Congratulations Tamara Santander 🎉

🎉 Congratulations Oliver Beresford, Sebastian Sarx and Julen Rozas!

Oliver Beresford

Sebastian Sarx

Julen Rozas

Jaime Moreno

Ignacio Pellejero

Enekoitz Arakama

Jokin Etxebarria

Manuel Villalobos

Francois David

Ander Lazkano

Javier Benedited

Nils G. Kamminga

David Candelisch

Sergio Gil

Xavi Calvo

Miguel Martinez

David Galán

António Dias

Patrick Koller

Arkaitz Alkain

Alejandro Cortás

Borja Gascón

Mikel Aristegi

Guillaume Chaumont

Pedro Charlesworth

Daniel Bautista

Fernando Bernabeu

Javier Porras

Yann Gobert

Raul Peralta

Xavier Cruz

David Aguirregomezcorta

Cesar Mato

Julen Gallastegui

Niklas Vogel

David Paul

Eugenio Ordás

David Restrepo

Sebastian Rasch

Miguel Tapia

Miguel Angel Garcia

Carlos Conesa

Roel Massink

Igor Otaegi

Pedro Cebriel

Jeremy Gensse

Christopher Johnson

Manuel Nunes

Fernando Montesinos

Diego Solorzano

Guillermo Larrucea

Peter O'callaghan

Antonio Breny

Pol Duran

Ander Aguiriano

Gorka Lizarribar

David Pinto

Imanol Lasa

Igor Elgezua

Jorge Iruretagoiena

Tamara Santander

Arkaitz Prieto

Joaquin Peribañez

Igor Moreno

Jacobo Sánchez

William Cockburn

Juan Carlos Carrillo

Osvaldo Navia

Ricardo Isusquiza

Jon Gerrikagoitia

Juan José Vargas

Igor Iraolagoitia

Gerardo Suárez

Ariel Barletta

Fernando Sanchoyarto

Abel Terdik

David Bhilar

Saul Meseguer

Ramon Sanchez

Riccardo Argenta

Raúl González

Ignacio Gomez

Ricardo Torrado

Vicente Rivera

Silvia Pineda

Joao Pombinho

Bruno Inca

Hugo Manson

Juan Diego Díaz

Alejandro Fernández

Sergi Bastidas

Francisco Javier

Björn Schindler

Lissa Breugelmans

Kevin Del Pino

Montse Galceran

Pilar Dilis

Miguel Alcazar

Euan Macaulay

Pieter Lauwers

Federico Bassis & Manu Truccolo

Jovet Victor & Bonnecarrere Gautier

Ibai Fradejas & Virginia Cancellieri

Samuel Burrell & Jonathan Bland

Joaquim Santos & Aitor Cahue

Tiago Semedo & Edgar Santos

Jorge Albuixech Martí & Jaume Amat Albareda

Juan Caballero & Ismael Pérez

David Morais & Javier

Mikel Yarza & Jose Manuel

Christopher Johnson & Jack Johnson

Fernando Castellanos & Jose Ortiz & Luis Castellanos

Danial Mokhtar & Roberto Pichucho

David Capdevila & David Romero

Oscar Miravalles Quesada & César Diaz Martin-vares

Javier Ayucar & Erkuden Almagro

Kristopher Auer & Amber Auer

Joseba Ugalde & Roberto Alberdi

Max Barnsteiner & Christoph Kirsch

Media 6

Media 7

Media 2

Media 3

Media 1

Media 5

Media 4

Diego Cycle

Wasn't that a great race, eh? 

Congratulations to all finishers. The course looked beautiful, but tough! I think we wouldn't want it any other way. A recap of the first finishers for the 780km, 14000m vertical route.

- Overall: Oliver Beresford
- Pairs: Federico Bassis and Manu Truccolo
- Women's: Tamara Santander
- MTB: Manuel Villalobos
- 🚨 Lanterne Rouge 🚨: Manuel López

For more photos of the event, be sure to check out Transiberica's insta page [here](https://www.instagram.com/transiberica_club/)

And with that, let's conclude our coverage of Basajuan. I hope you enjoyed it ✌🏻


That was Basajuan

A hearty congratulations to Tamara Santander, who held off the field and negotiated the tough, hot Basajuan course to be the first women's finisher (cap 190)!

There's a great contest for the third finisher. We'll see this unfold over the afternoon and evening. 

![Screenshot 2022-08-03 at 14.46.13](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5ZLKUAM3ZeXbL3mBRAstiO/973f56477c2d6a7222d6c0efde402208/Screenshot_2022-08-03_at_14.46.13.png)


Hello avid dotwatchers 👋 

While you were in the office finishing up your TPS reports, many riders have rolled into Vitoria-Gasteiz having completed the first edition of Basajuan. We now have at least a top ten solo as well as a podium of pairs. Congratulations to all finishers. In addition to being beautiful it looked really hot out there 🥵 The celebratory lemonades are well earned!

Cold drinks are no doubt awaiting riders still on the course. In the women's race, Tamara Santander (140) has a comfortable lead. We expect her to finish tomorrow morning around dawn, sleep depending. Silvia Pineda (190) has breathing space in second. Both Lissa Bruegelmans (122) and Pilar Diis (170) are in good positions to fill out the podium, who claims third is of course still wide open. We expect them in early tomorrow afternoon.


The pack joins in

Congratulations to pair Federico Bassis and Manu Truccolo (cap 201), who rounded the demanding course in 53 hours. This would be enough to put the pair in joint forth in the solo category. Super performances from the italian pair.

The french pair Victor Jovet and Gautier Bonnecarrere (cap 215) followed to finish in 58 hours and 43 minutes. Another pair of performances good enough for solo top tens.

The race for third is on. It is Ibai Fradejas and Virgina Cancellieri in the box seat, some 13km ahead of Samuel Burrell and Jonathan Bland. Joaqium Santos and Aitor Cahue are 6km behind. These gaps can vanish quickly: it's 8:30 in the evening and there is still 160km to go. Riders will want to push on to claim that third place. A partner can be useful for motivation in the wee hours, but there is the risk that if one partner needs a rest the other must too. I'm excited to see this battle unfold.

📸: [Transiberica](https://www.instagram.com/transiberica_club/) // [Álvaro Rodamundu](https://www.instagram.com/rodamundu/)

An update on the pairs category

The race continues into Monday afternoon. 

You, an observant dotwatcher, will recall how Silvia Pineda (140, pictured below) leapfrogged Tamara Santander (190, pictured above) during the first night. Last night Tamara was able to repay the favour. While Silvia and then Lissa Breugelmans (122) rested in Lumbier, Tamara stopped for a brief moment, perhaps looked at this very website to check up on her competitors and then rode off to the next town of Liédena. After a 30-45 minute pause, Tamara rode off in the lead.

She is 25km ahead of second placed Silva, who has 30km over third placed Lissa. Lissa has a 15km buffer for the podium place. With at least 250km to ride, this race is very open. Something the observant dotwatcher will be happy to hear.

![DSC8698-cap140](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3ixskd3FRUB9Kq8JQNUUu5/92da0c85ca21380360a01834ff2e9720/_DSC8698__1_.jpg)

![Passing some fans](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6W8Mcc9ahGV2ZJuQ1yuP0N/53845a7a3bd7e896450b910864e9c3fe/_DSC8371.JPG)

The best way to pass someone is in the night time

Congratulations to Oliver Beresford (182), who has won the first edition of Basajuan in 48 hours, 39 minutes. It has been a tough weekend, and Oliver has right to feel mighty proud of themself.

As can our two other (to date) finishers. 

We now have a complete podium

1. Oliver Beresford (182)
2. Sebastian Sarx (129)
3. Julen Rozas (158)

Outstanding efforts!

Note: There was a glitch in the rankings, meaning I had the wrong podium here. Apologies for that

After a hot, dry sunday we're 36 hours into the race. Oliver Beresford (182) has a handy fifteen kilometer lead. Only a couple of kilometers separate second placed Julen Rozas (158) and Sebastian Sarx (129). Oliver and Sebastian both have around ninety minutes stopping each. Julen a couple of hours more. Efficient riding will determine who takes the biscuit.

![Day2-@jacobkopecky-70](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1QV0i6yE7jqS6iV3NjosFN/a0a6db6936f931fa2cd5f468d95dddb0/Day2-_jacobkopecky-70.jpg)

Silvia (140) has a 25 kilometer lead in the women's field. Lissa Breugelmans (122) has leapfrogged themself into second place with some strong riding through the day. 

📸: [Transiberica](https://www.instagram.com/transiberica_club/) // [Jacob Kopecky](https://www.instagram.com/jacob_kopecky/)

In the pairs, it's Federico and Manu (201) in the box seat. They have a fifty kilometer lead over their nearest rivals. If they manage to keep their overall position, they'll fill out the podium with Oliver.

![Day2-@jacobkopecky-34](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6VZeu2MEKKtpDGPHyDp4KT/98170c6371e8318c56ad61c7a37f9ac7/Day2-_jacobkopecky-34.jpg)

📸: [Transiberica](https://www.instagram.com/transiberica_club/) // [Jacob Kopecky](https://www.instagram.com/jacob_kopecky/)


Late day two, leader at km630

Let's turn our attention to the mid pack. I hope you chose a rider to follow. If you haven't yet, [click on this](https://www.random.org/integers/?num=1&min=1&max=250&col=1&base=10&format=html&rnd=new) and that number is your rider. [Let me know](https://twitter.com/patrickdoupe) how your rider is going. 

Okay, there are a few tight groups with plenty of opportunities to leap frog each other and gain many places. David Aguirregomezcorta (cap 155) is 30th at around km 350. There are fifteen riders in the following fifteen kilometres. A few riders in no person's land. Catching up is a doable as they're only 10--20km behind David's group. One less stop and they're up the top of the mid pack.

A pack of ten (54th--63rd) within a three kilometre stretch around km 275. Then we have thirty riders in a twenty kilomter stretch that more or less rounds out the first one hundred riders. Most of these riders will finish tomorrow. If they're able to ride efficiently, they'll be able to claim a lot of places. Efficiency is super important here. Based on my robust data sampling strategy (clicking wildly at dots), the only thing separating this groups is stopped time. 

It was challenging to find some stories behind these dots. I did find some great views though, which I'm sure you'll agree are wonderful. 

<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CgpfC01rAdP/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CgpfC01rAdP/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"> <div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><svg width="50px" height="50px" viewBox="0 0 60 60" version="1.1" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"><g transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)" fill="#000000"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style=" color:#3897f0; 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overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CgpfC01rAdP/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Cesar Mato (@cesmato)</a></p></div></blockquote> <script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>

<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CgqqOAgsApM/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CgqqOAgsApM/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"> <div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; 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Mid pack midday, day two. Kms 150-350


Good morning loyal readers. The first night has come and gone and most of our riders are racing well. The new leaders having crossed half way.

We last chatted around km 200. Some 85km later the leader, Paul Voss (cap 173) stopped and Patxi Plazaola (cap 172) stormed into the lead. Patxi, second at Gran Guanche Road early this year, ran out of spare inner tubes yesterday. Overnight he had another flat in the desert. The desert is not a forgiving place, it cut his tyre and without extra supplies Patxi abandoned. Paul has since scratched due to knee problems. Marius Karteusch (26), who also was at the pointy end, has scratched due to wrist problems. 

![Shopping at Basajuan](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1WKfvHE59n13QzscuZHDLq/0ddec062ae379b4e38d72ac6664f882f/Basajuan-start-47.jpg)

Oliver Beresford (cap 182) now finds themself in the lead at km 480. In second are the pair of Manu Truccolo and Federico Bassis (201). I can't recall a time when a pair were so high up in the standings. They're about 10km behind. A futher 10km behind are Ignacio Pellejero (144) and Sebastian Sarx (129). They're in a proper race, 500m apart.

In the women's race, Silvia Peneda (140) has a healthy 25km lead on Tamara Santander (190). Tamara seemed, like many riders, to have a few hours sleep in Auritz/Burguete. Silvia passed by in the wee hours of the morning. Tamara must have been woken by the sound of a free hub and quickly started up again. They were within a km or two until Tamara stopped again. Hopefully it's not too bad and Tamara can continue.

The weather today looks great for riding unsealed roads, maximum temp in the high twenties with some wind from the north. I'll bring you up to date on the mid pack in a few hours.

📸: [Transiberica](https://www.instagram.com/transiberica_club/) and [Jacob Kopecky](https://www.instagram.com/jacob_kopecky/)

After the first night, leaders at km 480

Good afternoon everyone. We've had around 9 hours of racing and most riders have passed checkpoint one. The weather seems to have been lovely, with temperatures in the mid to high 20s. There's wind from the north but the real beauty of gravel and forests is that wind doesn't matter so much.

The leaders are approaching kilometer 200. Out front is Paul Voss, who in addition to being my cycling coach (true) and hosting famous german language cycling podcast, recently won Red Bull Rio Grande Gravel. Paul has around a six kilometer lead over a tight pack of fourteen riders.

Included in this pack are Federico Bassis and Manu Truccolo, who finished second and third at Gran Guanche earlier in the season. The pair have an 18 kilometre lead over the french pair, Victor Jovet and Gautier Bonnecarrère. Victor has top tenned Badlands and Transpyrenees, while Gautier finished on the podium at last year's Two Volcano Sprint. With such results, I suspect the 18km lead might reduce over the following section. 

The chilean Tamara Santander is the leading woman, five kilometers ahead of Silvia Pineda. Silvia is no stranger to tough Spanish gravel races, having finished Badlands last year.

It's early days, lots of smiles on social media. The real action will come this evening when sleeping decisions are made. It looks like a lovely night to both ride and camp out, the minimum temperatures will be in the high teens.

📸: Transiberica

Saturday afternoon, leaders at km 200

The inaugural edition of Basajuan from the organisers of TransIberica and Transpyrenees takes riders through some of the Basque Country's undiscovered paths and its vastly diverse landscapes.

Basajaun 2022

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