Robin Gemperle wins the TCRNo10
07 August 2024
Third time's a charm. For the 10th edition of the Transcontinental Race, Robin Gemperle's plan came through and he was the first one to cross the finish line after racing through Europe. Placing 8th on his first attempt two years ago and being second in the last edition, he came back a third time to prove he's got what it takes to conquer the TCR.
"Looking back on 9 days of racing does not come with clear feelings. It involves tears of pain and tears of joy, unmatched love for riding bikes as well as questioning every life decision ever made. But remembering how much work from myself and people around me went into the lead-up of this race I can safely say that executing it with precision and finishing it off after riding my heart out must be big. We are TCR-winners."
On the 21st of July, more than 300 riders started their journey through Europe. The Transcontinental Race has a distance of 4000 km with 4 control points to pass on their way to the finish line in Istanbul, Türkiye. Being self-supported, the riders are left alone to tackle any obstacles coming in their way to the finish.
Robin was the first one to reach all of the control points. The route he had planned for himself was tough, packed with technical gravel climbs and sections. Despite knee pain, fatigue and high temperatures, Robin fought through it all with a mindset of achieving his goal for the season: to reach Istanbul as the number one.
When asked about his bike choice, Robin commented: "It might sound like a classical answer of an athlete being asked about the gear he used: sorry for boring you; but every piece of this setups puzzle fulfilled its job to perfection.
The changes to last year might seem small, whereas in its totality my Addict Gravel RC had been turned into a completely dialled machine to cross continents.
When receiving it in race ready state, I knew that it was not only about sheer facts that speak for the bike. The mental boost, coming from the conviction, that there won‘t be a faster, better, cleaner setup at the Roubaix Velodrome, played a similar role of importance."
Robin's TCRNo10 bike set-up:
Frameset: SCOTT Addict Gravel RC HMX
Wheelset: Syncros Capital SL 40mm 25mm inner width
Handlebar: Syncros CRESTON IC SL X 380mm Width 100mm Length paired with Syncros CRESTON IC SL TT/TRI Clip On Bars
Seatpost: Syncros DUNCAN SL D 20mm Setback
Bartape: Syncros Gravel Bartape
Bottle Cages: Syncros TAILOR 1.0
Saddle: Syncros Prototype
Groupset: SRAM Red eTap AXS with 48/35T Chainring, 10-36T Cassette
Tires: Continental GP 5000 AS in 35 mm
Pedals: Garmin Rally XC200
Head Unit: Garmin Edge 1040 Solar
Packs: Apidura Racing Series Prototype Frame Pack, 2L long Top Tube Pack, 3l Saddle Pack
Front Light: Supernova M99 Mini Pro B54
© Lost Dot /Tomas Montes, Tom Gibbs, Matt Grayson Bea Berlanda, Michael Drummond.
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