for those willing to engage and explore their aptitude, attitude and athleticism.

Today, the Mike Hall Bursary spans the portfolio of Lost Dot races, providing race entry, support with expenses, sponsored equipment, coaching and mentorship. But the aim is to address more than just financial exclusion. Experience, insider knowledge, and access to supportive networks have a value of their own.

Let’s meet the bursary riders of this year’s TPRNo6.

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Katharina Wirth (027)

A relative newcomer, what Katharina might lack in experience is made up for in abundant enthusiasm.

“TCRNo12 was my first race. I absolutely loved it – it really made me want to do more, and maybe also get really good at cycling. But also I just want to collect experience and have a good time on my bike and connect to the community.”

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When you find your place, it’s a feeling. Whether that’s among fellow riders or alone in the mountains – or both – is entirely up to you. You have to follow the fun.

“I had to promise myself that it’s not just a summer romance, not just a one-time thing. I’ve never been to the Pyrenees – it’s very exciting. I love mountains!”

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Julien Bourbiaux (063)

A veteran of TPRNo2, Julien has some experience with ultra racing – the highs and the lows:

“I loved the experience. I finished 36th in the race, but I made a navigation error on Parcours 2 and was logically removed from the General Classification. So I would like to do it again this time to be part of the General Classification.”

Julien also struggled with the onset of Shermer’s Neck, and has been receiving tips from coach Robbie to prepare him in the run-up to his attempt at a GC finish.

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Cherlene May (130)

“Ultra cycling is still growing in South Africa, and the women’s field is especially small. Representation matters. By racing and sharing the journey openly, I hope to make the sport feel more visible and attainable for women who may not yet see themselves in this space, helping to grow awareness, inspire participation and contribute to building a stronger women’s ultra-distance community in South Africa.”

And the traits that make a good rider?

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“It’s about self-reliance, respect and perseverance. Racing your own limits, looking after the environment and others, valuing the journey as much as the finish. The spirit is in how you ride – not just how fast.”

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Follow the Lost Dot podcast for a chance to hear them en route, and the race report as we get underway.

Have You Got a Bell?

Starting a little later than usual, registration day is the usual mix of feelings.

If I were to tell you one story from the day, it would have to be this: Robert Mueller’s bike has not arrived. But not just that – his bike box contained all his kit, too. So, Robert arrives in Girona with nothing but the clothes he’s wearing.

Fortunately, fellow rider and TCR veteran Pierre Bischoff (035) comes to his aid. Bike, helmet, everything. The shoes don’t match, “but at least they are the same size!”

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Flying low cost saves money, if not sanity. But the real saving comes from friends like Pierre.

The day goes a little something like this: you arrive at El Modern, its modern oxidised steel facade hidden among the labyrinthine cobbled streets. First, you check in – show your ID, receive your cap and your tracker. Then you head to have your bike checked. Do you have two front lights, two rear lights? Do you have a retroreflective hi-vis vest? Do you have… a bell? Fortunately, Eat Sleep Cycle round the corner has plenty of bells, and does a roaring (or ringing) trade.

Last, you get your picture – the picture. Sit down, hat on, brim up. Unless you’re Alex McCormack (cap number? We don’t know, he didn’t flip the brim) – this is a hill he’s willing to die on. Just ask photographer Liz Seabrook.

Now we just need the race to start. Let’s get to it.

Wholesome Exercise and Pure Air

The whizz of freehubs is not uncommon in Girona, but it’s less common at 06:15. Eat Sleep Cycle have generously opened their doors to provide the assembled riders with coffee. Maybe it’s me, but the atmosphere is easier than previous years. Where before there’s a kind of nervous energy, riders carrying the anticipation to the line and beyond, instead there’s a kind of relaxed air that feels more like a big bunch of friends going for a ride together. Which isn’t far from the truth.

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A police escort leads the riders out of town, and soon they’re at the foot of El Angels. One hundred and forty rear lights snake upwards in the early dawn, and by the time we hit the top the day has arrived – and the race takes shape.

TPRNo5 winner Max Agut (001) is first up, moving fast. Shortly after, Alex McCormack (093), Nicolas Chatelet (008), Jocelyn Roth (005) and Anatole Naimi (076), who was second place at TPRNo4, so is used to chasing a fast leader. That morning, Anatole cheerfully tells me he’s not ridden his bike that much this year, and just wants to finish it and enjoy it. Is there a better objective, ultimately?

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After the Girona staple to kick off, our first stretch of road along ruta GI-682 is a delight. Hugging the coast, cutting between limestone stacked over granite, dropping dramatically away on our left to the shimmering sapphire of the Mediterranean Sea. There’s a lot to take in, with miradors along the way drawing classic cars (Jaguar E-Type, anyone?), motorcyclists and bikepackers – and the bowsprit of our race, thrusting out in search of a far coast.

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Right off the Parcours we stop for a coffee at Tossa de Mar and soon after, some of the day-to-day of ultra racing begins with an opportunity at early resupply. With the front of the race surging north, riders begin dropping into supermarket Dia. In a small act of cosmic coincidence, I speak with Liam Donoghue (015), a teacher from Washington (State, not DC – he’s come a long way). He’s read the book our riders will be finding in the coming days. His review? It gets a little boring after the first hundred pages. Of course, Liam finished what he started, and we hope to meet him again out on the road and back in Girona.

We meet our first pair, Alastair Clifford (155a) and James Swift (155b). Alastair rode The Accursed Race last year, and has since cajoled his brother-in-law James into riding Trans Pyrenees. Topics of conversation on their training rides have included how the UK gets its electricity (something about big pipes in Dover?), how the closing of Kent’s Pfizer factory has seen a downturn that extends (or doesn’t) beyond the job market… so what’s left to talk about? There’s over a thousand kilometres to find out, and pintxos and a swim in San Sebastian to look forward to on the way.

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After Tossa de Mar, there’s a first crucial choice –  two distinct routes toward Parcours A. South is flatter and faster, north there’s more elevation – and perhaps a bit more interest. But early on, the front riders might not be in the place yet of seeking that, they want instead to carve out an advantage. These moments are always fun to watch play out on the tracker, glued to Follow My Challenge. To the south, Max Agut (001) favours the flatter, faster route. This means you have to ride Parcours A in two directions – once to get to the start of it. Alex McCormack (093) goes north – and for the bold, there’s an off road option that lets you skip an out and back, riding it only once. This is just a small part of the calculus, but any advantage you can gain – in the mind or on the map – matters.

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At the end of Parcours A, we see Jana Kesenheimer (002). She’s not enjoyed the climb, but true to our pre-race conversation on not dwelling on negativity, she quickly shifts to talking about what she’s just found: a piece of hirschgeweih – that’s deer antler – and the plan is to carry it all the way back to Girona. Have fun, I say as she pedals off, and cheerily she calls back: you too!

Close behind, Anna Richter (004) is a little less loquacious, powering their way up to the Parcours start and reappearing moments later beneath the full moon before sending it down an offroad descent on narrow tyres. There’s a thrill in being underbiked that’s hard to deny.

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As we sign off for the night, Max has collected his page, pressing on to put a line in his brevet card. We look forward to finding out what it might be.

SCRATCH REPORT

At 18:08, our first scratch: Stephan Wieser (022), followed less than an hour later by Jocelyn Roth (005) – after a red hot performance at TCR, perhaps it’s time for some rest. Then Etienne Fourcade (062), and finally Tanguy Ramser (089), scratching after sunset. We saw Tanguy earlier in the evening, eating crisps and camembert in the shade of a tree, and he told us the heat had been a bit much – shame it hadn’t been directed at his cheese, which looked a little firm for a Frenchman.

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