The Snail Got Beat!

The Final Stretch + A Complete Pair's Podium

The First Ever Pair To Finish HMR + The Women's Podium Is Filled!

Mascha Wahlig Is The First Woman To Finish!

Christophe Dijkmans Wins The Hellenic Mountain Race

We *Almost Have A Winner + Shoe Sabotage

Them's The Brakes

The Brake Pad Taxi

Sleepless Nights

Hellenic Mountain Rain

![Murray Running](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/HgI8KY88ff26ujHbAFgXf/1288a177473822a56cfc004eaf30b8f7/Screenshot_20240601-205258-2.png)
> Murray Crichton was the last rider to finish, having to run his bike across the line after over 100km of freehub problems.

The 2024 Hellenic Mountain Race has officially come to a close and I'm very pleased to report that all riders that were on course yesterday, crossed the line today well before the finish cutoff!

Aristotelis Tsogas is the first Greek rider to finish the Hellenic Mountain Race! Despite many Greek entries in the first edition, and quite a few more in this edition, it has taken a little while for the race to have a Greek finisher. Aristotlis's background is in ultra running and the Hellenic Mountain Race was his first bikepacking race. Hoepfully we'll see him hit the startline of some more races soon!

Yesterday's lanterne rouge, Steffen Skroblien was doing battle with the snail when I wrote my last report yesterday. He found himself a few km behind the snail on the penultimate major climb of the route, but once he was over that climb, he not only caught the snail, but also two of the riders in front of him. Talk about a strong comeback!

![Spoke and Tire Issues ](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4162xF97f5sYc2n2T3Wo3d/e23e1d4962246b15df2ecd455b4bb41d/Screenshot_20240601-090619-2.png)

Wojciech Kapela seems to have suffered some tire and spoke issues today, but he didn't let that stop him for getting to the beach in Nafpaktos.

On the topic of not letting mechanical issues get in the way of your race, Murray Crichton deserves a massive shout out for making it to the finish today. For the past day and a half, Murray has been without a functioning freehub, meaning he's been able to coast, but unable to pedal, He's therefore walked up every climb and coasted every descent. Murray's finish is super impressive and the video of him running to the finish line in Nafpaktos with his bike alongside brought a smile to my face and a tear to my eye. This is what ultra racing is all about folks!

## Can't Shake The Competitive Spirit

![Track Stand Stripping Contest](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3BUlCxcEXEiKEj3zfXfAjN/0ecaa3f80105f7c866a5648c1183d43e/Screenshot_20240601-205506-2.png)

The lead riders may have finished a few days ago now, but that doesn't mean they've lost their competitive edge. George Sales and Marin de Saint-Exupéry were both in the mix at the front of this years race, and they've found a new way to stay competetive now that the race is over. They seem to be having a contest to see who can undress the fastest while track standing. No handed track stands are always impressive in their own right, but to strip down while doing one is very impressive. Aside from competition for the sake of competition, the prize for the first to undress while track standing was ice cream. I'm sure the ice cream shop in Nafpaktos has been very busy the past few days.

Well, that's all from me! It's been a pleasure to be the commentator for the 2024 Hellenic Mountain Race. Thank you so much for following along with me everyday!

Things in Greece are coming down to the wire. With just 18 hours until the finish cut-off riders on course are racing to make the finish party in Nafpaktos. The Hellenic Mountain Race does allow self-validation for the finish so even if they miss the party and the midnight cut-off, they will still be given a finish outside of the general classification. If they can track down organizer Nelson Trees on the beach, they may even be able to get a finish line stamp. With all that being said, I would say that everyone on course still has a shot at finishing before the snail, some may have to work a bit harder for it than others though.

Steffen Skroblien is still the lantern rouge, he made it to CP3 with an hour to spare and was back out the door and on the road quite quickly. He has currently fallen about 10km behind the snail. He’ll have to chase hard to bring it back in. I’ll be cheering for him throughout the day as he makes his final push to Nafpaktos.

Murray Crichton is the next rider on the road and is currently holding the snail about 1 KM behind him. My inside source tells me Murray’s freehub has failed him and he can no longer pedal his bike. He is refusing to give in and is planning to hike the remaining uphills and coast the remaining downhills. You gotta love Murray’s determination!

![Enjoying the serpentine roads](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/7hQBfhL1ee7r2RcFjcquGw/68d1033d05779e9a3d5e2381d56245c3/Screenshot_20240531-211307-2.png)

Wojciech Kapela currently has 10km on the snail and has been sleeping for the past 5 hours near the top of a pass. Once he gets riding again he’ll hopefully stretch the gap a bit with the downhill and get back into having a safer buffer on the snail. He also appears to be having a blast! He's been posting lots of smiling selfies throughout the race to his instagram stories. Checkout his [instagram (@wojtekkapela)](https://www.instagram.com/wojtekkapela/) to see what the last day of the race brings him and to catchup on his race so far!

The next rider still on course has a big lead on the snail, and is only 50km from finishing, but I feel he deserves a special shoutout. John Roe raced the inaugural edition last year and rolled into CP2 10 minutes before it closed. He rode two days straight to get there, and shortly after arriving he scratched. He made it his mission to come back this year and make it to the finish, so it’s very exciting to see him getting through the last bits of the course. Awesome riding John!

Also still on course but nearing the final descent to the finish is Isabelle Scheyltjens, who will be the fourth solo woman to finish. Isabelle has rode a very steady race from the start and from the outside it appears to have been relatively free of major issues. Based on her interview on the race podcast she has been having an enjoyable ride and taking her time to really see the beauty of the Pindus Mountains. She’s already talking about coming back next year to race it faster.

## Pair’s Podium 

After no pairs finished the race last year, it’s great to see a full podium a pairs reaching the finish this year. Allison Felley Jacquemont and Sébastien Jacquemont added to their pair’s finish at Silk Road by crossing the line as the 2nd pair at Hellenic. For much of the race they were locked in a battle for third with Wojciech Hołdakowski and Szymon Wojtczak, but when the leading pair scratched due to tire issues, it meant both pairs racing for third were now racing for 2nd. As someone about to take on a major race as a pair with my wife, it’s great to see two pairs composed of romantic partners taking the top two places in the pair’s race here!

Szymon and Wojciech came home for third in the pair’s race. After a slow and steady start, they reeled in Allison and Sébastien on the back half of the top loop, before trading spots with them the whole way south. Starting the day yesterday they were neck and neck with the Canadian pair, but Allison and Sébastien managed to put 4 hours into them over the course of the day. All in all, this year’s pair’s race was very entertaining, with two close races unfolding the whole way through.

With less than a day of riding left, this is my penultimate update on the Hellenic Mountain Race. I look forward to providing one last report tomorrow on how those racing the snail fared, and hopefully I’ll also be able to announce the race's first ever Greek finisher!


## The Women's Podium Is Filled

After 5 and a half days of racing the Women’s podium is now complete as well. 3-time Cycle Messenger World Champion, Emma Missale, crossed the line as the second woman in her first ever ultra. Emma put in an impressive showing, riding through the first night to establish her hold on second place. She closely pursued eventual winner Mascha for much of the race, and also held off a charging Leanne Bentley in the second half of the race.

Leanne would go on to finish third, just an hour and a half behind Emma. Leanne rode a very measured race, taking stops when needed, but riding fast when she was on the bike. As the race progressed this strategy paid dividends as she began to close the gap to Emma. Although Emma was able to hold her off through to the end, she came close to catching Emma. Both women kept the race super entertaining and most of my days were spent zooming into their locations to see how close they were. Having such a close and dynamic women’s race was really great to see, and hopefully it helps inspire more women to hit the start line of Hellenic Mountain Race next year.

## We Have Our First Pair!

![Manu and Katrien before the start](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2TrA1Wu0AArPEqgsR3AZg1/38e7dd6151a49f1888b992acc537f614/Screenshot_20240530-223820-2.png)

Last year, no pair finished the Hellenic Mountain Race. My partner and I had the distinct honor of being awarded the prize for longest standing pair, but didn’t quite reach the finish line. It’s therefore very cool for me to see the first ever pair to finish Hellenic Mountain Race! Congratulations to Manu Cattrysse and Katrien De Smet for winning the pairs race at the Hellenic Mountain Race.

Up until yesterday, Mark Diamond and David Nicholls were leading the pairs race and looked set to be the first pair across the line. However a very serious tire failure for David stopped them in their tracks and eventually meant they had to scratch. This left the door open for Manu and Katrien to take first after trailing closely behind Mark and David for nearly the entire race. The pairs race was closely fought between these two pairs and the race was another nail biter. 

But the pairs race isn’t fully over. With David and Mark out, we now have two vacant podium spots to fill. Wojciechi and Szymon, and Allison and Sebastien are currently locked in a dead heat. The pairs are so close that I can make a call right now who has any lead. The tracker is even showing the pairs as jumbled with Allison and Wojciechi at the same KM and Sebastien and Szymon together a few KM back. It almost looks as if they’ve swapped pair partners! With 140km left, it’s still all to play for.

## On The Snail Trail

Steffen Skroblien is currently doing battle with the snail and looks set to keep it at bay all the way to CP3. The snail will slow down ever so slightly after CP3 as there is a full 36 hours from the close of CP3 to get to the finish. It’s a very challenging 190 KM though so it will still be a tough ride. We’re cheering for Steffen and hope he can make it all the way to Nafpaktos!

## Last Greek Standing

Unfortunately there are a couple other scratches in addition to David and Mark to report. Georgios Lentzas of the former pair of Georgios and Jimmy, and Konstantinos Mavroeidis both scratched today after getting caught out in a really nasty storm. I’m also told that Georgios had a bit of a time crunch for a work engagement that meant he had to be back in Athens very soon. It’s unfortunate to see two more Greek riders out of the race, as there is now just one left in the race. At the moment, Aristotelis Tsogas, a Greek ultra-runner is on track to be the first Greek rider to ever finish the Hellenic Mountain Race. I’ll be watching his dot closely as he gets closer to the finish line in Nafpaktos.

That's me signing off for the day! I'll be back again tomorrow to check in on the progress in the pairs race as well as take a look at how the rest of the field is getting on with just one las stretch of the course remaining.


![Mascha At The Finsih](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/7ntdHzs2aAWiXpS4KP3pL4/d3cd2ddf9b8c817faa977c92fa6b1b91/Screenshot_20240529-224533.png)

After leading the women’s field from the start, Mascha Wahlig has crossed the line to secure first place in the women’s field as well as 8th place in the overall, both impressive feats in a very strong field. Mascha took control of the women’s race early on and consistently rode within herself, stopping when she felt she had to stop, and pushing when she was able to. As she rode deeper into the race it became evident that a top 10 in the overall was also a distinct possibility for her. To land in 8th in 4 days, 17 hours, and 40 minutes, less than 24 hours after the overall winner crossed the line, shows how smart she was the whole way through the race. *Note that the tracker currently shows Mascha as finishing 7th, but the official race account lists her as 8th, behind Maarten.

![Leanne Got Caught In A Serious Storm Last Night](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5ODFS72HneELTecX7IztAg/9e22b328822a63d4ef9bc6beb55fde41/Screenshot_20240529-210749-2.png)

Further back in the women’s field, Emma and Leanne are currently on a climb within 6km of one another. The gap will likely go out as Emma crests the summit and descends, but it shows how close these too are and at this point nothing is set in stone for who will take the 2nd place spot in the women’s race. Emma has consistently led Leanne since day 1, but Leanne has kept the gap to Emma within a few hours since day 2. Leanne had a scary moment last night before reaching CP3, where she was caught out in a massive storm on the exposed climb. She made it to the tunnel and warmed up in her emergency blanket before descending to the CP to get a proper sleep and dry out her gear. I feel like every day I’ve mentioned the possibility of Leanne catching Emma, and today will be no different, there is certainly a chance that Leanne will make contact with Emma. With 140km left to race it could all come down to this last stretch to Nafpaktos. Keep your eyes on those two dots, it’s about to get really exciting.

## The Podium is Complete

Speaking of 2nd and 3rd, the 2nd and 3rd positions in the overall were decided in the late morning/early afternoon yesterday with Marin managing to hold off Sebastian to claim 2nd, and Sebastian rolling in just an hour down on Marin to complete the podium in 3rd. Until the last evening it looked as though both these riders were still in with a shot at the win, but they couldn’t quite reel in Christophe who went without sleep for a second night in a row while Marin and Sebastian had to stop for a rest. They then raced it out on the road through the morning for those two podium spots. Big chapeau to both these riders for their strong rides and for keeping us entertained for the last 5 days.

## The Inbetweeners

![Storm a brewing](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1ThkHgy9FEIgUDNLQin38O/91bca6a71afe0fe03cf71b039e20b8e2/Screenshot_20240529-211046-2.png)
> Lots of riders on course were being chased by storms yesterday and today.

Between the podium being completed by Marin and Sebastian, and Mascha crossing the line as the first woman, there were a whole bunch of other impressive rides that deserve attention. Joachim Lindhardt rode a very consistent race, always staying in the mix at the front of the race and keeping the lead riders on their toes. Joachim also gets a bonus shoutout for most improved result from last year. He finished 18th in just under 7 days last year, and jumped up to 4th in 4 and a half days this year! Super impressive riding from Joachim!

Lukas Clement was next in, finishing in 5th. Much like Joachim, Lukas was close behind the chasing 3 riders for much of the early part of the race, but burnt through his brake pads before reaching Metsovo the 2nd time, he was one of the three riders, along with Christophe, who had to take a taxi to Ioannina for replacement pads. This took him out of the race for a few hours while he rested before getting the 2 hour round trip taxi to the bike shop. From Metsovo onwards he was hot on the heels of Christophe and the other leaders, and had a strong comeback to land in 5th.

Davide Zanardo and Maarten Vanhaverbeke both have had what I would call quietly excellent rides. I’m sure both riders had their fair share of dramas and setbacks on the route, but from an outside perspective, both road fairly steady from the start and did a great job of staying close to the leaders, and keeping the chasing mid-pack at bay. Maarten also did a great job of updating his instagram stories along the way! I wish more people could ride as fast as Maarten did while still sharing so much to their social media! It would make writing about the race easier and keep me entertained while I wait for the dots to refresh all day!

## Pair’s Race Coming To A Conclusion

The English pair of Mark and David are currently holding their advantage on Manu and Katrien. Much like in the battle for 2nd in the women’s field, Mark and David have consistently been staying just a few KM ahead of Manu and Katrien everyday, and everyday I write about the possibility of them being caught. While it hasn’t happened yet and is looking less likely as we get closer to Nafpaktos, it is definitely not an impossibility. With around 130km left, anything is still possible.

There is still a close race for third in the pairs field unfolding around 100km back from the leaders of the category. Wojciechi and Szymon currently have a very narrow lead over Allison and Sebastien. With 2 more days of racing likely for these two pairs, there’s plenty of time for more back and forths and swapping of places. The race for third in the pairs will certainly provide a couple more days of entertainment worth coming back for.

## Scratch Report

Sadly one of the pairs behind the skirmishes at the front has lost a rider. Jimmy Koutsovasilis has had to scratch, leaving his partner, Georgios Lentzas to carry on without him. Jimmy sprained his ankle on the 2nd day of the race, but has pushed through the pain and discomfort ever since. He made it all the way to CP2 in Melissourgi and headed back on course, but on the hike-a-bike that followed the CP his injury worsened and he could no longer walk. It’s a bummer to lose Jimmy from the race but he’s already said he’d be back next year, and I can’t wait to see him back on the line! I have a feeling the third time will be the charm for him.

![Impressive Fix From Rene](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4nEIwHYhEfOPGciNTeRLzW/744fb5d553847e02846dd7432a9773d9/Screenshot_20240529-211019-2.png)

Fan favorite, Rene Eberhart has also had to scratch. He was making great time towards CP2, and looked determined to continue on afterwards when a dog lunged at him from around a corner causing him to crash. He was physically fine, but his bike wasn’t. Both front and rear brake levers snapped clean off. If rain was the theme of the 2023 Hellenic Mountain Race, then brake issues seem to be the theme of this years addition. Rene was able to zap strap his leatherman to his brake in order to operate it and make it to CP2 before close, but he made the call to stop his race there for the sake of safety — a smart call. He put in a super strong ride all race and I know he could’ve kept going if not for this incident.

Berten De Canne, Heinrich Merk, and Guy Bowden all also scratched either at or after CP2. I’m not sure what lead Berten and Henrich to scratch but both had been gallantly doing battle with the snail and beat it to CP2. Guy unfortunately came down with an illness that sounds flu like and was coughing through the night. He attempted to keep pushing but realised it wouldn’t be sustainable to ride in that state so he made a bee-line for the coast and some easier riding (and beer!).

That’s all for today! I’m looking forward to seeing all the riders on course continue to make their way in. With a few more days till the finishers party, there are still many stories to unfold on the road to Nafpaktos! 


![Christophe Ahead Of The Start](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/pDzpVXAzPzJ3WIik76fdA/708cad539ba103401c7be9377bb0ca67/Screenshot_20240528-212948.png)
> Christophe ahead of the start.

In the time it took me to write my last update, Christophe was able to safely pick his way down the mountain behind Nafpaktos and arrive safely at the beach, just in time for a morning coffee and some breakfast by the ocean. He crossed the line in an impressive 3 days 21 hours 23 minutes.

Christophe stayed towards the front of the race the whole way through, swapping places amongst the chasers behind Floris for the first part of the race. Heading into Metsovo Christophe went to swap his brake pads after wearing out his first set only to discover that in the hustle and bustle of packing his bike he put the wrong ones in his bag. This meant he had to stop for a full night in Metsovo before hopping a taxi to nearby Ioannina to get a fresh set of brake pads. The taxi trip took a total of 2 hours, which coupled with the full night sleep, put him very far behind the leaders. However, once he was back on the road he charged back through the field, "playing Pacman" and caught back up within striking distance of the leaders. When Marin and Sebastian stopped to sleep, he was able to catch and pass them and then continued to build on his lead.

He has won by an impressive margin too, with 60km still to go for Marin and Sebastian who only have a couple KM between them. The battle for the next podium spot will come down to who has the better legs and is feeling freshest with over 800km in their legs.

As I type this report Christophe Dijkmans is cresting the final climb above Nafpaktos before descending to the finish. [After what happened to Miron Golfman today at HT550](https://dotwatcher.cc/race/highland-trail-550-2024), I won’t declare him the winner just yet, but he does look set to be the winner of the second edition of the Hellenic Mountain Race. 

## How the last 24 hours unfolded

![Car Sleeps](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2YYqBPsvrJiK8RJct1E2iP/28f3d9c47ea7e12a93d0031aaf6391d2/Screenshot_20240527-205256-2.png)

Heading into the morning yesterday, Christophe came charging from behind having not slept all night. He passed both Marin and Sebastian ahead of CP3, and was in and out of the CP before the two chasers could get there. He then kept on the gas through the day, and into the night. Despite not sleeping at all last night, Christophe rode through the night with the finish line in his sights. His longer sleep in Metsovo two nights ago while waiting for the brake pad taxi must have did him some good!

Marin and Sebastian were chasing all day but both riders had to stop in the middle of the night for some sleep in a ditch (and an old car). This sleep really allowed Christophe to open the gap on the two chasers and solidify his bid for the win.

## Floris Scratches

Sadly, Floris has scratched from the race after leading for much of the first half. I reported on his rear brake issues yesterday, and they're likely the cause of his scratch but I haven't been able to confirm that they were the direct cause of his scratch although I'm sure that it was a contributing factor. It's super unfortunate that he had to scratch after such a strong performance in the early part of the race, but we're sure we'll see him towards the front of more races in the future.

## Analog Nomad

![Marin and His Nokia Tough](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5y55oUpdRSvvtXuFNQYWBv/8025dbf758596460fdf69002cbdef274/IMG-20240528-WA0004.jpg)

If you’ve been watching Marin’s dot closely, you may notice that his stops in towns have been a bit longer than some others. We’ve got reports from the ground that because Marin has foregone a smart phone for his journey this year he’s not able to check Google Maps for the location of restaurants and stores, leaving him to wander towns searching for resupply while other riders are able to head straight to the resupply and then get back on the road. He also has not been able to check the location of the other dots so is effectively racing blind. I do love his commitment to the simple life though, and I’m of course a fan of his sturdy Nokia Tough phone.Check out this video from Fairlight that talks more about Marin’s journey this year: [Check out this video from Fairlight that talks more about Marin’s journey this year.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4YQtuj-qSY)

## Mascha Consolidates + The Battle For 2nd

Mascha continues to put in a spectacular ride, she rode into CP3 in the dark last night and got another quality sleep before heading out onto the final stretch this morning. She is currently sitting in 7th overall still and we should see her finish within 24 hours. I can’t wait to see how she stacks up in the overall through this last section, as she races those around her for spots in the top 10.

The battle for 2nd in the women’s field continues to be an absolute nailbiter. Although Emma has continued to hold an advantage over Leanne, it’s hovering around 5km now and with over 250 KM left to race, anything can still happen here. I expect tomorrow night to be decisive in the race for second as sleep strategy could be the deciding factor in the last night.

## Shoe Sabotage

![Sportity Update](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/7IQhziKpvwUco9SIQxzp60/ae72fdece4b1e8193d29ecc9ab7fb700/Screenshot_20240528-204400.png)

The riders all got the above sportity update this morning, which likely left some scratching their heads and certainly made others chuckle. It also likely made Jack Taylor, who had accidentally taken Manu Cattrysse's shoes from CP2 in the night, feel a bit bad when it dawned on him that he was in the wrong shoes. However Manu and his shoes were reunited shortly after that update went out as Jack was just a little ways up the road. The two swapped shoes and got back on their ways. Definitely a funny story with a happy ending.

![Manu Got His Shoes Back!](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5tgKKbAqc3V2ubiLJ2oOu4/762e0f8ee9e2c7b9c4feabe21520abae/Screenshot_20240528-204109-2.png)

## Salting The Snail

![That Dastardly Snail](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/r0oVT3v4IRSvRfA2EbK9C/74cdcf0adcbc598a123fece2a30c6c5b/Screenshot_20240528-202307-2.png)

Further down the field, Berten De Canne, Rene Eberhart, and Heinrich Merk are all battling it out with the snail right now. They’ve all left Metsovo after a solid rest and have a big push to CP2 ahead of them. They’re all keeping ahead of the snail and if they keep their progress going they should all arrive before the cutoff. Send the three of them good vibes and some extra salt to keep that snail at bay!


![BrakePads With A View](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/75L8Yyw1kaTBK1MSIwNJaj/79a809a2e74db3574db1560bf2146ebb/Screenshot_20240527-195731.png)
> If there's two things that sum up Hellenic Mountain Race it seems to be epic views and brake pad swaps.

After a day in the office for me, the riders in Greece are beginning to ride out into the fourth day of the race. It’s been a full day and night cycle since I last posted an update so ALOT has happened that I need to get y’all caught up on! As Adrien promised, the racing has really got underway at the 500km mark!

## A New Leader

![Marin and Sebastian Take A Breather At CP2](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5JJmqnc9vwAjpIy9WFQ2Br/09d1b60e939f4c5f262801f84a95db8e/IMG-20240526-WA0008.jpg)
> Sebastian and Marin taking a breather at CP2 before heading back out in pursuit of Floris. Both riders would take the lead at different points through the next day and night.

Going into the day, it appeared that Floris was continuing to build on his lead after sleeping for only an hour at CP2. However, disaster struck when Floris ran into rear brake issues during the afternoon. He turned off course and began heading to Mouzaki, where I’m guessing he planned to take a taxi to Trikala where there are bike shops. Part way along the road though, his rear braking appeared to resolve itself so he headed back to the course. However, he’d already relinquished his advantage to the chasing riders. By the time he rejoined the route, Marin, Sebastian, and Joachim had passed him in that order.

Since passing Floris, the lead has changed hands a few times. Marin held the lead until he took another longer sleep. Marin has been feeling under the weather and was not able to keep down food between Metsovo and CP2. He seems to be feeling better, but is likely resting a bit more as a result of not eating much the previous day.

After sleeping in the same town as Marin, Sebastian hit the road earlier and has opened a gap on the chasing riders. He is being pursued by Joachim who has been riding super consistently this whole race, and Christophe who is pushing hard to come back from his short trip to Ioannina for brake pads yesterday morning. Marin is back on the road and in fourth now, while Floris is in 5th but has been stopped for over 3 hours. Whether he is resting after going so long without sleep, or he is running into more brake issues, it’s hard to say.

The race feels more open than ever now with the top 4 spread across just 20KM. Day four is sure to bring more surprises and more dynamic racing at the front of the field!

## Mascha The Machine

![Pasta Makes You Fasta!](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/334oeZfXcanGxBsdAVGvmV/360ab1ebc5ba45a46dc39e06c66a7172/IMG-20240527-WA0000.jpg)
> A wise person once said, "Pasta Makes You Fasta!"

Just a short ways back from the leaders, Mascha continues to lead the women’s field and is currently sitting 7th overall! From the sounds of it, Mascha has been finding a good balance between resting and riding, meaning she’s probably heading into day 4 feeling strong. She now holds a 60km gap to Emma who has had to take a bit more rest in the last few days to make up for her big pushes through the first few days. Not only has this allowed Mascha’s lead to grow, but it has also meant that Leanne has caught right up to her. Their time at CP2 overlapped with Emma arriving first and eventually leaving first, but Leanne is just 5km back and both riders are now tackling the same climb after CP2. The fight for 2nd in the women’s field continues to deliver a super close race!

## The Pair’s Race

The past three days have seen the front of the pair’s race in close to a dead heat with Mark and David holding Manu and Katrien at a slim advantage for the most part. The first big gap between the two pairs has begun to open now, and Mark and David now hold a nearly 30 KM gap on Manu and Katrien. This kind of gap could easily disappear in this race so I’d say it’s far from over, but it’s certainly a good sign for the English pair that they’ve been able to finally open a bigger gap on the Belgians. Back in race for third, Wojciechi and Szymon, and Allison and Sebastien are all in Metsovo, about to head up the major mountain pass standing between them and CP2. Both pairs will be into CP2 before the evening barring any disaster and whether they hang around the checkpoint or not may help finally create some separation between the two pairs.

## Turbo Snail

For the past three days, the snail has been traveling at 3.85 KM/H, which the field has dealt with well. Most scratches so far aren’t due to people ending up behind cut offs, they’ve mostly been down to equipment failures, sickness, or injuries. However, once the snail passes CP1 at 9am today, it will up it’s speed to 5.5 KM/H. Those currently hanging around CP1 will likely be getting ready to get out to try and build as much buffer as possible between themselves and the snail before it starts to speed up. Last year the stretch between CP1 and CP2 saw lots of scratches in the mid-field/back of the field, but hopefully we see a bit less of that this year.

## Social Butterfly

![Theo loves dotwatching and loves milk](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/37qX4wdbymBdxXcMIHjFHE/512ba35666a3a77891756bb0333f956a/Screenshot_20240527-203957.png)

Today’s social butterfly isn’t in the race, but rather it’s fervent dot watcher Theo Kelsey!(@theokelsey_) Theo has been posting updates and commentary to his instagram story throughout the evening (day time for us folks in North America) and has provided some footage from last year of where the riders are today. 


![Floris at CP2](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6WrHmHyBOO7W36bYHa2gvm/6baccbbc643bdab420b7d0df8a79d8f3/IMG-20240526-WA0003.jpg)
> Floris rolling into CP2

The sun is rising on Day 3 and I couldn’t help but put together a quick update on the events of last night before the day gets underway in Greece, and I head off to bed for the night. If you haven’t read my update from yesterday yet because you were asleep when I posted it, I recommend you go back and give it a read before this one (or not, I cant tell you how to live your life).

Floris has reached and now left CP2. Adrien reported from the ground that he seemed fresh upon arrival and he had slept a total of 30 minutes. Many dot watchers (myself included) expected him to have a reasonably long sleep at CP2, but after a little more than an hour Floris was up and heading back out into the Pindus mountains. He is almost over the very significant climb that comes right after CP2.

Another prediction that I got wrong in my earlier reportage was that the chasing 4 riders would push past Metsovo before stopping. They all stopped for a sleep, with most of them ending up in hotels in town, and Marin appearing to be bivying somewhere above the town. 

![shit happens](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6tgMFNZ85acKoy3YdAEV0U/d8cefddffff7044ec4a98eb284829cec/Screenshot_20240526-212454.png)

Another development overnight was that the chasing pack of 4 riders has become 3 riders. Christophe Dijkmans has burnt through is only set of brake pads so must make the trek to Ioannina for replacements this morning. 

![Brake Pad Taxi](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/27sdAYDI855VNCPApdd8vm/76f50179f644cbc93e6dc9a0d1553672/IMG-20240526-WA0004.jpg)

He appears to have found a taxi with Lukáš Klement and Victor Eklund who both also need brake pads. Taxi drivers in Metsovo might be about to make a killing in the next few days as more and more riders roll into town with spent pads in desperate need of a lift to Ioannina.

Meanwhile the trio of Sebastian, Marin, and Joachim are all on the move with just 8 km between the 3 of them, they’re staying tight for the time being while they trail Floris by over 30km. However, given how much more sleep the chasing trio has gotten, that 30km could evaporate quickly if Floris feels the sudden urge for some shut eye.

In the women’s field, Mascha took a longer sleep, just as she said she would, but has woken up and put in a big shift in the early hours of the morning to land back in the top 10 overall. Emma didn’t stay at CP1 for too long and was back on the road in hot pursuit of Mascha and almost caught passed her, but then took a brief road side sleep herself and the gap has now gone back out to 25km. Leanne Bentley’s early to bed, early to shred sleep strategy seems to be paying dividends as she is just 10km down on Emma now. The women’s race is certainly living up the hype at the moment, and the gaps on the road could easily disappear as they work their way south.

Mark and David continue to hold their lead in the pairs race with Manu and Katrien chasing a little less than 10km back. Allison and Sebastien, and Wojciechi and Szymon are locked in a near dead heat for third at the moment. Both pairs have very similar stop time and moving time so it seems like a pretty even match. However, lurking just 20 KM back are the Greek pair of Georgios Lentzas and Jimmy Koutsovasilis. Both riders raced the inaugural edition last year (Jimmy as a solo rider, and Georgios in a pair) and both had to scratch. They’re back for redemption this year, and have a mission to finish before the party. I personally hope they make it because knowing them they’ll for sure be the life of the party! 

That's all for me tonight (this morning for those of you in Europe) I'll be checking back in tomorrow as the riders head into night 3.

![Deja Vu for many riders](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5AomMDNUmFc3e6hMlSHPXv/93e04f99e561a3a4f1c0bbf6147cb8df/Screenshot_20240526-120937-2.png)

As the sun sets on Day 2 of racing, Floris continues to stamp his authority on the race maintaining a 30km gap on a tight chasing pack composed of Marin, Sebastian, Christophe and Joachim. Floris is yet to stop to sleep, and as far as I can tell, likely hasn’t stopped for a proper meal yet as he continues to roll through the course. Having passed through Metsovo a 2nd time already, I would guess he plans to sleep at CP2 (and hopefully enjoy some of the delicious bolognese there) but maybe he feels he can keep this going.

The chasing pack of 4 all took time to sleep either in Kipoi or just past Kipoi last night. Sebastian’s MaProgress indicates he didn’t stop, but while I was watching the tracking last night he appeared to be sleeping, so I don’t fully believe MaProgress on this one. Given it is currently 9pm and the 4 riders are approaching Metsovo, it’s likely they will ride through and continue to CP2 tonight as well. 

![Yep, it's muddy alright](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1m79ugXTygANXR7dOBRZko/6ba458d2df5f774bcf6bf4cbfbeed4a0/Screenshot_20240526-120947-2.png)

The weather appears to have improved a bit today, but the rain of last night means that the track will remain muddy for the next few days. It looks as though the riders will have a dry day across the course tomorrow, before the rain returns on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Floris is currently on the climb up to another high point in the race. The climb he is on is a relatively steady grade, and the descent down the other side is fast and non-technical. He’ll pass through the town of Syrrako before a steep singletrack descent down to the river bed. They’ll then climb out the other side of the river valley on a mostly paved climb to Melissourgi and CP2 at the mountain refuge there.

Those that followed the race last year likely remember hearing that CP2 was the party CP with good food and good music both making it hard to leave. Knowing that there is a behemoth of a climb waiting out the front door of CP2 will make it that much harder to leave. This pass is a hike-a-bike and the peak was covered in snow last year. The snow was deep enough that race organizer, Nelson Trees, hiked up to the top with an avalanche shovel and had to dig a trench for riders to cross. 

Adrien Liechti is providing us with some expert commentary and he thinks that the racing will really start to shape up around KM 500 as the race heads into a stretch of constant ups and downs through countless valleys (although this whole route is made of constant ups and downs). The 500km point will also likely be when we’ll see the impacts of everyone's sleep strategies.

![Leanne is quite muddy](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5J14f877vJbfXZVzXzsPCZ/fa81d77db44900f847b5e01ecefffc69/Screenshot_20240525-213540-2.png)

The women’s race has been just as nail biting as expected. Mascha passed through CP1 in the day, but according to the official race instagram, isn’t feeling as well as she hoped to and she is planning to stop for a solid rest tonight. It appears she’s stopped in the town of Distrato for an early sleep before tackling the next section.

Emma is now at CP1 and is also getting an early rest there after pushing through last night on no sleep. Leanne’s early sleep last night is paying dividends as over the course of the day she narrowed the gap to Emma, and should arrive at CP1 shortly. I’d expect her to take advantage of the shelter and get some rest there as well. It will be interesting to see which one of them departs the CP first, and with Mascha up the road taking a longer rest, the race could quickly come together again.

The pair’s race is also another tight one! David and Mark were first on the road after last night’s sleep, but Manu and Katrien were hot on their heels. David and Mark are now at CP1 and I would guess they’re taking a rest there, or at a minimum getting a meal as they’ve been there for close to an hour now. Meanwhile, Manu and Katrien are descending to the CP now. Will we see a similar situation to last night with both leading pairs stopping in the same place for the night, or will one of them try and steal a march in the night? It’ll be fascinating to watch for the next few hours.

I didn’t mention the third and fourth pair on the road yesterday, but Allison and Sebastien, and Wojciechi and 	Szymon are all riding strong and are still within striking distance of the first two pairs. It’s a very long race and the pairs from Canada and Poland could still find themselves back up with the leaders.

## Scratch Report

![Sad to see Abe forced to scratch](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/8nk8PGRpwIiQ3u9hQHQ0p/725045ef091cfd0149984be3d865d886/Screenshot_20240526-115822-2.png)

A noticeable absence from the front of the race today is Abe Kaufman. His knee was holding up fine through much of the day yesterday after his crash and subsequent stitches off the start, but he said that as he headed into the night it started giving him trouble. Hoping rest would solve it, he woke up prepared to ride, but his knee wasn’t having it. He was going to spend the day resting in Kipoi and try again tomorrow, but eventually came to the realization that he should probably focus more on healing his knee than jumping back in the race, so he made the tough decision to scratch. This was heartbreaking news for me to wake up to as Abe seems to have had a really bad string of bad luck the last few years.

Dina Wacker is a scratch from yesterday that we didn’t report on. She unfortunately got sick before the race but headed out anyways yesterday to try and ride through it. Sadly her fever was a bit too bad and she made the smart call to head back to Meteora to try and get a bit better. She’s hoping to head out on the course later on to take in some of the beauty of the Pindus mountains.

The Greek pair of Christos Koutros and Konstantinos Karmas appear to have been the first to fall victim to the scratch city of Metsovo. Neither of them have posted on social media about why they may have scratched. The same can be said for Valter Di Cesare. If anyone has any inside knowledge on why they may have scratched, shoot me a DM on instagram!

## Mechanical Mayhem

Looking at the map you may notice quite a few riders off course in Ioannina. Ioannina is the closest city to the course and the only place to find a bikeshop anywhere near the course. With mud wreaking havoc on bikes it’s likely a few people headed there for emergency repairs as you are allowed to take a taxi off course at HMR provided you return to the exact spot you left the course. Other reasons for visiting Ioannina last year included needing new shoes after all the rocky hike-a-bike early in the race. The riders in Ioannina might be disappointed to learn that the bike shops are all closed on Sundays though, meaning they’ll have to wait for Monday morning to get back on the course.

![Shot Pads after 200km](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/72aGEtlFY4eW9mvRLSmHr5/a1e3c0b3539bcde4cc159a8ea6fc0340/Screenshot_20240526-121926-2.png)

Looking at the riders instagram stories, needing fresh brake pads could be the reason so many riders are heading to Ioannina. With so much steep descending, this race is hard on brake pads, and with the added grit and grime from the rain and mud, those without spares could already be in trouble. As the riders begin to head south, they’ll only get further away from bike shops that would have spare parts in stock, so it might be better for them to have problems now.

## Chasing Cutoffs

With a day and a half left before CP1 closes, it looks as though all riders currently on course will make the CP cutoff. Although HMR allows self validation should you fall outside the cutoffs, it is a good morale boost to know you’re keeping ahead of the snail. The challenge after CP1 for those that get in close to the cutoff will be trying to make CP2 cutoff which closes only 31 hours after CP1 and is over 170km away with a few serious climbs as well. 

## Social Butterflys

With the race pace on the opening day being so fast and the conditions so miserable, riders are forgiven for not posting much on social media, but I’d like to shine a spotlight on the few riders I’ve found who have been updating their instagram accounts with some good content to tide me over while I wait for the dots to refresh.

Joachim Lindhardt (@[joggehl](https://www.instagram.com/joggehl/)) is doing an impressive job of updating his instagram stories while mixing it up at the front of the pack.

![Endless hike-a-bike on the epirus trail](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/mvoLvbSKttmA1IYfPouPn/7a6422e13e3ee563369951822626ab21/Screenshot_20240526-094213-2.png)

Maarten Vanhaverbeke ([@maartenvanhaverbeke](https://www.instagram.com/maartenvanhaverbeke/)) has also been keeping up his instagram stories throughout the race to keep us apprised of what's going on.

Rene Eberhart’s instagram ([@taunus.wildsau.mtb](https://www.instagram.com/taunus.wildsau.mtb)) provides an honest take on the trials of HMR and really shows the brutality of the mud.

![no pads for Victor](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6GqmEsbo17wW7F1Ntimhgt/a96766ea141e93d33dd529729b252ec3/Screenshot_20240526-121911-2.png)

Finally, Victor Eklund ([@theklund1](https://www.instagram.com/theklund1)) has posted lots of updates across both days of racing. Hopefully he can sort some extra pads and keep riding strong!

Have you been following along with someone I missed? DM their account on instagram so I can follow along too and share them with the rest of the Dot Watcher audience. I can't wait to see how the rest of the evening unfolds as different sleep strategies play out on course.


![Adrien's Weather Forecast](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2EQK5s172VTSCzsR5qxJXI/681728775ce574b936f417b7edf38278/IMG-20240525-WA0001.jpg)
> Last year's winner Adrien Liechti is on his way to CP2 to hangout at everyones favourite CP and welcome riders in. He sent the above photo from just off course Ioannina and said it was raining badly there and looked worse in the mountains.

Well, despite being pushed back 2 weeks, the rain has come back with a vengeance at Hellenic Race. Riders are currently spread across the first 200km of the course, either pushing through the rain and darkness, or are holed up in towns or under the many roadside gazebos and covered water fountains that dot the course. With just 16 hours of racing done there is already a lot to report!

## Changes To The Course

![Course Change 1](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/60x323WRJ2bbH5wDeg0G40/9324cf2247482c436ec1e9b8df82e53f/Screenshot_20240525-152440-3.png)

There are a few course changes to make note of in the section of the route surrounding Kipoi. Riders are being asked to leave the course around KM 172 and rejoin near KM 179 in the town of Kipoi. This was announced a few days before the start and is due to the trail being overgrown. Looking back on our experience through this section last year, my partner and I had a chuckle that it was rerouted this year as it certainly felt overgrown last year as well. I’m guessing it has only become more overgrown over the past 12 months.

The other course change was sent out to riders as the leaders approached Kipoi. There is an ancient stone bridge after Kipoi and the river that the riders must cross after that bridge has burst its banks due to the rainfall. The racers are being asked to stick on the road after Kipoi and rejoin the route shortly after KM 181.

![One of the bigger washouts on course](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5o5S2AWksKbpQNmurNPfr3/4e0f6f893cc66e11fead891c5bc8ddd4/Screenshot_20240525-170713-2.png)

Aside from changes to the route, the course has had a few washouts take out sections of trail and road forcing riders to carefully hike around the edges. They all seem to be navigating it well with some even classifying it as Type 1 fun!

## The Leaders

I’m not sure how, but current leader, Floris Braat, snuck under the radar during my first glances at the start list. To be honest I wasn’t familiar with the former Olympic Canoeist before the start, but the fact that he’s built a 10km lead in the first 16 hours now has me kicking myself for not knowing that he’d be one to watch off the start. Looking at his past results, he definitely has the experience and strength to maintain his lead, with a win earlier this year at the A-Cross The 3 race demonstrating that he is in flying form. He also has a podium at the 2022 Ascend Armenia to his name, as well as a top 10 at least year's Hope 1000, a race that has a very similar elevation to distance ratio as HMR.

Chasing Floris on the road are Joachim Lindhardt and Sebastian Sarx. Joachim is familiar with the HMR course, having finished the inaugural edition last year. The knowledge of what lies ahead will certainly not hurt him as he continues to ride steady into the night.

There is then a group of about 7 riders staying in the town of Kipoi tonight with more arriving every hour. It’s important to note that the organizer has had to be very explicit that riders are not to Bivvy at the restaurant in Kipoi after an incident last year. An important reminder to respect both the places we pass through on our bikes and the people we encounter along the way.

![George is well](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6wiYgc6KGU97PX5MgG962S/4dd6f17303ac3cff32a2388d1a5d2ef5/Screenshot_20240525-172353-2.png)

One of the riders that just rolled into Kipoi is George Sales, who is coming back to HMR after finishing just outside the top 10 last year. George posted the above photo after getting a hotel in Kipoi, showing that it's definitely gotten muddy on the trail. George is super strong and given his experience in the race he's one to keep an eye on as the race progresses.

Within that group in Kipoi is the leader of the Women’s field, Mascha Wahlig! She’s put in very a strong ride so far and depending on when she gets back on the bike in the morning, she’ll likely be sitting within the top 10 overall.

Emma Missale is the next woman on the road around 20km behind Mascha, but still riding deep into the night, so I expect that gap to close a bit. Leanne Bentley is the next solo woman and is around 30km behind Emma. Leanne stopped in the town of Flambourari (I love saying Flambourari) for some sleep last night while Emma continued to ride. It will be super fascinating to see how the next 24 hours will play out in the woman’s field as all three have taken different approaches to rest with Mascha pushing later into the evening before stopping, Leanne stopping earlier and riding earlier, and Emma not stopping. Keep an eye on these three!

The pairs race appears to have reached a temporary detente with both leading pairs electing to spend the night in a town about half a kilometer off course. Katrien De Smet and Manu Cattrysse are locked in a tight race with Mark Diamond and David Nicholls. As far as I can tell, this is Mark and David’s first time racing as a pair, and potentially Mark’s first ever Ultra! I can’t wait to see if both pairs depart at similar times and how the next day will unfold! This is going to be very exciting if it stays this tight!

## Stitched Up

![Abe Getting Stitched Up](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3eySeRZFfqzOi8uJW0BBaD/dfabd021451967e06118f3f80fc4b41f/Screenshot_20240525-171759.png)

No one wants to crash during an ultra. Seeking medical attention, or needing emergency repairs to your bike in the middle of nowhere is the sort of thing that keeps ultra racers up at night. Out seeking redemption, Abe Kaufman was a man on a mission off the start, but unfortunately he had a bit of a crash on the start loop and cut his leg up badly. Bad enough to require stitches. Fortunately, Abe wasn’t in the middle of nowhere, he was in Meteora, and they were able to get his leg stitched up and get him back on the bike in only 45 minutes. Riding from the back of the back, Abe has played PacMan through the field to end up back in the top 10 and is now taking some well deserved rest in Konitsa with most of the other riders in the top 10. I can’t wait to see what Abe does 

## What’s Next On Course

The next bit of the course that the riders are tackling is super varied. After the diversions near Kipoi, riders will climb a steady road climb with a large gorge to their left. They will then descend a steep, narrow, slippery path down the gorge to cross over another ancient stone bridge. Once across that bridge they will ascend a steep, narrow, slippery path back up the other side. From there, they will ride out and back to the VIkos Gorge lookout, a great chance to catch your breath and take in the amazing views.

They then cross over a gravel road that eventually descends through a meadow that is affectionately called “No Track From Hell”. As the name suggests, there is no track there and you’re effectively descending through a field strewn with boulders and prickly bushes. After that, though, the riders will be on a paved road for close to 50km. Those who have already built up leads, will likely be able to temporarily extend them on the road from KM 210 to 235 as it is a descent into one of the only stretches of flat road in the race.

From there the riders climb on pavement through the town of Konitsa. Most towns in Greece are built into the hill side, so whenever you see riders passing through a town they’re likely either descending a very steep road, or going up a very steep climb, as is the case in Konitsa. 

![Steep Climb in Metsovo](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3kPTK75xusSNMvpBfXZvc0/3756786f6892c75aece6a45f23bfe5d2/Screenshot_20240525-140048-2.png)

> Jacob Hora posted a video of one of the extremely steep climbs in Metsovo which is a great example of what many of the streets that pass through towns look like in the Pindus Mountains.

From Konitsa the riders will continue to climb, before a short descent and then a turn back onto gravel. They’ll then have a hike-a-bike to Dragon Lake, followed by an “MTB Descent” to CP1. If you’re familiar with Nelson Tree’s definition of an “MTB Descent” then you know that the descent may also involve some hiking. 

Based on current progress, and how fast the road section will be, we’ll likely see the leaders through CP1 around the 24 hour mark. After CP1, they’re back on the road for a short stint before Distrato, where they will join a hiking trail and head back off road towards their second pass through Metsovo. Depending on how the weather unfolds over the next day or two we might start to see some scratches this time through HMR’s scratch city. Last year, there were broken bikes, bodies, and spirits in most hotel rooms in the town, hopefully we see a few less scratches in scratch city this year.

That’s all for me for Day 1! I can’t wait to see what the new day brings with sunrise in a few hours. I’m based on the West Coast of Canada so may provide a short update when I head off to bed as the sun rises in Greece, but no promises. 


Jake Cullen

Hellenic Mountain Race 2024 Tracking and Commentary: For the second edition of this event, riders will leave the famous perched monasteries of Meteora and head to the north and west of Greece, to the steep, forested slopes of the Pindus Mountains. Hike a bike and mediterannean hospitality have been promised, and hopefully better weather than last year.

Hellenic Mountain Race 2024 Tracking

For the second edition of this event, riders will leave the famous perched monasteries of Meteora and head to the north and west of Greece, to the steep, forested slopes of the Pindus Mountains. Hike a bike and mediterannean hospitality have been promised, and hopefully better weather than last year.

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