Bonus post - the day after, as we look back through media 

Day 11 evening - The party is in full swing!

Day 11 morning - The first 3 are in, and the back of the pack is cutting it fine.

Day 10 evening - It's definitely a race, most of the time

Day 10 morning - The end is nigh, and previous actions are coming back to haunt a few

Day 9 evening - Final evening together before the end

Day 9 Morning - New check-ins at CP3 after tackling the Corrieyairack pass at night

Day 8 evening - CP3 is active with some curious photos

Day 8 Morning - Is a rainy arrival at CP3 on the cards today?

Day 7 evening - Scotland is not letting the riders off easily

Tom Marshall

Leszek Pochron-Frankowski

Gabi Winck

Hermann Leitner

Simon Wareing

Alan Goldsmith

Nick Carter

Rebecca Brooks

Ailish Graham

Henry Owen

Simon Mathieu

Adam Colvin

Bas Bakx

George Scott

Emily Harper

Samuel Thompson

Huw Oliver

Charles Beasley

Bryn Davies

Jamie Adcock

Steve Wikeley

Christophe Dijkmans

Alexander Kopp

Oliver Young

Zara Bellos

Natalie Creswick

Olivia Fitz-Poole

Molly Weaver

Aandy Natarajan

Adam Chan

Paul Coats

Cara Dixon

Ryan Davin

Tom Guppy

Izzy Freshwater

Kirsty Gunstone

Jenni Myers

Tamzin Dewar

Pim van Diemen

MediaRider James R

MediaRider Fergus C

MediaRider Catherine D

MediaRider Kitty D

MediaRider Markus S

MediaRider Ed W

MediaRider Miles R

The tech gremlins had got to the finishing table last night and there was a 16th GC finisher missing from the list: __Simon Wareing__ was overjoyed to finally stop pedalling and get the final photo for the journey at 5.31pm BST.

We heard about Simon’s fall just before CP2, with vague details that it was ‘bad'. Below is (just about suitable for work) photo evidence of his body post crash. Not pictured are his palms and wrists that took a battering while he was only half way. Simon is a deserved finisher and takes 16th GC place, and is definitely a stoic of the highest degree. Congratulations to Simon!

![SImon Wareing post crash](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6wNGlwCEwZjHrWkijkaSIg/a6237ad9b1b70ecfa8d150d7b6918d7a/299200546_1080123355943599_2447126999756975244_n.jpeg)
(photo Simon Wareing)

__Herman Leitner__ and __Gabi Wink__ were the last two to arrive at John o’Groats last night just before 11pm, looking very proud of their achievement. Despite arriving outside the GC cut off, they both rode a brilliant race overcoming much to arrive at the finish. Congratulations to them both!

![Herman Leitner and Gabi Wink finishers](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4oXnGlI48LWblXjWAepvpE/01c50187ed28741eaf48757929e9da0e/300815519_493711692566124_428766589014800017_n.webp)
(photo Herman Leitner)

__Leszek Pochron-Frankowski__, is still out on the road and has just made it over Corrieyairack Pass taking refuge at the campsite in Fort Augustus. Stage 4 awaits his wheels – sending full tail winds and sunny weather to help him on his way!

The finisher party was suitably joyous, reports of good quantities of the local brown liquid being consumed before riders started to lose the battle with the sleep demons. (Simon completely missed the party, falling asleep on arrival and waking at 4am wanting to know when breakfast is served) Attempts at getting a finisher photo with everyone were scuppered last night - we are told it was due to sleepiness, but the whisky probably also had a role.

The no fly journey back home has now started for the riders reentering their normal lives. __Charles Beasley__ has been caught sleeping under the seats in the train on the way home:

![chris beasley sleepgin train](//videos.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/7haveFZUnPguWiATjYvA86/284cedee70e5798b7328d9f9ad2257cb/934F88B56EF6DD8B6BAE54A8551C4ABC_video_dashinit.mp4)
(video George Scott)

The current state of train service in the UK leaves something to be desired. A special mention to __Samuel Thompson__ who found a way to get him and his bike home despite this: First he is taking a ferry to Orkney, then he is onto the overnight ferry to Aberdeeen, so that he can eventually get a train with his bike back home to Sheffield. 

GBDURO 2022 will be known for its weather. Not the normal British weather that can clag up your wheels in an instant and rehydrate your skin so that your fingers resemble prunes, but the fiercely hot and dry weather that led to water shortages, dry and dusty trails, and riders scratching due to heatstroke.

It will also be known for a valiant and ingenious display of mcgivering. __Alex Kopp__ impressed us all with his fully functioning rear mech thanks to some duct tape, zip ties and a hex key; Jamie Adcock did not give in and tried lashing his cassette to his wheels in an attempt to overcome his broken freehub. Adam Colvin gets special mention for stopping in for a bike service mid way through.

This year saw a strong field show up, and gave us a feisty start to Stage 1. It was sad to lose __Cara Dixon__ and __Molly Weaver__ so early on. Both being incredibly strong riders, they would have made it very difficult for us to predict the results for the women’s field, and mixed up the GC overall.

Alexander Kopp really dominated the first stage and was ready for business, even after the mechanical. Only a british virus was strong enough to take him out. Equally the loss of __Christophe Dijkmens__ due to an electronic failure removed some of the jostle up front.

Proof that nothing is guaranteed even for the most experienced. The brightest new star to grace the race was of course our youngest rider __Bryn Davies__. Bryn rode a very considered and fast ride to earn him his podium place. Not without issue, he dealt with knee pain which can take down any rider, but he kept going. Luckily for him he did and got to spend a night on some leaves with __Huw Oliver__.

2022 is definitely Huw’s year. Watching Huw’s dot fly up the countries was incredible. Being a very fast and technically strong rider is definitely part of the skill set that helped him win, but it is his humility at every turn that allows him to excel. 

The 3 women finishers were exemplary in just getting the job done - as well as giving us quite an interesting dot leapfrogging to watch. This year the gender split was good, but didn’t hit the 50:50 target The Racing Collective always set themselves. A few last minute drop outs were unfortunate, but 2023 is another year - if this lit a fire in you, or you know a woman who should give it a go, look out for the application process (normally starting in January) and let's get 50:50 the minimum next year.

And there is always room for a tandem - you tandem people out there, this race has your name on it!

As dotwatchers, we get to pass our time sneaking on social media to see what is going on out there. Yet, often the telling moments that show the story on the trail are best captured by the media. The Racing Collective are leading the way again and introduced the concept of the Media Rider for 2022.

A Media Rider is a person who has been invited to capture media content using their bike and public transport. The Media Riders this year embraced the concept fully to see how to make it work, including one bivvying out on The Gap the night before to get the riders as they came over, others dealing with the train strikes to get to the best spot, and all of them being victim to the weather out there.

The carbon footprint in sport reaches heights that seem incomprehensible, and bikepacking races are not much better. Building on the media rider concept form last year, and tweaking for next year, The Racing Collective are once again showing how it is possible to rethink how we do things with sustainability at the centre.

They say it is the constraints that make the creativity. Media Rider [Anthony Pease](https://www.instagram.com/anthonypease_photography/?hl=en) captured this in his quote:

> Getting amongst the riders on a bike brings a more intimate level of photography. The chance to ride off in-front and capture them more than once is also a rarity on these events unless your using a vehicle.

As a final farewell, here is a selection of the beautiful landscapes the Media Riders captured, and a visual reminder of what we are fighting for in this climate crisis:

![media rider catherine dunn](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/0sW4VJdZZGL2pU8rGeqgX/3f6fdcc4feb3366827a6e1ee261e53cf/1270450.jpg)
Media Rider [Catherine Dunn](https://www.instagram.com/_catherine_dunn/?hl=en)

![media rider Anthony Pease](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/33WDyxWBe5B0jrZNMG0dR2/9d91601599a3159bbd6e6c79c618e202/Alex_kopp_GBduro22__4_of_52_.jpg)
Media Rider [Anthony Pease]

![media rider Kitty Dennis](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/59b1UXwKw28o8FjrSEzZC0/cbff272894edd8bee47cd6bebfa9e8c4/KD-KNOCK-12.jpg)
Media Rider [Kitty Dennis](https://www.instagram.com/bluberrysmoothie/?hl=en)

![media rider fergus coyle](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4VU2vnB8sCoRdaffmxODW8/21eec4a14349cc3674798bd9cebbb960/7K8A5227.jpg)
Media Rider [Fergus Coyle](https://www.instagram.com/fergus_coyle/?hl=en)

![media rider For The Hell Of It](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/7w2BGbhdFHtwIAGtMHqrKj/efbcf968dbc70d9d91197bf5d99d256e/DSCF6469.jpg)
Media Rider [ForTheHellOfIt](https://www.instagram.com/forthehellofit.cc/?hl=en)

![Media Rider Gutsibikes](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2Qm0mjsBtiwL90K5UjzHms/197b37ff931fa9f0b6e9a8107f4cd287/Photo_22-08-2022__15_58_53.jpg)
Media Rider [Ed Gutsibikes](https://www.instagram.com/gutsibikes/?hl=en)

![media rider miles resso](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/327Xao2CtWmGHYVFWbtMvG/bdc88643b829974a2f91c4ef53ea4588/Photo_15-08-2022__16_41_56.jpg)
Media Rider [Miles Resso](https://www.instagram.com/miles.resso/?hl=en)

![media rider stephen smith](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/78vsf5omclVjTi9vYxskdu/be7841823f4f6a861087f669c8f241bd/Photo_17-08-2022__22_47_43.jpg)
Media Rider [Stephen Smith](https://www.instagram.com/steph3nsmith/?hl=en)

![media rider Rob Philips](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/06RVKaCk3j7sx95g6rISl/4000ad61475e92856b3d4ddf2ca3e963/GBDURO_START_LINE__9_of_21_.jpg)
Media Rider Rob Philips ([Tailfin](https://www.instagram.com/tailfincycling/?hl=en))

![media rider Vedangi Kulkarni](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2lBfWZlSwr9g7ngX1QmaJs/b0fa00abf991e8f4f81cd37e9d1f274c/IMG_3779.jpeg)
Media Rider [Vedangi Kulkarni ](https://www.instagram.com/wheelsandwords/?hl=en)

![Media Rider Markus Sitz](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6Gqprw9i1oQkwB2RNyy3ye/a8200930bf56b9b8f2553eef8639c94d/IMG_0323.jpg)

> Covering GBDURO as a MediaRider comes with its own challenges, especially when public transport isn’t the most reliable. I like the ethos of The Racing Collective, and while it’s one of the toughest jobs covering what's happening by bike and not the luxury of a media vehicle, it also is the best way to get pictures that replicate the vastness of landscapes & emotions. It’s an exciting mix of cycling, (...) checking the live tracker, spotting the right location and, at very few times, stopping to eat & download footage. 
> As a drone pilot I could, where the location allowed, capture content from two perspectives. Close to riders on the ground, and from a birds’ eye perspective. Covering the event requires quick thinking, being able to respond to all the unplanned events happening, and also being prepared to withstand the weather conditions. This year I had a major downpour on one of the high sections in the Scottish Borders, and after securing all cameras in a waterproof bag, I was enjoying standing in the rain for the next rider to pass.

MediaRider[ Markus Stitz](https://www.instagram.com/reizkultur/?hl=en)

This brings our GBDURO 22 coverage to a close. Thanks for playing along - I hope to see some of your dots on the startline next year, and if not your return to keeping an eye on the map as the 2023 cohort make their way northward!

*Header photo by MediaRider[ Markus Stitz](https://www.instagram.com/reizkultur/?hl=en)*

Eleven days later the scrappy rolling picnic has come to a close, and gifted  a GC finish to 15 riders who started in Land’s End on a very sunny Saturday that will seem like years ago.

![final GC GBDURO22](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1nLgXVqfxobNTMBDMwX2vW/a09b132765ae78d1036b4c31013d25ae/Screenshot_2022-08-23_at_21.25.48.png)

__Samuel Thompson__ was the 4th rider at the photo location just after we published this morning. Samuel was an incredibly consistent rider along all of the route and justifiably earnt himself the 2nd place in GC only 8 hours behind the leader. A veteran of many ultra races, local and far away, we are sure this is not the last we will see of him.

The ever mysterious __Tom Marshall__ was next in at 8.39am BST ready for some breakfast. His final leg of the route will remain a mystery, as do all the others…

__Emily Harper__ has claimed the 1st Women in GC arriving 21 minutes after mysterious Tom. My allegations of a nap during the night were completely unfounded - she cycled from Fort Augustus to John o’Groats in one triumphant push! Claiming 6th position in GC, and shaving off 10 hours from her finish last year she achieved the goal she came here for. Not many come back from a second serving of GBDURO - Emily is quite the racer and we hope she finds more time to do ultras and be the role model to other women coming through the ranks.

__George Scott__ arrived a little early for elevenses, but we won’t hold that against him, nor his 4th place GC finish. George Scott has been fantstic to watch along the route, sharing the pleasure he was experiencing of both the race and the landscapes he travelled through. He is now googling what the soft, big, clean smelling, oblong piece of furniture in his hotel room is, and getting to know it quite well. Sweet dreams, George.

__Bas Bakx__ arrived a little later, and looked overjoyed to have completed this incredible journey! For his first time riding in the UK, he certainly knows how to pick the right route. Where will we see his sleek black look show up next on our maps?

Third time's a charm for __Adam Colvin__! After scratching in 2020 and 2021, he is now the proud owner of a time stamped photo at John o’Groats. His last 24 hrs were not without hardship. Following his videos it was easy to see he was digging deep to make the final kilometres and pulled out all the tricks, including porridge and coffee (cooked on a jet boil - what else would someone who works with aeroplanes use?) and consuming as much food as possible. And he got it done.

Lunch shift was filled first by the Frenchman __Simon Mathieu__. I finally got access to his instagram, and to honour this, here is his finishing picture. There wasn't much else to use really, I guess he was too busy cycling brilliantly northwards:

![simon mathieu gbduro 22](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/7mlk898ZvilQdFEBAoYz07/048a8b59435fde06c5cc9dc13fd83f79/300513189_221051126917738_4897478466164942788_n.jpg)
(photo Simon Mathieu)

Next in for midday snacks was __Henry Owen__. Henry is the 1st place finisher in the non-binary category, and we hope they are not the last non-binary finisher we will see on the GBDURO trails. Of all the items to use, choosing the bike to breakdown gender limits is not bad at all.

Mid Afternoon was the showdown for 2nd and 3rd placed women that we knew was coming. __Ailish Graham__ was 5 minutes ahead of __Rebecca Brooks__ at the signpost, but Rebecca snagged 12th place GC and 2nd place woman, 3 hours in front of Ailish who is 13th GC and 3rd woman. A fittingly close finish for 2 strong women that kept the hustle going right until the last metres!

Just in time for an early supper, __Alan Goldsmith__ relished in reaching the end point. Behind the scenes I have received a few insights from Andy Deacon (who is a 2019 veteran with a funny story about a pedal malfunction in the last 100km that lead to him taping his foot to the pedal spindle and having great difficulty dealing with gates as a result.) Andy pointed out that Alan Goldsmith is now the oldest finisher of GBDURO! A little extra bragging right for Alan tonight at the party, and a good excuse for the others to grab him a drink. And maybe his pipe and slippers for the armchair in the corner… (sorry Alan!)

__Nick Carter__ is the rider who gets to claim the last rider in before GC closing. Nick is a man of few words but his closing quote speaks for all the riders that finished before him: ‘*Thanks for a beautifully, brutal race route.*’

*Congratulations to all riders who are now celebrating with a well earned drink!*

__Gabi Wink__ and __Herman Leitner__ are into the final 50km and will be happy to know that there is barely any climbing left. Herman may not be so pleased that the route is now on paved roads with a reduced chance of finding a good stick to keep his oral hygiene on point. 

They join __Leszek Pochron-Frankowski__ who is the final rider still out there and 400km from the end, even though he is now outside of GC classification.

## Scratch Report
The hardest news to relay today is the scratch of __Jamie Adcock__. With less than 100km to go Jamie has scratched. The freehub that had become too free meant reaching the end in time for GC was not possible, despite walking, scooting and coasting. His instagram post said it stings to have to scratch, and we all feel that sting with you Jamie! Someone get this guy a reliable hub sponsor!

At the close of play our __#scratchcount for GBDURO 2022 is 20__ - over half the people that started. Not as bad as previous years, though. Maybe the Racing Collective will need to change things up for next year if they want to keep their reputation…

Although the race is now over, we will find time for a post tomorrow to reflect on some of the highs, the lows, and the downright strange from GBDURO22. We will also do the Media Rider post if someone can pull Miles Resso away from the celebrations tonight to queue it all up ;)

__Congratulations to all the riders who threw their hat in the ring, those that were able to get to the start, and everyone who made it as far as they could. You all have a lot to be very proud of!__

*Header photo by Media Rider [Miles Resso](https://www.instagram.com/miles.resso/?hl=en)* 

The timestamp stamped at 5.47am BST, and this crazy 2000km journey has finally come to an end for the leading trio: __Huw Oliver__, __Bryn Davies__ and __Charles Beasley__ are now all temporary residents of John o’Groats!

Their finisher photo is reflective of the night’s ride as all 3 kept together pushing through the misty, cold night without stopping. We are happy to see the characteristically expressive expressions displayed by the leaders. Do we interpret this as a representation of just how hard it has been? The impact of their odour after 11 days on the trail? Or the thought they have to return to work now this has finished? Whatever it may be, congratulations to our first 3 finishers on a terrific ride!

![Leader trio finisher photo GBDURO 22](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3eoT3KormVCF1anvzCRL52/1fe3215b97dc9784670ee494b09c72f6/300505301_612711233785814_1187399172959988364_n.webp)
(photo Charles Beasley)

Follow My Challenge has a little glitch at the moment with the tracking calculations - ignore the information there. If my calculations are correct, the 3 leaders completed the stage in a blisteringly fast 21h 47m. This is up there with the top finishers from 2021, but not beating Ollie Hayward who completed it in 19h 43m, 12 months ago. 

What else has been going on during the night in the most northern reaches of mainland Britain? __George Scott__ seems to be permanently attached to his head net after a very midge heaving section down by the river. 

__Adam Colvin__ has been maximising the glamour of the petrol forecourt buffet stop, dining out next to not one, but two bins. Luxury at its finest.

![Adam Colvin dinner with the bins](//videos.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5mZKs91R8ON81zHHqWUCsR/b3cf0f0f0e021abfe8cc168f28907c85/434BFDDF524D1EEA4E4B78B0D3F67AA5_video_dashinit.mp4)
(video Adam Colvin)

The bittersweet sensation that comes with the ending of an epic journey such as this is not lost on the more romantic cyclists of the group. Both __Nick Carter__ and __Ailish Graham__ captured the last sunrise of their journey and what beauties they are too:

![nick carter last sunrise gbduro 22](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2NiU99T2752jdTX4INix21/17e26d0cce871fe2a398c274796ef641/300866223_103180799154567_8981890050315645108_n.webp)
(Photo Nick Carter)

![Ailish Graham last sunrise gbduro 22](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5Ok3w67zgIjdTyfH8VrFFi/ac26f7c34c4eb48c610abcf3ecfa7340/300408373_116121827868518_3781139304335239050_n.webp)
(Photo Ailish Graham)

Speaking of Ailish, the women’s field has stayed on brand and thrown up a little turbulence during the night. Ailish was briefly in the lead last night until 11pm when she was the first to stop to get some rest. __Emily Harper__ was not far behind and decided pedalling was the right choice, zipping past and taking the 1st placed woman position back not long after. 

Meanwhile a little further back, __Rebecca Brooks__ also kept the pedals turning as night fell. She must have been feeling strong, not stopping until reaching Loch Merkland at 3.30am. 

Emily again showed us that sleep is optional for her (although she may have taken a power nap at about 3.30am) and has been passing along the remaining route with a sustained speed. Currently in 6th position on route, she has put a gap between her and Geroge Scott (in 7th pace on route). Less than 40km to go, and with daylight returned, we will no doubt see her not stop for long again until the white signpost is in sight, securing her 1st placed woman.

Rebecca Brooks and Ailish Graham got going again bright and early around 5am, with Rebecca in front. Tracking map shows a 20km gap, but Ailish’s tracker has not pinged for 43minutes, so that is likely to be a lot less. 

Life on the final leg has not been problem free for all. __Jamie Adcock__ got an extra present with the arrival of night and now no longer has a working free hub. An ingenious fix, he has lashed his cassette to his spokes. Having completed 1800km of this race, we hope he doesn't have to scratch now.

![jamie adcock broken freehub gbduro 22](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5ZDQklHHN5AQJQImcF9Rwi/0978f6d7690040d9fb4cfd5d855a76a8/300847929_576506534168226_4989252016203077756_n.webp)
(photo Jamie Adcock)

Jamie is one of a group that has woken up this morning in the danger zone having slipped below the [0 line](https://www.theracingcollective.com/gbduro-results.html). Keeping Jamie company are Ailish Graham, Rebecca Brooks, __Simon Wareing__ (who is one of the few that has barely stopped during the night) and __Gabi Wink__ with her husband __Herman Leitner__ who are the furthest behind schedule by 5.26 hours.

The finishing party may be a slightly quieter affair than planned. Good news is there's barely any services to give them a reason to stop from now until the finish. As long as they don't get (justifiably) overwhelmed by the beauty of the landscapes to stop and take photos, we may see a few of them squeak in on time.

And if you are wondering just what kind of beauty the riders have been treated to today, here is the view George Scott captured at 5.31am:

![George Scott misty mountain morning](//videos.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1Nc26EkzrgeuqYYNgo5hEa/3c637796a500bf022f3dc116f0fd552a/05417FD2ED2C3E72187B16AA131A96B0_video_dashinit.mp4)
(video George Scott)

Twelve hours remain. It is going to be tense to see who can make it in time for a GC qualification. 

Keep your eyes out for a bonus post *today* *** UPDATE - TOMORROW *** as we take a moment to celebrate the media riders helping colour the experience for us and marvel at the wonder on offer when you get out there on your bike.

*Header Image media rider Ed [Gutsibikes](https://www.instagram.com/gutsibikes/?hl=en)*

Wheels have been turning quite quickly all day as riders left CP3 this morning. The initial bumps were as fierce as they looked on the elevation profile. __George Scott__ captured __Emily Harper__ pushing up the switchbacks the riders clambered up early this morning to make sure we get a good idea of what they are living through:

![emily harper gbduro22](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5MBuQCIOdmmx7zSvd2idtu/fc252f722bb206408cd87f9810f40e95/300505066_1456368761494961_293778127000786894_n.jpg)
(Photo George Scott)

__Adam Colvin__ was back on his handlebar camera position pushing up the climbs, with the added weight of having left Fort Augustus fully loaded in order to reduce stop time today.

A big bunch of riders, made up principally of the top 10 plus a few, were grouped quite close together right up until the most popular resupply on the GBDURO route - Contin village store. The last stop for resupply for quite a few kilometres, a flurry of riders took advantage of on it the way through at 3pm BST.

![huw oliver riders contin gbduro22](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1s2mwHliWCb1ZkNLt1ceGQ/cfe43d21a614e12b279881a163c587f4/300978791_833401254737441_2393932794556010165_n.webp)
(photo Huw Oliver)

> While there, an elderly lady approached Huw, Bryn and a few others to see if anyone could help her with her car. Huw was one of the first to leap to help, fixing her seat so she could go and get her MoT. 

It's a race, but there is always time for life. 

__Charles Beasley__ was the speediest to get going out of Contin, but __Bryn Davies__ was in close pursuit. Their lead was not for long before the other riders caught up and recreated the group from before. As the afternoon hours tick by Huw, Bryn and Charles have broken out in front as the lead group. 

__Tom Marshall__, __George Scott__, __Simon Mathieu__, __Samuel Thompson__, __Henry Owen__, __Emily Harper__, __Ailish Graham__ and __Bas Bakx__ are the large following group. 

This chasing group has a few potential challengers: Emily Harper and Tom Marshall are only 1.5hours apart in GC, whereas Ailish is 3 hours behind Bas, but also 3 hours behind __Rebecca Brooks__ in GC (who is 2nd placed women). 

Ailish has stuck with the leading group and is putting a gap in front of Rebecca who is further back. However, we have seen repeatedly with the three leading women that the days and nights lead to much movement in positions, and we would be naive to think tonight will be any different.

__Alan Goldsmith__ is hanging off the back of this bunch, and has been enjoying some of the trails that match the HT550 route, with a little less puddles at this time of year.

![alan goldsmith gbduro22](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5l4s5uLGTstsyWi7tYjSrl/3ada8afbb11c2a44cfe8dab91107de0b/300502279_1252832255452589_5944114419377501662_n.webp)
(photo Alan Goldsmith) 

There has been evidence of more macaroni pies from __Huw Oliver__, seemingly very buoyed by his return to Scottish fayre. Huw’s macaroni passion may have been the reason he hasn’t been holding 1st place on route since leaving this morning.

Bringing up the back of the pack is a trio that are in the danger zone: __Herman Leitner__, __Simon Wareing__ and __Gabi Wink__. Simon is currently 2 hours behind based on his average speed, and Gabi and Herman are 2.5hrs behind. It is going to be close, but all 3 have overcome many difficulties over the past 10 days, they have a depth that we hope they pull on to finish in time.

A few images of the campfire atmosphere last night have delivered another fashion update of the must-have item of the season: the midge headnet. It was a strong recommendation from Miles Resso to the riders to invest in this one item - this feels like it was spoken by a man who has lived through a Scotch summer without one. No amount of Avon Skin so Soft will cut it.

![cp3 headenets gbduro22](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1gCtxYEWHCcVUDmLHHq5nc/c1c272919dbd86309af5140fb16cfb27/cca67ef3-2a16-480e-947d-733f264a0bbe.jpg)
(photo by Media Rider [Miles Resso](https://www.instagram.com/miles.resso/?hl=en))

## Scratch Report
Last night brought one more scratch as __Steve Wikeley__ reached CP3. It was a long and tough ride for a rookie, and he has a lot to take home and digest. We wish him a speedy recovery and lots of sleep!

GBDURO 22 __#scratchcount now sits at 19__.

Each of the 19 riders still in GC have 36 hours to complete this stage by reaching the most northerly point of the mainland to finish in time for a GC position. The pointy end are now only 50km away from their turn east, and less than 200km to the end. The final section is one of the flatest (measely 1440m climbing), meaning we could see some early finishes tomorrow.

Compared to 2021, which saw an incredible 14 finishers, more of the start line has made it further in 2022. We have 24 hours to speculate if the class of 2022 will be greater in number, and as to what we may attribute that.

Tomorrow is our last day of coverage. With still a lot to play for, tomorrow morning will be a taster before a final closing look back in the evening with the final GC. 

Maybe work from home tomorrow if you can…

Header photo by Media Rider [Miles Resso](https://www.instagram.com/miles.resso/?hl=en)

John o’Groats is 378km away, and the final objective is now set for 19 riders to bring this crazy journey to an end.

Last night our last two riders made it CP3: __Simon Wareing__ logging in at 8.57pm BST still able to keep going despite his crash before CP3, and __Gabi Wink__ - for whom the word ‘quit’ does not exist - came in at 10.59pm. 

(__Rebecca Brooks__ is the only stage finisher without the logged time as of publishing - but we know she is at CP3 so we assume it is just a lapse in photo publishing.)

We reported on final positions last night however there has been one element absent until this morning: *Leave No Trace*.

Any rider who has dropped an item is awarded a heavy time penalty. The ecosystems we are part of are fragile, and any trace left by us has an impact on it even if we are accidental in our trace. As responsible enjoyers of the outdoors we can each do a maximum to make sure we pack everything in a way that eliminates the chance of something being lost on route, and that is what this is about. Racing and responsibility are not mutually exclusive.

So who needed an extra voile strap to keep things in place so far?

![rider lost items gbduro22](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2577LBuO0Ub4WaXjbp4LOl/43e6c552dab79e58ee76246dd4f55e9d/f49f64d8-769d-4dc0-a11c-bfd474953e79.jpg)

For each item left behind the rider has been given a 3 hour penalty - a relatively small penalty considering a snickers or mars bar wrapper will take 10-20 years to breakdown. This is what it means for the cumulative time as we start stage 4:

![results with time pentalty GBDURO22](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5MSteXzwDSbNORm68IgUMA/99b0801f21e0f52adaa691472bb4c5c8/Screenshot_2022-08-22_at_09.31.59.png)
(results table available on [The Racing Collective website](https://www.theracingcollective.com/gbduro-results.html))

The biggest impact is the gap between __Tom Marshall__ and __Emily Harper__ is now reduced to only 1h 23m. That is a very small gap that could make for some interesting riding today.

![stage 4 elevation profile GBDURO22](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1SBAHfFTvO3mYNzOyiaiiE/ed7239abda16bcf3f8d7543be1103e15/Screenshot_2022-08-22_at_08.56.13.png)

The elevation profile shows that The Racing Collective has front loaded the final stage with a few spicy off road climbs. With over 1600km in their legs, the riders may not be looking at those bumps with much affection. The good news is that after 215km, things are decidedly more smooth as they change direction and start to head east. 

It’s a chilly (8c) and cloud covered start, but the forecasts are on the riders’ sides with a chance of a little bit of sun in the afternoon and a light SE wind helping push them northwards - and keep the midges at bay. The conditions favour a fast final leg, and there are a few in the pack that will welcome the last chance to go all in.

Stay tuned for an exciting start to the week as we follow the riders moving north and the end of this incredible adventure.

Header photo by Media Rider [Miles Resso](https://www.instagram.com/miles.resso/?hl=en)

The riders have been flowing into the campsite at CP3 today with a look of equal parts relief and wonder at the incredible landscapes they have just experienced.

Here is the list of riders whose time has been logged since publishing this morning with their stage place finishing position:

- __Tom Marshall__ (5th) 38h 45m
- __Bas Bakx__ (8th) 43h 28m
- __Charles Beasley__ (9th) 43h 29m
- __Henry Owen__ (10th) 44h 54m -  
- __Jamie Adcock__ (11th) 51h 34m
- __Alan Goldsmith__ (12th) 532h 33m
- __Adam Colvin__ (13th) 54h 40m

Charles and Bas must have been following each other's flashing lights over the corrieyairack pass, while Henry Owen had to deal with a double puncture during the night on the corrieyairack pass that came with a side serving of being pumelled by the driving rain and wind.

We got a little bit of __Tom Marshall__ at CP3! He claims his body, mind and bike are all starting to fall apart, but his photo says he quite likes it:

![tom marshall gbduro 22](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1YgzbD9wNqNIdbA1Qnj9Te/d96bcd4728a6e12191e91fd4f45e65a1/300421452_601208524732992_6120325507037652707_n.jpg)
(photo Tom Marshall)

__Alan Goldsmith__ was the other rider to get in on the Faces of Stage 3, and also put the effort into old money for anyone averse to the metric system. 1000 miles will make you look like this:

![alan goldsmith gbduro 22](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/25t2LBwbD44gMfnpeHqGky/5114870395ee4cd5ed6706607c686591/300170450_815713066084060_3458803160492207794_n.webp)
(photo Alan Goldsmith - expertly photobombed by Huw!)

With these arrivals we have enough to take a look at our new top 10. 

![leaderboard cp3 gbduro 22](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/73RAc2uTEaIn78hFu6mkEA/b94aee4ff4dd71d5bdb2af252c2520de/Screenshot_2022-08-21_at_19.52.39.png)

__Huw Oliver__ and __Samuel Thompson__ have a clear lead as the top 2. Five hours separate them, which can be easily eaten up with a bad mechanical, but failing that Huw is going to be a tough one to beat.

__Bryn Davies__ has put in an incredible rookie performance and is in a solid 3rd place, barring no major mistakes or bad luck over the next stage he should be taking home a podium spot. 

__George Scott__ and __Tom Marshall__ have been riding consistently since the beginning and merit their 4th and 5th positions respectively. It will be hard to wrestle the positions from them by the riders further down the pack.

__Emily Harper__, __Charles Beasley__ and __Henry Owen__ are clustered together. The next stage is shorter (378km, 4326m climbing) which favours the hares over the tortoise (if either still have the legs for it). This trio have different riding strategies, and it will be interesting to see how they perform in the last leg. 

The final top 10 position is the most vulnerable. Only 2 hours ahead of Adam and Bas, Jamie’s 10th place is not secure. In addition, Alan Goldsmith is creeping his way up the rankings and now into very familiar terrain. This could be where the action is.

The following riders have also reached CP3 but not had their times logged yet so they are not ordered in finishing position:

- __Rebecca Brooks__
- __Ailish Graham__
- __Nick Carter__
- __Herman Leitner__

While relaxing at the checkpoint __Charles Beasely__ has been impressing his fellow riders with his culinary creations. Today’s new one was a PB and Granola sandwich. Innovative, if nothing else.

Photographic evidence has appeared of a new recruit that was hoping to freeload its way to John o’Groats in a riders seat pack:

![Huw Oliver's seat pack guest](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/726TACbOb2gpFBnykUlsvd/92a072b713d1ddb6f982ea581f6df477/300362209_612098983849873_8555633382187874306_n.webp)
(photo Huw Oliver)

__Steve Wikeley__ and __Simon Wareing__ are about 20km out, and the lanterne rouge is held by __Gabi Wink__ with 30km to go. All three should make it in time for the cut off barring no crazy antics from the Highland goblins.

## Scratch Report
One additional scratch was logged today for __Zara Bellos__ (one of the Ultra Distance Scholars) who had been continuing outside of GC. Trying to make it to CP2, the yorkshire moors just become a bit too much (along with some peach problems) and so she has abandoned. Not without a parting song that I encourage you to watch on her [stories](https://www.instagram.com/npcycles/?hl=en) before it vanishes. Get well soon Zara, and we hope to see and hear you on an ultra race soon!

On the eve of the final stage, we have a __#scratchcount of 18__. 
Leszek Pochron-Frankowski is the only rider still continuing outside of GC. 

Monday morning’s 8am commute for the remaining 20 riders will be their last group start. A shorter leg means a shorter time to cut off: Riders will need to be in John o’Groats by Tuesday evening to grab a drink and a shower to celebrate this incredible journey.

Back tomorrow to see what Charles Beasley and his manifesto have to say and to wish the riders good luck on their last slog up north.

Header photo of Rebecca Brooks by Media Rider [Markus Stitz](https://www.instagram.com/reizkultur/?hl=en)

Sunday morning of day nine of the race and the riders are still pedaling strong. We had a few riders make it into CP3 after publishing:

__George Scott__ was the 4th to arrive at 7.44pm with a stage time of 35h 44m. George has joined his predecessors with a face that tells a story, and included clothing props to reinforce the point:

![george scott cp3 gbduro22](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/RaLHjbA635cGte4fY4ZGl/03156225a7cd0459bf36b348be5f45f8/300425381_1506932916417263_1571114335178657589_n.jpg)
(photo George Scott)

__Simon Mathieu__ arrived after 39h 58m sneaking in just before midnight. I can’t see his account, so unfortunately I am not sure if he also wished to communicate the stage impact through a facial contortion.

__Emily Harper__ voted for the no-stop tactic again and tackled the (in)famous Corrieyairack pass at midnight. Emily was 5th rider into CP3 according to current updates, she finished the stage in 47h 58m, and unsure if she got the right photo finish location she took 2 just to be safe.

__Charles Beasley__ and __Bas Bakx__ also took on the very tough final climb in the early hours of the morning and arrived at CP3 sometime around 4.30am. This is the first time Bas (coming from the Netherlands) has raced in Britain and he has picked the perfect race to get to see as much as possible and also the hardest parts of riding in Britain has to offer.

CP3 is also the venue for Charles to give us more information about his manifesto. All eyes on CP3 tomorrow morning to see what it will be.

__Henry Owen__ is the next rider that chose to pull an all nighter to get to camp for 6am (ish) this morning. No Photo yet, so no time log.

__Nick Carter__ is somewhere close to CP3, but we don’t know where exactly. Last time his tracker pinged 12 hours ago he was 50km from the end. The last activity from him was a photo of yesterday’s sunrise that was as beautiful as it was ominous, acurately predicting the old addage *red sky in the morning*:

![nick carter sunrise gbduro22](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/66O8Ko7AgjmCZsTR54fGOi/559ddbd504f51d54e61c625c8b127015/300028107_771613744059693_211685223000961345_n.webp)
(photo Nick Carter)

Three riders are the next group on their way to a stage end. Jamie Adcock (50km to go to CP3) has been slowly embracing his most feral side cleaning his socks in the sink in Callandar:

![Jamie Adcock sock washing gbduro 22](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4ArfrSbHHotP7qISiu01Y0/72b7fb50cb3a6f23026c8a00aa1fcd4b/300370342_763744838011501_8154862400602279671_n.jpg)
(photo Media Rider Miles Resso)

__Alan Goldsmith__ and __Rebecca Brooks__ (2nd placed woman on route) are in very close proximity behind. All 3 riders opted for some rest on the banks of Loch Ossian, bedding down around 11pm BST and packing up sometime around 6am BST. 

__Ailish Graham__ and __Adam Colvin__ also elected for some sleep and shelter from the rain around Rannock Moor. Adam had a great day yesterday, buoyed by his feasting on a macaroni pie (perfect cycling fuel), but was then hit with the realisation that he is slowly reaching the finish without a way to get back home, thanks to the rail strikes. He still has 70km of Stage 3 to go, and 335km of stage 4 to figure it out, and a few opportunities for macaroni pies to energise his thinking. We are confident he will find a way.

Adam is also the first rider to give us a documented can of irn-bru. Not happy with just the liquid form, he also has been chowing down on some irn-bru sweets too. Is he trying to placate the scottish weather gods perhaps?

__Simon Wareing__ has been continuing despite his crash and is still in the [safe zone](https://www.theracingcollective.com/gbduro-results.html) to make CP3 cut off. 

Lanterne Rouge has been passed to __Gabi Wink__. Gabi is about 130km from CP3. The fact she has kept going after all her troubles is a great sign, and we hope that she finds the energy to keep plugging through the beautiful landscapes for a CP3 check in before the cut off. She is also in the safe zone and with the will of steel that she has, we know it is possible.

Weather forecasts show a chilly summer’s day (currently 11c with a high of 15c predicted) and a trace of rain in the afternoon.  Wind levels are up to 18 mph coming from the west - making for a nice tail wind at some points but a very annoying sidewind over the exposed route.

With the further arrivals of riders throughout the day, tonight’s report should include a new GC top 10. The end is getting closer and closer for the fearless cyclists, with just one final stage separating them from a sleep indoors and a relaxed drink with fellow riders.

Header photo by Media Rider [Miles Resso](https://www.instagram.com/miles.resso/?hl=en)


The shores of Loch Ness have started the welcoming buffet for the first riders. 

__Huw Oliver__ was 1st to arrive at 1.47pm BST completing the stage in only 29h 47m. He is very happy to be back in Scotland despite the torrential rain that came in last night and the colder temps. Huw did let us in on the fact that he managed to grab a little sleep on a pile of leaves, and not alone. __Bryn Davies__ had been travelling with him for so long they decided to grab a sleep together. Ain’t life on the road romantic!

__Bryn Davies__ put on a spectacular ride over stage 3, and made it to CP3 only 1 hour and 1 minute after Huw, logging a stage time of 30h 48m. Happily his knee seems to be doing well enough to keep him going, but his troubles have now moved south (look away if you are eating):

![GBDURO 22 bryn davies trench foot](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6ic0LgE6i9E7p3zZzSskcG/3ad6a2524238b1f8eac29abecf5d0f8a/300028356_3309603832602466_8483318919521326030_n.jpg)
(photo Bryn Davies)

3rd in to camp is __Samuel Thompson__ 33h 21m after leaving Garrigill. It seems that creative facial expressions have now become a thing for the stage finisher photo. We present to you the results of the 3 current camp dwellers:

![huw oliver stage 3 gbduro22](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5vM77g9ir161P8vm39pyH5/4c0da3dcd8b283621fdfc098a844e215/300379466_1203794603522413_6770203471866177644_n.webp)
(photo Huw Oliver)

![bryn davies cp3 gbduro22](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6WWLGfKlARUqaVerQpXLI5/db5bd477748460dfb904f20a3b5b3f7e/300060881_434215885434976_4933908569147469263_n__1_.jpg)
(photo Bryn Davies - and what is Huw doing in the backgound?)

![Samuel Thompson CP3 GBDURO 22](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6kvGkKMui1EoNa2fbWYOi6/faa6aec164e2aee10816921a4cfd3939/299916106_606261404191446_2647969334310729953_n.jpg)
(photo Samuel Thompson)

__George Scott__ has been pushing through after his nap during the witching hours, and dealing with headwinds again. Things haven’t been all bad though as he stopped for some good looking coffee and cake on route. His tracker hasn't pinged for 2 hours, which makes us think he should now be approaching CP3 and taking his photo. What face will we receive from him?

__Tom Marshall__ has been doing well after his baked good refuel, and has returned to his mysterious self. 

In 6th place on route is __Emily Harper__ who has been charging through the day and has just over 150km and a gruelling climb to make it to the hot food stall, and potentially snag her highest stage finish (Emily finished in 8th on the 2 previous). 

She has put 40km in between her and the 2nd placed woman __Rebecca Brooks__, but with such a distance still to go, and the fatigue of little sleep last night, it will be interesting to see if Emily stops to try and rest, and if Rebecca (who stopped longer last night) will push through. 

3rd placed women on route is __Ailish Graham__ trailing Rebecca by 50km and travelling close to Adam Colvin.

__Gabi Wink__, the remaining woman still out there gave us a little update on the trials and tribulations she has been dealing with - and they have been quite the list: she has crashed, lost ability to charge her front light, her reserve light only works for 4 hours, overslept, lost her mobile phone, and had to climb 200m on foot - twice! She is trying to find a solution for the light situation to stay in the game. She is certainly due some luck, and we hope it showers down on her to keep her going!

The arrival of the Scottish weather has not been easy for many. __Charles Beasley__ had to stop to buy a new jacket after a particularly rough night and it has meant the end of the race for some others. 

__Alan Goldsmith__ has said he would be much faster if he didn't stop to take so many photos. The last couple of days he has been on the other side of the camera and both times it has include food:

![alan goldsmith gbduro](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3KPMGKX9yX8jE23UfQGZ05/06cd7536aed2ca0d37b4f8606c0be0e2/4940d475-3085-4be7-943d-fa02405105d6.jpg)

![alan goldsmith gbduro](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5z6vxR92HmkplPAGw7IYso/fbdbd5c72b0f3df0823580817eaaf05b/21a15dad-22fa-49fa-9387-802b26f2fa20.jpg)

(photos be Media Rider [Miles Resso](https://www.instagram.com/miles.resso/?hl=en))

Luckily we have nobody who is below the [0 line](https://www.theracingcollective.com/gbduro-results.html) so all riders still out there are on track to make it CP3 by cut off on Monday 8am BST.

Laterne Rouge position is still held by __Steve Wikeley__. Steve posted some reels today where he received food and help from a private individual after realising he had no food and wasn’t able to identify a way to purchase any. This appears to be outside support, so we will wait and see how this is managed by the organisers. 

## Scratch Report
Today saw a few of the pointy end have to call the end to their GBDURO adventure.

__Alexander Kopp__ has not been able to overcome the bug he picked up and has scratched. 

__Pim Van Dieman__ fell and had a crash and then became a victim to the Scottish Weather: the cold and wet making him too stiff to be able to ride. He took a night in a hotel last night to recover and sort out the road rash which goes against the rules so he is no longer in the GC. He has decided to continue on to John o’Groats anyway.

__Christophe Dijkmens__ has also ended his race today after not being able to find a more convenient solution for his gears. A single speed bike in the highlands is not for the faint of heart (even if Liam Glenn can win the HT550 on one), so he will be making his way south. 

__Ryan Devin__ has also been marked as scratched today now that he has changed his route to reach John O’Groats.

This brings out __#scratchcount to 17__.

The night is but youg, and there are hills out there that need to be climbed, with 36 hours remaining until cut off. 

Back tomorrow morning to see who will already be resting on the shores of Loch Ness.

Header photo by Media Rider [Markus Stitz](https://www.instagram.com/reizkultur/?hl=en)

A week ago, riders were travelling through the first kilometres of Cornwall. This morning, we find the pointy end 50km away from CP3 on the shores of Loch Ness! Mind. Blown.

__Huw Olivier__ is still in the lead, but not as comfortably as the previous stage. A quick stop was had in Kinaird Village around 10pm BST last night. Even though only momentarily,the stop allowed __Bryn Davies__ to catch-up with Huw and leap into first place on the route. 

And Bryn kept the 1st placed spot for nearly three hours as he passed through Stirling and into the highlands. Huw gradually reduced the gap around 4am BST this morning where the two re-connected. 

Replay tracking is a little off, but it seems they have been leapfrogging and in close proximity to each other since then. Trackers are pinging at different intervals so we wil have to wait until the photos are posted at the CP2 to see just how close the two riders are.

__Samuel Thompson__ is in 3rd place. His tracker hasn't pinged for 2 hours which means the visual gap we see is probably not correct. Samuel is a very strong rider and the Scottish terrain will be something he is ready to handle. 

__George Scott__ was enjoying the bright lights of the Falkirk tunnel last night, and did his biggest day to date with 16 hours in the saddle covering 321km and 4738m climbing. He grabbed a few hours' kip near Strathyre last night and is now heading north again in 4th place.

5th place in the route is held by our 1st placed woman __Emily Harper__. She is currently taking a break at the Village shop in Strathyre. Emily may have got a little shuteye in Falkirk between 4am and 6am BST, but has been on the move since. She is showing that she is able to keep consistent to her strategy of maximum time in the saddle even after 7 days in, when others are starting to show some signs of fatigue. If she keeps up the pace today, it could mean her highest stage finish yet. 

__Ailish Graham__ and __Rebecca Brooks__ were both sticking close to Emily as night fell, but decided to take rest at 3am BST just south of Falkirk while Emily moved north. Rebecca was the first to get going at 8am BST, stopping again in Stirling a little further up the road.

Ailish’s tracker hasn’t pinged for 2 hours so we are not sure how close to Rebecca she is. All 3 leading women look to be hungry to make the CP3 in racing fashion and it will be exciting to see how the Highlands terrain suits each of them.

We have finally some insight into Tom Marshall, beyond the fact that he can ride very fast along the route. It appears he is a fan of baked goods. An insta story 3 hours ago showed a stop for breakfast before the last push towards CP3:

![tom marshall baked goods](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6wi0MWdr18s68sUgqj4ASZ/03fc8ab2d3f6583e2ca5b5416aeee2b1/300369174_604128594636847_1081089266593604689_n.jpg)
(photo Tom Marshall)

We are not sure where this bakery is as his tracker hasn't pinged for 9 hours. Either way, it is a fine bakery with a good quality selection of baked goods we are sure will power him to the finish.

No news from __Christiophe Dijkmens__ since his venture into the single speed world, but his dot is now off route headed towards Lanark. Assumptions are that legs as gears is not all that, and he is trying to get a fix. We will keep an eye to see how it goes today.

Last year’s fastest time for stage three was __Angus Young__ (pre-disqualification) with 24h 42m, and all other final finishers taking between 31 and 62 hours to make it to camp.  The finishing point has moved slightly this year so we can’t compare directly this year’s riders' performances, but it does show that the Highlands is a terrain that suits some riders above others. 

The leading two are travelling at 12km/h and have about 40km to cover before they can stop. We can expect a first arrival some time in the afternoon. 

Continued rain is on the horizon for all the riders along with some tough terrain. How will the riders negotiate the rest of the stage and will it all be a little too much for some?

Back tonight with some more updates.

Header photo from Media Rider [Markus Stitz](https://www.instagram.com/reizkultur/?hl=en)


Stage 3 is off to a dismantling start! Late morning, __Christophe Dijkmens__ was halted by a faulty SRAM AXS derailleur. A bit of a fiddle and things were working again, until they weren't. With the crushing blow of these false hopes, he has transitioned to keeping the bike in single speed and is going to see how that goes for as long as possible.

Not long after, __Alexander Kopp__ was also in the vicinity of Newcastleton due to other malfunctions. Alex’s malfunctions weren't of the mechanical kind today, but more of the viral kind. He has decided to stop and rest to see if that will get the bug out of his system, and then try again. 

Not too far away at Kielder Forest, __Adam Colvin__ was living his own mechanical nightmare. Working hard this morning to keep positive and not focus on the pain and niggles setting in on day 7 of the race, he noticed that his back tyre was ‘knackered’ (official bike mechanic terminology). The bike shop at Kielder also noticed he had some ‘dings’ (more technical diagnosis) in his wheel. Seeing as they were there, they also said to change the brake pads (these were possibly ‘guffed’). 

Adam optimised the time while his bike got a half-service, and took a nap outside on the deck before reclaiming his steed and heading back onto the route with a very big smile on his face. Adam Colvin is still in the game.

__Simon Wearing__ took a fall last night whilst crossing a cattle grid 2km before CP2. He hit his hip badly, and has been in quite a bit of pain. There was talk of scratching, but thankfully he has decided to give it a go and he has managed to reach 125km into stage 3 so far. 

Scotland is definitely trying the riders. As expected, the rain has arrived, and with it another incredibly communicative facial expression from the current 1st placed rider __Huw Oliver__:

![huw Oliver GBDURO22 scotland rain](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1ewA5yVQatt6YU58CCgRiZ/111b45b763011bb7a2b7856e66294018/300241502_1469373666898194_4263936245716500567_n.webp)
(photo Huw Oliver)

The famous quote by Billy Connelly (Scotland’s unofficial tourism ambassador) ‘don’t worry - if you don’t like the weather, stick around for 10 minutes it will change’ was exactly what Huw experienced and we got to see another of Huw’s great faces:

![Huw Oliver GBDURO22 Scotland sunshine](//videos.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6tGsO699pVi6XJMAvzDvL5/95a8c6415d988de1200b345728ee33c9/C24056588A1576E700475B5ABD486C8D_video_dashinit.mp4)
(video Huw Oliver)

Huw has covered 220km so far today, and is just about to hit the Edinburgh-Glasgow belt. Let's see how he tackles resupply and sleep strategy tonight.

Huw has reason to be very calculated, as only 10km behind him is __Bryn Davies__, __George Scott__ and __Samuel Thompson__. An instagram post this morning let us know that Bryn’s knee is holding, and he is certainly making the most of it. 

George Scott has been able to also capture some of the changing weather on instagram and the landscapes as they cross the border. 

*(PSA: if you check out George’s and Huw’s insta stories directly, know they have both chosen a bagpipe version of Flower of scotland as the music. Depending on your love of the famed celtic instrument, you will want to check the volume for maximum rendition or comfortable silence.)*

Samuel is a constant mystery. A constant, fast mystery. Just incredible.

__Charles Beasley__, __Nick Carter__, __Tom Marshall__ and __Simon Mathieu__ have found Biggar and are currently paused. As mentioned in the race preview there is an incredible chippy in Biggar that also claims to have invented the deep fried mars bar. I hope they are taking advantage of this and may even be courageous enough to branch out to a deep fried slice of pizza or go classic with some salt and sauce on their chips and side portion of black pudding. I wonder what the Frenchman is making of this…

Charles Beasley has been dropping further hints to his mystery around the sleep system. He has cryptically shared that all will be revealed at CP3 in Fort Augustus - so stay tuned!

__Jamie Adcock__ and __Alan Goldsmith__ are also rolling their way towards Biggar, with not long to go until resupply.

In the women’s field things have switched up a little. __Ailish Graham__ is marginally ahead by 12km on the course, and rapidly approaching Biggar. Ailish is a very strong rider, and speculation offline posed the question if she would pull away in the second half of the race. The first day is following that path, even after a photo posted this morning where she looked less than bushy tailed. 

Making their way through Peeblesshire slightly behind are __Emily Harper__ and __Rebecca Brooks__ almost shoulder to shoulder. This is the closest the 3 women have been since starting the race, despite shuffles throughout the last 2 stages. There is still a lot to play for in the women’s field, but also in the GC. Emily has an 8th position to keep her glove-clad fingers on and Rebecca and Ailish are in 14th and 16th places respectively.  

Thanks to a quick exchange with Emily’s Husband we learnt a little more about her experience, and it goes a long way to explaining why she is up there in the top10:

Emily’s background is off-road triathlon. She has been competing at European and World level in her age category, and is a winner of Triathlon X. This is no normal triathlon, with a route that includes a swim of lake Windermere, the Fred Whitton Challenge and a marathon up Scafell Pike! She won this year, and also the 1st year she entered. All that on top of being a science teacher who gets her training in on her 50 mile commute at 5am. This explains the ability to cycle and not sleep. 

There has been one rider that had to do a little U-turn today to get back to camp and pick up the riancoat he forgot. __Hermann Lietner__ made the right decision to double back - a trip through Scotland without a rain jacket would be madness.

__Gabi Wink__ (who is married to Herman) was very happy to arrive at CP2 last night. The Volunteers transformed her state of mind from someone who had slogged through all the british weather the Pennines could throw at her, and Great Dun Fell climb, into a new woman!

Volunteers are a critical part of any ultrarace and many a racer will tell you they are a lifeline just when they needed it. For us Dotwatchers, they can add a little extra insight into the racers’ world. This morning Christine Nelson (who had been helping out at CP2) gave us a preview of GBDURO 22 fashion week - the off bike edition.

Black with a flash of skin is the leading trend:

![Riders off bike fashion GBDURO22](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1nJcNcZiPowiouvixgwfK8/e345678650795b286b02daf03e3efd13/299859197_492372452712741_7319139160014485451_n.webp)
(photo Christine Nelson)

Pim Van Diemen showed us what they are wearing off bike on the continent and brought a little more colour to the evening:

![Pim Van Diemen off bike fashion GBDURO 22](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4kHTr8YNtnHwanqtbjq2Yr/eab70ec8bd93c6144281639498a94d74/300081636_205182015175795_3166420089584532939_n.webp)
(photo Christine Nelson)

Thank you Christine for your help at the CP, but also for the fashion reporting.

Lanterne Rouge is still in the firm grip of __Steve Wikeley__, who is feeling the fatigue quite strongly now, but happily managed to use a toilet today and not get locked in.

## Scratch report
Stage 3 has given us its first scratch from __Oliver Young__. Haivng made it to Scotland and exhausted everything he had, he is ending his GBDURO22 adventure today. Oliver has been collecting money for Trash Free Trails while riding and we are sure he inspired many to adopt the DIO (Do it ourselves) ethos through his actions. Rest up well and we hope to see you out in Bristol and the trails again soon, Oliver!

__#Scratchcount is now (un)lucky number 13__.

Will tonight be the first night we start to see regrets of bivvy system choice as wet and colder nights roll in? Or will this just motivate riders to reach Fort Augustus sooner. With the right to roam law in Scotland, the riders definitely have a larger choice of spots now north of the border.

Back tomorrow morning to see who stocked up on Potato scones for breakfast and who is getting to know the midges.

*Header Photo by Media Rider [Miles Resso](https://www.instagram.com/miles.resso/?hl=en)*

Wendy Ellis

GBDURO 2022 TRACKING

It's often referred to as the "scrappy rolling picnic through Britain's ever changing landscapes", in more detail it's a four-stage mixed terrain race from the Southern-most tip of England up to Scotland's John O'Groats with three checkpoints in mid-Wales, the Pennines and Scottish Highlands.

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