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Thanks! But they did go by the rules of that race. The sport is so young still, it seems, that it's not really commonly clear how it should be done.

I agree and act accordingly, but it has not been as clear as in TCR in other events. In NCT, the first two riders shared hotel rooms for at least a couple of nights, started same time in the morning and rode those days very close to each other, though not together, in the middle part of the race, and 4th and 5th rider did this for a longer time. If they'd all be DQ'd, I'd be the only one to finish of the top 5 :D

Different tone on instagram

I agree, based on what I've read, but it's very difficult to know how together they were actually riding and where is the line. Though it seems they have been watched from the control cars. And they should've avoided anything that might induce doubt.

And he also won Iditarod this year. Big year for him.

Once again, if you choose to ride the course, that's your business and
not my problem. It will be your own personal decision. Do your own due
diligence on the course. It is dangerous, remote and requires serious
preparation and experience to complete unsupported. There are
extremely long sections without any food or water. There will be
extended stretches of sand and if the weather turns ugly some roads
will be impassable. You may have to wait to get through. Unless you
have organised it, no one will assist you. You will be completely and
totally ALONE. I repeat - there will be no support car to bail you
out, no supported checkpoints, nothing! This is not Beach Road and it
is not the Silk Road.

Not that elegant way to put it, but nice that they have their own thing.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bm68-zHBrW7/

Bagoly Levente was in TCR last year. Was riding close to me between cp4 and finish, but I think he then tried to take a shortcut over the mountains, but that didn't exist.

While it does look like the route is rather mtb, Jay is riding a gravelbike with 42mm.

Mikko seems to be doing well. https://twitter.com/mkpaa
Narrower tires and rim brakes, and he's riding very carefully, if there's anything sketchy. Or at least he was spending a lot more time than some on the rougher parts of a gravelrace around here this spring, when he was testing his kit. But he's a legend, he should be fine.

Jay also lives somewhere around Yellowstone, at about 2000m or something, that might help with the altitude.

The highest I've been was Pico Veleta, and there I was already rather powerless, crawling on gravel close to 3400m. Days and days of something rougher than that. Jealous.

leepearce13 Thursday - Fatigued from Wednesday effort. 5/10 sleep. Objective parcour and Naryn. Ambiguity over parcour was unsettling.
Lake was dry so had a ride around. Refuel then off to Naryn. Alltime
low #2. 300m VAM. At 3300m to 3600m. 25 - 40% grade. Hike with bike
section, with old barbed wire for good measure. At this altitude my
body has zero energy, muscles scream for oxygen. Stopping 10 seconds
for every 5s effort. Not impressed. I had a cry. I wanted home. I
wanted out. A loveless environment. The continuing route followed ex
Soviet border jeep track. Relentless. Legs no power. Hiking up all
small inclines, which there were many. Tim and will caught me. We
reached to top. It became clear why we were led through hell. 20km of
downhill single track and mesmeric backdrop. The beauty couldn't mask
the trauma of getting there. Shifty Road to Military border post. The
carrot was a 30km descent over 1000m drop. It was all WASHBOARD!!!!
Arghhhh. You wouldn't wish on your own worst enemy. After than more
washboard. Relentless. Quit 16km from Naryn. Great sleep ensued. Back
in the land of mobile signal.

Those would be pretty sweaty in the heat and for my feet they were the worst cycling shoes I've had. But yeah something like that.

I do like these both sides of the ultra races. The better coverage makes it more like a bike race and interesting to watch, when you can see the places and difficulties in pictures. The leaders walking up a climb and the weird little village bars they stop in. But out on the road, you're indeed pretty much alone in those too and I like that. I've seen a media car once or twice during the races.

The Ruska didn't have a car or anything, the checkpoints were stamps from thehotel staff or just selfies in front of a closed hotel and the finish was in the middle of nowhere, 60km from the closest town, and there was no-one waiting. It's was kind of beautiful too.

That would be huge!
Shell will be the first to have been in all three, though not the same year. He rode NCT now and TCR earlier.

Annoying, but they could also just have similar pace and are trying not to let the other get away. Though it would be better to deliberately make a bit of a gap in one way or another. For example in NCT Kai and Steffen were riding so close to each other for some days, that they could see each other on long straights and on breaks, because neither of them wanted to be slower. And when they shared a couple of hotels, the night didn't make a difference either. I was riding close to them for a while too, but when I saw them, I let off the gas or stopped/did not stop there to make a gap.

This race looks so good, why am I not there!?

That Sport contact II seems to be cheap because

discontinued model. Successor: CONTACT Speed

https://www.continental-tires.com/bicycle/tires/city-trekking-tires/sport-contact2

Björn said in facebook that his partner got sick just before the start, they are hoping to start later.

Looks great!

At least last year the rider agreement said that upon request, you shall wear any item of clothing they ask you to, for promotional activities and such. But in practice they have done everything with very good taste, nothing to complain.

It is kind of weird that we pay to be there and then we are kind of representing the sponsors, as racers in their event. Wearing their logo. But sure, the entry fees are not that much and it's great that they have been able to make the event as well organised as it is.

I vote for something like these to be the SRMR race hats/kalpaks

Mikko is riding the same bike there as he did in TCR, but he has posted some parts there to change before the start, like mtb cranks. So he can get small enough gears with the campa record rear mech and cassette. He's using some touring tires, marathon something I think, in 35 or 37mm. Fucking awesome but also WTF. He's also got a Surly Troll, at home.

Here's the manual, https://www.silkroadmountainrace.cc/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/SRMR-Race-Manual.pdf

Might be an old version but anyway.

Don't know about the look, but he indeed does give lots of credit to Mike and TCR.
Also sponsored by Pedaled.

They have brevet cards in NC4000 too, surely inspired by TCR, and we had numbered caps in NCT, and small packable backpacks while TCR has had the mussettes. So others are taking TCR to be the role model too.

Ah ok. Interesting.

Yeah, those were the UMCA/WUCA rules. They were quite clear about that, one official for short attempt and two if it lasts more than 24 hours I think. Though they might accept something else if it's something really long. Atleast GWR looks like it would. The year record was approved by UMCA so they must have done something else than what those rules say.

I did check actually and they are asking to have two officials there to monitor the record attempt, so you'd actually need to have a crew with you, support cars etc.