TD Launches New Divide Racing Format
In recognition of the 10th anniversary of John Stamstad's Individual Time Trial (ITT) that spawned it all, TD embraces original Divide racing with the creation of ITTDivide (ITTD), a season-long SPOT Leaderboard and updates blog dedicated to following ITTs. ITTD will be much like group racing coverage, only lonelier. Whilst we recognize the format will never replace the drama of mass start divide racing, ITTs are no less harrowing, no less difficult and certainly worthy of documentation.
The ITTD mission is several-fold:
- Renew respect for ITTs as the original form of divide racing by recognizing and documenting them
- Alleviate focused pressure on the GDMBR from the growing popularity of June group racing
- Provide a forward thinking alternative should the unsanctioned group format ever become prohibited on GDMBR
- Give soloists who desire a pure ITT experience a virtual audience to motivate them and a GPS track to validate their performance
- Provide an arena for proponents of bidirectional racing to further pilot South-to-North records
- Lend impetus to those who want to race but simply can't make the annual June group start
ITTD Provisions: Race by Tour Divide Rules, carry a SPOT tracker and maintain a finish pace no more than twice the standing course record. If successful, any ITTD finisher is eligible for the annual GC (General Classification). ITTD recognizes both full GDMBR efforts as well as US border-to-border splits; North-to-South as well as South-to-North attempts. As Tour Divide is a SPOT GPS Messenger-supported organization, a limited number of loaner SPOT tracking devices will be available to ITTD racers on a first-come, first-served basis. More info soon.
