Somewhere between supported and unsupported runs this thin line between pro and the other ones (or pro-wannabes and cool ones). Well, it’s about race, which does not allow to look at the possible impressions one can collect underway. Personally spoken, I feel much better by riding alone. It’s just me and the world around me. No one to interact, no one who observes you. But hell a lot of space. And hell a lot of time to really enjoy what you do. Every surprising corner, every great view, every endless mile, every spot you choose over night.
I don’t care for those goin in a group or having their support car. It all just seems kinda too noisy to me.
I very much agree with your conclusion. I think that going unsupported, you have some incredible experiences which you would not have when cushioned in the certainty that a supported ride would give you. It’s safer, yes, but you won’t have many stories to tell at the end.
It also reminds me of an very similar discussion regarding high altitude climbing – is it still true mountaineering to go with a whole bunch of Sherpas and consume dozen of bottles of oxygen to reach the top? Are the records of oxygen climbs comparable to those done before that tourism business went so big? Finally it all leads to the same – do you do it for you of do you do it for the fame or the record itself….
And about being safe or not safe – your recent accident happened not on the TCR, right? I know you do not refer to accidents generally, but I think unsafe moments can appear everywhere and if I’m not fully wrong statistics might show that more people are subject to being harmed because their toaster has a circuit breaker than by cycling 1000km..
Certainly accidents can happen anywhere, but there is also a difference between putting yourself at extra risk and thereby raising the chances of something happening. When undertaking any endeavour of this magnitude however, you better be doing it for yourself. People who do it for any other reason rarely fare too well.
There are plenty of grey areas here. For example, even unsupported athletes have access to different levels of funding meaning their options for Hotels and
equipment may differ. Someone may even have more friends and family en route which no doubt helps. Which begs the question when does unsupported become
supported. For example having read Mark Beamonts book he was assisted at least in part by arrangements made by his family back home, other racers have
stayed with Friends, the list goes on.
Then you also have to consider that there are differnt levels of supported attempt. You may have someone in an extreme case that drafts along behind a
supporting motor bike or Camper (which even if it was just accross the Nullabor for example, would be easy to do and give you a vast advantage).
The point is that achieving Partity for all would be very difficult and then policing it impossible. So I can understand the Guiness’s point of view. That said I see no reason why rules for a supported and unsupported attempt can not be issued by Guiness. In both cases it needs to be largely self policed anyway.
My own view is that each attempt is unique and each athlete needs to decide what it is they want to achieve, do you want a RAAM style thrash or a Trans
Continental Style battle with nature and yourself. You can not compare the two. I think few would disagree that unsupported is in the true spirit of the
pioneers of this record and the greater achievment.
When all is said and done it is yourself you need to satisfy no Guiness.
“I would prefer even to fail with honor than win by cheating.”
Sophocles
Well, I think where a rider sleeps is entirely their choice and kinda begging the question, though yes, obviously will be based upon their budget. However you do bring up a few good points. Supported riders are certainly given plenty of opportunity to draft without oversight.
You also give a good comparison between a race like the RAAM and say the Transcontinental or Tour Divide. Nobody would put them side by side in the same category, because they are quite different. So too should Guinness make a distinction.
As a friend aptly commented on a fb thread: “to me supported ie with a well funded professional crew is pointless as the round the world record is a test of so many aspects. to go fully supported you may as well ride round a velodrome for 30000km. solo unsupported is true endurance, skill, and adaptability, it tests both body and mind.”
I think that sums it up quite nicely. Someone just needs to make it clear to Guinness that you can not compare Apples with Pears. They may have similarities and are both equally valid, but they are not the same.
Have thought this for ages, and again recently… particularly as a female from here in the UK is about to attempt the circumnavigation, with a stated aim of ‘breaking the record’ (seeing as there IS one now! ) It would appear that she is being heavily supported, has personal wealth, very wealthy corporate backers, a very expensive support vehicle and even medics, apparently! My first reaction too was “that’s for nancies!” To me, this is utterly different from your attempt, and should be recognised as such by Guinness. It is so clearly different, that it is a total no-brainer that supported and unsupported rides are poles apart. I guess all records are there to be aimed at, but no matter the outcome, you did it first, and that will stand from now until the end of time. Yeah. x
To be or not to be; that is the question. To ride or not to ride; there is no question. There is no grey area, all is clear. It is not a question of level of support rather one of contracted support. visa vie: will you support me -versus- I seek support. One being pretense.
Slow response here. Maybe Guiness don’t distinguish between supported & unsupported is because unsupported is so hard to verify. Is it ok for a coach or someone to call you and or book hotels ahead. Can friends give you tips ahead of time or let you draft them for a while? All strictly illegal in many unsupported races, but impossible to enforce unless a Guiness rep is with you 24/7.
Such a great point. Laymen judges can even tell the difference! 🙂 Admiring all of your work, and I totally get how unfair all of those differences are.
bemme51
September 14, 2013 @ 19:46
my cents
Somewhere between supported and unsupported runs this thin line between pro and the other ones (or pro-wannabes and cool ones). Well, it’s about race, which does not allow to look at the possible impressions one can collect underway. Personally spoken, I feel much better by riding alone. It’s just me and the world around me. No one to interact, no one who observes you. But hell a lot of space. And hell a lot of time to really enjoy what you do. Every surprising corner, every great view, every endless mile, every spot you choose over night.
I don’t care for those goin in a group or having their support car. It all just seems kinda too noisy to me.
Juliana
September 15, 2013 @ 09:50
I very much agree with your conclusion. I think that going unsupported, you have some incredible experiences which you would not have when cushioned in the certainty that a supported ride would give you. It’s safer, yes, but you won’t have many stories to tell at the end.
bemme51
September 15, 2013 @ 10:13
It also reminds me of an very similar discussion regarding high altitude climbing – is it still true mountaineering to go with a whole bunch of Sherpas and consume dozen of bottles of oxygen to reach the top? Are the records of oxygen climbs comparable to those done before that tourism business went so big? Finally it all leads to the same – do you do it for you of do you do it for the fame or the record itself….
And about being safe or not safe – your recent accident happened not on the TCR, right? I know you do not refer to accidents generally, but I think unsafe moments can appear everywhere and if I’m not fully wrong statistics might show that more people are subject to being harmed because their toaster has a circuit breaker than by cycling 1000km..
Juliana
September 16, 2013 @ 15:27
Certainly accidents can happen anywhere, but there is also a difference between putting yourself at extra risk and thereby raising the chances of something happening. When undertaking any endeavour of this magnitude however, you better be doing it for yourself. People who do it for any other reason rarely fare too well.
Dylan
September 16, 2013 @ 12:22
There are plenty of grey areas here. For example, even unsupported athletes have access to different levels of funding meaning their options for Hotels and
equipment may differ. Someone may even have more friends and family en route which no doubt helps. Which begs the question when does unsupported become
supported. For example having read Mark Beamonts book he was assisted at least in part by arrangements made by his family back home, other racers have
stayed with Friends, the list goes on.
Then you also have to consider that there are differnt levels of supported attempt. You may have someone in an extreme case that drafts along behind a
supporting motor bike or Camper (which even if it was just accross the Nullabor for example, would be easy to do and give you a vast advantage).
The point is that achieving Partity for all would be very difficult and then policing it impossible. So I can understand the Guiness’s point of view. That said I see no reason why rules for a supported and unsupported attempt can not be issued by Guiness. In both cases it needs to be largely self policed anyway.
My own view is that each attempt is unique and each athlete needs to decide what it is they want to achieve, do you want a RAAM style thrash or a Trans
Continental Style battle with nature and yourself. You can not compare the two. I think few would disagree that unsupported is in the true spirit of the
pioneers of this record and the greater achievment.
When all is said and done it is yourself you need to satisfy no Guiness.
“I would prefer even to fail with honor than win by cheating.”
Sophocles
Juliana
September 16, 2013 @ 15:21
Well, I think where a rider sleeps is entirely their choice and kinda begging the question, though yes, obviously will be based upon their budget. However you do bring up a few good points. Supported riders are certainly given plenty of opportunity to draft without oversight.
You also give a good comparison between a race like the RAAM and say the Transcontinental or Tour Divide. Nobody would put them side by side in the same category, because they are quite different. So too should Guinness make a distinction.
As a friend aptly commented on a fb thread: “to me supported ie with a well funded professional crew is pointless as the round the world record is a test of so many aspects. to go fully supported you may as well ride round a velodrome for 30000km. solo unsupported is true endurance, skill, and adaptability, it tests both body and mind.”
Dylan
September 17, 2013 @ 12:13
I think that sums it up quite nicely. Someone just needs to make it clear to Guinness that you can not compare Apples with Pears. They may have similarities and are both equally valid, but they are not the same.
Mitch
September 16, 2013 @ 14:37
Have thought this for ages, and again recently… particularly as a female from here in the UK is about to attempt the circumnavigation, with a stated aim of ‘breaking the record’ (seeing as there IS one now! ) It would appear that she is being heavily supported, has personal wealth, very wealthy corporate backers, a very expensive support vehicle and even medics, apparently! My first reaction too was “that’s for nancies!” To me, this is utterly different from your attempt, and should be recognised as such by Guinness. It is so clearly different, that it is a total no-brainer that supported and unsupported rides are poles apart. I guess all records are there to be aimed at, but no matter the outcome, you did it first, and that will stand from now until the end of time. Yeah. x
Juliana
September 16, 2013 @ 15:31
Well thanks Mitch. I wish future female and male riders the best of luck supported or unsupported. May the roads be kind to all.
Tom Knoblauch
November 10, 2013 @ 13:37
To be or not to be; that is the question. To ride or not to ride; there is no question. There is no grey area, all is clear. It is not a question of level of support rather one of contracted support. visa vie: will you support me -versus- I seek support. One being pretense.
Paul
June 12, 2016 @ 06:47
Slow response here. Maybe Guiness don’t distinguish between supported & unsupported is because unsupported is so hard to verify. Is it ok for a coach or someone to call you and or book hotels ahead. Can friends give you tips ahead of time or let you draft them for a while? All strictly illegal in many unsupported races, but impossible to enforce unless a Guiness rep is with you 24/7.
Tricia
July 26, 2016 @ 07:10
Such a great point. Laymen judges can even tell the difference! 🙂 Admiring all of your work, and I totally get how unfair all of those differences are.