Okay people, here are the Highland Trail sweepstake pairings. Rider in bold.

Good luck to all those riding and all those who entered the sweepstake.


Neil Evans - Mike Welch

Howard Perkins - Gairy Mannion

Huw Oliver - Bridget McGill

Mike Toyn - Richard Garcia

Sami Burkart - Ian Fitz

Reto Koller - Patrick Belson

Alan Sheldon - Steve Large

Petr Jirousek - Chris Campbell (New Rider)

John Baker - Spencer Baker

Ian Fitz - Bob Wightman

Berten De Canne - Fraser Macbeth

Pavel Machacek - Karl Booth

Alasdair McLean - Rich Picton

Clement Stawicki - Dan Phillipstone

Justin Atkinson - Dan Phillipstone

Carl Hutchings - Martin Minshall

Chris van der Kaap  - Ione Macgregor (New Rider)

Philip Fraser-Thomson - Mark Weldon

Phil Clarke - Kevin Cunniffe

Bob Wightman - Gary Tompsett

Fraser MacBeath - Richard Garcia

Adrian Baskerville - Andy Bennett

Bert Platzer - Martin Brown (New Rider)

Rich Rothwell - Andrew Wright

Philip Addyman - Jason Maguire

Steve Large - Dave Barter

Jason Michalak - Joe McGill

Chris Hope - David Elder

Adam Erritzoe - Chris Reeves

Lars Schmidt - Blair Caldwell

Petr Jirousek - Bob Jacks

Neil Beltchenko - Andrew Toesland

Steve Large I am watching you ...stay away from those Macaroni cheese pies!!

Steve Large - Dave Barter

Good combo!

I've got a couple of strong riders, so no complaints for me!

Who is Lars Schmidt? And do I stand a chance of winning? Regardless it will be fun egging him on from behind my computer screen!

Go Phil Go!!!

Pavel Machacek you'd better start pedalling or they'll be trouble!!!!!

Only joking, glad to be backing you Pavel. Pavel for the win

I don't know anything about anybody. Can anyone tell me if there are favourites or ex-winners in the list? Cheers.

Borderer wrote:I don't know anything about anybody. Can anyone tell me if there are favourites or ex-winners in the list? Cheers.

No winner has every returned to defend their title! I'm not sure what that tells us...

Bearbonesnorm wrote:Rider in bold.

Thank god

Go Phil

I've found my rider, Reto Koller, on Strava. I'm assuming he's the same one as he's also Swiss. According to Strava he's ridden no miles this year and none last year either. I'm hoping this means he's just stopped logging his rides there or next week is going to be a tough one for him But good luck Reto if you read this.

Sean

Im a avid Dot watcher every year .... come on Stuart

My guy is 26, lives in the Highlands and rides bikes for a living. Go Huw Oliver

Are you in here too Huw?

Borderer wrote:My guy is 26, lives in the Highlands and rides bikes for a living. Go Huw Oliver

Are you in here too Huw?

He doesn't appear to be on the completions list but he did do an ITT of the route last year:
http://trackleaders.com/highland16i.php?name=Huw_Oliver

I'm just relieved no one got me!

too much pressure!

ianpv wrote:I'm just relieved no one got me!

too much pressure!

At least my assignee will be happy that their money is going to a good cause

sean_iow wrote:I've found my rider, Reto Koller, on Strava. I'm assuming he's the same one as he's also Swiss. According to Strava he's ridden no miles this year and none last year either. I'm hoping this means he's just stopped logging his rides there or next week is going to be a tough one for him But good luck Reto if you read this.

Sean

A bit more googling and I think Reto came 9th in the 2013 Tour Divide so he should be fine

Edit. I've also just noticed that Sami Burkart came 8th that year so both the Swiss riders are previous TD finishers.

How are some of the competitors who are in the sweepstake going to follow their rider. Is this some kind of new race strategy?
Dot watching whilst on the move - Do people do that to see where other riders are??

Mart wrote:How are some of the competitors who are in the sweepstake going to follow their rider. Is this some kind of new race strategy?
Dot watching whilst on the move - Do people do that to see where other riders are??

I'll be waiting until I've finished to find out. It's enough effort trying to keep track of my own position, never mind somebody else.

Mart wrote:How are some of the competitors who are in the sweepstake going to follow their rider. Is this some kind of new race strategy?
Dot watching whilst on the move - Do people do that to see where other riders are??

Riders have always been able to see where others are providing they have web access. Some do it, some don't.

Personally, I'd rather not, and intend to be "off-grid" for the duration though I'll turn on the phone and text/call Cath if I think there's signal and I'm not trying to get to the pub, err shop, before closing time. I'm not sure if I even want other riders or dot watchers to mention it to me.

my bloke sounds like he would be riding the kwack in moto gp, need a few fallers I think, all the best carl

Dave, I'll do my best for you, and that menu is off route now so we're safe.

I have Mr Sheldon, so quite happy with that.

No Stu Cowp or Lee Craigie on trackleaders - I assume they're out?

all the best carl

Carl H is proper hard, and pretty quick.

slarge wrote:Dave, I'll do my best for you, and that menu is off route now so we're safe.

I have Mr Sheldon, so quite happy with that.

No Stu Cowp or Lee Craigie on trackleaders - I assume they're out?

Lee is out as heading over for the TD. Don't know about stuart C

Stu C's Achilles wasn't right during a recent test ride in April, though you wouldn't have known it when you saw how fast he was at the Dirty Reiver... Don't know what his plans are for HT550.

Still no sign of Lars Schmidt on track leaders, at least my tenner is going to a good cause!