Urge Cabo Verde News

Come di consueto vi riporto le notizie da Urge Cabo Verde

[Comunicato stampa]
Gara:
Cosa si devono aspettare i riders?

5 giorni di pedalate
4 gare a tempo in totale
più di 6000 metri di dislivello
Niente giri di prova pregara, solo sulle pendici del vulcano, il resto è anticipazione ed improvvisazione
1 corsa sull’isola Fogo con partenza vicino alla punta del vulcano, a 2900m
3 gare sull’isola Santo Antao con 3 tracciati diversi
Singletracks, discese ripidissime, curve strettissime e ancora curve strettissime!
Il vincitore, che la spunterà tra 14 dei migliori sarà eletto campione dell’evento mtb gravity definitivo!

Aste:

Marco Nicoletti partecipa alle aste con un telaio niner + ammo fox ed un set di ruote da 29″ costomizzato la lui stesso.

Rider’s Bikes
Le bici di Fab Barel (qui sotto a sinistra) & Jey Clèmentz (qui sotto a… indovinate!) per la gara.

In fondo trovate qualche info su questi destrieri.

Ben fatto!
Sam Normand: una grande sorpresa per le aste.
Trovate infondo una piccola intervista

Backstage:
Organizzazione dell’evento
E’ stato intervistato Manou di Pep’s Spirit, come al solito guardate in fondo.

E la prossima settimana…
Video giorno per giorno dell’avventura
Dal 7 Febbraio, seguite l’avventura si www.urgecaboverde.com. Uno o due piccoli video ogni giorno, tenetevi in contatto con lo staff Urge!

Cominciamo con gli allegati:

Rider’s Bike : le Jekyll de Jérôme Clementz

“Un plateau de 36 et un système anti déraillement histoire de pouvoir grimper sur le bike et être fiable dans les spéciales.
Un cintre large et une potence courte afin d’être à l’aise dans les descente, d’après les photos ramenées par les recos, il y a l’air d’y avoir de la pente.”
Jey Clementz

Cadre/Frame: Jekyll BallisTec Hi-MOD Nano full carbon 150/90 mm Size M
Fourche/Fork :Rock Shox Lyrik RC2DH 160mm.
Amortisseur/Shock: Fox Dyad pull-shock
Roues/Wheels: mavic Crossmax ST (proto 12*142 arrière)
Pneus/Tyres: WTB Bronson TCS 2″3 avant et Wolverine TCS 2″2 Arrière
Freins/Brakes: Avid XO 185mm.
Derailleur et shifter: Sram X0
Pédalier/Crankset: Cannondale Hollowgram 170mm avec plateau de 36
Cassette: Sram XX 11-36
Tige de Selle/Seat Post: Rock Shox Reverb
Selle/Saddle :WTB Valcon
Anti deraillement: DArtmoor 36.
Potence/Stem: Truvativ Holzfeller 40mm
Cintre/Handlebar: Truvativ Boobar 750mm, Rise20°
Poignées/Grips: Spank Black
Poids/ Weight: 12.5kg

Rider’s Bike : “the” Dune of Fabien Barel

“I choose the DUNE to have a little more confort on the rock garden that we will have below the Volcano. It will give me more stability. I kept a high handle bar for the long run and will run a single chain ring with chain guide for the vibration….
It is pretty much like a mini DH bike .
Now I will just have to carry it to the top ;-)))) Even if I am Mid 13kg at the moment.”

Fabien Barel

The après-ride Rockin Chair…

Sam Normand, one of the two amateur riders invited on this Urge Cabo Verde has designed and hand-built a unique collector item he will offer at auctions. We’ve met with him:

> Sam, as the selected amateur rider, you wanted to bring your own contribution to the auctions and the program “Urge FOR Cabo Verde”. So, as a carpenter, your idea was to mix your passions: outdoor activities and wood handcraft?

S.N: Indeed, I ride mountain bike, but I also like others activities whether sports, social or professional, that allow me to offer you this rocking chair “special edition” that I hope will please as much the buyer for the après-ride relaxing time as the kids to whom the money will be given!!!

> You designed a superb piece, a really unique item!
It’s important for you to follow all the way the spirit of this Urge Cabo Verde in offering an item to auctions?

S.M: I really wanted to offer something special to these special auctions and to mix work with pleasure by designing an item that looks like me is a real pleasure.
So i count on you to bid to the maximum for this good cause!!!

Backstage Urge Events…

If it isn’t easy to climb to the top of a mountain while carrying a bike, to organize all the logistics of an Urge Event is also a real challenge for the nerves… we met with Manou Gauzy from Pep’s Spirit who works for free at the organization of this Urge Cabo Verde:

> Manou, for its first year of existence Pep’s Spirit is going the hard way in being the logistics partner on this Urge Cabo Verde… This represents a massive workload to plan the travels, transports, etc… on an event like this?

M.G: It is indeed a lot of work to arrange all the logistical aspects of this operation (riders transfers, onsite organization, insurances…). The typology of the archipelago in itself didn’t help: Cape Verde is more than 10 islands, more or less populated and more or less accessible by air or sea. And obviously these with more MTB potential are the ones with lesser access. What made us lose sleep at the end is the bikes transports between the different islands where the runs take place: whether it’s by pair or sea, it was a real challenge to find the right way for each isle, then to organize the race schedule, necessarily tight, depending on the changing timings of the transport companies.

> Were there surprises until the last moment?

M.G: yes, especially to go to the Volcan de Fogo Island, the brand new ferry boat that we’ll use navigates only for a week. And until ten days ago, we didn’t know if it would be navigating before the start of the race. So much suspense…

> You took part in the pre-ride checks, it was important to arrange things as much as possible onsite in top of the work you do from France?

M.G: It was essential. We’ve already been to Cape Verde few years ago and felt that the archipelago could be an ideal place to have an Urge Event. But we needed of course to check everything onsite. Even if we could trust the support and expertise from our onsite partner Cabo Verde Bikes, it was essential to check the runs (to minimize as much as possible exposure to cliffs and ravines), to meet with the hosts, the local authorities, the different logistics partners.

> The people from Cape Verde who will work with you are motivated by the challenge?

M.G: We received a real good welcome from the Cape Verde authorities, through the Tourism Minister Representative. The Tourism Minister sees in Urge Cabo Verde a good way to promote the archipelago as a nice MTB destination (like their cousins from Macaronesia). We had a first contact with the schools and associations we will financially help thanks to the race. Everybody is enthusiast and motivated and our partners are really looking forward to meet the riders during the event.

> We are now a few hours before the start, is everything locked out or is there still a bit of uncertainty?

M.G: I’d have liked that everything is locked out but that’s not the case. As such, the storm hitting the US at the minute obliges us to change the travelling plans of our American riders, and I expect other last minute changes. So far so good, as long as the Pico de Fogo doesn’t wake up…

> The unique concept of these Urge Events is in particular a large part dedicated to adventure, with last minute choices, last minute changes. Not too difficult to find the right balance between what needs to be strictly planned and what can be left with a bit of uncertainty?

M.G: The recipe for a good Urge Event: sweat blood and tears trying to anticipate everything, plan everything… while staying psychologically prepared to everything not going as planned. I have few plans B in reserve, just in case….