Trans Am Bike Race: Race Preview

ICYMI: TABR Race Preview

Ben Madden's bike returned

The Wrap: Day 5

The Wrap: Day 6

The Wrap: Day 11

The Wrap: Day 12

The Wrap: Day 13

The Wrap: Day 14

The Wrap: Day 16

__Fact File__

- Location: USA
- Length: 6,900km (Astoria, Oregon - Yorktown, Virginia)
- Riders: 138
- Course record: 17 days, 9 hours, 8 minutes (Evan Deutsch, 2017)
- Last year's winner: Evan Deutsch, USA
- Terrain: Road

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It would be hard to find a bike race longer than the Trans Am. At almost 7,000km, it belittles the likes of the Transcontinental, the TransAtlantic Way, and Tour Divide. Even a race across Australia - the 5,500km Indian Pacific Wheel Race - pales in comparison to this one; a west-to-east crossing of the USA from Astoria, Oregon, to Yorktown, Virginia.

Founded in 2014, a year after the inaugural Transcontinental Race, the first ever TransAm featured 45 riders, and was won by the late Mike Hall in a time of 17 days and 16 hours. It took until the most recent 2017 edition for that time to be beaten too, which it was, by Evan Deutsch, in a time of 17 days, 9 hours, and 8 minutes. The startlist had jumped from 45 to 139 in that time too. 

As well as the race's sheer length, it is the route - and the geographical boundaries through which it passes - that poses the biggest problem for riders. First up are the Rocky Mountains, and included within them, the 3,518m Hoosier Pass, before riders must face the mental challenges associated with the Mid-Western plains. The Appalachian Mountains, blockading the finish in Yorktown, present a final obstacle to overcome. 

With such a long race, and so many geographical and climatic conditions that riders will likely encounter, strategy, planning, kit choices, and pacing, are key. An attrition rate that typically knocks almost half of the starting field out of the race before the finish suggests that these are not easy problems to overcome, either. Only those mad, prepared, or brave enough, will make it to the end. 

Last year's winner, Evan Deutsch, is absent from the startlist, along with a host of other names we've come to familiarise ourselves with over recent years. But with a new wave of riders ready to take on the TransAm, it will not be long before a new set of names to come to the fore. Just look at this roundup to get a flavour of where they might be coming from.

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__America - all 6,900km of it - awaits.__ 



With less than 30 hours to go until the start in Astoria, many riders are milling around analysing each other's kit choices, and talking about the race ahead. From Lycra to lumberjack shirts; down jackets to downtube modifications, there's a lot to be discussed. 

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Gear Talk

Portland, Oregon, is city well known for it's abundance of cycling culture - and, of course, cyclists. As such, no fewer than 18 #TABR2018 riders call the place home, and yesterday they joined up to make the ride to the start in Astoria together. 

When you have 6,900 more of them ahead of you, what's an extra 160km, anyway?

<https://www.instagram.com/p/BjcexFtBGdB/>

Commuting to the TABR

Riders gather in Astoria for the pre race briefing. Try not to lose too much nervous energy, everyone.
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The Pre Race Brief 

<https://twitter.com/darrenfranks/status/1002664449566740480>

"It's hard. You'll figure it out"

That's a new record in the making if it happens

Its 01:30 am PST, with 4.5 hours until the start at 6am. In Astoria, sleeping dots make the most of the final few hours. With 17-18-19-20+ days of sleep deprivation ahead, these are times to be cherished indeed. 



All quiet on the western front 

With just a couple of hours until the 2018 TABR kicks off, be sure to familiarise yourself with the race ahead by reading our preview.

[Click here to see the feature](https://dotwatcher.now.sh/post/2X8By4K0L6OyKwo2EAEIyq?slug=trans-am-bike-race-race-preview)

There's just half an hour to go now before the start in Astoria. Riders will be awake now, and congregating nervously around the start line. A final opportunity for tweaking, tinkering, checking, and re-checking, before the clock starts. A nervous, excited energy will fill the air, as riders begin to count down the minutes.


Half an hour to go

Just another 6,900-ish km to go![20180602 143108](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1HyGfDXjnSk06i8EmWOg2y/2f66cfc139d0ed776d21012c339f3218/20180602_143108.png)



And they're off!

At 6,735km long, the Trans Am Bike Race (TABR) is the longest ultra-distance bike race out there. Traversing the USA from Astoria, Oregon, to Yorktown, Virginia, the route covers the Rockies, the plains of the Mid-West, and the Appalachians, on its cross-continental path. A true test of stamina, and a calendar highlight for riders and dotwatchers alike.

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