LIVETRACKING OF THE RACE

RACE JOURNAL – UPDATED 05/05/22 – 05h00

Day 1

5:00 am in Faro, 103 athletes set off to cross the mountain range of the Algarve towards the fortified cities of the Alentejo.

From the start, the pace is set by Bertrand Berger who will lead a train to CP1 at almost 28 km/h on average over 341 km!

The wind at the start announces the extent of the effort of all the participants. A major race event of the morning, Justin (n°53) in a rogue curve, went off the road which cost him a collarbone and two ribs!

A breakaway is formed with a dozen riders including team Louis and Germain (n°88), the 2021 podium from Portugal Dimitri (n°52), Nicolas (n°40) and Denis (n°72).

During this time, the mechanics are put to the test on the dented route (derailleur, weakened cassette, body, etc.).

At mealtime, the breakaway slowly disintegrates as everyone enters their own rhythm to hold on against the invisible hill: the Portuguese wind.

3:16 p.m., Derek (n°43) is hit by a car trying to overtake him. No more fear of harm, the race marshal draws up a situation report in the presence of the Race Angels and the authorities who let him go again after having been able to repair his rear wheel.

In the center and at the back of the peloton, the wind is doing damage with early stops around 5:00 pm. to rest and above all bet on a calmer night wind.

Approaching checkpoint 1, the gaps narrowed at the head of the race to catch up with Bertrand (n°10) who arrived at CP1 at 5:35 pm. He is closely followed by Nico, Dimitri and Clément. This group of runners plan to fight tonight to reach the coast at dawn. The sunset is approaching and the temperatures are beginning to drop.

Some rain fell on the course but overall the participants passed between the drops. Make way for the night and the second part of the day!

The night at checkpoint 1 is calm. The rain arrives around 12:30 a.m. / 1:00 a.m. Derek #43 arrives in the rain to rest on a checkpoint mattress. Josien (#98) and Oliver (#54) who had taken a room for a few hours got back on the road around 3:30. Emmanuel (#34) arrives at CP1 without any break since the start, soaked and tired after 10:30 p.m. of effort.

“After what I just went through, it’s a sign from God,” describes Emanuel. The arrivals and departures of those who have made a stopover intersect. In the morning, dawn rises, the sun seems to want to break through. The race angels team is always on deck, with a smile on their face and a good mood always at the meeting!

Day 2

The first participants join CP2 (km724) on the Pousada de Sagres at 9:00 am with Bertrand #10, still fresh despite the length of the cumulative effort and his intense pace. The short gravel section to access the checkpoint didn’t seem to scare him, quite the contrary.

In the middle of the race between the cities of Comporta and Evora as well as at the back of the pack in the Vila Viçosa sector, the cool temperatures surprised many participants. Everyone enters their race rhythm, it’s specific to the second day. No sleep, micro-sleep phase in bus shelters or comfortably installed in a guest house/hotel, the choice of strategy remains specific to each person.

Bertrand the leader is closely followed by his pursuers who maintain the pressure on the race leader. The sun has returned to the coast of Sagres and the powerful wind that characterizes this area is blowing again. As the race leader enters the last section of the course towards Monchique, behind the progress is made “all in management” despite the challenges specific to the course.

CP1 closes at 10:00 p.m. and there are still a few competitors trying to reach Vila Viçosa on time, including the team/couple of David and Laurence #1 and #2.

During this time at CP2, the first arrivals have significant signs of fatigue: hands and feet are put to the test. The heat that is coming in the afternoon in the heart of Eucalyptus fields and water reservoirs announces the color of the last challenges to face. The weather is supposed to change in the late afternoon.

A major race event, a storm broke out at km 910 and paralyzed Bertrand, who suffered from hypothermia. He was forced to take shelter for long minutes to warm up as Clément Clisson passed him and took the lead!

At 10:54 p.m., Clément Clisson won this stage by crossing the finish line in Faro! At 1:10 a.m. on May 4th, Bertrand Bergé. crosses the finish line, followed closely (only 8 minutes difference) by Florent Dumas!

Day 3

The red lantern of the race: the Laurence and David ABRAHAM team (bibs #1 and #2) is forced to retire at its arrival at CP1 due to unbearable knee pain. At the same time, Cristian Auriemma, serial finisher of the BikingMan, joins the finish line to finish his 7th with his own smile at each event. He is followed in the morning by the first team: Germain and Louis (#75 and 88) completes the course in 53h15m, that’s 17 hours less than the first team in 2021!

The challenges of ultra-distance accumulate among the participants with in particular digestion problems, sunstroke due to the heat and the management of sleep, which is always difficult to plan with the mandatory stops at the hotel or in the bus shelters to rest. All the participants have already traveled nearly 500 kilometers at the start of the day and have therefore all reached the Atlantic coast near the town of Comporta.

When the leaders cross certain sections of the course at night, the finishers pass by day and take advantage of the many atmospheres offered by Portugal with its isolated villages, its green colors and its hidden hills.

On the participants’ WhatsApp group, some share the morning tears from the effort and the difficulty of leaving every morning. The body and the bikes are put to the test, the fasteners of the bikepacking bags sometimes break following the vibrations caused by the degraded asphalt of Portugal. Both bikes and riders are suffering from the kilometers ridden.

At the end of the day, the tail of the peloton discovers the southwestern tip of Europe with the town of Sagres and its stunning sunsets. The joy and warmth of the #raceAngels, Néri, Amandio and Sophie, helps to close this third day for the participants who decide to stay at CP2 for the night.

At the same time, the middle of the peloton crosses the formidable last third of the route with the exploration of the Monchique park, its vertical percentages and its terrible asphalt.

The first female SOLO, Josien VERGROESEN, arrives in Faro, completing the loop in 61h43 and ranking 16th overall.

The finish line will take a break late into the night with increasingly emotional finishes as people gather to welcome their family/friends/favorites to Faro.