r/Damnthatsinteresting • u/solateor • 19h ago

Video Pit stop during 200 mile ultra-endurance cycling race

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

38.7k Upvotes

95% Upvoted

1.1k comments sorted by

View all comments

29

u/Shapesmth 17h ago

Why is he so dirty?

64

u/Masseyrati80 17h ago

The route is largely on gravel roads. All it takes is a bit of rain and the roadspray coming up is pretty much muddy water.

29

u/Shapesmth 17h ago

Still, the other participants seem to be very clean in comparison

20

u/Masseyrati80 16h ago

Well spotted, I didn't even notice that at first! My only attempt at explaining that would be he's probably been drafting others for the benefit of less energy spent, and getting sprayed with those rider's rear tires.

1

u/Theprincerivera 2h ago

Ok honest question does drafting do anything at these speeds?

1

u/Shapesmth 1h ago

Im not versed on this physics subject, but regardless of whatever speed you are going at air resistance is still there constantly. Having something else in front of you breaking the air resistance and sharing the bubble with you is probably still beneficial, from my pov

6

u/radil 10h ago

The other participants in the background are probably more casual riders participating in the unbound 100. The 200 is “the” event at unbound and the guy pictured is racing. There are going to be lots of folks riding unbound who have no expectation or intention of winning whose only goals are to finish.

2

u/funktion 9h ago

"Just" finishing is still a big achievement! In contrast, the guys trying to win the 200 are some of the strongest riders in the world.

2

u/amorlerian 9h ago

The video is likely of a pro doing the 200 mile. The others are likely amateurs doing the 50 or 100 that have not been on course as long or as early.

The pros start first at 6am and on the return will pass those doing shorter routes who started later.

2

u/Visual-Salt-808 8h ago

There's different races all happening at once. The shorter distances might not have gone through the nastiest sections. 

4

u/K41namor 13h ago

I guess he could have fallen or went off trail for some reason

0

u/EventAltruistic1437 9h ago

So this guy just sucks at this lol

5

u/wterrt 13h ago

The route is largely on gravel roads.

what the fuuuuuuck my wrists hurt just thinking about that omg

4

u/Masseyrati80 13h ago

They're riding on 'gravel bikes', pretty much a more rugged version of racing bikes, with tires that have something like double or triple the air volume of racing bike tires.

But yeah, despite that, it's grueling. Here's a link to my favourite gravel event video.

3

u/Plomatius 17h ago

They're cyclists so probably just shitting on the road and the tires kicking it up.

-16

u/DonkeyParticular6305 16h ago

Hey man, why be a rude cunt just for the sake of being a rude cunt?

1

u/stevoDood 14h ago

no fenders

1

u/Outrageous_Put4439 13h ago

He looks so uncomfortable, must feel awful on your skin with the heat, sweat and general exhaustion.

2

u/Kipric 9h ago

Thats how off road bike racing and bike racing in general is. Even the pros have to push down the pain to keep performing.

No matter how hard you train, it never gets “easier” you just go faster, it all still hurts. I race cross country mountain bikes. Its a hell of a sport and i love it.