ROAD TO TCRNo5: PROLOGUE

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”13296″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row force_equal_height_columns=”no” parallax=”” parallax_image=”” el_id=””][vc_column][ultimate_spacer height=”25″ height_on_tabs=”25″ height_on_mob=”25″][vc_column_text]November 14th, we applied officially to participate in the Transcontinental Race 2017. This photo story explains in four chapters why we decided to join the world’s most famous self supported bicycle race.[/vc_column_text][ultimate_spacer height=”15″ height_on_tabs=”15″ height_on_mob=”15″][ultimate_spacer height=”35″ height_on_tabs=”35″ height_on_mob=”30″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row force_equal_height_columns=”no” parallax=”” parallax_image=”” el_id=””][vc_column][ultimate_heading main_heading=”I” heading_tag=”h1″ default_sub_heading=”July 27th, 2015 | Mont Ventoux” subheading_tag=”h5″ sub_heading_default_style=”italic” sub_heading_default_weight=”400″ sub_heading_color=”#b3b3b3″ sub_heading_font_size=”30″]July 27th, 2015 | Mont Ventoux[/ultimate_heading][ultimate_spacer height=”25″ height_on_tabs=”25″ height_on_mob=”25″][ultimate_spacer height=”25″ height_on_tabs=”25″ height_on_mob=”25″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row force_equal_height_columns=”no” dfd_row_config=”full_width_content”][vc_column width=”2/6″][dfd_single_image image=”13388″][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”0″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”0″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”0″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”10″][dfd_single_image image=”13387″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/6″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”3/6″][vc_column_text]We’re climbing Mont Ventoux for the first time.

Our goal in 2015 is to ride the ‘cinglé du Ventoux’, a challenge to climb the three sides of Mont Ventoux in one ride.

A few kilometers from the summit a rider with bikepacking bags passes us. It’s Neil Philips participating in the Transcontinental Race no3. Mont Ventoux is one of the checkpoints in that year’s race.

On the summit we see the TCRNo3 team, giving stamps to the riders who just finished the climb, joyfully cheering other riders in their final meters before the summit. It could have been the good weather, or just the Mont Ventoux magic but that day we saw and felt something we wanted to be part of too: the TCR community.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][ultimate_spacer height=”45″ height_on_tabs=”45″ height_on_mob=”45″][ultimate_heading main_heading=”II” heading_tag=”h1″ default_sub_heading=”April 29th 2015 | Virton” subheading_tag=”h5″ sub_heading_default_style=”italic” sub_heading_default_weight=”400″ sub_heading_color=”#b3b3b3″ sub_heading_font_size=”30″]July 27th, 2015 | Mont Ventoux[/ultimate_heading][ultimate_spacer height=”25″ height_on_tabs=”25″ height_on_mob=”25″][vc_column_text]TCRNo4 is coming closer but it’s too early for us to participate. First we have to discover the world of long distance cycling. We submit for the Duodiagonaal, a race organised by Gunther Desmedt from bikepacking.be. From Virton to Oostende, more than 300 kilometers diagonal through Belgium with 3 obligated checkpoints. You create your own route and ride your race self-supported. It’s like a one day Belgian Trancontinental Race.

April 29th 2015, 6u15 am | Oudenaarde

We were hoping for a beatiful sunrise to end our fight against the sleep after riding the night in complete darkness but instead it starts raining and a hailstorm comes up. The average temperature since the start at 5 pm is 2 degrees and despite two night stops in bank offices to warm our hands and feet, we’re cold. Too cold to continue. We weren’t prepared for this weather. A beginner’s mistake. Our first long distance cycling adventure ends here, after 280 kilometers.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row force_equal_height_columns=”no” dfd_row_config=”full_width_content” parallax=”” parallax_image=”” el_id=””][vc_column][vc_row_inner el_id=””][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][ultimate_spacer height=”0″ height_on_mob=”10″][vc_single_image image=”13401″ img_size=”full” el_class=”dfd-block” link_one_page=””][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][ultimate_spacer height=”0″ height_on_mob=”10″][vc_single_image image=”13402″ img_size=”full” el_class=”dfd-block” link_one_page=””][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row force_equal_height_columns=”no” parallax=”” parallax_image=”” el_id=””][vc_column][ultimate_spacer height=”45″ height_on_tabs=”45″ height_on_mob=”45″][ultimate_heading main_heading=”III” heading_tag=”h1″ default_sub_heading=”May 6th 2016 | Condroz” subheading_tag=”h5″ sub_heading_default_style=”italic” sub_heading_default_weight=”400″ sub_heading_color=”#b3b3b3″ sub_heading_font_size=”30″]July 27th, 2015 | Mont Ventoux[/ultimate_heading][ultimate_spacer height=”25″ height_on_tabs=”25″ height_on_mob=”25″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row force_equal_height_columns=”no” bg_check=”row-background-dark”][vc_column][dfd_single_image image=”13403″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][ultimate_spacer height=”45″ height_on_tabs=”45″ height_on_mob=”45″][vc_column_text]We’re on a short cycling holiday in the Condroz in Belgium. The feeling in our hands and feet is back and despite scratching from the Duodiagonaal after 280 kilometers the Transcontinental Race is still in our heads.

How would it be to ride more than 300 kilometers a day? And to repeat that the next day?
And the next? And the next? For 15 days in a row?
How would it feel to keep on pedalling with sore legs, hour after hour, day after day?
How would it feel to hallucinate on your bicycle because you’re body is so tired?
And how would it feel to finish the world’s most famous long distance bicycle race?

We decide to plan a bikepacking adventure in the summer from the south of Belgium to the Italian Alps. We only carry what fits in our bikepacking bags. Nights are spent at other cyclists’ homes via warmshowers.org or in hotels.

Arlon – Colle delle Finestre, 1050 kilometers. This bikepacking journey will be our ultimate test before we decide whether to apply for TCR in summer 2017 or not.[/vc_column_text][ultimate_heading main_heading=”IV” heading_tag=”h1″ default_sub_heading=”July 2016 | Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Italy” subheading_tag=”h5″ sub_heading_default_style=”italic” sub_heading_default_weight=”400″ sub_heading_color=”#b3b3b3″ sub_heading_font_size=”30″]July 27th, 2015 | Mont Ventoux[/ultimate_heading][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”20″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”20″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”15″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”10″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”13330″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”20″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”20″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”15″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”10″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

In seven days and six rides we arrive on the summit of the Colle delle Finestre, after 1050 kilometers and 13.950 meters of altitude.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][ultimate_spacer height=”0″ height_on_mob=”10″][vc_single_image image=”13283″ img_size=”full”][ultimate_spacer height=”0″ height_on_mob=”10″][vc_single_image image=”13306″ img_size=”600×500″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][ultimate_spacer height=”0″ height_on_mob=”10″][vc_single_image image=”13287″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][ultimate_spacer height=”0″ height_on_mob=”10″][vc_single_image image=”13309″ img_size=”600×500″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][ultimate_spacer height=”20″ height_on_tabs=”15″ height_on_mob=”10″][vc_column_text]The first four days we ride 803 kilometers, straight to Oz en Oisans, on the flanks of the mythic Alpe D’huez in the French Alps, where our friends from our cycling club Robocyclo are staying for a cycling holiday.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”13324″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][ultimate_spacer height=”20″ height_on_tabs=”15″ height_on_mob=”10″][vc_column_text]

The fifth ride we crossed the Alps via the Col the Lauteret and the Col de Galibier.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”13331″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][ultimate_spacer height=”20″ height_on_tabs=”15″ height_on_mob=”10″][vc_column_text]

Our sixt ride was a short ride to the top of the Colle delle Finestre.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”13312″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][ultimate_spacer height=”20″ height_on_tabs=”15″ height_on_mob=”10″][vc_column_text]It’s difficult to express how we feel about the journey we made.

The days were long, but simple.
Wake up. Eat. Ride. Eat. Ride. Eat. Sleep.
Wake up. Eat. Ride. Eat. Ride. Eat. Sleep.
Nothing more.

When we were riding, we were longing to take a break to stretch our backs, drink a coke or a coffee, to eat a slice of pizza instead of the sweet things you’re constantly eating on the bike.

But when we were taking that break, we wanted to get back on our bikes as soon as possible to continue our route and get closer to our destination.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][ultimate_spacer height=”0″ height_on_mob=”10″][vc_single_image image=”13316″ img_size=”600×500″ alignment=”center”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][ultimate_spacer height=”0″ height_on_mob=”10″][vc_single_image image=”13329″ img_size=”600×500″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][ultimate_spacer height=”20″ height_on_tabs=”15″ height_on_mob=”10″][vc_column_text]We rode through a lot of beautiful places. Places we would normally stop, take a break and enjoy the view, eat something, drink a beer. Relax. But we kept on riding.

A lot of people crossed our roads. People full of stories. Stories we’ll never know, because we continued riding.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”13341″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][ultimate_spacer height=”20″ height_on_tabs=”15″ height_on_mob=”10″][vc_column_text]It’s strange to travel that way. You know you’re missing some essential parts of what traveling normally is about. But, despite of missing al those things, it also brings a mental rest when the only thing you have to do is keep on pedalling, spinning the legs. Stroke after stroke. Like the meditation of a monk creating a sand mandala, the constant pedal strokes help you forget other things and free your mind.

This journey, we wanted to test our legs and mind for a future Transcontinental Race. Because the stories we heard about the TCR, were about hard days, painful legs and mental challenges when things don’t go the way they’re planned. But they were also about the great feeling of completing a challenge that big, of expanding your limits.

This journey, we experienced those feelings, in what was for us a mini version of the TCR. The moment we reached the summit of the Colle delle Finestre, we knew: this is what we want to do. We want to ride TCRNo5.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Scroll to Top