About the gear:
Bike:
Canyon Grizl AL
DT Swiss PRC 1400 Spline Wheelset
Continental GP 5000 32mm tires with TPU Tubes
Garmin XC100 Powermeter pedals
Profile Aero Bar
Garmin Edge 1030 computer
Lupine Wilma headlight
Lezyne Strip tail light
Bags:
Cyclite Aero bar bag (rain clothes, power bank )
Ortlieb seatpack 11l (warm gear, civil clothes, shoes)
Food pouch (bars and waste)
Epoc Hydro pro3 backpack (wallet, water, first aid kit, glasses)
Other gear:
Short bib, short sleeve jersey, helmet, SPD compatible shoes, short gloves, sunglasses)
Less than on the long trips, hope it is enough, otherwise I will buy stuff on the way 😉
About the Race:
To the start:
By aircraft to Zagreb on Wednesday and then continue by bike to Banja-Luka (approx. 190-200 km) with one overnight. Arrival in Banja Luka on Thursday and relax until start on Saturday morning. Some easy spinning on Friday maybe.
The race:
BHard Ultra Race:
length 1219,6 km
Elevation: 19149 m
Individual time-trial (no drafting)
Time limit: 90h
RAAM qualification: under 84h
Sub-categories: fastest female, RAAM qual, 50+, under 30, Balkan King, fastest domestic, Michelin Superhero.
Ultra Race riders start individually at 15-20s intervals.
Obligatory Equipment
Recently serviced bike, good tires, GPS navigation unit, working phone, power bank, GPS tracker (supplied).
Helmet (strapped at all times), hi-vis vest (20:00-6:00h), main head light & tail light (tunnels).
Spare lights/LED markers, reflective strips, emergency blanket.
Route
Mix of main, regional and local roads, fully asphalted.
Surface ranges from new to broken/patched.
Country is hilly with many tunnels.
Longest tunnel: 2100m (lit, sidewalks) between CP5-CP6.
39 consecutive tunnels approaching CP7.
Night mode obligatory in tunnel sections regardless of time of day.
100km between CP4-CP5 (Capljina-Trebinje) on Ciro Bike Trail – virtually no resupply except Hotel Stanica in Ravno.
Checkpoints:
CP1 – 50km – KOZARA – Monument (806m elevation, 12km climb @ 5%)
CP2 – 169km – JAJCE – Tourist Info Center (Pliva waterfall)
CP3 – 236km – KUPRES – Hotel Kupres (1180m plateau)
CP4 – 366km – MOSTAR – Hotel Hana (Old Bridge UNESCO site)
CP5 – 503km – TREBINJE – Hotel Central Park
CP6 – 610km – SUTJESKA – Restaurant Tentorium (half-way point)CP7 – 705km – VISEGRAD – Hotel Visegrad (UNESCO bridge)
CP8 – 850km – JAHORINA – Hotel Lavina (highest point 1670m)
CP9 – 990km – KONJIC – Hotel Garden City
CP10 – 1127km – VLASIC – Mountain Hut (1500m)
FINISH – 1220km – BANJA LUKA
Strategy 1 (most likely):
Day 1: reach CP4
Day 2: reach CP 7
Day 3: as far as possible (CP 9)
Day 4: to the finish
Strategy 2 (not sure about it…)
Day 1: Through the night until CP5/6
Day 2: until CP8 or CP9
Day 3: to the finish
Back home:
Easy sightseeing rides through Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia back to Zagreb.
Maybe meet some friends there to have one or more beers, and take the aircraft back home on Sunday 21st.
