Tour Divide 2015 Recap: Pre-Race Buildup

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A familiar site greeted me as I pulled into the YMCA just after 7:15am, with riders and bikes scattered around the car park sizing each other up and comparing bike setups. This time felt different, I was last here in 2013 and there was a very evident ‘media frenzy’ around certain riders, a clear indication to the growing popularity of the Tour Divide and bikepacking in general. Getting to the start is one of the toughest hurdles of the race, and we were all here, more importantly – I was here! Ready and anxious for what lay ahead.
I had been focusing on this moment for the last two years!

I arrived in Banff two days before the start of the race without any incident. One continuously worries about getting to the start of any race with all the things that could potentially go wrong.  But thankfully, my bike arrived first off the plane in Calgary, with the box still intact, hopefully an indication that it had been treated with care as instructed on the packing. The shuttle (Banff Airporter) from the airport was filled with a combination of riders and a group of corporate individuals. Once we got going, everyone became lost in their own respective thoughts, myself included.

My stomach churned as we drove past the Y, knowing that in a few days time I would be kicking off my 2015 attempt of the Tour Divide.  I had been fortunate enough to secure a sponsorship from the Fairmont Banff Springs for 2 days of luxury.   After checking into my room, I wasted no time in building my bike and putting my bags on the bike to ensure that everything was in perfect working order. Within the hour I was on the Spray View Trail testing out my setup. It felt good to be out on the trail experiencing the spectacular scenery. I stopped regularly along the route to take photos knowing full well that on race day I would be not be in touring mode.


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My home before the start of the race.
The Fairmont in Banff is an iconic landmark in any Banff photo album and certainly should be on everyone’s ‘must visit’ list.  I hope to be back here in the not too distant future.

Once back at the hotel, I met up with Alex Harris.  Alex and I share a South African heritage. I always enjoy talking to him and getting his perspective, as an accomplished adventurer he has lots of good advice and words of wisdom too. We spent some time discussing all aspects of the upcoming race. It was clear that Alex meant business this year, and certainly looked like he was ready for it! We made plans to meet up the next morning for a ride to spin out our flight-weary legs and see some of the sites around Banff.  But for now I just wanted to retire to my luxurious room on top of the hill to get some sleep. 

The next morning we were greeted with glorious weather and an even more sumptuous breakfast at the hotel. The spread was a rider’s dream, with every possible dietary requirement being catered for looking out over the most phenomenal view of the surrounding mountains.  
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Breakfast @ The Fairmont Banff Springs - an experience!
I took full advantage of the spread at breakfast and before long, I needed to head out to meet up with Alex. We were going to be joined by Don from the Fairmont Banff Springs, who would be our guide for the morning. We asked Don if he could show us some of the more scenic easy road routes around Banff. I think he was a bit disappointed as I could sense he wanted to rip up some of the local single track – but that would not have been ideal for Alex and I the day before the start.
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Pre-ride with Alex Harris - through some of the best scenery in the world.
We ended up having a beautiful ride through some of the most breath taking scenery and after a couple of hours we were back downtown. We grabbed a pizza and a few last minute supplies before heading back to the hotel. The rest of the afternoon was spent taking full advantage of the spa facilities in my hotel, which was the perfect way to relax before the race. I decided not to join up with the rest of the racers for the film screening of the Trans Am bike race as in less than 24 hours I would be living my own adventure and valued the downtime before the race.

I had taken the decision to remove some of my bags off my bike and cut down on a healthy portion of gear that I felt I would not need due to the more favorable weather and route conditions, so spent the rest of the evening repacking my bike.


As a lay there in my king size bed with white cotton sheets looking at my rig kitted out for the next couple of weeks – it all suddenly became very real and a wave of excitement washed over me. Tomorrow I ride the Tour Divide 2015.  
A happy sight - everything arrived in Calgary

Scoping out the race start the day before

My Tour Divide 2015 setup 

Spectacular views along the trail 

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Scenic views of the Fairmont Banff Springs 
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#nofilter views of downtown Banff


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About Post Author

Passionate mountain-biker with a full time job, attempting to ride the Tour Divide in 2015. Hoping to share my story here in hopes that it will educate and inspire those attempting to ride the Tour Divide.

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TOUR DIVIDE

TOUR DIVIDE
The Tour Divide is an annual mountain biking race traversing the length of the Rocky Mountains, from Canada to the Mexican border. Following the 2,745-mile (4,418 km) Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, it is an extreme test of endurance, self-reliance and mental toughness. The race format is strictly self-supported, and it is not a stage race - the clock runs continuously from the start until riders cross the finish line.

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