Riders' Race reports

"Thirty" Peaks Bike Race (english version)

"Thirty" Peaks Bike Race (version française)

Tunnel of love (english version)

Tunnel of love (version française)

Top 10 (english version)

Top 10 (version française)

Encore de la grimpette  ? / More mountains or not ?

And the winner is Adam Bialek !

Tous les chemins mènent à Barcelone / All roads leads to Barcelona

Souvenirs from TPBR2021 :

# Michaël Wacker (Adventure Bike racing)

"After ten days of riding, 51 solo riders and 2 pairs had made it to the finish; 19 solo riders and 2 more pairs were still making their way to Barcelona. More riders in Barcelona meant a bigger welcome committee for the new finishers. On Tuesday we even saw a spontaneous unofficial ‘finishers party’ unfold when over 25 riders gathered at the Arc to celebrate their own and others’ achievements. We were happy to see more riders safely make it to Barcelona in the last few days. We know there are still 10 riders on the road, pushing forward to complete their TPBR2021. We wish you all a safe arrival at the Arc in the next few hours or days! Well done everyone!

This year’s edition will be remembered as the __‘Three Peaks - Four Seasons - Bike Race’__. Over 130 riders left Vienna two weeks ago to embark on a solo challenge. They all signed up for an adventure and an adventure is what they got. They rode solo but their experience is a shared one. Through their journey they formed new friendships and further strengthened this amazing community of people who are connected by their passion for riding their bike long and far. ❤️"

<iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fadventurebikeracing%2Fposts%2F1034385980644183&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="761" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe>

# Tomas Zaplatilek (solo/cap50) - 14th position 

"This year's edition was actually a nice set of complications that stood in a smooth way. A glimpse of:
- covid: there were concerns about crossing individual borders and other measures. In the end, it remained only with concerns and everything turned out to be smooth (we all got used to masks in stores etc.)
- In addition to the ′′ favorite ′′ narrow, broken Italian roads full of crazy drivers, the Southern route over Italy brought me a 37 degree heat, which gave me a total hard time...
- During the course of the race, I experimented not entirely effectively with a replacement of normal sleep with short powernaps. This worked quite successfully at first (the first two nights was a maximum of 45 minutes nap on the bank of Garda). However, the punishment came on the third day I was out of my mind and had to grow up more than I intended...
- For about 3 days my life was complicated by a hell of an unpleasant heartburn. I never thought such pettyness could increase to such proportions...
- The brutal change in weather in Switzerland, besides the temperature decrease of almost 40 degrees, brought other complications such as closed (snowy and flooded) mountain saddles. For me it meant that after the morning passage of the Nufenen pass (at one degree and downpour, when I prayed it would cool down and start snowing), I finished in similar conditions only half of the Grimmsel pass, from where I was uncompromisingly returned to the valley and wait until the next morning. This day I moved forward about 15 km. They affected each closure a little differently. They cut me off from the top ten competitors, where I couldn't go back.
- For several more days, the life of steadfast rain, which heavily undermined morale, complicated. Especially with my (almost no) rain equipment, when everything was constantly soaked...
- Another thing I complicated the race was the sloppy preparation of the route, which brought me above all not many extra hills
- The complication was also a phone, which suddenly stopped working. This is where I realized how addicted to technology we are today. Fortunately, the next day I managed to get the phone fixed and everything was ok...
- Another heat wave in France came after rainy Switzerland. An unpleasant headwind added to this and not enough, my neck issues came back, which forced me to drive as little aerodynamically as possible (so that the neck is not bent but upright). Can you imagine the effect coupled with the wind...
- In Spain, the only unpleasant 5 km tunnel through the Pyrenees, other hot and finally a night curfew around Barcelona...
What would life be like without complications? Boring and uninteresting and just overcoming obstacles and complications makes life interesting and brings a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction
From the starting ′′ shot ′′ near Sch önbrunn Vienna to the passage under the winning arc in Barcelona, 210 hours passed 35 minutes, which was finally the 14. th fastest time. During the race it looked even a little better for a while, but in the end I am certainly more than satisfied considering the course.
I certainly learned a lot again, found something new about myself and overall, the race enriched me.
I would like to thank all my friends and acquaintances who supported me during the race and pushed my dot on the map forward, it helped a lot.
At the same time, I would also like to thank Pod 7 kilo for the opportunity to test the feather sleeping bag Lite line 300, which worked excellent, and even though I managed to wet it immediately on the first use, it quickly dried up and warmed up as needed.
Photos and records from the route when I'm at home at the computer, now I'm enjoying the last day of the sea, gluttony and so on 🙂"

![222589527 10161039706875130 1964212844603298849 n](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/WxVROAGTlyAxrMjwNqZWC/cafc0fd9237c224c4a015c754320061b/222589527_10161039706875130_1964212844603298849_n.jpg)

# Jan Koller (solo/cap157) - scratched in Montpellier

From [https://gravgrav.cc](https://gravgrav.cc/article/jan-koller-s-three-peaks-bike-race-2021/?fbclid=IwAR1Y1QhnLyCdID5yh9Pmz-rC2i_1XkGFDFzFOiIQB9NBOfHEYxX77pSFpYU)

"First I’d like to say it was my first ultracycling race ever. Nevertheless my ambitions were quite high, due to the fact that I am a former semi-pro cyclist - so speed and power are not a problem. Although when it comes to multi day events, knowledge and experience is super important, or even more useful than being able to push good watts.

The Three Peaks Bike Race drew my attention, right from the first time I heard about it. It’s an unsupported ultra cycling race, which starts in Vienna and finishes in Barcelona. There are three mandatory checkpoints (Mangart Saddle, der Männliche and Col du Tourmalet). Every rider has to plan his own route between these checkpoints.

During my preparation I did a few 15h + rides where I gained some experience, but too little which I found out later.

Starting from the beginning. Well prepared I packed the bike rather on the safety side, when it comes to equipment and weight. Because, as you now know I had absolutely no clue what I actually needed.
Stint 1

I started with the first group in Vienna at 12:00pm sharp. I got out of the city quite fast, wind was fine and I was really hyped. The first stretch took me over the Semmering into Steiermark along the highway S6. Heading down to Klagenfurt over Judenburg and St. Veit an der Glan. Which turned out to be a good choice. I started the first real mountain in the late afternoon - the Wurzenpass (way too steep) 😅. Shortly after the border to Slovenia I met another rider (Adam Bialek) who later won the race. We climbed Vršic pass together, but he later dropped me, mostly because his bike had 5kg less🤷🏼‍♂️. After the descent, the stretch to Mangart Saddle CP1 started. Amazing climb. I arrived at 5:00 am at the checkpoint and had an amazing sunrise. The downhill to Italy was quite cold but good fun. Not sure why I exactly picked the south route, I think because i thought the flat areas in Italy are faster. It proofed to be wrong, headwind all day, 35 degrees and more made it tough. Especially if you have been riding 24h straight. The fact that it was Sunday and not a single supermarket had opened, didn’t make it any better. After around 29h of riding and approximately 3h paused time, I decided to call it a day and stopped about 40km after Gardasee in a hotel.
Stint 2

After resting short before Brescia, I directly went to a restaurant for pizza and beer. Because I didn’t know how my body would react to sleep deprivation, I decided to sleep for around 4,5 hours. Things came differently, although I was outside of any city, it was hard not to recognize that Italy won the European championships. My 5 alarms were set at 2:45 and the minutes after. Getting up wasn’t that bad honestly. The first hours in direction to Switzerland were quite nice and fast rolling. Entering Switzerland my knees started to hurt a little bit, but I was prepared for that. After climbing the Nuefen Pass which took like forever, the bad weather started to hit. 7 degrees and rain on top of the next 2 mountains. The second was the Grimselpass, the weather there was even worse, but it seemed that in the valley it would get better. Right before the parcour to „der Männliche“ CP2 i checked dotwatcher.cc and it seemed that I would meet Carlos Cap 52. We climbed the Grosse Scheidegg mostly together and met at the checkpoint again. Weather on top was that bad, that despite our strong bike lights we could only find each other, listening to our voices.

After a short chat we went back down together, direction Interlaken. I arrived at Interlaken after 12:00 am and everything was closed, in the last minute I could find a small Café which sold me 2 sandwiches. After around 19 hours riding time I just wanted to sleep. Everything was wet and my sleeping place wasn’t that glamorous. My only option was to put on all clothes, find a dry spot and get warm. As you can imagine the sleep was quite miserable. Now I think that night was my biggest mistake. Sleeping in partly wet clothes and not eating right. Nevertheless lessons learnt.
Stint 3

I slept for around 2 hours before starting again, the weather just got worse, the heaviest rain I ever cycled in, big streets turned into rivers. The temperatures went down to about 5 degrees, despite of wearing everything I had I couldn’t get warm. In the morning hours I oversaw a hole and crashed with around 30km/h over a sidewalk. Nothing hurt, so I kept going. Retrospectively my knee problems might have started to get serious at this point. The first big climb of the day was the Jaunpass not really long but at this point my knee was swollen that big I couldn’t push more than 200 watts and standing up was impossible. I tried to ride as easy as possible and get something to eat after the downhill. Luckily I found a Mcdonald’s in La Tour de Tréme, where I had a nice chat with the owner and even got invited to a coffee. Thanks again. After drying up and refuelling the day got better. On small roads I directed to Lausanne passing lake Geneva afterwards to Geneva and finally to France. The roads got better and it was quite fast rolling. But the last night and the constant rain left it’s mark‘s. My sore ass turned into a wound one. Not being able to sit on the saddle without nearly starting to cry. I tried to clean my bib shorts’ chamois and kept going until about 8pm, when I found a small hostel. Actually closed but Gregorie was really friendly and offered me a room for the night. After describing what I was doing here, he even invited me to his family dinner, which turned out later, was a special one. Despite the not really time efficient dinner, I was quite happy and thankful for some chat. The hospitality was incredible and I even got packed breakfast.
Stint 4

Started again at 2am, weather got better, but the pain in my knees and seating area was hard to handle. Partly I had to stop and walk up the hills. After around 2 hours and a short nap on a park bench, it got a little bit better. After grabbing breakfast in a bakery, I checked my knees and seating area, second turned out to be worse than assumed. My skin ripped and I had an about 3cm big inflamed wound. But I decided to ride at least to Montpellier. After 12 hours riding time that day, I arrived there but after a chat with a doctor, I decided to quit from the race. The risk of getting seriously ill was just too high.
Conclusion

To sum up, despite all the pain and frustration of not being able to ride faster just because of my knees, I had a really good time. And even more important I learned a lot for the future and can’t wait for the next races.

Stay Tuned. Jan"

![IMG 7624 307ff7b750](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/2xFdNtA1iK3kwIEwMolKbR/a11e022e0bbc32bf5bd817388ce58aa3/IMG_7624_307ff7b750.JPG)

# Thomas Dupin (solo/149) - scratched in Lausanne

Well, it's time to give some news, I just went to France by train.
I confirm that I gave up since last night around 8:30 p.m. In view of my left knee today, it is for injury, I could not have reached the finish. I dragged myself to do 50 km painfully to Lausanne.
On the lessons to be learned from my participation in this event:
1) I made a mistake on my routing (choice of route) between CP1 and 2, and I would have continued afterwards through the Massif Central, without an alternative route prepared. Yet I spent time there, but we didn't can not chain so many difficulties on such a long ultra without sparing the plain or recovery at rest, night. I think that's why my knee started to slowly let go of me on Monday ... it was the alert.
2) the weather got tangled, it is not only responsible, but it has helped affect my morale, not my mind. I had very difficult conditions at the most difficult time, before the. CP2 and this terrible sequence that I thought I would spend in one day! And then I'm a guy from the south, the conditions were too tense ... for a month of July.
 The photo taken by the organizer Mickaël of Adventure Bike Racing after the descent of CP2 is truly incredible, taken at the best time, it reflects everything. I shared it on fb.
3) our limits, let's talk about it. Until now, I had not really reached them, my most obvious example is this 1000 kms of the Alps traced a few years ago by the daughter of Patrick Gilles. 2 times I had to do it, 2 times there was an external factor that prevented me from doing it. And I know now that I will not try it non-stop, it's madness !. I understood here that I have my limits, we have them all. It is important to know them. This is my big lesson from this ordeal, I found my physical limits. If I wanted to finish this event, I had to either plan more time by splitting the big sequences, or do a longer but less hard routing. You have to know how to listen to yourself, and take into account your current physical capacity, your morale and your mind.
Thank you all for your support, your encouragement, but don't forget it is only the participant who knows and experiences the conditions in real life!
Finally a big red card to Swiss motorists, they should learn the word respect on the road !!! "

![215409184 1028036734612441 8085783847353220945 n](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/20NNPZXHJFebZNAArNCpwD/757f82f36a2a6eb947a70252eddafb52/215409184_1028036734612441_8085783847353220945_n.jpg)

At a time when 58 riders have arrived in BARCELONA and 10 others are in the last 500 kilometers (including __Mikel Baraibar (127)__ in Saint-Gaudens and __Henriette Lauridsen (12),__ __Ronny Martin (120)__ and __Lisa Grützmacher (100)__ at the moment at the top of the Tourmalet), the red lantern __Olivier Rochat (134)__ was today in ... BARCELONNETTE, in the French Alps. The Swiss continues a journey almost off topic. Moreover, it seems that his great diversion raises questions in the paddocks: between fun and anxiety in the face of the series of passes that Olivier performs, some people wonder about "*the merits of registering for a race and not to race it*? "

Taking part in a race and deliberately taking detours raises questions. In "*Three Peaks Bike Race*" there is the word "*Race*". And a race implies, whatever the level of the rider, some proof of commitment and fighting spirit to finish in the top 10 as well as in the last places. This is not an organized tour that would offer pretty photos and additional media coverage with tracking. Some cranky people could therefore blame Olivier for having fun when people could not register for the race due to lack of places.

In his defense, it will be argued that Olivier is always heading in the direction of Barcelona, even though his route is quite exotic. He just offers us a poetic and a little crazy interpretation of what a checkpoint race is, by demonstrating a sense of free-navigation close to free-jazz. If each participant adjusts his or her course to his or her style of play, his or her preferences in terms of management of the unevenness, his or her choice of surfaces, or his or her search for commodities, Olivier plays on the other hand by really moving away from the music score to the point that the it is difficult to recognize the original song.

He is breaking the rules so much that he renamed his adventure "*Thirty* Peaks Bike Race". His lawyer will therefore no longer be able to plead madness because there seems to be premeditation, at least for the sequel to come. And if some may think that "*the shortest jokes are always the best*", others will indulge in the great game of now trying to guess where it will go !

In any case, he seems eminently punctual since he is this evening in [Allos](https://www.bfmtv.com/bfm-dici/ferme-depuis-l-eboulement-du-mois-d-avril-le-col-d-allos-rouvre-a-la-circulation-vendredi_AV-202107210229.html) and could take tomorrow the famous eponymous pass which opens this Friday after a closure for works since landslides last April. 

Roger Chuchard

Reminder of previous episodes including off-topic passes (*): 

1/ __VRSICPASS (1611m) - CP1__              
2/ __MANGART SEDLO (2072m) - CP1__          
3/ PASSO VALPAROLA (2192m)*             
4/ PASSO GARDENA (2121m)*         
5/ PASSO STELVIO (2758m)*         
6/ OFENPASS (2150m)         
7/ ALBULAPASS (2312m)         
8/ OBERALPPASS (2044m)         
9/ SUSTENPASS (2304m)         
10/ __GRÖSSE SCHEIDEGG (1962m) - CP2__         
11/ __MÄNNLICHEN (2345m) - CP2__         
12/ COL DU GRAND SAINT-BERNARD (2469m)*              
13/ COL DU PETIT SAINT-BERNARD (2188m)*  
14/ COL DE L'ISERAN (2770m)*           
15/ COL DU GALIBIER (2642M)*          
16/ COL DE L'IZOARD (2360m)*         
17/ COL D'AGNEL (2743m)*         
18/ COLLE DI SAMPEYRE (2284m=*         
19/ COLLE FAUNIERA (2511m)*         
20/ COL DE LA LOMBARDE (2347m)*         
21/ CIME DE LA BONNETTE* (2805m)        
22/ COL DE LA CAYOLLE (2304m)*         
23/ COL DES CHAMPS (2093m)*         
24/ COL D'ALLOS (2250m)*              
25/ SIGNAL DE LURE (1826m)*          
26/ MONT VENTOUX par Sault (1909m)*                
27/ MONT AIGOUAL (1565m)*           
28/         
29/ __COL DU TOURMALET (2115m) - CP3__         
30/  
![carte 134](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/22I8JtxAnatq3QoAoMZymE/94cbd351e92215a51c556d9e6ec0bfc2/carte_134.jpg)


A l'heure où 58 riders sont arrivés à BARCELONE et 10 autres sont dans les 500 derniers kilomètres (dont __Mikel Baraibar (127)__ à Saint- Gaudens et __Henriette Lauridsen (12)__, __Ronny Martin (120)__ et __Lisa Grützmacher (100)__ à l'instant au sommet du Tourmalet), la lanterne rouge __Olivier Rochat (134)__ passait aujourd'hui à ... BARCELONNETTE, dans les Alpes françaises. Le Suisse poursuit un périple à deux-doigts du hors-sujet total. D'ailleurs, il semble que son grand détournement pose question dans les paddocks : entre amusement et inquiétude face à l'enchainement des cols qu'Olivier exécute, certains s'interrogent sur "*le bien-fondé de s'inscrire à une course pour ne pas la faire* ?"

Participer à une course et délibéremment emprunter des détours pose question. Dans "Three Peaks Bike Race", il y a le mot "Race". Et une course implique, quelque soit son niveau, un preuve d'engagement et de combattivité aussi bien pour finir dans le top 10 que dans les dernières places. Il ne s'agit pas d'une balade organisée qui offrirait de jolis photos et une supplément de médiatisation avec le tracking. Certains grincheux pourraient donc reprocher à Olivier de s'amuser alors que des personnes n'ont pas pu s'inscrire à la course faute de places. 

Pour sa défense, on fera valoir qu'Olivier va toujours dans la direction de Barcelone, même si son itinéraire est assez exotique. Il nous offre juste une interprêtation poétique et un peu déjantée de cette course à check-point en démontrant un sens de la libre-navigation proche du free-jazz. Si chaque participant ajuste son parcours à son style de jeu, ses préférences en matière de gestion du dénivelé, ses choix de surfaces, ou ses recherches de commodités, Olivier joue par contre en s'éloignant vraiment beaucoup de la partition au point que l'on peine à reconnaitre le morceau original. 

Il se déjoue tellement des règles qu'il a rebaptisé son aventure "Thirty Peaks Bike Race". Son avocat ne pourra donc plus plaider le coup de folie car il semble y avoir préméditation, en tout cas pour la suite à venir. Et si certains peuvent penser que "*les blagues les plus courtes sont toujours les meilleurs*", d'autres s'adonneront au grand jeu qui consiste dorénavant à tenter de deviner par où il va passer !

En tout cas, il semble éminement ponctuel puisqu'il est ce soir à [Allos](https://www.bfmtv.com/bfm-dici/ferme-depuis-l-eboulement-du-mois-d-avril-le-col-d-allos-rouvre-a-la-circulation-vendredi_AV-202107210229.html) et pourrait emprunter demain le fameux col éponyme qui ouvre ce vendredi après une fermeture pour travaux depuis des éboulements en avril dernier.

Roger Chuchard

Rappel des épisodes précédents dont les cols hors-sujet (*) :

1/ __VRSICPASS (1611m) - CP1__              
2/ __MANGART SEDLO (2072m) - CP1__          
3/ PASSO VALPAROLA (2192m)*            
4/ PASSO GARDENA (2121m)*          
5/ PASSO STELVIO (2758m)*        
6/ OFENPASS (2150m)         
7/ ALBULAPASS (2312m)         
8/ OBERALPPASS (2044m)         
9/ SUSTENPASS (2304m)         
10/ __GRÖSSE SCHEIDEGG (1962m) - CP2__         
11/ __MÄNNLICHEN (2345m) - CP2__         
12/ COL DU GRAND SAINT-BERNARD (2469m)*         
13/ COL DU PETIT SAINT-BERNARD (2188m)*  
14/ COL DE L'ISERAN (2770m)*           
15/ COL DU GALIBIER (2642M)*                
16/ COL DE L'IZOARD (2360m)*         
17/ COL D'AGNEL (2743m)*         
18/ COLLE DI SAMPEYRE (2284m=*         
19/ COLLE FAUNIERA (2511m)*         
20/ COL DE LA LOMBARDE (2347m)*         
21/ CIME DE LA BONNETTE* (2805m)        
22/ COL DE LA CAYOLLE (2304m)*         
23/ COL DES CHAMPS (2093m)*         
24/ COL D'ALLOS (2250m)*              
25/ SIGNAL DE LURE (1826m)*                
26/ MONT VENTOUX par Sault (1909m)*                
27/ MONT AIGOUAL (1565m)*                     
28/         
29/ __COL DU TOURMALET (2115m) - CP3__         
30/  
![carte 134](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/22I8JtxAnatq3QoAoMZymE/94cbd351e92215a51c556d9e6ec0bfc2/carte_134.jpg)


![scra](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/56eIG5gLyErtMIW9eZMo8D/8ed810d74d55dc946dab6e1f3aaba138/scra.jpg)

It remains 28 bruised bodies in the race in the Solo category and 6 in the Pair category. 44 riders finished and 54 scratched all categories.

The 2021 edition of the Three Peaks Bike could have been sponsored by Gore-Tex© and Voltarene©. Human organisms were confronted to harsh meteorological conditions: almost winter in Switzerland with rain, snow, fog, ice; and fully summer in Spain with high temperatures and the impossibility to switch to 'night mode' for cool driving, due to the curfew imposed by the Spanish government.

4 riders are currently in the final parcours of 88km  which ends with 12 kilometers of descent towards Barcelona, but its difficulty, which may seem anecdotal at this stage of the race after so much effort already made, is not to be overlooked.

![finish](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/2fgwWnyirqOCKeL7HfVwKm/2eeaab7f3f3aa9adf81d9b3ed9a959ff/finish.jpg)

One of the major navigation questions of this edition, after the famous problem of the Crossing the Alps via the North or the South, will have been to reach the finish line from the Franco-Spanish border, whether or not through the Vielha Tunnel. 

![tunnel](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/1SAtPoZFaV1JqphoJRY1Zb/eaf125b6b9df8f4901b01a06b3fda7bc/tunnel.jpg)

It must be admitted, when __Adam Bialek (76)__, from the outset and despite a substantial advance, borrowed this long uphill tunnel (and not downhill as indicated by mistake in a previous comment), we  couldn't help but wonder about its legality and its dangerousness. Transcontinental Races usually have their share of banned roads and the question of tunnels, often prohibited, at least strongly not recommended, is recurrent. So, it raised the question of letting the riders enter a  6 kilometers long tunnel, with double-lane, without a cycle path, with a sidewalk not enough large to ride on it. However, there seems to be no restrictions on riding a bike there, there is even a segment on Strava, many TPBR participants have taken it, and we can only trust the choices of these knowledgeable and experienced riders.

__Tunnel of fear or tunnel of love?__

I am not particularly fond of the music of Dire Straits but it must be recognized that their great anthems, like "Telegraph roads", embellish quite well the great epics by bike. Could the Vielha Tunnel have had Dire Straits' Tunnel of love as its soundtrack? It could in any case work, because the song in its long version on the live album "Alchemy" (14mn23s) lasts almost as long as the time necessary to cross this segment (KOMStrava = 10mn18s / QOM Strava = 16mn02s). 

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fuH8LA_cBkc" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

The question of the "Tunnel of love" arose when __Anna Bauchmann (2)__ and __Roman Nagiler (141)__ approached it almost hand in hand. It must be said the truth, the common dotwatcher is not just an fan of statistics and cartography, he can not help but imagine, inevitably wrongly, what is tied or not between the participants. And we have to admit that these two numbers had shared their geolocation for a few tens of kilometers, thus having bivouacked together at the top of Tourmalet under a starry sky or shared a good part of the road in Spain to the point of ending with a few kilometers of difference. But this is only a totally subjective comment, unnecessary for the understanding of the race, and I beg the two riders to excuse my imagination that has been multiplied tenfold by the dotwatching, and there is more to speculate that Anna had a GPS device failure and need for a pilot fish (which could explain her change of course in the Massif Central when she joined the flow of many riders). 

![entree tunnel](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/2RCAMpCjGhXhLpG3lqsAyO/3919911486249576abdf0819852c77c6/entree_tunnel.jpg)
![tourmalet](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/5yDRYSY4GAjNLNm7E8SiZs/1a3326c6ec344f0ba44b20b9f305dbcc/tourmalet.jpg)

To the contrary, we have photographic proof of a real flirtation in the Tunnel of Vielha : that of __Matthieu Lifschitz (123)__ and __Pascal Bride (24)__ who ate crocodile candy together at the exit of this fun fair attraction. The photo taken by Pascal shows all that can be feared in such a racing circuit for fast cars. 

![219541838 1630566383956556 3414986620541156433 n](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/7df0x86FJ68hNtKfu6QgD6/0d521eafbb68be0e2e08125ea2a7d420/219541838_1630566383956556_3414986620541156433_n.jpg)
![219166236 1630566280623233 1683114540355763675 n](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/2nfoUSiV1galsA8snIO9Xh/76620f5eca3e022a63288cf94cc7e731/219166236_1630566280623233_1683114540355763675_n.jpg)

If the goal of a bikepacking race is to connect the finish as quickly as possible by all the authorized roads (and therefore possibly this tunnel), special mention will be made for those who have avoided it:
- either by the Port of Boucharo (path) as  __Bernhard Ritter (51), Carlos Mazon (52), Simon Kreuz (143), Jan Hendrick Becks (93), Gerhard Dashuber (30), Bettina Eder (6), Stefan Kanne (145), Marcel Amore (7)__ ;
- either by the Port d'Ourdissetou (path) as __Gerald Minichshofer (88)__ dis ;
- either by the pass of Bonaigua (road) as __Moritz Durchdewald (58), Oliver Gyger (132), Kilian Hermes (26), Alexander Kuhn (105), Cornela Puhze (10), Jan Tropschug (35)__.

But probably red card for the pair __Werner-Knorz (1537)__  who passed by the Tunnel of Aragnouet-Bielsa prohibited with the bicycles.

Finally, the current mystery is the attempt of __Philipp Greif (64)__, gone in France full East, undoubtedly to seek the passage in Spain via the collar of Puymorens and the collar of Creueta ???

Finally a special thought for __Olivier Rochat (134)__ who was able to repair his bike (broken derailleur hanger) after a day at a standstill. We do not know whether he should be considered as the red lantern of the TPBR because he may have changed course : after the Galibier, it descends the Alps towards the South. Does he want to finish in Nice, another historic finish line for the TPBR? Or is he trying [7 Majeurs Confrery challenge](https://www.les7majeurs.com/) since he has just passed the Col de l'Izoard and he is heading, yes, towards the magnificent and severe Col d'Agnel ... 

Bonus: just a few of the great official photos of the finish line! 

![217604137 1032026394213475 3373728274491765080 n](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/Ad9gf7eaYtkXfd9Dn40U5/d00e864eee109017eb10ad8bcfcd5b40/217604137_1032026394213475_3373728274491765080_n.jpg)
![217584059 1032026217546826 5804930714039644687 n](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/43ewvYSCHsBMJE7ZNmaeWp/58161682a2dc69ce4fbe3c41c449ad68/217584059_1032026217546826_5804930714039644687_n.jpg)
![218211346 1032581874157927 8860483613070540767 n](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/1smClNqLNDFaEcoqx7j9aG/9f74743b48f0cfb0891c1bdcbb6ea3ae/218211346_1032581874157927_8860483613070540767_n.jpg)
![219714097 1032581667491281 1332602744451164568 n](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/3xyIcwoj02xLvAUDmzpasr/3c5430af37c02f2ff788fc7432749b4f/219714097_1032581667491281_1332602744451164568_n.jpg)
![217489655 1032026980880083 3851519417846042438 n](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/5KwJsg9Ct1WHEshO13NMSm/2e2273cf350f97d4a2e71406c5082206/217489655_1032026980880083_3851519417846042438_n.jpg)
![218628480 1032581394157975 8073968028971529013 n](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/3zeZKAfBUWHQ3igUs8VKjB/23a4c8eb0e3dbc4106103927d0855f63/218628480_1032581394157975_8073968028971529013_n.jpg)
![218861098 1032581594157955 6564371950411572212 n](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/4hYoC37ID6NusByCQYv4Yr/789b6db40b3763ebeb2451e3807c207f/218861098_1032581594157955_6564371950411572212_n.jpg)
![218740023 1032581367491311 7322980084247352394 n](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/5OrXNAmYuIIFxndDWqmgVT/533d72907a1929a533ce0dd42f8d2962/218740023_1032581367491311_7322980084247352394_n.jpg)


![scra](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/56eIG5gLyErtMIW9eZMo8D/8ed810d74d55dc946dab6e1f3aaba138/scra.jpg)

Il reste 28 corps meurtris en course en catégorie solo et 6 en catégorie pair. 44 riders ont terminés et 54 ont abandonnés toute catégorie confondus. 

L'édition 2021 de la Three Peaks Bike aurait pu être sponsorisée par Gore-Tex© et Voltarene©. Elle a soumis les organismes à de rudes conditions météorologiques : quasi hivernales en Suisse avec de la pluie, de la neige, de la brume, du verglas ; et pleinement estivales en Espagne avec des températures élevées et l'impossibilité de basculer en mode nuit pour rouler au frais, en raison du couvre-feu instauré par le gouvernement espagnol.

4 riders sont en ce moment dans le parcours final de 88km qui se termine par 12 kilomètres de descente vers Barcelone, mais sa difficulté, qui peut paraitre anecdotique à ce stade de la course après tant d'effort déjà accomplis, n'est pas à négliger.

![finish](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/2fgwWnyirqOCKeL7HfVwKm/2eeaab7f3f3aa9adf81d9b3ed9a959ff/finish.jpg)

Une des grandes questions de navigation de cette édition, après le fameux problème de la Traversée Alpes par le Nord ou le Sud, aura été de rejoindre l'arrivée depuis la frontière franco-espagnole en empruntant ou non le Tunnel de Vielha. 

![tunnel](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/1SAtPoZFaV1JqphoJRY1Zb/eaf125b6b9df8f4901b01a06b3fda7bc/tunnel.jpg)

Il faut l'avouer, lorsqu'__Adam Bialek (76)__ a, d'entrée de jeu et malgré une avance conséquente, emprunté ce long tunnel en montée (et non en descente comme indiqué par erreur dans un précédent commentaire), on n'a pas pu s'empêcher de se questionner sur sa légalité et sa dangerosité. Les épreuves du type Transcontinental Race ont habituellement leur lot de routes interdites et la question des tunnels, souvents prohibés, du moins fortement déconseillés, est récurrente. Du coup, cela posait question de laisser emprunter un tunnel de 6 kilomètres de long, en double-file, sans piste cyclable, avec un trottoir insuffisant pour y rouler. Il semble néanmoins n'y avoir aucune restriction pour y rouler en vélo, il existe même un segment sur Strava, beaucoup de participants de la TPBR l'ont emprunté, et on ne peut que faire confiance aux choix de ces cyclistes informés et expérimentés.

__Tunnel de la peur ou tunnel de l'amour ?__

Je ne suis pas spécialement afficionados de la musique de Dire Straits mais il faut reconnaitre que leurs grands hymnes, comme "Telegraph roads", agrémentent assez bien les grandes épopées en vélo. Le Tunnel de Vielha aurait-il pu avoir pour bande-son "Tunnel of love" de Dire Straits ? Cela pourrait en tout cas coller, car la chanson dans sa version longue sur l'album live "Alchemy" (14mn23s) dure presque aussi longtemps que le temps nécessaire pour franchir ce tunnel (KOMStrava = 10mn18s / QOM Strava = 16mn02s).

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fuH8LA_cBkc" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

La question du "Tunnel of love" s'est posée quand __Anna Bauchmann (2)__ et __Roman Nagiler (141)__ l'ont abordé presque main dans la main. Il faut dire la vérité, le dotwatcher n'est pas juste un animal fan de statistiques et de cartographie, il ne peut s'empêcher de s'imaginer, forcément à tort, ce qui se noue ou non entre les participants. Et force est de reconnaitre que ces deux numéros partageaient leur géolocalisation depuis quelques dizaines de kilomètres, ayant ainsi bivouaqué ensemble au sommet du Tourmalet sous un ciel étoilé ou partagé une bonne partie de la route en Espagne au point d'en finir avec quelques kilomètres d'écart. Mais il ne s'agit que d'un commentaire totalement subjective et inutile pour la compréhension de la course, et je prie les deux riders d'excuser mon imagination décuplée par le dotwatching, et il y a davantage à suppputer qu'Anna avait une défaillance d'appareil GPS et besoin d'un poisson pilote (ce qui pourrait expliquer son changement de parcours dans le massif central quand elle a rejoint le flux de nombreux riders).

![entree tunnel](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/2RCAMpCjGhXhLpG3lqsAyO/3919911486249576abdf0819852c77c6/entree_tunnel.jpg)
![tourmalet](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/5yDRYSY4GAjNLNm7E8SiZs/1a3326c6ec344f0ba44b20b9f305dbcc/tourmalet.jpg)

Par contre, on tient la preuve photographique d'un vrai flirt dans le Tunnel de Vielha : celui de __Matthieu Lifschitz (123)__ et de __Pascal Bride (24)__ qui ont mangé des bonbons crocodiles ensemble à la sortie de cette attraction de fête foraine. La photo prise par Pascal montre tout ce que l'on peut redouter dans un tel circuit de course pour voitures rapides.

![219541838 1630566383956556 3414986620541156433 n](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/7df0x86FJ68hNtKfu6QgD6/0d521eafbb68be0e2e08125ea2a7d420/219541838_1630566383956556_3414986620541156433_n.jpg)
![219166236 1630566280623233 1683114540355763675 n](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/2nfoUSiV1galsA8snIO9Xh/76620f5eca3e022a63288cf94cc7e731/219166236_1630566280623233_1683114540355763675_n.jpg)

Si le but d'une course de bikepacking est de relier l'arrivée le plus vite par toutes les routes autorisées (et donc possiblement ce tunnel), on accordera une mention particulière pour ceux qui l'ont évité :
- soit par le Port de Boucharo (trail) comme __Bernhard Ritter (51), Carlos Mazon (52), Simon Kreuz (143), Jan Hendrick Becks (93), Gerhard Dashuber (30), Bettina Eder (6), Stefan Kanne (145), Marcel Amore (7)__;
- soit par le Port d'Ourdissetou (trail) comme __Gerald Minichshofer (88)__ ;
- soit par la route du col de la Bonaigua comme __Moritz Durchdewald (58), Oliver Gyger (132), Kilian Hermes (26), Alexander Kuhn (105), Cornela Pucar (10), Jan Tropschug (35)__.

Carton rouge probable par contre pour la paire __Werner-Knorz (1537)__ qui est passée par le tunnel d'Aragnouet-Bielsa interdit aux vélos.

Enfin, le mystère en cours est la tentative de __Philipp Greif (64)__, parti en France plein Est, sans doute pour aller chercher le passage en Espagne via le col de Puymorens et le col de la Creueta ???

Enfin une pensée spéciale pour __Olivier Rochat (134)__ qui a pu réparer son vélo (patte de dérailleur cassée) après une journée à l'arrêt. On se sait pas s'il faut le considérer comme lanterne rouge de la TPBR car il a peut-être changer de course : après le Galibier, il descend les Alpes vers le Sud. Souhaite-t-il terminer à Nice, autre ligne d'arrivée historique de la TPBR ? Ou est-il en train de tenter le défi de la  [Confrérie des 7 Majeurs](https://www.les7majeurs.com/) puisqu'il vient de passer le Col de l'Izoard et il se dirige, oui, vers le magnifique et sévère Col d'Agnel ... 

Bonus : encore quelques-unes parmi les photos officielles de la ligne d'arrivée !

![217604137 1032026394213475 3373728274491765080 n](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/Ad9gf7eaYtkXfd9Dn40U5/d00e864eee109017eb10ad8bcfcd5b40/217604137_1032026394213475_3373728274491765080_n.jpg)
![217584059 1032026217546826 5804930714039644687 n](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/43ewvYSCHsBMJE7ZNmaeWp/58161682a2dc69ce4fbe3c41c449ad68/217584059_1032026217546826_5804930714039644687_n.jpg)
![218211346 1032581874157927 8860483613070540767 n](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/1smClNqLNDFaEcoqx7j9aG/9f74743b48f0cfb0891c1bdcbb6ea3ae/218211346_1032581874157927_8860483613070540767_n.jpg)
![219714097 1032581667491281 1332602744451164568 n](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/3xyIcwoj02xLvAUDmzpasr/3c5430af37c02f2ff788fc7432749b4f/219714097_1032581667491281_1332602744451164568_n.jpg)
![217489655 1032026980880083 3851519417846042438 n](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/5KwJsg9Ct1WHEshO13NMSm/2e2273cf350f97d4a2e71406c5082206/217489655_1032026980880083_3851519417846042438_n.jpg)
![218628480 1032581394157975 8073968028971529013 n](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/3zeZKAfBUWHQ3igUs8VKjB/23a4c8eb0e3dbc4106103927d0855f63/218628480_1032581394157975_8073968028971529013_n.jpg)
![218861098 1032581594157955 6564371950411572212 n](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/4hYoC37ID6NusByCQYv4Yr/789b6db40b3763ebeb2451e3807c207f/218861098_1032581594157955_6564371950411572212_n.jpg)
![218740023 1032581367491311 7322980084247352394 n](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/5OrXNAmYuIIFxndDWqmgVT/533d72907a1929a533ce0dd42f8d2962/218740023_1032581367491311_7322980084247352394_n.jpg)


![yu](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/6YQFVBvIItofRAKESYMX8D/db683465ccb1d33f8c4934adf957b482/yu.jpg)

Evolution of the ranking:
![top 10 -classement](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/2ChAu2pPtC1kUEI3mV4X0u/2828b9873ae54cf27285eb762714bae5/top_10_-classement.jpg)

Crossing points in the Alps and the Pyrenees:
![top10 - point de passage](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/5coHjsqEse7rcV6rpmALTH/c3b0415b828a482b7d48681c4b6d84f4/top10_-_point_de_passage.jpg)

TOP 1

![217207136 1030199417729506 5137890330565603126 n](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/4Ke7aOSTT4XOEIn22QFvYC/12f36081bf336105fcd42aea0d587bb7/217207136_1030199417729506_5137890330565603126_n.jpg)

We don't really know much about __Adam Bialek (76)__ except that he was really the strongest. And that he has very pretty shoes. 

TOP 2

![217759924 1030620631020718 7140807615229321520 n](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4rj8TihlPpY3SM16wyl2UL/2054b5ddf81dd29f5be386e44da29d11/217759924_1030620631020718_7140807615229321520_n.jpg)

__Bernhard Ritter (51)__ came second in Barcelona. To understand his performance, there is no need to look at his statistics, just watch this video again:
![163715252 535748764284162 6768158445421386430 n](//videos.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/7gjYVpgHKZnb3eRtQtVWlH/3bb35c7dcc83bede1ba2eab55e5802b3/163715252_535748764284162_6768158445421386430_n.mp4)

The only mistake that Bernhard made was to modestly declare at the finish that he was not the second best rider and that he had benefited from his ease and his preparation for the weather conditions (rain, snow , cold ...). No Bernhard, the bikepacking races require everyone to master all the elements, you are indeed the second best cyclist of this edition. And clearly the most smiling.

TOP 3

![219470086 1031233294292785 5362914279430051570 n](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2FFE9YKBCYqecC7a7dJI3k/9151a3caa2e6dfdb257c0fdf01f33d16/219470086_1031233294292785_5362914279430051570_n.jpg)

__Carlos Mazon (52)__ is 3rd. Even if Adam Bialek (76) quickly took off towards victory after CP1, the Spaniard was always in the fight and we never doubted that the guy would be able to fight until the end. The gap with Bernhard simply increased after CP3 to reach 13 hours at the finish line.

TOP 4

![214705833 1031233257626122 8667542923751281285 n](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5Pd5MbirEv7UnMdbsLw0wN/49c9f12fd6f492d2fb6cc7a3d2db5d19/214705833_1031233257626122_8667542923751281285_n.jpg)

__Moritz Durchdewald (58)__, started slightly more slowly, positioned himself in his rank from CP2 and gained a few places with the scratches of __Jan Koller (173)__ and __Thomas Dupin (143)__. He made the last section between the Tourmalet and Barcelona in 34 hours without taking the Tunnel de Vielha and passed through the Port de la Bonaigua (2072m).

TOP 5

![218824670 1031233274292787 8034732020094263668 n](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3uNKDyVGsEVhDBaVtiGSHB/5aed2dcf88d5bd2fe68445a490be9715/218824670_1031233274292787_8034732020094263668_n.jpg)

__Jana Kesenheimer (36)__ finished magnificently in 5th position (1st woman). The curfew imposed in Barcelona made it necessary for her to stop between 1:00 and 6:00 am at the entrance to the final course, which meant that __Bart Verheiven (49)__ (photo below) made up for the 5 or 6 hours delay that 'he had on her. Even though the tracker announces Bart in fifth place, it looks like Jana came right ahead of him, and she gets the deserved spot without the curfew harming her. It is not known if Jana won the sprint or if Bart was gallant.

TOP 6

![218839432 1031233250959456 7600057887797841587 n](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4ls8sc9KqsPskUuyUPtVJm/5ee8f832c5ce60e5f705bfe265b263ed/218839432_1031233250959456_7600057887797841587_n.jpg)

TOP 7

![216581071 1030900350992746 7002259515081549595 n](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/uXUwN4XUnorT9i85T70JQ/8a130adb435b2a908e72e9f8adfeef49/216581071_1030900350992746_7002259515081549595_n.jpg)
![217344674 1030897307659717 1165561892342575007 n](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5qtAQcJ7DmujAcJPulLXac/39a04a1b85544353e0b80b467f85cd8e/217344674_1030897307659717_1165561892342575007_n.jpg)

__Thomas Ceyrowsky (25)__ finished in 7th position. It should be noted that Bart and Thomas have two things in common. They have crossed the Alps on the south route (they were blocked together on the way down the Grinselpass). And they were the two fastest between CP3 and the finish, covering the distance in less than 26 hours (29 hours for Adam).

TOP 8

![215595235 1028283601254421 9086176475584113185 n](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1JLaAXrkZxSmG5YU9GRe3W/bc991c54a006dba485f6b8cd6b620db4/215595235_1028283601254421_9086176475584113185_n.jpg)

![219108796 2905365766392203 371678408630291446 n](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6f6pkIcFVZThCz5du3ZFJE/c1195156584113a42c509317e0c6a4de/219108796_2905365766392203_371678408630291446_n.jpg)
![FB IMG 1626678566209](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/6wUWuhmCXBQdKlSFtZlVpJ/e8057e5f3ca391ae0d8be3df8b7d474c/FB_IMG_1626678566209.jpg)

![FB IMG 1626678551358](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/28GIjQFIKkrABEz0o4esoN/c31e55c3cc375394cdfb0d8d8dd8acd9/FB_IMG_1626678551358.jpg)

![219120154 2904605159801597 8836208047615705238 n](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2IaHkvfC63mWb6pqBk1224/bb0f49bee377321468c6a6e5dd74e9ef/219120154_2904605159801597_8836208047615705238_n.jpg)

__Gerald Minichshofer (88)__ finished 8th with the Grand Prix du Jury: on the one hand for its originality to return to Spain (port of Ourdissetou -photo above-, we do not even know if it's ok with a mountain bike, he will write moreover: *"Better say completely stupid. I'm glad I came down in one piece"*), on the other hand for his constant humor in his publications on social networks (plastic gloves, pictures of Jana and the cow, history of the Hotel which locks up customers, carrying a baguette on the top tube of its bicycle frame ...).

![hotem](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1b2kLbv1j9eyJ6C3DXEg66/4e378f2b8ab69d5b367b1900899a8e53/hotem.jpg)

TOP 9

![214892587 1026584384757676 8656439066075080984 n](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/77n7ZM2Lv5xkJBrqetOxLb/7fe0bd1300db2332a3f90eb3e6575984/214892587_1026584384757676_8656439066075080984_n.jpg)

__Alexander Vorrath (29)__ finished 9th having been very consistent throughout the race.

TOP 10

![216664538 1030900324326082 8681218818192341734 n](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5YQ7ty4PcRoUaJetyixJ2D/fd799e58243702a07e48edadac4ac343/216664538_1030900324326082_8681218818192341734_n.jpg)

__Kilian Wagner (110)__ had the best progression in the ranking. 47th in CP2, he took full advantage of the 15 hours of forced break in Airolo to rest and covered the distance between CP2 and CP3 almost as fast as the first riders.

Roger Chuchard

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<iframe src = "https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fadventurebikeracing%2Fposts%2F1031317390951042&show_text=true&width=500" width = "500" height = "806" style = "border: none; overflow: hidden" scrolling = "no" frameborder = "0" allowfullscreen = "true" allow = "autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share "> </iframe> 

![yu](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/69FXAPCytYA9j4RDbZghxk/40e36c253a63df2d512fdc4d41cbcaa3/yu.jpg)

Evolution du classement :
![top 10 -classement](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/2ChAu2pPtC1kUEI3mV4X0u/2828b9873ae54cf27285eb762714bae5/top_10_-classement.jpg)

Points de passage dans les Alpes et dans les Pyrénes :
![top10 - point de passage](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/5coHjsqEse7rcV6rpmALTH/c3b0415b828a482b7d48681c4b6d84f4/top10_-_point_de_passage.jpg)

TOP 1

![217207136 1030199417729506 5137890330565603126 n](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/3scDbfFFTm8IAOsQ2iHmHL/a12e3859e139e69075bf372b3bc559da/217207136_1030199417729506_5137890330565603126_n.jpg)

On ne sait finalement pas grand-chose d'Adam Bialek (76) si ce n'est qu'il a vraiment été le plus fort. Et qu'il a de très jolis souliers.

TOP 2

![217759924 1030620631020718 7140807615229321520 n](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/4rj8TihlPpY3SM16wyl2UL/2054b5ddf81dd29f5be386e44da29d11/217759924_1030620631020718_7140807615229321520_n.jpg)

__Bernhard Ritter (51)__ est arrrivé en deuxième position à Barcelone. Pour comprendre sa performance, il n'y a pas besoin de regarder ses statistiques, il suffit de revisionner cette vidéo :
![163715252 535748764284162 6768158445421386430 n](//videos.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/7gjYVpgHKZnb3eRtQtVWlH/3bb35c7dcc83bede1ba2eab55e5802b3/163715252_535748764284162_6768158445421386430_n.mp4)
La seule erreur que Bernhard a commise aura été de déclarer modestement à l'arrivée qu'il n'était pas le deuxième meilleur rider du lot et qu'il avait profité de son aisance et de sa préparation pour les conditions météorologiques (pluie, neige, froid...). Non Bernhard, les courses de bikepacking exigent de tous une maitrise de l'ensemble des éléments, tu es bien le deuxième meilleure cycliste de cette édition. Et clairement le plus souriant.

TOP 3

![219470086 1031233294292785 5362914279430051570 n](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/2FFE9YKBCYqecC7a7dJI3k/9151a3caa2e6dfdb257c0fdf01f33d16/219470086_1031233294292785_5362914279430051570_n.jpg)

__Carlos Mazon (52)__ fait 3ème. Même si Adam Bialek (76) a rapidement pris un envol vers la victoire après le CP1, l'espagnol a toujours été dans la lutte et on n'a jamais douter que le bonhomme serait capable de lutter jusqu'à la fin. L'écart avec Bernhard a simplement augmenté après le CP3 pour atteindre 13 heures sur la ligne d'arrivée.

TOP 4

![214705833 1031233257626122 8667542923751281285 n](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/5Pd5MbirEv7UnMdbsLw0wN/49c9f12fd6f492d2fb6cc7a3d2db5d19/214705833_1031233257626122_8667542923751281285_n.jpg)

__Moritz Durchdewald (58)__, parti légèremment plus lentement, s'est positionné à son rang dès le CP2 et a gagné quelques places avec les scratches de Jan Koller (173) et Thomas Dupin (143). Il a fait le dernier tronçon entre le Tourmalet et Barcelone en 34 heures sans emprunter le Tunnel de Vielha et en passant par le Port de la Bonaigua (2072m).

TOP 5

![218824670 1031233274292787 8034732020094263668 n](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/3uNKDyVGsEVhDBaVtiGSHB/5aed2dcf88d5bd2fe68445a490be9715/218824670_1031233274292787_8034732020094263668_n.jpg)

__Jana Kesenheimer (36)__ termine magnigfiquement à la 5ème position (1ère féminine). Le couvre-feu instauré à Barcelone a imposé qu'elle s'arrête à l'entrée du parcours final, ce qui a fait que __Bart Verheiven (49)__ (photo ci-dessous) a rattrapé les 5 ou 6 heures de retard qu'il avait sur elle. Même si le tracker annonce Bart en cinquième position, il semble que Jana soit arrivée juste avant lui, et elle obtient la place méritée sans le que couvre-feu ne lui nuise. On ne sait pas si Jana a gagné le sprint ou si Bart a été galant.

TOP 6

![218839432 1031233250959456 7600057887797841587 n](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/4ls8sc9KqsPskUuyUPtVJm/5ee8f832c5ce60e5f705bfe265b263ed/218839432_1031233250959456_7600057887797841587_n.jpg)

TOP 7 

![216581071 1030900350992746 7002259515081549595 n](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/uXUwN4XUnorT9i85T70JQ/8a130adb435b2a908e72e9f8adfeef49/216581071_1030900350992746_7002259515081549595_n.jpg)

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__Thomas Ceyrowsky (25)__ termine en 7ème position. Il est à noter que  Bart et Thomas ont deux points communs. Ils sont les 2 seuls du top 10 à avoir traversé les Alpes par le Sud (ils ont été bloqués ensemble en redescendant le Grinselpass). Et ils ont été les deux plus rapides entre le CP3 et l'arrivée en faisant la distance en moins de 26 heures (29 heures pour Adam). 

TOP 8

![215595235 1028283601254421 9086176475584113185 n](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/1JLaAXrkZxSmG5YU9GRe3W/bc991c54a006dba485f6b8cd6b620db4/215595235_1028283601254421_9086176475584113185_n.jpg)
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![FB IMG 1626678551358](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/28GIjQFIKkrABEz0o4esoN/c31e55c3cc375394cdfb0d8d8dd8acd9/FB_IMG_1626678551358.jpg)
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__Gerald Minichshofer (88)__ termine 8ème avec le Grand Prix du Jury : d'une part pour son originalité pour rentrer en Espagne (port d'Ourdissetou -photo ci-dessus- , on se sait même pas si cela passe en mountain bike, il écrira d'ailleurs : *"Better say completely stupid. I'm glad I came down in one piece"*), d'autre part pour son humour constant dans ses publications sur les réseaux sociaux (gants plastiques, clichés de Jana et la vache, histoire de l'Hotel qui enfermen à clé les clients, portage de baguette sur le top tube de son cadre de vélo...). 

![hotem](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/1b2kLbv1j9eyJ6C3DXEg66/4e378f2b8ab69d5b367b1900899a8e53/hotem.jpg)

TOP 9 

![214892587 1026584384757676 8656439066075080984 n](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/77n7ZM2Lv5xkJBrqetOxLb/7fe0bd1300db2332a3f90eb3e6575984/214892587_1026584384757676_8656439066075080984_n.jpg)

__Alexander Vorrath (29)__  termine 9ème en ayant été très constant durant toute la course.

TOP 10 

![216664538 1030900324326082 8681218818192341734 n](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/5YQ7ty4PcRoUaJetyixJ2D/fd799e58243702a07e48edadac4ac343/216664538_1030900324326082_8681218818192341734_n.jpg)

__Kilian Wagner (110)__ a eu la plus belle progression de classement. 47ème au CP2, il a parfaitement profité des 15 heures de pause forcée à Airolo pour se reposer et a parcouru la distance entre le CP2 et le CP3 presque aussi vite que les premiers.

Roger Chuchard

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(english vversion below)

__Adam Bialek (76)__ a gagné la course hier au terme d'une itinéraire  parfaitement maîtrisé.

__Bernhard Ritter (51)__, à l'approche de Barcelone, a déclaré qu'il ne connaissait pas le sentier de Bujaruelo qu'il a emprunté pour entrer en Espagne (voulait-il dire qu'il ne l'avait jamais roulé ou qu'il ne savait pas que ce sentier était réservé aux randonneurs aguerris ?). Un choix par contre assumé en toute connaissance de cause par le pyrénéen __Carlos Mazon (56)__.

__Moritz Durchdewald (88)__, en quatrième position, fait un léger détour pour passer la frontière espagnole en évitant un peu de dénivelé.

__Jana Kesenheimer (36)__ semble vouloir d'économiser encore davantage en redescendant vers Saint-Gaudens.

La paire __Mulhaus-Mejean (16139)__ en termine de sa traversée osée  du Massif central et devrait rejoindre le circuit plus classique avec toujours la première place dans la catégorie paires. 

__Anna Bauchmann (2)__ a par contre renoncé  à  la *Diagonale du désert*   et elle a repris la route de la Vallée du Rhône. 

Point trop n'en faut ? Même  __Olivier Rochat (134)__, gourmand de montagnes, a fait demi-tour dans le Galibier hier soir vers 21h00 pour retrouver un gîte. On ne sait pas si c'est la fatigue ou la météo qui l"a conduit à renoncer. Il avait franchi les 2770m de l'Iseran  un peu plus tôt.

Hier, __Nicolas Loustaunou (129)__, a du abandonner au pied des Pyrénées après une sacrée remontée dans le classement. Il poursuit, en vélo, vers l'océan Atlantique.

Davantage de montagnes ? C'est le cas pour __Ronny Martin (120)__, avant-dernier, qui sort du petit-déjeuner  pour attaquer le route d'approche du CP2. 

__Anna Luszcz (5)__, lanterne rouge, était positionnée à hier soir et ce matin à 6:56 sur un sentier perché. Un probable souci de tracker sauf si elle a campé en plein nature. On attend de ses nouvelles.

Roger Chuchard

![Screenshot 20210717-081118](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/4FQKeMLZYy98KkK3g6a2M3/9dee48e8dd5786b8aa0c8d2e274f598d/Screenshot_20210717-081118.jpg)

![Screenshot 20210717-082108](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/4kcSzuLcvwlKnfh4cnseiO/fcd763b382147b11d0d8fd0b38307d2f/Screenshot_20210717-082108.jpg)

![Screenshot 20210717-082340](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/31m8bVUVACFgKqxcEn2mnF/345d8a47fd795ec9398aea005e84f396/Screenshot_20210717-082340.jpg)

![Screenshot 20210717-090117](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/7GKcI1WEtAiLGqOaRHdsxq/0677c6742bc4afba818013ad0a5eb46e/Screenshot_20210717-090117.jpg)

__More mountains  or  not  ?__

__Adam Bialek (76)__ won the race yesterday after a perfectly mastered route. 

__Bernhard Ritter (51)__, approaching Barcelona, said he was unaware of the path of Bujaruelo  he took to enter Spain (did he mean he had never ridden it or that he didn't know this trail was for seasoned hikers only?). A choice, on the other hand, knowingly assumed by the Pyrenean __Carlos Mazon (56)__. 

__Moritz Durchdewald (88)__, in fourth position, made a slight detour to cross the Spanish border, avoiding a little drop. 

__Jana Kesenheimer (36)__ seems to want to save even more by going down to Saint-Gaudens. 

The __Mulhaus-Mejean pair (16139)__ is finishing their daring crossing of the Massif Central and should join the more classic circuit with still first place in the pairs category. 

__Anna Bauchmann (2)__, on the other hand, gave up the *Diagonale du Désert* and took the road to the Rhône Valley. 

Not too much need ? Even __Olivier Rochat (134)__, a mountain lover, turned around in the Galibier last night around 9:00 p.m. to find a gîte. We do not know if it was fatigue or the weather that led him to give up. He had crossed the 2770m de l'Iseran a little earlier. 

Yesterday, __Nicolas Loustaunou (129)__, had to give up at the foot of the Pyrenees after a super rise in the rankings. He continues, by bike, towards the Atlantic Ocean. 

More mountains? This is the case for __Ronny Martin (120)__, penultimate, who comes out of breakfast to attack the approach road of CP2. 

__Anna Luszcz (5)__, red lantern, was positioned last night and this morning at 6:56 am on a perched path. A probable problem with her tracker unless she has camped in the middle of nature. We are waiting to hear from her.

Roger Chuchard

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Bravo ADAM BIALEK (76) who wins TPBR2021 in 06D // 05H // 19MN !!! What a race !!!

“*Not only the weather conditions were providing some extra challenges this year but also the peaks were much harder than last year’s peaks*”, said Adam, who finished in 5th position in TPBR2020. 

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![76](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/32tHhj1mVWFeT76nPiDOMS/4a9f9a82f6f3abe9c0b08fad63cfd968/76.jpg)
![bravo Adam](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/6UjtPn2YXqucNVBTJMX1jM/ce8a16893bfce5dd010562337d9167f5/bravo_Adam.jpg)

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(english version below)

On éprouvait hier une sorte de langueur de "dotwatcher" après les émotions alpines et les circonstances éprouvantes du CP2, en réalisant que les riders avaient, après la Suisse, "*juste un autre raid de dingue*" à parcourir.  Avec une humeur un peu similaire à  la chanson "*just another  rock song*" des écossais de __Belle & Sebastian__ (peut-être une association d'idées inconsciente entre l'approche des Pyrénées et le nom de ce pop-band de Glasgow rendant hommage au titre du roman et du feuilleton pour enfants de Cécile Aubry, à moins que cela ne soit du à la douche écossaise qui est tombée et surtout qui continuent de tomber sur les riders qui m'y ait fait penser).

Mais une course de bikepacking sur l'écran d'ordinateur est comme une partie de billards où les boules se dispersent et continuent de rouler. 

Tous les chemins mènent à Barcelone, mais la majorité des participants empruntent la Vallée du Rhône. Après une telle accumulation de dénivelé dans les Alpes, on se demandait quel serait le premier doux-dingue a tenté la route à travers le Massif Central. On a cru hier que cela serait le néerlandais __Bart Verheijen (49)__, un poil décalé à l'ouest au niveau de Vienne, serait le premier à reprendre une dose de montagne, un comble pour un cycliste originaire d'un pays qui ne dépasse pas les 300 mètres d'altitude. Mais, c'est la paire mixte M__arguerite Muhlhaus__ et __Remi Mejean (16138)__ qui a inauguré cette voie, suivis d'__Anna Bauchmann (2)__ et de __Kilian Hermes (26)__.

Tous les chemins mènent à Barcelone, mais les embuches sont nombreuses. Marguerite Muhlhaus et Remi Mejean (16138) avaient passé hier matin le col du Susten givré en compagnie de __Pascal Bride (24)__. Celui-ci a subi la pluie et des aleas mécaniques et est désormais à près de 200km derrière ceux avec qui il partageait la route hier. Les situations peuvent évoluer vite dans une telle course.

Tous les chemins mènent à Barcelone, mais il faut savoir prendre son mal en patience. __Nicolas Loustaunou (129)__, préparateur mental de métier, a du s'appliquer à lui-même ses conseils quand il était bloqué par la fermeture des cols et voyait le temps s'envoler. Lui, qui était aussi avec Marguerite Muhlhaus et Remi Mejean (16138) et Pascal Bride (24) dans le col de Susten, a roulé très solidement jusqu'à prendre la 6ème place au pied des Pyrénées alors qu'il pointait 13ème au CP2. 

Tous les chemins mènent à Barcelone, mais on se demande si __Olivier Rochat (134)__ ne va pas passer par Rome ? Après les Dolomites et le Stelvio, il s'est offert "*par amour*" le col du Saint-Bernard (2469m alt.) et est dans l'ascension du col du Petit Saint-Bernard (2188m) . Sa stratégie semble consister à contourner la vallée du Rhône en faisant un détour par les Alpes. Cela pourrait payer, en tout cas en matière de rêve, de plaisir, et de poèmes à la clé. Par contre, son parcours devient complètement imprévisible pour la suite, qui sait ce qu'il nous réserve ?

Tous les chemins mènent à Barcelone, mais le réglement de course autorise à prendre le parcours obligatoire du Tourmalet (CP3) dans un sens ou dans l'autre. __Adam Bialek (76)__ l'a passé d'ouest en est hier (juste avant l'arrivée du peloton du Tour de France) avant d'entrer en Espagne par le Col du Portillon. Il a pris le Tunnel de Vielha, qui ne serait donc pas interdit en vélo, avec 12,5 km de descente à 5% ! 

Quand à __Bernhard Ritter (51)__, il semble le plus heureux des hommes : de plus en plus bavard sur les réseaux sociaux, il a pris le Tourmalet dans l'autre sens (suivi par __Carlos Mazon (52)__), pour ensuite grimper le Col des Tentes et rejoindre l'Espagne actuellement par le passage gravel du Port de Boucharo à 2273m d'altitude. Que c'est beau !

Roger Chuchard

![51 bis](//images.contentful.com/6hyijb95boju/7rTKodnK8pXWnp5qHisjJn/477537f9b5006544691cbfa1f6e9a2a8/51_bis.jpg)

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__All roads lead to Barcelona__

Yesterday we felt a sort of "dotwatcher" languor after the alpine emotions and the trying circumstances of CP2, realising that the riders had, after Switzerland, "*just another crazy raid*" to go. With a mood a little similar to the song "*just another  rock song*" by the Scottish __Belle & Sebastian__ (perhaps an unconscious association of ideas between the approach of the Pyrenees and the name of this pop-band from Glasgow paying homage to the title of the novel and children's soap opera by Cécile Aubry, unless it is due to the Scottish shower which fell and especially continues to fall on the riders who made me think of it).

But a bikepacking race on the computer screen is like a game of billiards where the balls scatter and continue to roll.

All roads lead to Barcelona, but the majority of participants take the Vallée du Rhône. After such an accumulation of vertical ascent in the Alps, we wondered who would be the first goof to try the route through the Massif Central. We believed yesterday that it would be the Dutch __Bart Verheijen (49)__, a bit shifted to the west at the level of Vienne, would be the first to take a dose of mountain air, a shame for a cyclist from a country that does not exceed not the 300 meters of altitude. But it was the mixed pair __Marguerite Muhlhaus and Remi Mejean (16138)__ who inaugurated this route, followed by __Anna Bauchmann (2)__ and __Kilian Hermes (26)__.

All roads lead to Barcelona, but there are many pitfalls. Marguerite Muhlhaus Marguerite and Remi Mejean (16138) had passed the frosted Susten pass yesterday morning in the company of __Pascal Bride (24)__. He suffered rain and mechanical hazards and is now nearly 200km behind those with whom he shared the road yesterday. Situations can change quickly in such a race.

All roads lead to Barcelona, but you have to be patient. __Nicolas Loustaunou (129)__, whose job is mental trainer, had to apply his own advice to himself when he was blocked by the closing of the passes and saw the time fly. He, who was also with Marguerite Muhlhaus and Remi Mejean (16138) and Pascal Bride (24) in the Susten pass, rode very solidly until taking 6th place at the foot of the Pyrenees, after he was 13th in CP2.

All roads lead to Barcelona, but we wonder if __Olivier Rochat (134)__ will not go through Rome? After the Dolomites and the Stelvio, he offered himself "*for love*" the Saint-Bernard pass (2469m alt.) and he's now climbing the Petit Saint-Bernard pass (2188m). His strategy seems to consist of bypassing the Rhône valley by making a detour through the Alps. It could pay off, at least in terms of dreams, pleasure, and poems to get. On the other hand, his course becomes completely unpredictable for the future, who knows what he has in store for us?

All roads lead to Barcelona, but the race regulations allow you to take the compulsory Tourmalet route (CP3) in one direction or the other. __Adam Bialek (76)__ passed it from west to east yesterday (just before the arrival of the Tour de France peloton) before entering Spain via the Col du Portillon. He took the Vielha Tunnel, which would therefore not be prohibited by bike, with 12.5 km of descent at 5%!

As for __Bernhard Ritter (51)__, he seems the happiest of men: more and more talkative on social networks, he took the Tourmalet in the other direction (__Carlos Mazon (52)__ did the same later), he then climbed the Col des Tentes and is currently joining Spain by the gravel pass; Port de Boucharo at 2273m above sea level. So beautiful!

Roger Chuchard

Thomas Chateau

A self-routed race from Vienna to Barcelona via three checkpoints consisting of a selection of the hardest climbs in Europe: Mangart Saddle, Männlichen and Col du Tourmalet.

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