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In at the deep end – A newcomer's guide to the Transcontinental Race

In at the deep end – A newcomer's guide to the Transcontinental Race

The Transcontinental Race is the stuff of legends. Featuring over four thousand kilometres of incredible riding across some of the most challenging terrain and roads that Europe has to offer, the TCR is often too much for most riders. The annual endurance race is especially demanding for rookies, but Francesca Scott isn't like most riders.

Having only recently been bitten by the long-distance cycling bug, Fran rapidly escalated her riding experience from simple commutes to work along the Sussex coast to full-on continent-bashing adventures in just a couple of years. The next challenge was set – when entries for TCR 2024 were finally released, Fran saw an amazing opportunity and seized it. This is the story of how she took on one of the most incredible races in cycling and completed it in a truly remarkable time.

Interview with Francesca Scott by Mark Noble

Explain a little about your background in endurance cycling then?

TCR was my first-ever cycling race. Before TCR, it had been mostly bike touring for me, rather than racing. I’ve always been able to cycle, but it was really just a means of getting from A to B for me. I guess my cycling started to get more serious in 2020. I moved from Norfolk down to Brighton to start a new job at Worthing Hospital, two weeks before the first lockdown. Worthing is 20km along the coast from Brighton and I decided to get a decent bike and start commuting by bike to work. I got a Specialized Diverge through the cycle-to-work scheme – a bike that I still have, and will cherish fovever as it’s taken me thousands of kilometres across the world! I started cycling to work a few days a week, and gradually built up to five days a week. And seeing as there wasn’t much else to do during lockdown, I started cycling in my free time. Leisure cycling. Cycling for pleasure, not just to get to work. I met some people at work who also enjoyed cycling, and they introduced me to the world of cycle touring.


My first tour was a week going around Normandy in July 2022. I loved it. And I haven’t looked back since. In June 2023 I cycled from Brighton to Barcelona in 10 days. It felt like such an amazing achievement and gave me my first taste of cycling in proper mountains by crossing the Pyrenees. It sparked the desire to do a much bigger adventure by bike. I thought to myself ‘I wonder how long I could cycle for? How far could I cycle?’


I have been very fortunate and have done a fair amount of travelling over the years. But none by bike. I decided it would be a great idea to do a much bigger and longer bike tour, combining my love of cycling and travelling. Gradually I formed a plan. I would fly to Vancouver, where my school friend Sam and her partner Josh had moved to, and then cycle down the Pacific coast to Mexico! I asked my work for a sabbatical year, but they said this wasn’t possible. So, I decided to quit my job, giving in my notice, and leaving at the end of July 2023. I left for Vancouver in mid-August, and stayed with my friends for a few weeks, before setting off south! Sam and Josh came with me for the first few days, and we cycled some of the Olympic National Park in Washington together. It was a great start to the trip.


My initial plan was just to get to Mexico, and maybe cycle some of Mexico. Little did I know I would end up cycling all the way to Panama City, and spend six months away! I met some French cyclists in the USA and ended up cycling with two of them for nearly four months! Along the wy I met some incredible people, some of whom were part of the inspiration to apply for the TCR.

When did you first hear about the Transcontinental Race?

The TCR had been on my peripheral radar for a little while. I knew a guy called Dan – who was very good friends with my friend Camilla – who had entered and got a place on TCR no.9. I think this was the first time I’d heard about the race. I didn’t know a whole lot about it though. I didn’t even dot-watch in 2023. I knew it was a very long race and very hard! There must have been something about it that stuck with me though, as it was definitely somewhere in the back of my mind.

What made you think – okay, it’s the TCR, let’s go for it?

I applied for the TCR whilst still away on my six-month cycling tour! I was about halfway through. I honestly can’t tell you exactly why I decided to apply. The TCR was in the back of my mind, and something dragged it up to the front.


I think it was a culmination of things that led to my application. I was feeling in good shape from three months of touring. Despite not even being halfway through this tour, I knew that I would need something to keep me motivated and challenged when I eventually stopped. Having had a tough time coming back after travelling previously, I knew that having a goal to work towards would be good for me. It also seemed a good time in my life for me to enter a race like TCR, as I had no dependents, no children to look after, no ill family members, and I didn’t have a full-time job taking up all my time and energy. If there was any time to do an ultra-event, this felt like it.


I did some research on the TCR in December, and debated with myself whether I should apply or not. I was very undecided! I had never done anything like this, and I knew it was one of the hardest races. Was this a good idea!? I listened to a few podcasts, specifically about women in ultra-endurance cycling. The Mettleset and Lost Dot Women Who race podcasts were inspirational. I think this may have been what tipped the balance and helped me decide, on New Year’s Eve, to finally apply. The deadline for applications was midnight 31/12/23. Talk about cutting it fine!


I remember fervently answering all the application questions, on my phone, sat on the floor at the hotel we were staying at in Belize City – and praying the WIFI didn’t cut out. Whilst my French companions were napping in preparation for big celebrations later in the evening, I was busy looking up coordinates for water sources and the most common causes of your gears not changing smoothly. It was only when I was about to apply that I saw there was a separate application for a bursary place. After a brief investigation as to what this was and whether I was eligible, which I was, I went for it!

How nerve-wracking – so how did you secure a bursary entry for the TCR 2024?

I honestly didn’t expect to get a place on TCR. Let alone a bursary place. When I was applying though, I thought to myself ‘I’ve got nothing to lose by applying!’ I wasn’t sure how well my very last-minute application would go down either. But I must have done something right!


I linked my Instagram and Strava accounts to the application, so they could see I was away touring and doing a fair amount of cycling. I think this must have helped as it showed I could do long back-to-back days in the saddle, and manage extreme temperatures and big climbs, with a fully loaded bike.


I didn’t know about the bursary places until I was about to apply. Upon reading up about them, I thought that I was a good candidate and fit the eligibility criteria. So I went for it.


The bursary places are designed to promote inclusivity, diversity, equality and inclusion in ultra-endurance cycling. They are there to support riders to participate who otherwise would not be able to. They are also an opportunity to introduce new riders to ultra-endurance cycling and the ultra-cycling community, and to get the stories told from under-represented and seldom heard voices.


I was shocked and surprised when I found out I had a place in the race. I hadn’t told anyone that I had even applied! You had a few weeks to confirm whether or not you would accept your place in the race. I used these weeks to mull it over. There’s plenty of time to do that when you’re cycling all day! It seemed that everything was pointing me in the direction of TCR. I had got a bursary place. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If not now, when…

How was your preparation for the race?

Being a bursary rider meant I got a lot of support, especially in preparation for the race. We were assigned a coach in addition to a mentor. My coach was Robbie Britton. He helped me put together a training calendar to help me to physically prepare for the race. I was introduced to the concept of zone training, and the joys of intervals and hill reps. Whilst I was in fairly good shape from all the touring I had done, I still had a long way to go! My goal was to cycle 300km a day for the race.


With Robbie’s help and guidance, I gradually worked my way up to a 300km test ride. It was a great test ride – lots went right and lots went wrong and it was a fun and useful learning experience. It was also the final nudge I needed to go and buy myself a Garmin – my waterlogged phone never recovered. I was also cycling for work now – I started a part-time job as a bike courier in Brighton. This was partly inspired after reading Emily Chappell’s book. I would often go for a cycle before or after work, squeezing in a few hours in the early morning or evening, or doing interval sessions. I would do two or three interval sessions each week, alongside two or three short cycles, and then one or two longer cycles too. If anything I think I was overdoing it!
My mentor was Angela Walker, an experienced ultra-cyclist who completed TCR no.5 in 2017. It was great to be able to talk to her about her experience of the race, and get some really useful tips and tricks! I did a mini tour around England in April, and that included cycling up to Sheffield, where Angela is based. I was able to meet up with her in person and we had a great chat about all things ultra-endurance cycling related. She sent me a lovely message just before the start of the race, and a few during the race that helped keep me going and keep my head up.


The bursary riders were all given a year’s subscription to Komoot Premium, and a workshop on using Komoot was also provided. This was very helpful for route planning for the race. The thought of planning a 4,000km route was pretty daunting, but once you break it down into smaller sections, it was a bit more manageable. I spent countless hours route planning. I primarily used Komoot, but would also cross-reference and check my route, using Google maps – satellite view and street view, and with Strava heat maps. For a race that took me 14 days to finish, I probably spent the equivalent number of hours route planning! Despite this, there were still some sections of the route that were awful and I questioned my route planning!


Nutrition and hydration are really important in ultra-cycling, and we had a few sessions about this to help us prepare for the race too. It was great to have met the other bursary riders before the race, and get to know each other a little bit. It was reassuring to realise that they had many of the same questions and worries that I did.

Who did you contact for further help, and how did that go – in addition to having fellow-Kinesis ambassador Angela and Robbie on your side?

In addition to having my mentor Angela Walker and my coach Robbie, both of whom I could ask anything to, I also had my friend Camilla. Her and her husband Will have both done lots of ultra-marathons. Whilst I know running and cycling are different, she really understands the mindset that you need to have and develop for ultra races. She understood the training that I needed to do, and the copious amounts of food that you need to consume! We went on a few training rides together, and she was always there to encourage me and support me, and motivate me to get outside and do intervals, even when it was raining!

What was your bike setup like?

Whilst my Specialized Diverge had been my trusty steed for several years, and taken me 12,000km from Vancouver to Panama City, she was pretty battered. I wasn’t sure how well she would cope with the TCR, and she would need a lot of work done. I reached out to Kinesis UK to ask for help on the bike front. I knew Kinesis had previously sponsored the race, and that they were based in Partridge Green – only 30km from Brighton. Plus they made great bikes. I emailed them, explaining my story, and asked if they could help me. I was later invited to come to Kinesis HQ where I met the team, and spoke to Mark Noble, head of marketing. Kinesis were able to help me, and gave me a bike to complete the TCR on – the Kinesis G2. I was able to try out the medium size and it was perfect.


I made a few modifications to my bike before the race. I switched out the saddle to a Specialized Power Comp. I also made the decision to go tubeless. I reached out to Hunt Wheels, another local company based in Partridge Green, who gave me a set of Superdura Dynamo wheels, and bought a pair of Continental GP 5000 35mm tyres. Nathan who works in the Kinesis workshop fitted the new wheels and tyres. The dynamo hub at the front was great and I would recommend a dynamo hub for anyone considering ultra-distance racing. I borrowed a cable off a friend, Dan – the guy who did TCR no.9, so I could actually use the dynamo! He had created a cable that plugged onto the dynamo hub and had a USB port at the other end, so I could charge up my Garmin, my lights and my power bank. It was great having this, as I didn’t have to worry about keeping my stuff charged up. The other alteration I made was changing the cassette so I had better gearing for going up the hills! Despite this I still had to walk up plenty during the race – I think that no matter how good your gearing is, you always wish you had a lower one going up the steep hills!


A few days before setting off to France for the race, I visited Kinesis HQ again, and spent a morning checking over my bike with Nathan in the workshop. He replaced the bottom bracket, and bled the brakes, in addition to changing the brake pads. We also changed the gear cable and indexed the gears, and put a new chain on. Plus gave it a really good clean!


The other big decision was my pedal choice – I was one of the only people to ride TCR with flat pedals. I used the DMR Flat4 pedals and paired these with some Adidas 5-10 pro shoes. It was one of the best decisions I made, and I am so glad I did it with flat pedals. I toyed with the idea of clipless, so I got some SPD cleats, and shoes to go with them, and tried these out. But I just feel way more comfortable and relaxed when I’m not clipped in. I think the fact that quite a lot of the route was gravel, and there was some very rough and quite technical terrain, solidified my decision to go with flat pedals. If I did it again, I’d do it with flat pedals. It made the hike a bike sections much easier! Flat pedals win medals – I feel like I’ve proved this now!
Another great aspect about getting a bursary place, was that we were given kit by Apidura. We were put in touch with Josie Alchin at Apidura, who helped us choose our kit. I went for the Expedition Series 1L toptube bag, 4.5L frame bag, 14L handlebar bag with 4.5L accessory pocket and 14L saddle pack. I opted for the Expedition Series, with quite a large total carrying capacity as I thought this would serve me well in the long run in addition to being more than sufficient for the race. I hope to do more bike packing in the future so this set-up is perfect. The Apidura bags are great. We got them several months before the race, so I made sure I set my bike up how I wanted it for the race to get used to it like that. I fine-tuned where I wanted everything within the bags, so I knew where everything was.


A last-minute decision from me was to get a race hydration vest, and I am so glad I did this. I don’t know what I would have done without it. I only had 2L water capacity on my bike, but this was doubled with the 2L hydration vest. The vest also had pockets on each side, that I was able to put cans of iced coffee or Coca-Cola in, further increasing my fluid-carrying capacity. It’s incredible how much water you need when you’re cycling in 40-degree heat!

Run us through day one of TCR before the off.

TCR no.10 started in Roubaix on Sunday 21st July at 8pm. I got the ferry over to France with my parents the day before so we could stay in Roubaix on Saturday night. It wasn’t a great night's sleep, but that was mostly due to my room being very hot and full of mosquitos! I felt excited and nervous. I couldn’t quite believe that the day had come. This was it!


On Sunday morning, I set off to the velodrome to register and complete the check-in process. I knew where I was going as I’d had a little cycle on Saturday afternoon to stretch my legs after being in the car most of the day and to suss out where the velodrome was. The process went pretty smoothly. I arrived just after 11 am and was done by midday. There were already quite a few people at the velodrome, and there was a definite buzz of excitement and anticipation in the air. I collected my cap, and GPS tracker. It was nice to see a few familiar faces – like Liz Seabrook and Emma Coles from the Lost Dot team. I had my photo taken in the iconic showers although I felt like I didn’t know enough about the history of the velodrome and the importance of cycling in Roubaix. After getting my bike checked over, passing the safety checks and completing everything necessary, I headed back to the AirBnB where my parents were.
We went out for lunch, and then returned back to the apartment, in the vain hope that I would have a nap. I think I was too nervy to sleep, but did enjoy a few hours of rest and having my eyes closed. Just before 6pm I headed back to the velodrome, this time for the registration speech and safety announcements. I sat with Joschka, one of the other bursary riders, and Anna Carlqvist who I had bumped into earlier at the registration – and ended up being the 3rd fastest woman to finish. After the final announcements, it was a long hour and a half until the start. I wasn’t sure what to do with myself. I just wanted to get going! I found my parents who had come down to the velodrome, and managed to get some more food down me, and chatted with them. Eventually, we were called to the start. I remember thinking to myself ‘this is it!’ as I set off and did a lap around the velodrome. I was mostly excited, and happy to get going.

So let’s talk highlights of the TCR ride itself – let’s check out some of your moments along the way. Talk us through some of these photos.

I rode through the night the first night of the race. I hadn’t planned on doing this. I’m not a night owl and don’t particularly like cycling at night. However, the nerves and adrenaline kept me going – I don’t think I would have managed to sleep if I stopped, so I just kept going. I was so tired in the afternoon the next day, but somehow rode on and didn’t even take a nap. I found a hotel for the next night. I remember sinking down to sit on the bed, absolutely shattered. My feet were really hurting and I had huge blisters on the soles of both feet, plus some horrible saddle sores were already brewing. ‘What on earth am I doing?’ I asked myself. I was only one day into the race, and had so much further to go. How was I going to do it? I felt better after a shower and some dinner, and consoled myself with the fact that I’d managed an incredible 505km in the first 24 hours. ‘Let’s just take this one day at a time’ I told myself. Tomorrow is another day. However, my game plan was going to include sleeping every night from now on!
A highlight of the race for me was Parcours 2, in Bosnia. This was a challenging section. It was remote, it was mountainous, it was hot and it was gravel. Unrideable gravel. There was a lot of hike-a-bike going on. Yet it was beautiful. Some of the most stunning wilderness I have ever seen. There were no signs of civilisation in whichever direction you looked. I had bumped into another rider near the beginning of the parcours, also pushing their bike up a steep gravel section. We chatted briefly but then separated, although remained within eyesight of each other. For a brief moment, the gravel gave way to asphalt. There was a smooth, paved road, winding through the rugged landscape. At that moment, just before beginning the descent on the road, my headphones, which had not been working all day, decided to work again. It was a transcendent experience, listening to the electronic track that started playing in my ears and taking in the beautiful scenery before me. I think it made reaching CP2 all the sweeter too, as it had been so tough to get there. It was great to be greeted by the volunteers running the checkpoint, and chat with some other riders.


Another highlight was meeting another rider called Carlotta on Parcours 3 in Kosovo. I had set off reasonably early from my hotel, and was heading towards the parcours. It was uphill, and I was cycling like a snail. I wasn’t really exerting myself, steeling myself for a few hours of climbing. And then Carlotta appeared. We rode next to each other and chatted for a little while. She had such energy and enthusiasm. After a bit, she strode on, making easy work of the slight incline. I paused briefly to take off a layer and have some coffee. Some of Carlotta’s infectious energy had passed to me (I think some caffeine may also have helped) because after my stop, I found life in my legs again, and soon caught up with Carlotta. We bunny-hopped each other several times on our way to the top, each time chatting and giving each other encouragement. It would have taken me a lot longer to get to CP3 had it not been for Carlotta. I’ve never been more grateful to meet another rider and exchange a few words with them. And when we both reached CP3, we hugged and celebrated together. It was a special moment. I was also grateful to share it with another rider – Valerie, who I had previously bumped into at Kotor Varos. The three of us shared tales of our journeys on the road, and sat drinking coffee and eating eggs together. One of the photographers captured the moment perfectly – the joy at having reached CP3, and shared pleasure of a hot coffee and basking in the morning sun.

How did it feel when you crossed the finish line?

Image courtesy of Michael Drummond

I was so relieved to cross the finish line and just so pleased to finish. I thought I was going to be a sobbing mess, but I had my moment a few hours earlier 40km from the finish. Along the final parcours was a place called Beykoz. This was where I had my moment of realisation that I was going to do this, I was going to finish. Suddenly there before me was Istanbul, in all its glory, a sprawling urban mass of streets, buildings, mosques, minarets, and skyscrapers. I had done it. That was Istanbul. I was going to make it. Tears ran down my cheeks. I couldn’t stop them. The perfect song came on through my headphones too – Bicep. I had to stop and take a moment. I was overwhelmed. So many emotions that had been sitting calmly just under the surface suddenly bubbled up uncontrollably. After a while, I composed myself. I still had nearly 40km to go. I wasn’t quite at the finish yet! And I’d better stop crying as I couldn’t see where I was going, and didn’t want to crash so close to the end!


At the finish there were quite a few people – other riders who had already finished, and the race organisers and media team. I had to push my bike up some steps, the final part, and when I reached the top, I could hear people cheering and clapping. I was warmly greeted. There were handshakes, and hugs and pats on the back. I was handed a wonderfully cold beer. I remember being asked lots of questions and having some of photos taken by the wonderful media team for Lost Dot. I was very grateful that I could sit down when having my photos taken! Whilst I was sat down, Emma Coles came over and gave me a hug – even though I was absolutely filthy and very smelly...
I stayed at the finish line for a few hours. Quite a few riders came in not long after me, a steady trickle into the evening. I was very happy to see Valerie finish, a rider that I’d bumped into several times during the race. I started to drink a second beer, but halfway through I couldn’t keep my eyes open. Exhaustion was rapidly setting in. I said my goodbyes, and made my way to the nearby hotel I’d booked shortly after reaching the finish. After checking in, I got in the shower fully clothed and washed myself and my cycling gear thoroughly. I then crawled into my bed, and slept for a solid 12 hours. It was the best sleep ever. I could finally relax.

So with TCR 2024 in the bag, what’s next for you then?

I enjoyed a week of rest in Istanbul after finishing the race. It was really nice to relax, drink lots of coffee, eat lots of nice food, nap and just soak up the atmosphere. I also enjoyed another week of relaxation when I got back to the UK. I stayed with my parents, where I was well fed and watered and we went on some lovely walks together. Since then, I have returned to work, although not for long!

Fran's TCR10 choices

Kinesis G2 Midnight Blue - Gravel Adventure Road Bike Kinesis G2 Midnight Blue - Gravel Adventure Road Bike
Kinesis UK

G2 Bicycle

£1,700.00 GBP
Kinesis G2 Gravel Adventure Frameset - Midnight Blue, Kinesis Bikes Kinesis G2 Gravel Adventure Frameset - Midnight Blue
Kinesis UK

G2 Frameset Midnight Blue

£675.00 GBP
Kinesis UK

G2 Bicycle

£1,200.00 GBP £1,680.00
Kinesis Fend Off Shorty Gravel Bike Mudguards
Kinesis UK

Fend Off Mudguards Short

£35.00 GBP