TCRNo12 // Registration Day

Hej alldelesammen, välkommen till Tronjem och till Transcontinental Race #12. Välkom till Tronjem och till Transcontinental Race #12. Supported by a race partners, Albion, Appadjura, Curve, Pock, Supernova, Ride With GPS, and Pete Design. It's race day at TCO number 12. Around 400 riders have gathered on the edge of the Arctic Circle in Trondheim, Norway, with roughly 5000 kilometres of cycling ahead of them. Those that reach the finish in Kalamatta, Greece, will have crossed to Europe, from north to south, low temperatures to scorching hot. The race starts this evening at 8pm. Before that, registration and one final rider briefing. Let's meet the first of our race reporters on TCI #12, Sophie Potter. Good morning everyone and welcome to Trondheim, Norway. I'm Sophie and for the second year in the row I will be one of the race reporter on TCI, chasing rider on the road to get their stories. So to the riders out there, if you see me on the sign of the road and you fancy a chat, don't hesitate to stop or let me at least run next to you. Like every lost a team member, I travel here by land, so it was a bit of a shot yesterday when I get out of my last train, wearing short and t-shirt and it was 10 degree and raining. But luckily today we have a big sun, it's 15 degrees, which means our riders are not going to be wet for the registration and they might also have the dry start. Registration, this year take place into a sport hall because we always need a place att det är en stor uppdär för att ha en av de riders och att det är mer än 400. Så det här är en liten om att vara en stor. Det är inte 10 am, men så har inte riders för att resistera en av de senare. Men det är en av de röntyrs, hjälper man med all de kaps som de har tjockat i dag, tar den till att det är en av de kaps och har en av de röntyrs. Det är en av de röntyrs är att det är en av de röntyrs. Vi inte vill ha så mycket på röderna, för de måste röra sig, för att börja stå på 2 nio år i 8 p.m. För den första röderna röderna är att det är en registrars. Det är att familjärd på bilden. Det är en kombination av eksempan och anticipation. Christof Strasser, Captain Number 5, och 2x TCO winner är en av den första av den. It is my fifth time and I really love it every time because it's always a new challenge. It's always different places, different countries. It's always a new other people on the bike. And I think the competition is just the best out there. And that's what I really love about it. What are your expectations for this year? You know, expectations in the race are always very tricky because you never know what happens. But during the last like 10 months I was training to get into the shape so that I can be able to win the race. That's of course one of my big goals but during the race anything can happen. So you just can influence your preparation and your training. You can be on the start line in the best possible shape. But then you need also a bit of luck to go all the distance. Do you have any words you want to share with the GCR first timer? Don't go without sleep too long In the end it will pay off if you are safe, if you are in good spirits and if you don't make any mistakes because of rooting mistakes or maybe even doing dangerous situations. So sleeping is important. Sophie catches another rider early to register. Susie Paryasek, CAP242. Are you experienced? Is it your first time racing this year? Yes, it's my first time. I did a little bit of experience. I did tours and races before but not as long, not as epic and not with these huge distances per day. Yes, I'll try. Why TCR? I think the concept of being on some checkpoints during the parkour, but being able to design your route by yourself on how you want to go. More uphill or maybe a detour or more flat. I think it's a very nice thing. How did you train? When I decided to register, it was late autumn. Then in December I hired a new trainer, a new coach, and then I tried to make out the best of it. What you can do within five to six months. Which is a really good amount of time. Yes, but I work a lot. It really was difficult. It was a very hard time, and my husband really supported me. Ah, cool. Yes. It's nice that for once is the husband. David Ehr is race director at TCR #12. He's working alongside our team of volunteers to welcome riders and to make sure they go through all the necessary steps to register. It's starting to get busy. We are an hour into registration day here at the TCR. We've just had a flood of riders coming in to have their IDs checked, to collect their cap and their tracker, have their portraits taken and do their bike checks. So this is the kind of final thing that they do to make sure that they're ready for that start line this evening. There's a real buzz of nervous excitement. A lot of people returning riders even saying that like this new race is making them feel really excited and they're just waiting to get going now. So it's a feeling I share with them. But the volunteers are all here doing a really good job, completely on top of stuff. And luckily the weather gods have smiled on us as well. So as we stand here in the Rosenberg Harlan in the centre of Trump time when we look out towards the wards or ahead of us we're greeted with blue skies as well. Which wasn't on the forecast earlier this week. So I think everyone will be pretty happy with that, for the upcoming events. Jake Thorpe will be our second race supporter on this year's race. He catches up with Martin Moritz, cap number two, who puts in a great performance at TCO #11, rolling in to take second place. So Martin, you know, it's such a different addition to last year. I would like you to tell me one thing that you're going to bring from your last performance and one thing that is going to be completely new. Whoa. One thing I'm bringing is the trust in myself and also knowing that all my friends will be cheering for me and will be part of this somehow. I'm not only cheering for me like on messages or to phone calls but I know they're following me. And one friend always said, "Martin, feel watched." And that can be feel creepy, but in this case it's really warming kind of, and one thing that's definitely new is, well, it's going to be really cold, probably at some parts, especially in Norway. And yeah, that's going to be a tough challenge. Also the resupply is going to be a different challenge than last year. And on the other hand, on one aspect is also the kind of really epic start for me here in front of me, which is then in front of a window looking out on the fjord, which is, well, last year was really nice and well, but this year it just feels special to be set much far up the horse. Lisa Brugelman's cap on 7/7 also took parts in last year's race. Like many riders, she's here on the start line in Trondheim after months of juggling her training with full-time work. So Lisa, you were here at TCR number 11 last year, but you had to scratch just before the ferry, right? Why was that? I was just running out of time, basically. I was too slow, I think I already missed the first checkpoint, basically, because I didn't calculate well, like the cut-offs were really tight. And I just thought I was doing well with average pace, but the cut-off for the first checkpoint was really tight. So it was like more like a miscalculation, actually, because I slept the first night. But I kept going until south of Italy, and then it was kind of time for me to stop. So I missed the ball comport. But I'm going to give it another try. Well, you're an example, Lisa, of someone who's fitting this around work, right? And a certain number of days off. Exactly. Yeah, that was, I think I already took like three extra vacation days and I couldn't afford more. So I took three weeks now, and I hope that's enough. There's no doubt Yona Kessenheimer starts TCR number 12 as one of the riders to watch. Having been fastest woman in the last two editions. Jake Kessenheimer at Registration asks her about the new flinter category introduced at this year's race. So talk to me a little bit as well about the new flinter category for this year. How's that impacted for you? What do you think the impact of that will be? I'm a little bit sad that it's a few women than last year, so I think last year we were a little bit more flinter person. But I am so excited for the new flinter category, so this is pretty cool that we will have a flinter winner, actually, not just calling the person the fastest woman finishing whatever, so yeah, I'm excited for that, especially. Do you think it brings more of a focus to that flinter race and flinter riders? I hope so, because last year, of course, we also saw that the women's race was pretty intense, and I think also quite interesting to follow. I mean, it was a lot of pressure also during the race, racing with Sintia and with Leia, Nick to Nick, but it was so much fun, and it really felt like a race. So I think having a race also for flinter person is really, it pays the respect that it's needed. Another experienced rider, and one of the women to look out for at the pointy end of the race, is Nicole Van Battenberg. Cernicol, your first TCR, how are you feeling? I'm so excited. I've never been so excited for a race. I've been dreaming about this race for like many years. Like six years ago, for the first time, I was like, one day I will do the TCR, and now it's finally here, now I finally found the confidence to sign up, and now it's happening. Talk to me a little bit about the fundraising that you're doing this year. The red cross fundraising. Oh, sorry, the fundraising. Yeah, I started the fundraising campaign together with Jana, Jana Kesnimer, who won the TCR two times, and it's for the Red Cross Climate Center. I work for the Red Cross as a press officer in New Orleans, but I'm really focused on climate as well. So she sent me a message like, Nicole, do you know people at the Red Cross Climate Center, and apparently they are sitting on the floor above me. So it was very easy to connect with them and to set it up just in a week before the race. Yeah, it's going really well. We're aiming for 5,000 euros, so one kilometer, one euro for each kilometer, but I really hope it's going to be more. Because I think we're already halfway, so yeah, everyone, if you feel like you can miss something, yeah, it would really help. And where can people donate? There's a fundraising link in my bio on Instagram and also on Jana, or you can go to the website GoFundMe.com. I'm not sure which one, but you can definitely find it on social media, and yeah, it's really easy to do this whole donation. Tim DeVitter, cap number three, has already cemented his place in TCR folklore. With two third place finishes, can he edge closer to the top spot this time around? You said a moment ago when we were with Josh that you were just here to fill the podium, but now I can't believe that. You're in it to race, correct him? I won't make such a bold claims, especially in the beginning, especially seeing who is at the starting line. Like every year, it's getting stronger and stronger. And I'm also getting older and older, but it would be nice to perform the way I hope to perform, have no issues along the way. And then maybe towards the end, we will see what comes out of it. If we are top 10, very good. If we are not top 10, and we enjoyed it, that's also very good. So I'm not going to claim at all that the podium is the goal this year. As the nervous tension continues to build in Trondheim, it's clear that this year's north to south route has really tempted newcomers and returning riders alike. Marcus Zimmerman, cap 172. What made you come back this year? I always thought if the race once will start in the northern countries like Norway or Sweden or Finland, I would laugh to be a part of the race. And when I saw that this started in Trondheim, it was a no-brainer for me. So I was actually considering racing again in September already, but the decision was easy when I saw the checkpoints and really loved the northern countries. I've been there a couple of times, and I'm really looking forward to right here. Is there a specific part of the routes that you really want to really looking forward to be? Yeah, obviously the northern countries, and I'm looking forward to right on the bobslatch in Sarajevo, and maybe do it twice. No, depending on my position in the race at that time, so have fun and enjoy the race. Hopefully without any mechanicals again. Last year was a smooth ride for you. Every time I saw you had an ice cream in your hand and in your mouth. No tools for the bike, so yeah. Maybe less ice cream this year. Maybe I had a little bit too much last year, but yeah, we'll see. Another returning rider is Mike Forset, cap 53. Mike, great to have you back. It's a third year of running. What's brought you back this time? I say it's an addiction at this point. I mean, it probably sounds a bit cheesy, but the last two races is the most alive I've ever felt. There's major lows, but the highs, you know, massively, typically bounce of the experience. And the lows are important as well. There's nothing like it for me, so I'm hoping to be back again after this. So what were the highs last year? Was it finish line or was it elsewhere? It was elsewhere. It was elsewhere. I mean, I'm a Christian, I'm quite spiritual, so I found probably the most profound spiritual moments I've ever had happened on races one and two. And yeah, it was mid-race after a big low normally. And then, yeah, just feeling kind of cared for, feeling provided for by, I would call it God, you know, but whatever anyone else could call it. Yeah, finish line was great as well, but it was mid-race in those kind of really intense moments that, yeah, that kind of feeling of really being alive and being free was probably at its peak. Few riders can simply hop on a bike and take on TCR. For most, the race itself is the culmination of months of hard work, preparation, and often sacrifice. That's why Sophie has been posing the same key question to riders, including Helen Fromenty, cap 134. How do you feel? Do you feel ready? People say that you can't really be ready. I feel fine. I mean, maybe I'm wrong, I don't know, but I'm just trying to tell myself it's just a very long ride. That, of course, many things can happen, but it's not nothing different that I've been doing so far just a bit longer, or at least that's what I tried to tell myself. So, yeah, I mean, I feel ready, I'm really looking forward to ride my bike. I've been resting a lot these last days. I should maybe have ridden a little bit. I'm a bit sad that I didn't get to see more around Hyundai, but on the other side, I think resting is also fine. And I will see anyway a lot of no way, so yeah, I'm really really looking forward to start now. Anything special in the bike? Anything special. Oh, yeah. So my boyfriend, Stefan, was supposed to race as well, but he has a crash a week ago. So, like, yeah, unfortunately, he's not there. And so, at home, we have this machine to make some sticker, and I ask him to make me a few sticker to put on my bike. So, it's a bit cheesy, but I have a bit of stickers everywhere. Do you want to read some of that? I love you. Don't stop. Smile bitch. And I also, on my helmet, something like once in a lifetime, and on my a saver, enjoy the nature. And also here, a slow rush behind my saddle, as your mantra. Yeah, exactly. So, yeah, I mean, it's super cute, and we are not too much this kind of personality, but yeah, why not? I mean, for this time, I'm really sad that he's not here. And of course, it's been also troubling a little bit my last preparation to know that I was, even though we are not racing as a duo, like not to share the trouble, and the adventure with him was a bit tough. So, yeah, I'm really happy in a way to bring him in this journey with me through this little cheesy sticker. I love you Stefan. As well as the overall solo and new flintic categories, there will be the usual field of pairs riding at TCI #12. That includes caps 421, A and B, Andrea and Louisa Nicholson. Yeah, we sign up as a pair. So, we are sisters. Ah! The fun fact is, we are turning 30, now on the 27th of July, and we were thinking about what are we going to do for us birthday. And we love cycling. So, you are your twin sister. It's a whole story, because I went to Sweden in 2024 with my van, and I was like, you need to do this country by bike, because it's so beautiful. And we already rode to bike a lot, and did some bike packing, and I was like, I want to do this country by bike. And then I was following the TCI for some years, and my sister already did some long bike packing, and she was like, come on, let's do it for our third test. If I was alone, I would never have dared to do it. It's because of my sister because she has a lot of experience by bike. I will be slower one. She will be the fastest one. I think in this whole ultra thing, it doesn't mind that you have different physics. Physical things is just organization looking for food, looking for sleep, also bike mechanical stuff. And we know each other so well. I can do like a lot of bike mechanical stuff but she is really good in organizing sleep and foods. So I think mental state. Also mental state. I will be suffering mental here. And she is like, "Oh no, we can do this." And go and just relax and just look at the next step. What is next? We will find and I think we will enjoy every little minute of this trip. We'll be fun. Another pair, albeit a slightly unusual coupling, is Andrew Phillips and John Andrews. As members of the Lost.Team, they'll be wearing caps 00A and 00B and riding outside of general classification. The aim is to pick up some writer's stories quite literally from the road as well as taking on what they are calling their project Y. I spend a lot of my life either racing or organizing races and it's hard not to think about why we're doing it. Particularly this year at Apples Mountain Racing February I was really considering my motivations, came back from having broken my leg last year, sort of getting back into racing, realizing I'm not as fast as I used to be and kind of reassessing what I want to get out of it. And project Y is sort of born out of thinking about all of the things I'm looking at about all of that. Not just my motivations and John's motivations but trying to talk to some other writers we see along the way as well about their motivations and how they changed day to day. That was one of the things that we talked about, John, was how dynamic motivations are. And so what is it in this snapshot of the registration day? And yeah, first race day. What's your motivations, where's that at? I could do with losing 10 kilograms. The race will be suitable for that. That's my email address right now. I feel ginormous. Okay, so aesthetic for John, what about you Andrew? A lot of the reason I really wanted to race TCR this year was having worked on the book project for over two years now. And you can't do that as you know Jake, without coming to terms with what's a, what a kind of enormous project TCR is and how much it means to so many people. How much it means to me as well. So the chance to ride it one more time was a chance that I just couldn't pass up. I have all of that as well. But I'm just a bit cooler and scared, more scared than Andrew, but all of that as well. Lucas Stripmatter, cap number 197 will be riding TCR for the third time. So what brings you to the TCR this year? Hey, I think mainly it's the root. I've been here in Scandinavia once, and it was so cool in nature. It was so lovely. So I had to go here once again. And yeah, of course TCR. It's like the most prestigious race in the ultra-acene. So yeah. What are your hopes? What are your dreams for this year? Well, it's my third year of TCR. The first one was quite good. I finished eight. Last year I had to quit scratch. So there are two sides. One is I need to be better than the eighth place. But on the other hand, with the scratch last year, it's always on the back of my mind. Yeah, the scratch. Understand it. It's not trying to get ahead of yourself. And you've got almost two selves to beat. You've got the one who came eighth. And you've also got the one who scratched. So finishing is then that success as well. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, finishing is always the main goal. But I am ambitious. And I need to be better than the last version. Last version, I seem to remember that you had some quite interesting nutrition strategies. Was it Sardines? A lot of Sardines. Yeah, of course. Yeah, like Sardines. And they're good protein and fatty acids in there. So yeah, it's kind of good. Registration will end later this afternoon. But there are still a number of riders arriving to collect their race caps and go through those final checks. As always, volunteers are keeping things running nice and smoothly, including Stola. Oh, always been today to see all the riders coming in. It's amazing, really. And, you know, I live here in Toronto. So for me to have this race which I've heard of for so many years, coming to my hometown. I never saw that coming, of course. So it's amazing now to see 400 people here coming to my hometown. How did you see the riders where they stressed, where they happy? What was the feeling there? What was the vibe? I would say it's a combination. I mean, it's 400 people and it's 400 different attractions for this. I think some do it purely for race, some do it for an experience for life probably, some do it to realize themselves in a way and some are probably challenged by some friends or bad friends, probably. So they lost a bet. Yeah, they probably lost a bet, yeah. So I think it's to be outside here checking their bikes and so on. You meet everyone. But it's amazing, no matter if they have to replace something, go and grab a high-risk West or Gillette, you know, these things. They are all smiling and so enthusiastic. So we have only met 400 smiles today, I think. It's fantastic, really. Yeah. So now to be able to tear here as well, it has been just a pleasure, honestly. Yeah. TCR, the Malia Arantia, is awarded to the rider with the fastest cumulative time across the race's mandatory parkour sections, excluding the star parkour. It's also dedicated to those riders who have died doing what they loved and a way to advocate for better road safety. For Moody Curly, Cap 1-2-8, this race has deep meaning after his brother Mohit was killed in a road traffic accident, while attempting to break a cycling world record. Mohit had been due to take part in last year's TCR and was honoured by all riders at the start line. Oh, does it feel for you to be here? It's a bit emotional, but the team here has been really, really great in what they did to honour my brother and I had to come here. Yes, yes. So yeah, I got into ultra cycling because of him, and he's the one who got me out of really, really messed up stuff. So he gave me this gift before he left, and I just want to give back as much as I can. And for him and for my family also, back home, and whatever joy they can get from something like this if they can, but I don't know if they can, but try to do my best. Yeah, I mean, it's not just for him, it's for me also, I get, I mean, I feel connected when I'm on the bike with him, so that's great. Like, it's good therapy, I guess, for me as well. You know, a lot of time and a lot of kilometres to get connected with him. That's true, that's true. Yeah, I know, I mean, the route is so, so beautiful and like, he would have loved to be on the race. So just representing him, and yeah, I feel like nervous, excited, everything, also emotioned. Yeah, but I'm coming back to my brother, like, I would usually call him and these times. So, but I have like, a lot of his voice notes to get each day by, so I think it will be fine. Sarah Bosslet, Cap 120, was Mohit's partner, she wrote an exceptional race last year and is back again at TCR number 12. I feel really good, I think my preparation was much better than last year, last year. It was like much other circumstances and I was just so glad last year that the race happened and that they wanted to honour Mohit at the start line and that brought me to the race. And this year, I wanted to, or I wanted to do better than last year. So, yeah, I focused a little bit more in the preparation and I have a new bike, which I'm really happy with. But that was also more like last minute. I think I have one and a half months now. So, I know some people who had a new bike two weeks ago, so you're not too bad. Yeah, but two weeks ago I already left for Norway because I was hiking tour with my students and yeah so my last preparation was hiking but yeah I'm used to Norway already and it's so nice and I'm really looking forward to start here in Norway and with like no darkness the first days I think that will be so beautiful yeah then we will see how it goes I'm really looking forward and I will just do my best and then let's see how I end up did you set yourself some goals or just to do the best yeah I want to be faster than last year I think the routes are pretty similar um maybe a little longer but yeah faster than last year that's my goal and I just have one who rides 17 hours per day and then let's see how that works out registration is all about last minute admin and getting ready to race it's also an excellent opportunity for riders to cast a curious eye over one another's bike and kit choices for some it's all about the arrow and packing light for others a little whimsy is just as important race coordinator Hannah Lable SDA spotted some fine avian bike decoration spotted by Julian Memrike cap 202 oh dude so I do work a lot with birds so actually I do cinematography nature cinematography and I've been in love with nature and birdings since a couple of years so they always come with me in every single trip so now I have even more birds if you can see with these guys always with me is a little token and the bike is customized colors and you actually has a nice crane on it which is going to be with me as well and on your helmet did you paint it it's custom paint by colombian artists yeah the frame and the helmet has been covered by different artists the helmet is one called afropec and the frame is from terradosa so colombian artist and you even have a little flag on it and who is it a crochet two can it is a cruciate token that I won a couple of years ago in an ultra racing colombia so this guy is like a my lucky charm and he wanted to come back with me so I had to put him somewhere I change a little bit my setup of back so I need to find a place for him and he likes to be a hero you know so is it the one who signed up for TCI and you had no choice but to you yeah yeah he's the one he's the one who's paying the bills you know I'm saying yeah ultra cycling has grown in popularity with elements of the sport seeing at least some level of professionalization but riding altruism and the TCI are in particular it's far more than a numbers game it's about mental strength and still when all said and done the love of riding a bike and riding a bike is for everyone max vita cap 280 the helicopter took me like eight years ago and the hard attack and the whole thing and figured I got to change something and ended up cycling like I did 20 years before and I kind of stuck with it is it your first time TCI? TCI our first time yeah so I'm shaking you all the last days and last weeks and last months and you know going from why I got a place on a starting line and being all excited then you're all frustrated and then you're anxious and then the time runs and time runs and all of a sudden you're here it makes me very happy it seems like I'm on the wrong spot here you know because if you look around and it's all like if you don't belong here for some while there's people you mean look look at the bikes look at the people they're all trained and get muscles like hell and they're even and they're talking about you know FTP values and I have no idea and what's that they use that I never speak that language just like riding the bike it's just it's about riding it's like I'm not training I'm riding so it's like love to do it every day and now I have four weeks of riding my bike every day and that's the plan Robert Moller cap 37 is a vastly experienced rider who's won races all around the world including lost us own transparent ease race he's also known for some creative thinking and finding a way in tricky situations Robert I hear so many stories about your past racing exploits can you tell me what gives you resourcefulness in all of your racing I don't know I just like to ride my bike and then I'm not the most organized person and then a lot of stuff just happens on the way so there's always something going wrong and then I have to find a solution and yeah there's always some chaos happening chaos is exactly the word I would use to describe it you've slept in trash cans you've done mountain passes in hotel slippers you've then ridden between your win at the TPR to the two volcano sprint sleeping on beaches all the way and then you only missed out on the top spot of the two volcano sprint because you forgot to get off the ferry is that correct yeah yeah that's right I did the crossing to sit three times because I just forgot to get off jokes aside there've been some other changes in the modern TCR how have you found the field developing during your time racing yeah I'm only doing ultra cycling since six years now and unsupported since four years and already in this four years the level went up like crazy now you have professionals you have so many strong riders every year new one new riders are coming young riders I've never heard about them but they're already very strong in their first ultra race so here I also expect a lot of people to appear on the on the big stage for the first time and that I don't know them with registration about to close there's just time for Sophie to catch a couple more riders before the final briefing at the start of the race Maxine Priere cap 164 what TCR represents for you I don't know the name in English it's the guard the the best one the goat you know so I'm here because it's the biggest race of the world for the rod cycling so yeah what are your expectations for the race can you can you share it or you don't want you don't want to jinx it no I want to to to to make the best race ever of course I want to enjoy of course and I will cross some more country than my life you know and I think I gonna expect to have a lot of story to tell after the finish line that's the best and of course finishing in the top 10 that's your goal yeah but I will try but it's too far from now to be sure about anything I I have a good route but I don't know if it's the fastest route and for a long race like that with you you don't know what's gonna happen if you make the right choice you know do you have any race strategy you want to share with us yeah on the 28 I gonna using that all day because that is gonna be my birthday and after no strategy I want to share I have a long ferry to cross the Baltic to slip in the in the my home cabin you know it's gonna be some holiday you know a croixier in French finally Jake catches up with previous winner and one of the ultra cycling scenes most successful riders in recent years robbing gambler cap number one robbing gambler that time rings a bell you race TCR before yeah it's my fourth time I'm looking forward to it um yeah just the standard answer so far standard answer so far but I asked you last a couple of weeks ago when we spoke uh you know we had a failure no failure an experiment failure success and you said you'd thought of another word is any of any other words spunk to mind no I hasn't come out yet um I listened to the podcast that you put together and and I thought that this this will actually be an issue and I will have to find a word how does it feel now being on the start line and you know being in strong time does it change anything or is it is it still the same I am I am relaxed with them also like I am a bit nervous as well um I don't know I just want to use these last few hours to really be calm and not the waste energy so that might also help the image you're seeing of me but uh no I am now now it feels like like these last four hours they're always shit I want to get going yeah some point you just want to ride your bike guess so yeah definitely the riders are gathered in the sports hall in Tronheim the rider briefing is a last chance for race director David air to go through the race rules and wish everyone good luck before they embark on this incredible journey hello everyone welcome to the twelfth edition of the transcontinental race thank you all very much for being here uh thank you for putting your trust in us as a race team and being excited enough about this route to want to come and race it um to be able to stand here for this twelfth edition and to look out at all of you and to know that the hard work that we've done over the past 12 months is about to come to fruition is in the description. incredibly exciting and rewarding. I can't believe that we get to call this a job. It is the most fun job in the world. I am sure of that. So thank you for making that come true for us. And I hope you all have a brilliant race. I look forward to seeing you all out on the road and to hopefully sharing a finished line beer with many of you in Kalamata. Thank you very much. (audience applauding) (singing in foreign language) We're gonna roll out now, remember? Roll out slowly behind Andrew and John. Have a fantastic race. And I'll see you all in Kalamata. (audience cheering) The riders roll out at Tronheim into a Norwegian midnight sun to begin an adventure north to south across an entire continent. Join us on our next episode to see how the first night in the saddle shapes up and whether any early race patterns begin to emerge. Remember, you can read Jake's daily race reports from the road on the Lost.website and get regular updates across all our social media channels. Thanks to our race partners, Albion, Apejora, Curve, Pock, Supernova, Ride with GPS and Pete Design. (upbeat music)