1. What kind of bike do I need?
Lubos Seidl, IT2019: “I followed the golden rule of bikepacking, saying: Just ride the bike you have!”
April Marshke, IT2019: “There is no perfect bike in this sport, only perfect attitudes. “
The route follows unpaved roads and trails. In 2019 from 42mm to 2.2″ tyres on a gravel bike till full supsension mountain bike was used.
2. Do I need insurance?
Yes, as the ride is totally self-sufficient, you need to organise your own insurance.
3. Who enforces the rules?
You do. The nature of these long distance rides makes them impossible to police by a third party, so the trust and responsibility rests solely on your shoulders to conduct yourself appropriately. If there is an obvious breach in this trust then the race director will make a ruling based on why, how and what rules were breached and if/what penalty would be given.
4. Is this adventure for me? Am I fit enough?
If you are someone looking for a challenge, yes this is for you. A background in cycling would be an advantage. A positive outlook with a good sense of humour is mandatory. A standard of fitness is required to the point of being capable of spending continuous long days in the saddle. And an awareness of self-reliance and what that entails.
5. If i’s a race, what does the winner get?
It is not a race in the conventional sense. There is no prize for 1st, 2nd and 3rd. The winners get the kudos and bragging rights for being the fastest. Everyone else will be racing themselves, each other and the weather just to finish. Beat the rider in front or stay ahead of the rider behind. This race will inspire you to question your limits and give you the confidence that you are far more capable than you think, not just in cycling but in life. The prize is Adventure.
6. GPS tracking
Online GPS tracking is not intended to ensure rider safety. It is for info-only, and validation of course compliance
7. Bag transport
We cannot offer luggage transport from start to finish. What if you scratch and don’t make it to the finish? What if you need longer, this event has no time limit. The transport may cost more than you pay for a bike box and new clothes in Tarifa.
So far no rider had a problem to find a box for the bike in Tarifa or the airport. If you travel by bus, you don’t need a box. You get a bike box at the post office in Tarifa. There are bike shops in Tarifa that are happy to help you packing your bike, best contact them before. At the airport in Málaga you get bikeboxes at the Iberian airline counter, also if you don’t fly Iberian. It’s also no problem to get new clothes in Tarifa, shops are open 7 days a week and you find clothes for every budget in a minute. So we succest, go for the traditional bikepacker way, arrive in old clothes and travel home in new ones.
8. Travel back home
All kind of transport have been used so far: bus, train, airplane.
The train station you find at Algeciras, about 10km up the hill and another 10km downhill to Algeciras. There are 2 direct trains to Madrid.
The bus station is in Tarifa and airports at Gibraltar, Málaga, Sevilla or Jerez de la Fronterra. Buses as trains bring you all over Europe.