<b>Early morning solo liaison. SlamDunc does the camera-bag-bar-drag while the sun rises around 6:30 am. Enjoy this in-depth slideshow diary of suffering and singletrack from Days 2, 3 and 4 of the Trans Provence.</b> -Sven Martin
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<b>Liaising Col d'Allos on Day 2. #stuffdreamsaremadeof</b> -Duncan Philpott
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<b>Amnon Israeli and Dmitri Repkin from Israel on the hike a bike on Day 3 that passed through the Mercantour National Park.</b> -Sven Martin
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<b>Part of the route this year went through a heavily-protected National Park where bikes had to be walked for a kilometer or so. Once you were out of the boundary it was back to shredding among incredible vistas.</b> -Duncan Philpott
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<b>Father and son Blake and John Ramsdan from Vancouver are on a trip of a lifetime. Riding together on all the liaisons. Better than the Grizwalds' European vacation. </b> -Sven Martin
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<b>The pros are always chasing us hoping to get a photo in the slideshow or an Instagram banger. #reversepaparazzi</b> -Duncan Philpott
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<b>Descending val d'allos Sandy Plenty keeps those fingers covering the brakes as the ribbon singletrack can take an unexpected twist at any second.</b> -Duncan Philpott
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<b>Solitude.</b> -Duncan Philpott
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<b>Finding the shade over a lunch stop and catching 40 winks helps break the day into more manageable chunks! #smelltheglove</b> -Duncan Philpott
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<b>Special stage 7, "La Serriere" followed a 700m climb and it was worth every meter. Starting off with fresh-cut trail in the woods then working its way to a swooping balcony of singletrack. Jon Gregory enjoying it prior to breaking a rib the following day.</b> -Duncan Philpott
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<b>Max Schumann after a big, bike-tumbling crash on Day 1 has worked his way toward the front quite well.</b> -Duncan Philpott
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<b>Ludo May's "take it easy" and your "take it easy" are considerably different.</b> -Duncan Philpott
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<b>Get your head around this. It looks more like Red Bull Rampage material than an enduro race. Crazy-big day of some truly wild adventure riding on all 4 stages this day.</b> -Sven Martin
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<b>Kerstin Kögler sitting in 3rd in the ladies relaxedly rallying the rugged rock rims.</b> -Sven Martin
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<b>Sam Flan's new secret Hope Spoke Tensioner that accompanied him down Stage 4 today.</b> -Sven Martin
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<b>Happy 45th to Flipper on Monday. #yeaholdtimer</b> -Duncan Philpott
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<b>As the sun rises at Col du Champs, Norgate, Needham and Ramsey wonder how they're going to tackle the 9000m of climbing this week on their "oranges". FYI this trio are almost always the first at the top of every hill.</b> -Duncan Philpott
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<b>A mountain staff train to lead out another epic day of riding ahead on Day 3.</b> -Duncan Philpott
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<b>After the biggest climb of the week riders were rewarded with a unique liason, riding this incredible high-speed ridgeline singletrack just a way from Parc du Mercentour.</b> -Duncan Philpott
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<b>Ryan Walsch from Australia riding for Trek, matching his helmet, soles, socks and frame decals.</b> -Sven Martin
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<b>Jon Bokrantz from Sweden in front of the camera instead of behind it for a change.</b> -Sven Martin
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<b>Matti wonders where he lost valuable seconds on this track. Throwing it out for the media may be a possible answer.</b> -Duncan Philpott
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<b>Chris Johnston has steadily been improving through the week and is now 3rd in the overall.</b> -Duncan Philpott
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<b>When rallying through the 1st Stage of Day 3 down from Col du Champs, riders would have likely failed to take in the impressive cliffs and mountains in the view. We're here to help.</b> -Duncan Philpott
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<b>Ty Hathaway is 4th in the amateur category but still the most stylish when it comes to mid-air tweaks, corner, climbing and sunglass differentiation.</b> -Duncan Philpott
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<b>Even at the end of a day and a good way through a physical stage, Tracy Moseley is composed and attacking. She leads the women's category and is enjoying spending time aboard her 27.5 wheels instead of the 29er.</b> -Duncan Philpott
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<b>A tough day in the "other office" for Rachael Walker from Hope. All the riders take good care of each other while there are 3 doctors on track to care for the competitors. T-mo helmet crack check duties</b> -Duncan Philpott
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<b>Sandy "Plenty of Wheelie" while other competitors take a moment to cool down after another long day of racing.</b> -Duncan Philpott
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<b>Red earth was the start of Day 4 with a super slippy and loose top surface.</b> -Duncan Philpott
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<b>Amazing singletrack and incredible location, yet another stage of the TP, this time Hobson's choice.</b> -Duncan Philpott
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<b>Anka Martin has clocked up a stage win and sits in 2nd place in the women's category.</b> -Duncan Philpott
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<b>The annual Bar Tabac end to Day 4. We drank the pub dry of both tap and canned beer and cider. That meant it was Pastis time.</b> -Sven Martin
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<b>The day's not over until the last bottle of alcohol has been bought and consumed from the tiny bar.</b> -Sven Martin
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<b>Pastis was the flavour of the day once the bar at the end of day 4 ran out of all beer. Catering for the TP is always a challenge.</b> -Duncan Philpott
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<b>Ex Finnish World Cup racer from the nineties (who had a Top 6 World Cup result) Antti Laiho is leading the ams. Stage 1, Day 3. </b> -Sven Martin
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<b>Davis English racing for Intense from Canada had some bad luck today ringing his bell, breaking his helmet and tearing up his forearm. He finished the day and went on to help other downed riders. Legend. </b> -Sven Martin
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<b>Wolsky monkeying around while Action Man Chris focuses on feeding. #DEEZNUTZ</b> -Sven Martin
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<b>Nico Lau on his desert racer 650cc opening the throttle on the infamous Grey Earth.</b> -Sven Martin
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<b>Ty Hathaway and his ladies talk about shampooing mustache wax.</b> -Sven Martin
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<b>Sun's out guns out. Rich Norgate has done six Trans-Provence's as Mountain Staff. He gets his Orange to the top of the hill before anyone else every day of the week. </b> -Sven Martin
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<b>Mark Scott has taken to the blind racing format, battling with Matti for fourth until he lost his drivetrain on the last stage today. He still holds onto fifth in the GC. </b> -Sven Martin
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<b>Rachael Walker after the crash and concussion that took her out of the race and off to the Nice, France, hospital. What a fighter. I'm sure she will be upset not to be able to continue. </b> -Sven Martin
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<b>Mass group gathering before the wild final stage today. In the middle of nowhere, surrounded by 360-degrees of mountains and steep valleys. Mind-blowing. </b> -Sven Martin
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<b>While the other 80 riders milled about, ate, rested and chatted, the number one rider in the GC was busy studying his map of the stage ahead.</b> -Sven Martin
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<b>Jamie rode out of this. I kid you not. He never let go or unclipped his left side. Bounced up off his shoulder like it was nothing lost barely a half second. Hard man that Kiwi. </b> -Sven Martin
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<b>Sam Flan figuring out the basics of riding a bike, dragging left foot and spraying photographers on right-hand, steep, double switchbacks. #passenger. </b> -Sven Martin
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<b>Scott Chapin from Santa Cruz holding down second place in the Am race. Mirrored lenses are for winners.</b> -Sven Martin
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<b>Claire Buchar railing ruts, making her husband, the original Karver, proud. Heels down toes up. </b> -Sven Martin
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<b>Coming in hot for a clock out. Magic token-approved.</b> -Sven Martin
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<b>Jamie Nicoll down Col d' Allos.</b> -Sven Martin
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<b>Joe Barnes may of not had his bike for the first three days. But he did have his modified #endurogoggles</b> -Sven Martin
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<b>Jeff Calam, oblivious to the exposure below him.</b> -Sven Martin
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<b>All the lads ice bath and the Fin for the full immersion.</b> -Sven Martin
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<b>Sven all hunkered down after a long day.</b> - Kelley Spomer
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<b>The neutral support Mavic are offering keep them working all through the night. The race is brutal on bikes and bodies. Thanks for the support guys! Stay tuned for a final slideshow...if we survive.</b> -Sven Martin
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Days 2, 3 and 4 of the Trans Provence have been brutal and beautiful. Other-worldly terrain, everyone basically getting somewhat lost and memories for the ages with 2 days to go. Oh yeah, it's a race, too. Sven and Duncan tell the depths of the tales.
View replies to: We Suffer for Our Shred - Trans Provence Slideshow 2
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