Trans Pyrenees Race Report
The Trans Pyrenees is a self-supported ultra-distance race organised by Lost Dot, the team behind the famous Transcontinental Race. My Trans Pyrenees race report is from the second edition of the race, TPRNo2, originally schedule for the autumn of 2020 which took place at the end of September 2022. Starting in St Jean De Luz on the Atlantic coast in south west France, the race headed east across the southernmost Pyrenees in northern Spain & Andorra to the opposite Mediterranean coast – this marked the halfway point, the race then returned via the northern French Pyrenees. Here is my Trans Pyrenees race report.
The route is a mixture of fixed control points & mandatory parcours, riders are then free to plot their own route on the remaining sections to complete the ~1’500km race. Needless to say, that traversing the Pyrenees, twice, meant a LOT of climbing – In the words of Lost Dot ‘it’s one for the grimpeurs!’. I hope this Trans Pyrenees race report provides a detailed first hand account of the race itself, from the perspective of someone relatively new to the ultra-distance racing world.
Trans Pyrenees Race Report: Pre Race
The Trans Pyrenees race didn’t go ahead in 2020, nor 2021 due to Covid & concerns about vaccination/entry requirement inequality. Thankfully in the autumn of 2022, the much-anticipated TPRNo2 did get underway. When making my logistics plans, I figured a few chilled-out days in south west France would be an ideal way to relax pre-race. Unfortunately the weather gods decided otherwise & gave a week of wind & rain instead! It felt like being back in the UK – only it was ten degrees warmer, the coffee much better & calibre of tarte-aux-pommes much higher. I’d had a hectic few weeks back home, so having a time to eat & sleep well was blissful, allowing me to get in a good head space before setting about a 1’500km ride.
A lack of time on my part didn’t allowed me to do much in way of ‘big rides’ prior to this race – I think the last 150+km ride I did was on my last ultra-distance race, the Hope1000 earlier in June. Coming back from Switzerland with Covid didn’t exactly help the recovery phase afterwards!
In terms of actual training preparation, having done a big block of base training in the winter, I had a really strong aerobic foundation already in place – several big rides before & including the Hope1000 gave me confidence here. I took the approach that I’ll do two blocks; the first just being really short & high intensity whilst I get over Covid – aiming to increase my threshold capacity; how hard & how long I can hold a power output. Short, fast uphill efforts. Aka, take every KOM on my local hill! The second block aiming to combine that effort with endurance riding – being able to repeat those uphill efforts & hold a comfortable Z2 ride in-between; fatigue resistance. Having this increased capacity makes riding longer distances at endurance pace feel easier. My body is able to produce a higher level of ‘easier’ output, for a minimal perceived exertion. The efforts required when it comes to climbing, or digging deep when it gets tough in a race are then manageable – or should I say, my body can handle more of them & is more resistant to fatigue as the race progresses.
Who knows & who really cares?! I find science goes out the window after a day or two really – solid logistical preparation, sheer stubbornness & mechanical luck is a much bigger part of ultra-distance racing.
I’ve waffled enough about my preparation, so I wont bore you anymore with bike set up, kit & route choices, I’ll do exactly that in a separate blog post. Here is my Trans Pyrenees race report;
Trans Pyrenees Race Report: Day 1
It was a wet, early start on Friday 30th September. Punctuality at 6am isn’t my speciality. The first few kilometres out of town & along the coast were fast paced, with riders battling cross winds & trying to get themselves towards the front. It was a left hander, turning inland, then the climbing up to CP1 started almost immediately. It went from jacket on/jacket off weather to 100% jacket on weather. It rained all the way up to the first checkpoint at Col d’Ispeguy! From there it was a clear split; those riders taking a route to CP2 on the French side & those riders heading south into Spain. My decision was Spain, purely due to less forecast rain.
I took a shorter but less direct route with more climbing to get to the main road in northern Spain. Unbeknownst to me at the time, this route choice cost me several hours. I was enjoying following a beautiful gorge, forgetting about the race aspect & instead just settling into the long distance ahead. I guess this epitomises my approach towards ultra-distance racing racing right now.
At 200km I was considering scratching. I was frustrated how much time I’d already lost; this was compounded by my lack of distance conditioning in past 2 months. It allowed me to forget that things start to hurt around this point & you have to push past this initial hurt barrier in order to get comfortable. Having already dropped down to around 40th, I took my time about resupply; gathered my thoughts, pulled my big boy pants on & told myself to crack on. This would prove to be a decision I would later thank myself for; visually the Pyrenean landscape was beautiful – quiet, golden colours & shrouded in a peaceful autumnal bliss.
From shorts & shirt weather on the flatter, southern Pyrenees, it got very cold very quickly as the first night settled in. Broto, around 300km, I decided on a hot lasagne & rethink of my plan a little. It turned out to a popular spot; several TPR-looking bikes outside restaurants, with packs open with riders trying to source every layer they brought!
I pushed on a further few hours, following Parcours 2 from Broto to Plan & opted to find a warm bed for the night around midnight in Escalona. Day 1 ride time totals came to 325km // 5828m // 23.1kmh // 14.04h. I remember not feeling great throughout most of this day, by 6am the next morning after a warm shower & refreshing sleep I felt surprisingly well recharged; a lot more at ease & comfortable.
Trans Pyrenees Race Report: Day 2
Day 2 started with a lot of climbing; 25km up to Plan & then the first off-road section. I’d done nearly 1500m climbing before the sun came up. My choice of gravel tyres & gear ratios paid off on this gravel climb; switchback after switchback through the silent forest with only the sound of crunching gravel for company. I remember passing riders; either pushing their bike or fixing punctures. The views from the summit were majestic, I was beginning to feel really in my element – the lure of a café for breakfast at the bottom enticed me further.
Loading up on coffee & pastries, the next few climbs felt significantly easier by comparison – mainly as my thoughts had turned towards the next big routing decision. From Sort you could either go north & take a huge off-road climb, or take a 25km longer road route via Andorra up to checkpoint 3 at Hostal la Font in Os de Civis. Despite speccing my bike with gravel tyres, I was behind schedule after day 1 & I made the decision my cut off point was 4pm to take on the off-road unknowns in daylight. Being nearly an hour late, my choice was made – take the boring road option.
I was around 45minutes behind a few riders at Sort, who had all opted to take the off-road option. We arrived in Os de Civis at the same time; however they were either cursing about it, looking worse for wear or fixing broken bikes. It might have been a boring, busy road into Andorra, but just being able to spin away without much thought took much less out of me than the off-road option. I anticipated a stop at the Andorra border, but nope, waved straight through in the cycle lane! I’ve noticed a theme with ultra-distance race coordinators; choose checkpoints at the most awkward possible locations – either at the summit, or base of big hill.
The cool air filled me with a sense of adventure; the walled gorge-style climb filled me with anticipation; I can only imagine just how beautiful Andorra was – my three hours there were in the pitch black. Last time I was in Andorra was 7 or 8 years ago on a ski trip with some work mates, I didn’t ride bikes back then. All I remember is a bit of skiing, a huge raclette & nights out with a lot of cheap Estrella!
Filling up on whatever the hotel designated checkpoint could muster up for a bunch of hungry riders, I descended back down into Spain & was determined to push on into the night – keeping moving through a cold night. I was beginning to feel strong at this point, like my mind & body had adapted to stress it was put under; they were working together to solve the logistics problems & physical endurance problems. It’s amazing what you can achieve when focussed solely on one task.
Around 2am I made the decision to bivvy out for a few hours, then finish the climb up to Super Molina ski resort in the morning. The temperature a big factor, not wanting to descend for 30 minutes mentally tired & cold. A decision based around safety & conserving yourself is something I’ve come to appreciate; you don’t win a race on day 2 but you can certainly loose. It was a cold bivvy; I slept in my full winter cycling kit to retain warmth & avoid having to layer up again in the morning! Day 2 ride time totals came to 287km // 5935m // 20.3kmh // 14.10h.
Trans Pyrenees Race Report: Day 3
Day 3 started with the big climb up to the ski resort summit, rewarded by a spectacular sunrise. I couldn’t enjoy it however; my tubeless tyres weren’t retaining higher pressure after dropping them for the gravel climb & Juan was still pissed at me for saying I would take the gravel route to CP3 & then not doing – I explained my reasoning why, but still, it didn’t wash away the red mist. It reminded me that I don’t miss the nagging that comes with being in a relationship!
CP4 at Coustouges was not staffed, however it was strategically located to keep riders in the mountains; it meant day 3 morning was steady progress but plenty more climbing being accumulated. That afternoon I was approaching the Mediterranean & it was getting hot in the Catalunya region. Parcours 5 took it out of me completely. Living in an inland area, hills are no problem for me, I train on them most days. It’s often the punchy gradients of coastal areas that take it out of me. Settling in for a 90minute tempo session up a long steady gradient is much easier than repeating threshold for 20minutes up steeper slabs. Parcour 5 had two climbs, the summit of Col De Banyuls gave views of the sea & with it, a false sense of security. Those views were over Banyuls-sur-Mer, not Port Vendres where the CP was. Oh no, another gruelling climb in southern France stood in the way. I was running out of water & this was the point of the race I felt weakest. I sat down, taking 5 minutes to just gather my composure.
The light house marking checkpoint 5 on the Mediterranean was a welcome relief; the halfway point. It might have been over half way in distance, but there was far more climbing on the return leg. Parcour 6 was a 621 km fixed route, based on the famous Le Raid Pyrénéen Randonneur, with 17,280m climbing; it went over pretty much every famous Col you can think of in the French Pyrenees.
A big evening meal, admiring the sunset & resupply in Port Vendres was required before setting out on the return leg. It was on this flat section that my knee pains started. I’ve always had problems with my knee, I expected it to come at some point & had a plan in place to deal with it. But still, it was a heart sinking moment with so much still to do. Painful knees & a body growing more fatigued; it became mind over matter.
I have learned strategies to minimise knees pains, mainly around adjusting position on the bike & taking time to stretch when off the bike. Medication would be a last resort, I wanted to be able to gauge & measure how bad it was before numbing it. The first thing I did was take a hotel in Ille-sur-Tete – sleep & rest is often the best medicine. I concluded that the mix in load was the underlying cause; the route had been both hilly & flat – at tempo uphill, at rest on the descent & endurance on the flat. It was very akin to fartlek training.
Ultra-distance racing often requires riders to solve unimaginable problems, at ridiculous times of day, in a country they don’t speak the native language. I’d managed fine in Spain despite my awful Spanish. However, on the return leg, I was quickly reminded that French people can be somewhat different; French being both a nationality & personality trait simultaneously. I had to convince an extremely French Frenchman to allow me to sleep in his hotel that night. It was midnight & the summer season had technically finished 2 days ago, but there were lights on, I had cash & wanted a bed for a few hours – I’d be gone & out of his life before he woke up. To any self-respecting entrepreneur that’s a win-win & easy money. I was abruptly reminded that the French don’t cope well with anything even slightly out of the ordinary. I’m a well-qualified engineer with a corporate job – but sometimes just turning up, acting dumb & refusing to move produces a better outcome than diplomacy & courtesy of ringing in advance! Day 3 ride time totals came to 300km // 4218m // 21.3kmh // 14.05h.
Trans Pyrenees Race Report: Day 4
My main recollection from day 4 & the return parcour was just Col after Col after Col. That, and just how beautiful it was in the high Pyrenees, riding through small towns & ski resorts with a traditional, rustic feel. I found myself getting into a routine, steady away all day in the heat, being sure to resupply & then pushing on late into the night when the cooler temperatures favoured my northern conditioning! 14-15hours ride time per day was giving me around 5-6hours sleep, then 3-4 hours of faffing & resupply – about what I expected, but too much stopped time to ever be competitive right at the front end. There’s the actual overall race, then there’s races within the race. George, Adam & I had been cat & mousing since around 300km; a couple of hours behind the top 10 on GC & a few hours ahead of another strong group.
That afternoon, after a day of relentless climbing, I broke away & opened up a slight gap before the Col de Pailheres. I felt strong, thinking I would try and attack into the night to challenge for top 10. It was a Sunday; the only resupply was Mcdonalds in Tarascon before the double climb of Port De Lers & Col d’Agnes. I knew everyone would be stopping here, I wanted to get in & out before anyone could slow me down. I pressed on, determined to push hard into the night & bridge the gap. A personal race highlight was riding up Port de Lers watching the sunset, riding over all the famous Grand Tour riders’ names sprayed on the road – yet I had a McDonalds burger resting on my stem as my emergency evening nutrition. Eat what you can find & plenty of it, can’t be fussy on these epic rides!
Around midnight that night I left everything I had on Col de la Core & for the first time in the race, my legs shut down on me. I physically couldn’t give anymore that night. I found my limit & had to accept it, I don’t think there is a more exhausting, yet rewarding feeling.
I finished the climb with what I could scrape out of my legs & descended, where I found a campsite & laid down to sleep. I planned just three hours, I wanted to be away before the sun came up & maintain my pursuit. I set multiple alarms & didn’t hear a single one go off; I slept nearly 7 hours. An explosion could’ve happened for all I knew, I’d have slept peacefully through it. Shit. I panicked. Checked the tracker and sure enough, the riders I left behind yesterday were at the village bakery re-supplying. Initially I thought my efforts had been wasted, but then it dawned on me that actually I’d bought myself extra rest & I could try to attack again that night. Day 4 ride totals came to 257km // 6042m // 17.1kmh // 15.05h.
Trans Pyrenees Race Report: Day 5
I spent the morning recovering, regathering myself & just getting back in touch. It was another big climbing day, on today’s menu; Peyresourde, Aspin & Tourmalet, plus others. It took a few hours for my knee to warm up & settle down, deliberately keeping my right leg warmer on.
I had gained confidence in that I had an advantage on those around me, whether it was the endurance strength I had or choice of gearing that allowed me to climb faster, I knew I’d be able to get away again once I felt up to it. The gap to the top 10 now felt out of reach, that goal was reliant on others ahead of me loosing time significantly. I had 400km, but still over an Everests worth of climbing in my way. With 4 days already in my body, I was accepting that 400km in one hit might be asking too much – but I should be able to do it on minimal sleep.
It was around mid-afternoon when I began to pull away again, my mind fixed firmly on the highest point of the race; Tourmalet. The climb itself actually a disappointment. It just felt like a busy main road up to La Monge, the gradient (avg. 9-10%) just steep enough to become a grind rather than a spin. Lack of hairpins both increased the gradient & gave fewer visual checkpoints to mark as progress. The remainder of the climb was dodging wild animals & shitting myself thinking they’re a lot faster than me, if it came to it!
The summit was both a beautiful feeling & a beautiful view. Yet another magical golden hour as the sun kissed the surrounding peaks. Its moment like these that make the hours (& days) of suffering worth it. I wrapped up in every layer I brought. With a hot, sweaty body, my temperature would plummet & I’d be shivering in minutes. It was over 20km descent to the base where I would look for food. Nearly 2 hours to get up, only 10 minutes down!
About 45mins later, George saw my bike outside a takeaway. We had a quick chat & swapped places as he took my seat & I continued onwards. I said I was going to see how far I could get that night without stopping, he said the same & that the others behind had stopped to look for sleep. There was a road closure up ahead due to a bridge collapse – I’m convinced the race organisers planned this as it added yet another climb!
That night was a beautiful, clear, but cold night. Climbing the double header of Soulor & Aubisque under a starry night sky was breath-taking. It was a still night, allowing me take a 20minute nap at high altitude before descending; 20 minute naps feel like 20hours on these races! I remember writing down that I HAD to revisit this climb to see it in daylight. Maybe I was delirious, or maybe it was better to view the moonlit silhouettes of so many other jagged peaks under a starry sky, either way I was entranced & wanted to see it all in daylight. Day 5 ride totals were 196km // 6017m // 15.9kmh // 12.20h.
I rode till 4am, where a roadside patch of grass under the shelter of a large pine tree looked far too appealing! Only this time I wasn’t going to sleep through my alarm! 90minutes later I felt good enough to keep going. I couldn’t tell if I was back in Spain on the final day. Previously it had been quite distinctive, yet this region of France felt very Spanish. Again, maybe I was beyond normal cohesion!
The final day was yet more Cols (you get the picture by now!) & my legs were numb at this point. 1000m up, 1000m down, eat & repeat was perfectly normal by this point. Turns out I had passed Liam Clarke in the night (he had the same alarm nightmare as me!) & then also passed Lukas Franciszkiewicz on a climb, he was having painful knee problems causing him to slow down. Lukas had also ridden the Hope 1000 back in June, he finished in a lightning-fast time – initially I felt a massive boost by catching a rider I regarded highly, however once I learned he was not at full strength, gaining a position didn’t feel as positive as it should.
In typical fashion, the worst climb of the ride was to be the last. Steady for the first half, then over 13% for the final few kilometres, Col de Bagargi was torture. In the heat of the afternoon with the sun beating relentlessly on my back, I was cursing. The finish felt so close, yet so far. There aren’t many easy kilometres on TransPyrenees race, but this was undoubtedly the hardest. I refuse to walk road climbs out of sheer stubbornness. Instead I took 5 in the shade, then dripping in sweat I was not stopping till I topped out. I wanted to punch the air at the summit, but as I couldn’t see the coast, it meant another obstacle somewhere in the way. I’ve learned not to get carried away!
I assumed the final 80km would be downhill. Wrong, again. The elevation profile on my Wahoo showed a big descent, then flat. But no, nothing is ever that easy. The drop of 800m altered the scale, meaning the undulation of the last 50km didn’t register on the graph scale. The last 80km was a time trial; if I pass a rider on a climb, in a race all about climbing, I can’t let that be undone on a ‘flat’ finish. I had roughly 30 minutes advantage, but knew he was on a lighter bike & a stronger rider; I got in the aerobars, head down & powered away to the finish.
Arriving back in St Jean de Luz was such a relief. I don’t like big crowds, so only having a couple of people waiting at the finish line to cheer & pass a beer was the perfect way to finish. I dismounted, slumped into a chair & smiled. It never feels euphoric, it’s just sheer relief when finishing.
Day 6 ride totals were 230km // 4774m // 18.8kmh // 12.13h, bringing the total to 1595km // 32’814m // 19.6kmh // 81.57h, giving me a provisional finish of 11th. I would later learn I had a 60 minute time penalty (along with many others) for using an ‘illegal’ tunnel to get out of Andorra – so the half an hour I gained on Lukas ended up counting for nothing! My final race position would be 12th, in a time of 5days 11hours 3minutes. Final results are here; TPRNo2 – Final Results (GV) – Google Sheets
My final route & stats are here; TPRNo2 | Ride | Strava
I wanted to use this post purely to give a detailed Trans Pyrenees race report, getting all my thoughts into one document. I’ve written another blog here to talk more about my route planning, logistics, choice bike, post-race thoughts & lessons learned. Any questions, let me know.
Callum
