TD Race Updates

MTBCast: Stephen Huddle gave his final call in

Stephen Huddle calls in with some final thoughts.

MTBCast: David Tremblay called in from Silver City after his finish

David Tremblay called in from Silver City after finishing with the 26:09:xx group.

MTBCast: Nicolas Senie calls in from the finish

Nicolas Senie calls in from the finish. He finished with 25:16:10.

MTBCast: Stephen Huddle called in from the finish

Stephen Huddle called in after his finish. His finish time is 26:09:50.

MTBCast: Jon Billman called in from Silver City after his finish

Jon Billman called in after his finish. He finished with the 26:09:xx group.

And then there was one

So, another five, I hope, made it to the finish yesterday evening, including Cricket Butler, winner of this year’s women’s event. With her were Stephen Huddle and Brad Perry for sure, while it’s to be assumed the reason Jon Billman and Dave Tremblay’s SPOTS appeared stuck near Separ and in Silver City respectively was to do with low batteries rather than getting cold feet at the last minute Last year, mine did exactly the same, to the great frustration of those watching at home; it wasn’t a time to go shopping, however.

Congratulations to all on a finish time of around 26 days, nine hours and between 30 and 50 minutes. I know how difficult it was for Cricket and Stephen to have to stop racing last year, so it’s particularly pleasing to see them both finish this time out in such fine style (and faster than would likely have been the case had they continued last time). I doubt Stephen was rewarded with a bevy of single ladies waiting for him at Antelope Wells however – at least, if there were any, they didn’t have their SPOT trackers with them.

Interestingly, according to Shawn Sheppard on the race forum, Cricket’s finish means all four riders from the Carolinas (including Shawn, Tom Moriarty and Matthew Lee) made it all the way this year: ‘we grow ‘em tough down here,’ says Shawn. The Brits had achieved an 8/9 success rate until this year, when only Aidan Harding made it out of four starters, bringing our average down somewhat. Canada also suffered too. Blaine Nester might have made the podium, but the hitherto 100% record has been lost. Read more »

MTBCast: Episode TD Day 26 GDR Day 19

MTBCast: Nicolas Senie left Silver City and finished overnight with a time of 25:16:10. Stephen Huddle and Cricket Butler and gang call in from Silver City and should finish today. GDR racer Nathan Jones called in from Del Norte and should make NM today!

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MTBCast: Cricket Butler called in from Silver City

Cricket Butler called in from Silver City after a hard day.

MTBCast: Stephen Huddle called in from Silver City

Stephen Huddle called in from Silver City where he was watching the other “Tour.”

Chapeau

Once more the time difference between here in the UK and New Mexico has worked well, and I have the chance to write something just as Nicolas Senie arrives at the border. It’s a little after 1am local time and it looks like he has about two miles still to go. Judging by his last call in he’ll be delighted to have concluded the last desert section in the cool of the night. It definitely takes some getting used to if you come from North European climes.

Nicolas will also hopefully derive some pleasure form having become the first Frenchman to complete the Tour Divide, as well as from a finish time of around 25 days and 16 hours.

And that’s it, he’s made it. Felicitations Nico. I’m sorry the podium girls have been otherwise engaged, not far from your home, in Lille, at yesterday’s Tour de France stage finish. The border guards just don’t have the same ‘je ne sais quoi’.

Next to receive all the attention associated with completing the Tour Divide will be Cricket Butler, set to win this year’s women’s race, David Tremblay, Brad Perry, Jon Billman and Stephen Huddle. They put in a long day yesterday to reach Silver City late last night. They should be at the border late tomorrow afternoon.

Meanwhile, Patrick Tsai’s sense of adventure knows no bounds. Yesterday he took the ‘official’ Great Divide route from Cuba to Grants, rather than the paved alternate used by all racers so far. In fact, the paved alternate has been used by pretty much all racers since at least 2007, when Bruce Dinsmore, from the UK, followed the official route. Read more »

MTBcast SPOT