Trans-Provence Day 3

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• published: 29 Sep 2011
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As you can see whilst rural Provence has many charms - regular internet is not one of them! - Our apologies for ad - hoc press and video releases were doing the very best we can. Day three Start: Dignes -Les Bains Finish: Villars- Colmars Riding distance 48.64km Day three sees Trans- Provence riders have a slightly less arduous day than the epic that is day two. Regardless of that, it's still three hard stages including a brutal bike-a- hike to start the day. The start of day sees riders gain 500 vertical metres in less than four kilometres, starting with fire road and then a steep path cut in to the Mountain side,the hard breathing and carrying (and no doubt cursing) was rewarded with amazing views across Provence and in the distance the second special stage (Special stage9) of the day Before any of that Trans-Provence competitors first had to negotiate Special stage 8 - A huge drop in elevation and in a classic Trans -Provence Style most types of technical riding thrown into one huge trail! From the col an open section led through open loose rock singletrack and switchbacks before plunging in to leaf filled woodland similar to something you may find on a (dry ) day in the south of England. The riders were then spat out in to open meadow land all to briefly before finding themselves in long a rock chute of singletrack that threw them down to the valley floor, after cresting one more updulation™ (Trans-Provencers who have been part of the event since the first year are used to Ash's various way's of describing climbs without saying the word climb) the trail finally plummeted down to the timing belise and a chance to breathe. After the feed station Special stage 9 was a combination of woodland and rock gardens - before a hard fire road climb that lead to the an open rock river bed through pine forest - fast and not as technical as most stages and the climb in the middle meant that the stage really suited fit riders not just good technical ones. The final stage of day three was more of what any one that loves mountain biking would ask for. Fast on site flowing open sections through the top stage with a feeling of exposure, before pine forest loam land curled down to a riverside trail and the end of another hard days riding As always today has been about great trails in beautiful country but day three also passes a major watershed and begins our Journey in to the higher Maritime Alps , as can be seen by tomorrows start of the day with the amazing start of day four with 2000 metre drop form col du champs . Top Ten Men Day three 1 25 WEIR Mark 00:07:58 00:11:30 00:07:22 00:26:50 2 26 CRUZ Ben 00:07:56 00:11:24 00:07:35 00:26:55 3 12 CLEMENTZ Jérôme 00:07:53 00:11:47 00:07:25 00:27:05 4 36 RYAN Matt 00:07:51 00:12:19 00:07:30 00:27:40 5 35 VOUILLOZ Nicolas 00:08:10 00:11:59 00:07:38 00:27:47 6 6 BAREL Fabien 00:07:56 00:12:37 00:07:35 00:28:08 7 34 HESTLER Andreas 00:08:56 00:13:03 00:08:03 00:30:02 8 30 SORRELL Rowan 00:08:13 00:14:02 00:08:31 00:30:46 9 20 RICHARDS James 00:08:42 00:14:05 00:08:11 00:30:58 10 56 MATHEWS Iain 00:09:17 00:13:16 00:08:28 00:31:01 Top Five Women 20 19 MOSELEY Tracy 00:09:08 00:16:14 00:08:48 00:34:10 23 23 MARTIN Anka 00:09:27 00:16:03 00:09:39 00:35:09 29 3 HOHERMUTH Ingrid 00:11:02 00:16:44 00:09:40 00:37:26 40 37 BOELEMA Kara 00:11:10 00:21:24 00:12:59 00:45:33 44 7 THOMSON Fiona 00:13:25 00:23:05 00:13:43 00:50:13 Overall postions after day three. Top Ten Men Place Dos Surname First Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Total Time 1 35 VOUILLOZ Nicolas 00:28: 00:30: 00:27: 01:26: 2 12 CLEMENTZ Jérôme 00:28: 00:30: 00:27: 01:26: 3 25 WEIR Mark 00:28: 00:30: 00:26: 01:26: 4 6 BAREL Fabien 00:30: 00:30: 00:28: 01:28: 5 36 RYAN Matt 00:29: 00:32: 00:27: 01:28: 6 26 CRUZ Ben 00:30: 00:31: 00:26: 01:28: 7 30 SORRELL Rowan 00:32: 00:31: 00:30: 01:35: 8 27 BEAUMONT Marc 00:30: 00:33: 00:32: 01:36: 9 32 JONES Steve 00:31: 00:34: 00:32: 01:38: 10 20 RICHARDS James 00:33: 00:34: 00:30: 01:39: Top Five Women 19 19

Trans-Provence Day 4

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• published: 29 Sep 2011
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Apologies for the visual glitches. The video is fine at this end, but has had technical problems when uploaded to Vimeo. We will endeavour to iron out these problems with the current video as soon as possible Day four . • start: Villars-Colmars (1180m) • trailhead: Col des Champs (2080m) • finish: Guillaumes (793m) • riding distance: 41.49 km • on-bike height gain: 965m • on-bike height drop: 2434m Many regular Trans-Provencers think that day four is the finest over all day of the weeks riding - starting with the huge decent from Col des Champs and including the unique Grey earth stage, if these two trails were all that you rode in a day , you'd consider it a fine days riding, but with two other exceptional trails included it really is a special day in the big Mountains Special stage 11 is Col Des Champs then. This is a real test of riding - individually each of the many sections would be challenging but taken together it takes a strong technical rider , who can also onsite rock gardens and turn into the tightest switchbacks whilst ignoring the ever increasing exposure on either side of them, all of this of course is whilst the clock is ticking -it's a fifteen minute descent for the fastest riders. Next Special Stage 12. The liaison stage itself is something quite unique. It's a slice of exposed rock that cuts it's way across the side of a Mountain with vertiginous 200 metre drops below you and an amazing viewing point down across the valley and to the stages ahead. The stage itself continues initially in the same vein as the Liaison but with the risk to life removed a little if you fall off! More open rock face switchbacks lead to the lower pine forested trails and beautifully grippy sandy corners - with dust still hanging in the air from the rider in front. From the feed station a fun liaison stage took riders across the valley floor before the fire road climb to the start of the Grey Earth. Special Stage 13 The Grey Earth is unique to this part of the world. What looks like a combination of grey cement dust mixed in to tarmac that has then rolled down a hill like lava, has then set into long flowing ridge lines of incredibly grippy and fast rolling trail. For the riders there's a suggested line laid out for them but the opportunity to go "off-piste " and choose a quicker line is there for those that want it.. The final stage of the day is reached by steep bike a hike to open meadowland - before a steep switchback loam ride propels riders back to the valley floor once more and the chance to recuperate for the next day. We haven't mentioned racing much other than results before today .Whilst the Trans-Provence is a race it's also just as importantly for many people taking part in a chance to ride amazing trails and to be in this beautiful part of the world. Today however we had our first injuries and they've been with the fast guys. Ben cruz is out with either severely torn ligaments or a broken ankle - Steve Jones had a big crash and whilst Nico Vouilloz hasn't hurt himself - he lost time after tearing of his rear mech. For the people that are racing tiredness is starting to show - Seven days of racing is partly a war of attrition.Silly mistakes are having consequences that could either cost the race, the stage, or stop them from finishing the event itself. Results Top ten Men overall after four days . 1)Jerome Clementz 02:04:22 2) Nico Vouilloz 02:05:25 3) Mark Weir 02:05:42 4) Fabien Barel 02:07:42 5)Matt Ryan 02:10:23 6)Marc Beaumont 02:17:08 7)Rowan Sorell 02:18:55 8) James Richards 02:24:12 9)Steve Jones 02:25:14 10)Andreas Hestler 02:28:29 Top five Women after four days 1) Tracy Moseley 02:37:34 2) Anka Martin 02:48:56 3)Ingrid Hohermuth 02:58:01 4)Kara Bolelema 03:23:51 5)Fiona Thomson 03:59:31

Trans-Provence Day 6

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• published: 30 Sep 2011
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No words today just results - it's very close and just one day racing ahead! Plac Dos Surname First Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Total Time e 1 35 VOUILLOZ Nicolas 00:28: 00:30: 00:27: 00:39: 00:23: 00:35: 03:04: 2 12 CLEMENTZ JÈrÙme 00:28: 00:30: 00:27: 00:38: 00:24: 00:36: 03:05: 3 6 BAREL Fabien 00:30: 00:30: 00:28: 00:38: 00:24: 00:35: 03:07: 4 25 WEIR Mark 00:28: 00:30: 00:26: 00:39: 00:30: 00:37: 03:13: 5 36 RYAN Matt 00:29: 00:32: 00:27: 00:41: 00:26: 00:39: 03:15: 6 27 BEAUMONT Marc 00:30: 00:33: 00:32: 00:41: 00:25: 00:38: 03:21: 7 30 SORRELL Rowan 00:32: 00:31: 00:30: 00:43: 00:27: 00:39: 03:24: 8 20 RICHARDS James 00:33: 00:34: 00:30: 00:44: 00:28: 00:42: 03:34: 9 32 JONES Steve 00:31: 00:34: 00:32: 00:46: 00:29: 00:42: 03:37: 10 24 MARTIN Sven 00:37: 00:33: 00:33: 00:45: 00:27: 00:40: 03:38: 11 1 KIENAST Pascal 00:37: 00:35: 00:31: 00:45: 00:29: 00:43: 03:42: 12 56 MATHEWS Iain 00:35: 00:39: 00:31: 00:44: 00:29: 00:44: 03:44: 13 38 GRAVERSE Tim 00:34: 00:37: 00:32: 00:48: 00:29: 00:46: 03:49: 14 18 MCLEAN Neil 00:35: 00:38: 00:33: 00:47: 00:30: 00:45: 03:50: 15 19 MOSELEY Tracy 00:38: 00:36: 00:34: 00:49: 00:29: 00:44: 03:51: 16 41 HARPER Kevin 00:37: 00:36: 00:34: 00:45: 00:33: 00:44: 03:52: 17 34 HESTLER Andreas 00:31: 00:43: 00:30: 00:43: 00:42: 00:45: 03:56: 18 42 BROOKES Rob 00:35: 00:35: 00:32: 00:51: 00:29: 01:02: 04:08: 19 23 MARTIN Anka 00:39: 00:41: 00:35: 00:51: 00:32: 00:48: 04:09: 20 31 PORTER Chris 00:36: 00:36: 00:36: 00:50: 00:42: 00:49: 04:10: 21 54 ALDER Matt 00:40: 00:41: 00:35: 00:55: 00:33: 00:54: 04:20: 22 57 GROGNUX Johann 00:42: 00:44: 00:38: 00:54: 00:33: 00:50: 04:23: 23 2 SEVERINO Alessandro 00:39: 00:42: 00:42: 00:56: 00:33: 00:52: 04:27: 24 10 ZIMMERMANN Joris 00:39: 00:42: 00:34: 00:56: 00:33: 01:03: 04:30: 25 3 HOHERMUT Ingrid 00:39: 00:44: 00:37: 00:56: 00:33: 01:00: 04:32: 26 14 WARRICK Ben 00:45: 01:07: 00:31: 00:48: 00:38: 00:43: 04:36: 27 16 THOMAS Alun 00:46: 00:41: 00:37: 00:58: 00:33: 01:00: 04:38: 28 52 VELISS Lee 00:41: 00:40: 00:39: 00:54: 00:46: 00:54: 04:38: 29 11 DE RUYVER Arno 01:02: 00:37: 00:37: 01:05: 00:31: 00:49: 04:45: 30 17 SHINGLER Guy 00:41: 00:43: 00:35: 01:03: 00:35: 01:13: 04:52: 31 4 HYDE Jasper 00:40: 00:44: 00:36: 01:06: 00:37: 01:15: 04:59: 32 58 FULFORD Giles 00:47: 00:55: 00:39: 01:02: 00:37: 01:00: 05:03: 33 8 COULING John 00:45: 00:48: 00:42: 01:04: 00:51: 01:02: 05:14: 34 37 BOELEMA Kara 00:46: 00:49: 00:45: 01:02: 00:39: 01:14: 05:17: 35 55 BƒCK Daniel 00:46: 00:52: 00:39: 01:06: 00:44: 01:11: 05:21: 36 9 THOMAS Jason 00:49: 00:52: 01:01: 01:04: 00:38: 00:58: 05:25: 37 28 MA

Trans-Provence Day 2

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• published: 26 Sep 2011
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Day Two If you can make Day Two, then you know that you can manage the rest of this adventure across France. A combination of distance and hard technical riding, plus two large carries and over 2000 metres of climbing over a distance compressed into 50 kilometres, tests the endurance and riding skills of the pro and expert racers alike. Special Stage 4 is reached through high Alpine meadow and a steep climb onto a col. The stage itself sums up the Trans-Provence attitude. Every kind of terrain you can expect to meet over the seven days of riding is compressed into a 400 metre drop - a steep rock and mud chute drops you into open meadow, with numerous options of line choice after traversing round a ridge lower in the valley. The trail then drops into the grey pumice stone of the lower valley before singletrack through woods and into a streambed completes the stage. A relatively short pedal or hike, depending on your ability or fitness; a bleep of your timing chip against the balise (timing device) and Special Stage 5 begins. The hard effort of the climb is rewarded by loam and pine needles - woodland never rode so good! After Special Stage 4's 'pick and mix' style of riding, competitors enthused about the continuity and the chance to enjoy a little more flow. Special Stage 6's riding had been described as "cannonballing", "so fast I thought I might die", or for the less confident, a river full of babyhead rocks requiring a steady eye when it comes to line choice. Less technical than most stages of the Trans-Provence, the ability to hold on and not hesitate favoured the strongest riders here. Ash, the creator of Trans-Provence, is always a little nervous about Special Stage Seven - and the rider's responses to it. His concerns aren't for the quality of the trail, which is beyond superb, but for the potential anger of riders after enduring the 700 metre climb to reach the start of the trail. As in previous years, the shouts of anger and threats of violence were quickly forgotten after the riders tackled what is one of the hardest, fastest and most technical trails in the whole week of Trans-Provence. So good is this trail, named 'Donkey Darko', that it left Fabien Barel literally screaming with happiness at the final time check and a well-known journalist suggesting that we make people sign a waiver to keep its location secret. We say though that if you're prepared to suffer the hideous climb to get there and you're good enough to ride it, then we think you should know more. A 800 metre vertical drop takes you from an open grass summit to the dry and barren riverbed in the valley's bottom, via seven kilometres of singletrack which is right up there with the best trails in the world. To enjoy it, your on-sight riding needs to be top notch to cope with the rock drops you'll encounter, ride switchbacks ambidextrously and nail tight singletrack without being intimidated by a large drop to your right or left. The bottom of the trail sees you hitting a section of riverside singletrack that could turn an atheist into a believer; a pine forest rollercoaster with multiple crossings of the streambed and a feeling of intuitive flow which leads even the most tired riders to fly for the first few moments of Day Two. Day Two Results: Overall standings (Category standing) 1 (1) VOUILLOZ Nicolas 00:58:24 2 (2) CLEMENTZ Jérôme 00:59:11 3 (3) WEIR Mark 00:59:40 4 (4) BAREL Fabien 01:00:35 5 (5) RYAN Matt 01:01:09 6 (6) CRUZ Ben 01:01:58 7 (7) BEAUMONT Marc 01:04:00 8 (8) SORRELL Rowan 01:04:15 9 (1) JONES Steve 01:06:33 10 (2) RICHARDS James 01:08:37 11 (3) KIRKMAN Mick 01:08:48 12 (3) ROJO Cesar 01:09:57 13 (4) MARTIN Sven 01:11:26 14 (5) BROOKES Rob 01:11:34 15 (6) PORTER Chris 01:12:23 16 (7) GRAVERSEN Tim 01:12:25 17 (8) KIENAST Pascal 01:12:44 18 (9) MACLEAN Neil 01:14:05 18 (1) MOSELEY Tracy 01:14:05 20 (10) HARPER Kevin 01:14:11 21 (11) MATHEWS Iain 01:15:10 22 (9) HESTLER Andreas 01:15:19 23 (12) SEVERINO Alessandro 01:21:29 24 (2) MARTIN Anka 01:21:48 25 (13) ZIMMERMANN Joris 01:21:50