Trans-Provence is pretty much as 'All-Mountain' as you're going to find in a multi-day MTB event. Throughout this unique week-long journey, the full spectrum of riders' technical mountain biking ability, fitness and craft is tested to the limit on some of the wildest bike-able terrain in Europe.
Trans-Provence is a 7-day point-to-point rally-style mountain bike race; the winner is the rider who finishes in Monaco having accumulated the lowest total time from the 26 predominantly single-track, predominantly descending timed "Special Stages" featured along the route. The 3 or 4 Special Stages per day are linked together by predominantly ascending untimed "Liaison Stages".
Stats: 7 days, 26 timed stages, 320 km, 9500 meters vertical ascent, 15200 meters vertical descent!
2011 Trans-Provence Daily Coverage
Day 1 - From Basecamp in Rochebrune this morning to Clamensane and camp two for the night, today riders embarked on the first day of this incredible seven day adventure across Provence, starting the three hundred kilometer journey that will finally see them finish in Monaco seven days from now.
Day 2 - Combination of distance and hard technical riding, plus two large carries and over 2000 meters of climbing over a distance compressed into 50 kilometers, tests the endurance and riding skills of the pro and expert racers alike.
Day 3 - Day three sees Trans-Provence riders have a slightly less arduous day than the epic that is day two. Regardless of that, it's still three hard stages including a brutal bike-a- hike to start the day.
Day 4 - Many regular Trans-Provencers think that day four is the finest over all day of the weeks riding - starting with the huge decent from Col des Champs and including the unique Grey earth stage, if these two trails were all that you rode in a day , you'd consider it a fine days riding, but with two other exceptional trails included it really is a special day in the big Mountains.
Day 5 - Regardless of what old timers at the Trans-Provence may think turned out to be the favorite by some degree with riders so far. The combination of technical trails and the majority of climbing on roads gave the riders a little relief from the standard bike a hike and fire road climbs to the top.
Day 6 - Shredding it!
Day 7 - The contradictory feeling of sadness at the ending of a long journey , but happiness that you've succeeded and that the end is just 30 km 's away is a constant push and pull inside from the first pedal stroke of the morning till the salt sting of the Mediterranean against scratched and tired skin in the afternoon.
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