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“Crawling to the end” and utilizing a automobile wash to wash a bicycle, these are the brand new normals for Laurens ten Dam on the opening days of the Transcordilleras Rally in Colombia. The second version of the South American gravel journey follows the solar for eight consecutive days from east to west throughout the Andes Mountains.
Fewer than 50 riders had been confirmed for the beginning on Sunday, February 20 to cowl 1,100 kilometres and 25,000 metres of elevation acquire by February 28, whereas lower than a dozen rivals are trying a continuous bikepacking endurance choice. Gravel gurus American Peter Stetina and Dutchman Ten Dam opted for the self-supported, mounted route with stay monitoring and in a single day lodging, and have discovered themselves driving early levels on the similar tempo. Among the many area are 36 different riders, together with former street professionals Thomas Dekker of the Netherlands and Mauricio Ardila of Colombia.
Ten Dam referred to it as an “8 day glamping journey” reasonably than a real race, however the attraction is to outlive, and survive sooner than the opposite riders.
“I’ve by no means seen this earlier than. We had like 100 kilometres on gravel and we did 5,000 metres of climbing. So should you do the mathematics, it could be like 100k with 5 per cent climb,” Ten Dam instructed Cyclingnews, referring to stage 1 between Yopal to Monguí. “I believe we additionally went down like 2,000 metres. It was up, down, up, down and a few actually steep components. I needed to stroll my bike a couple of occasions; Pete [Stetina] did too. One time I crashed uphill as a result of I couldn’t get out of my pedal quick sufficient. That was like struggling to the max.
“The primary 70km, me and Pete had been principally collectively. We missed a couple of turns, so the Colombians got here again [to get us]. Then the 2 of us, the climb began from 2,000 metres altitude, which is like 6,000 toes, to three,800 metres, to the angels. It was such an extended climb. I used to be struggling. I used to be simply crawling to the end.”
Ten Dam has discovered success since turning his focus previously two years from street racing with a big-budget crew to grinding on gravel within the do-it-yourself privateer format. He had a victory at Gravel Locos in Texas and a second-place end at Unbound Gravel 200. Competing in a mountain bike occasion “someplace within the Netherlands” final September, he crashed and suffered a head contusion, he instructed Cyclingnews, so had been off the bicycle for a couple of months.
Transcordilleras was his excuse to return to motion, and expertise Colombia for the primary time.
“The primary time I went to Colombia was three weeks in the past,” he stated. “The explanation I went was that Tom Dumoulin, he’s a pal of mine, invited me. He was at altitude right here and I made a decision to hitch him for 10 days.”
Additionally with the Jumbo-Visma rider was Dutch teammate Koen Bouwman, coaching at altitude on the roads of Antioquia, on the western aspect of the western vary of the Andes the place Transcordilleras will conclude on February 28. It has turn into a magnet for different riders to get pleasure from elevation coaching away from a conventional European setting, together with Dutchmen Jan-Willem van Schip (BEAT Biking) and Jan Hirt (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux).
“And I used to be pleased I may nonetheless comply with them. I’m pleased with my situation proper now,” added Ten Dam, who made buddies with Mauricio Ordoñez, the founder and director of the Transcordilleras occasion.
“Then I went house for every week as a result of I didn’t need to miss my spouse and the children for a full month. So I left all my stuff right here [in Colombia] and got here again after every week. The organiser took care of all my stuff, and that was very nice. He lives in Medellín the place I used to be coaching so we had been fishing collectively too and going to dinner. I received to know extra about Colombia, in any other case you’re completely unaware of what you may anticipate. However now I do know that each 20km there’s a store or a spot the place you should buy water [for the race].”
First 3 levels
Stetina clocked one of the best time on stage 1, ending the 102.2km route in 8 hours, 2 minutes, and Ten Dam adopted in second, eight minutes later. The opening stage used 80 per cent gravel roads with 4,655 metres of climbing. The native information has helped Ten Dam within the early levels specifically.
“The bike was filthy after two days, so I discovered a automobile wash. I’m pleased I’ve a clear bike now. I additionally broke a bottle cage, so I discovered a spot and purchased a bottle cage. Then I discovered the lodge and washed my garments, so now I’m chilling, you understand, as a result of 6:30 a.m. is the beginning once more,” he stated after a second day of driving.
“So on the automobile wash, nobody spoke English. I may inform them I wanted my bike washed [in basic Spanish]. And so they had been working to assist. One man needed to wash and to dry and to make a particular foam, however I instructed him I needed to go. Everyone seems to be so good right here in Colombia. I haven’t met a single grumpy particular person.
“[Stage 2] was very nice. We received a little bit little bit of down time within the afternoon, those that completed early. The route was good, gravel was much less rocky and the climb was much less brutal. In the present day we may actually get pleasure from, however yesterday was simply struggling.”
He stated the extremely powerful opening stage on Sunday had riders rolling in after midnight. Whereas he and Stetina accomplished that trip as a full eight-hour day of labor, nearly all of the sector accomplished the stage in 10-12 hours and the ultimate seven riders crossed the road after 17-19 hours.
For stage 2, Ten Dam was the official “winner” as the 2 completed collectively in 4 hours, 40 minutes after 116.6 kilometres, with 1,947 metres of climbing and 40 per cent extra terrain lined with descents.
“Mainly, the entrance group of 4 guys [stage 2] stopped all collectively in the identical store. We every received like three bottles of water and a snack or one thing, so it’s actually old-school racing, just like the Tour de France within the previous days. Bear in mind the images of individuals raiding bars to get their fluids in? So we had been principally doing the identical.
“Me and Pete, we dropped the opposite two on the toughest climb, after which it was principally 40km downhill to the end. We went down extra at present than up. So at present was the stage with the excessive effort, I believe 26km per hour. Pete and I had been working fairly nicely.”
The duo continued to set one of the best occasions for the 152km stage 3 on Tuesday that included a climb over one of many increased peaks within the jap Andes, the Páramo de Guargua. Stetina rolled in at 7 hours, 2 minutes with Ten Dam simply three minutes again.
“The nation is gorgeous, the persons are good, we now have had such nice views and gravel. It’s a very, actually good environment,” the Dutchman stated in regards to the begin to his 2022 season.
“It’s all good, however nonetheless we face six brutal levels. My again is already sore,” he laughed. “My little boy stated to me ‘you needed this your self’, like nobody compelled you to do that, so no complaining and get again on the bike.”
Day 5 is taken into account the queen stage, 157.7km from Honda to the “legendary ascent” to the Cordillera Central at San Félix. The largely uphill profile covers 5,386 metres of climbing. Progress of all of the levels will be tracked on-line.
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