What’s the fascination with ultra-distance cycling?

780 km and 15,000 m of elevation on a gravel bike; in a single stage and unsupported, without shade, and in the case of this year’s winner, Seb Breuer, even without sleep. That’s exactly what Badlands is, and people can’t seem to get enough of it. Read on to find out how these races work and get Seb’s best tips for a successful adventure.

43 hours and 40 minutes. That’s Sebastian “Seb” Breuer’s absolutely crazy and unimaginable time for the 2022 edition of the Badlands ultra-endurance gravel race. The Andalusian bikepacking route spans 780 km and 15,000 metres of elevation as it meanders through Europe’s few official deserts – the equivalent length of Germany and twice the height of Mount Everest in less than two days. Insane! Throughout this time, Seb stopped pedalling for a total of just 117 minutes; he spent the remaining 2503 minutes on his Rose gravel bike, pushing himself to the brink as he crossed the Spanish deserts. Besides finding out what you’ll need to consider for such a tour de force, we also got Seb’s opinion on every single point in this article. Let us start with the question that we’re probably all asking: dear Seb, where do you find the motivation and the unbridled will to push yourself so hard?

I simply love the sport and the challenge. Badlands was my main goal for 365 days. In that case, you don’t just give up, even when it hurts...

While the fastest bike and the best equipment won’t automatically land you on the podium, the wrong gear can certainly prevent you from getting first place. Most important of all: you must be 100% familiar with your gear and never try new things just before the race or during the event. It’s better to stick to the motto “Never change a running system”. When it comes to the bike and your equipment, you should try to find a good compromise between durability and weight. The lightest tires won’t do any good if you get a puncture every 20 km. On the other hand, in a race with more than 15,000 metres of elevation, every bit of unnecessary weight will sap the strength from your already exhausted legs.

Ultra-endurance cycling events such as Badlands differ from major cycling races such as the Tour de France or the Race Across America in one crucial way: they are entirely self-supported. In other words, there are no support cars or catering stations or organised racing teams. Participants are solely responsible for their food, drinks, accommodation, and repairs, and may use all commercial sources that everyone else has access to during the race, such as supermarkets and bicycle shops, etc. When things get uncomfortable, there’s no one to pick you up. If you get lost, you have to find your own way back. The only outside support that is allowed during the race is lovingly called trail-magic: it’s usually okay to give the riders encouragement in the form of nice gestures and motivating words, as long as there is no physical help involved.

One of the ground rules of participating in a self-supported bike race is the principle of “leave no trace“, which is something we’d do well to adopt in many other areas of life. Do no harm, act in harmony with nature, don’t litter and don’t cause trouble. Unfortunately, there are always negative examples, which is why we must mention these rules. Another important aspect to note: while racing is all about pushing your boundaries, growing, and achieving maximum performance, your own safety should always come first. The participants are often exhausted, travelling in unknown terrain, and dangerously dehydrated from riding for hours on end in the midday desert heat, pushing man and machine to the limit – and beyond. Three people died in ultra-endurance races in 2017 alone. If you cross the starting line, you will not necessarily make it over the finish line – it isn’t unusual for half of the field to drop out of a race. So, before participating in an event like this, you’ve got to be sure that both your body and mind can deal with these kinds of conditions. Seb, what’s been the biggest mental challenge you’ve faced in an ultra-endurance race? Was that before or during the event, or do you tend to fall into a depression after the high of the event?

The last 100 km were the biggest challenge. It just seemed to keep going uphill and you could already see the finish line for two hours, but the route included every climb of the region before getting there…

Finally: ultra-endurance cycling events don’t have stages. Once the clock starts, it doesn’t stop until you cross the finish line, so you can think of it as a very long individual time trial. It goes without saying that cheating isn’t allowed, although there is no guarantee of absolute fairness compared to other races. Participants are simply asked to be honest, and the event organisers deliberately don’t offer any prize money to make cheating less tempting. With regard to route marking, there are big differences among self-supported events. In some races, the event team marks the complete route, whereas, in others, the riders are merely given checkpoints and are left to plan the route themselves. What is your favourite format, Seb, and what are the advantages and disadvantages of each?

I am not a pro and work a full-time job. As such, I’ve got very limited time. I just find it’s too much and too stressful if I have to spend a lot of time on route planning, such as at the TCR (Ed.: Transcontinental Race). I prefer to study and think about the options of predefined routes, which also tend to be significantly more beautiful in terms of landscape. Tools like Komoot work well, but they’re also very prone to errors.

That said, there are small extras that technically aren’t necessary for your bike to cross the finish line but can make all the difference, nonetheless. For example, you’ll see many riders en route with headphones in their ears. On long and lonely passages, music can keep your spirits up and mobilise hidden reserves on a gruelling ascent. But even small pick-me-ups have saved many a competitor from giving up. What about you, Seb? What would you always take again after your experience this year and what could you do without the next time around?

I would do without the Garmin charging cable; the battery lasts long enough. I would definitely take the same food and drinks, especially the salted nuts.

We know that finding a place to sleep was no problem for Seb – according to his GPS tracker, he only got off the bike to eat and pee. Speaking of eating, that’s another vital point we’d like to know more about: did you ever have difficulties finding food, or is that something you can avoid with good planning? What does meal planning look like during a race? Do you take what you can find, or do you still follow something resembling a diet?

I had planned everything out, so I was prepared for the fact that there would be little to no possibility to refill in the long desert sections or at night. I also know what my body needs to deal with this kind of strain. For me, sugar is the best fuel in this case. In short: Coke and Snickers. Certainly not the kind of diet I follow in “normal” life.

Long-distance races are as old as cycling itself, so brevets and other events are nothing new, some of them even requiring you to cross several countries on two wheels while being completely self-supported. However, with the steadily growing popularity of gravel bikes and bikepacking, the demand for suitable events has increased, too. Below, we’ll briefly introduce the five most popular ultra-endurance gravel/bikepacking races.

Venue: Morocco | Distance: 1,167 km and 23,174 metres of elevation

The AMR leads through the beautiful yet gruelling landscape of Morocco. The predetermined route can be tackled either solo or in a team of two and mostly consists of unpaved gravel slopes. Depending on your skill level, however, there are some sections where you’ll have to push your bike and according to the event managers, many participants wished they could have swapped their gravel bike for a mountain bike after finishing the AMR, whereas no one on a mountain bike would have swapped it for a drop-bar alternative. A 29" hardtail with 2.0" or wider tyres and easy gearing is the perfect choice for most. If you want to take on the Atlas Mountain Race, you’ve got to be prepared for all eventualities. The temperature can drop from a sweltering 40 °C during the day to -15 °C during the night, which makes choosing the right equipment an additional challenge. But, as the legend Mike Hall put it, “Nothing that’s worth anything is ever easy.”

Venue: Andalusia/Spain | Length: 780 km and 15,000 metres of elevation

The Badlands race discussed above is very new to ultra-endurance cycling events, showcasing the varied and breathtaking landscape of Andalusia on a predefined route. You can participate either as an individual or as a team of two. The latter option is the recommended approach for those who don’t have much experience in self-supported racing. Badlands is a typical gravel/bikepacking race, so when you look at the bikes that were entered, you’ll find that almost all of them have drop handlebars, many of which even have aero attachments. Those who’ve successfully completed the race usually advise against running tyres that are narrower than 40 mm. Seb, after being so successful at Badlands, do you have any other tips for us besides the preparation and route details you’ve already shared?

Phew, there’s so much to keep in mind! I think the most important thing is to pace yourself well. Either according to how you feel or, as in my case, according to your wattage.

Venue: Europe | Distance: 3,200–4,200 km with 30,000 to 45,000 metres of elevation

Spanning more than 3,000 km, the TCR plays in a league with the Tour de France, so it shouldn’t be taken on lightly. Compared to the two previous races, the TCR allows you to plan the route yourself and you only have to include certain checkpoints. Logically, most of the participants use a road bike and stick to paved roads where they can – drafting is prohibited. The fastest riders complete all checkpoints in just 7 to 10 days. If you want to be at the finisher party, you must complete the route within 15 or 16 days, which means you’ve got to cover an average of 250 km per day. Definitely not easygoing!

Venue: USA | Distance: 6,800 km

6,800 km in 16 days. It doesn’t just sound like sheer insanity in theory, it’s complete madness in practice, too. After all, we’re talking about a distance that most people don’t even cover on their bikes all year round, let alone in one go. What could go wrong? The TABR follows the route of the TransAmerica Bicycle Trail, composed of asphalt roads. Accordingly, the ultra-distance lunatics that take part do so on road bikes and try to carry the absolute minimum of luggage. If you’re interested in the TABR, but don’t want to pay for a three-week tour of suffering, you could just watch the whole thing from the comfort of your couch – you can find the sofa version at Inspired to Ride.

Venue: Rocky Mountains/Canada | Distance: 4,440 km

The Tour Divide is THE self-supported event and first took place in 2008. Covering 4,400 km, the route crosses the Rocky Mountains. It’s best to leave your road bike at home for this race as you’ll encounter varying terrain. Even though the Tour Divide was originally designed as a mountain bike race, you’ll spot many gravel bikes on the trail these days thanks to their generous tire clearances, composed geometries and comfort-generating suspension. You won’t find a greater risk of technical defects, injuries, bad weather with sudden snowfall or even bears than during the Tour Divide.

As you can see, there is a vast range of different ultra-endurance races to take part in, offering something for every type of rider, regardless of whether you feel most comfortable on your road, gravel, or mountain bike. There is much to consider, and we recommend thinking long and hard before taking the plunge. That brings us to our last question for this year’s Badlands winner: Seb, is there a specific tip that you would like to give anyone who plans to compete in a self-supported event?

Take it easy! Without experience, it’s always trial-and-error at first. I learn something new and crazy every time, and it no longer stresses me.