Competitors in the Transcontinental Race do not follow a set course for the entire route: there are fixed start and end points with mandatory control points along the way. All travel must be by bike and riders must work out their own optimum route between the controls, planning their own strategy of riding, sleeping and refueling, and carry all their own equipment such as clothing and spares – they can buy food and drink – along the way.
The previous six editions have started in either the UK or Belgium to finish, anywhere between seven and ten days later, in Greece or Turkey. They have each featured between 3,000 and 4,000km distance with between 30,000 and 45,000m total ascent. The 2019 route is flipped, as the seventh edition starts in Burgas, Bulgaria on 26/27 July and runs East-West, to finish in Brest, France.
A Tribute To Mike Hall
The Transcontinental and Trans Pyrenees Races are a tribute to the late Mike Hall, an exceptional endurance athlete and founder of the Transcontinental Race. Mike was involved in a fatal accident in March 2017 and it’s testament to his irrepressibly positive spirit that he remains a huge inspiration to the endurance racing community.
Preparations for the 2019 edition will now start in earnest as riders discovered last week whether they have been successful in their applications to ride.
“Fizik has long been an admirer of the Transcontinental Race, its ethos, its athletes and its character, so we are very proud to be part of this,” says fizik’s Brand Director Luca Mathia Bertoncello.
“The Transcontinental Race and the new Trans Pyrenees Race represent Mike Hall’s legacy. Mike was a close friend of mine and to be able to support this race and its participating riders is an honor for us.”
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