Photography – Jordan Matthews

Italy Divide – Pre Start

Italy Divide is a 780 odd mile bikepacking event from Pompeii, to Lake Garda. The website says it… ‘follows fast rolling gravel roads (Francigena/Eurovelo7) with quite technical mtb trails (Via degli Dei/Lessinia/Monte Baldo) in between to explore the wild and remote parts of Italy with a plenty mix of history along the trail. You willContinueContinue reading “Italy Divide – Pre Start”

Dales Divide Race 2020

55 hours 15 minutes of the whatever the North could throw at me. The Dales Divide is a 600km mixed terrain route with 9000m of climbing. Having heard of the route last year and with it being not far from where I live, it had always been my plan to complete the route in someContinueContinue reading “Dales Divide Race 2020”

All Points North 2019 – Day 1(and a bit)

293.24 Miles 23:50:54 Moving Time 26:45:13 Elapsed Time 26,061 ft climbed 9 croissants consumed The start was great, everyone turned the right out of the HQ and then the next junction everyone went off in different directions, it was like wacky races. Getting out off Sheffield was a series of crossing paths with other racers,ContinueContinue reading “All Points North 2019 – Day 1(and a bit)”

All Points North 2019 – Pre Race

With nearly a year passed since the All Points North Race in 2019 and with the news that this years race has been postponed, I thought it was a good time to try and recollect the crazy 50 or so hours I spent on the saddle during the race. Plus some before and after snapshotsContinueContinue reading “All Points North 2019 – Pre Race”

TCRN07 Day 8: Bolzano, Italy -Saint Anton am Arlberg, Austria

03/08/19 132.05 Miles 13:24 Moving Time 15,374ft Gained 9.9mph Average Speed CP3 DAY! Knowing without any major disasters I would reach the third checkpoint of the race today was enough motivation needed for an early start. Seen as I was on the checkpoint parcours, the part of the race where everyone has to follow aContinueContinue reading “TCRN07 Day 8: Bolzano, Italy -Saint Anton am Arlberg, Austria”

TCRN07 Day 5: Sabac, Serbia – Kutina, Croatia

187.44 miles 14:16:47 moving time 1,932ft gained 13.1mph average After a very deep sleep and a full belly from the previous nights feast, I zombied out of bed and achingly pulled my bib shorts and jersey on just after 4am. Carrying my packed saddle bag, frame bag, handlebar bag and bottles never got any easierContinueContinue reading “TCRN07 Day 5: Sabac, Serbia – Kutina, Croatia”

Heading South

Winter seems to be grasping tight hold of East Germany as temperatures have remained close to 0 and rain has been ever present. A few glimpses of blue skies have brought some optimism. I arrived in Berlin on Wednesday with a rare blue sky and was welcomed by Christian and Stephie, friends from work andContinueContinue reading “Heading South”

One week in…

At the end of my 8th day on the road, I’m hiding from the rain. Drying my soaking tent in a hotel room at the lower end of the price spectrum just on the outskirts of Magdeburg. It’s clean, quiet and warm, so I’m happy. The first week on the road has been and gone.ContinueContinue reading “One week in…”

TCRNO7 – DAY 4 – Prokuplje, Serbia – Sabac, Serbia

183.15 Miles 14:31:01 Moving Time 16:49:33 Elapsed Time 9,462 Elevation Gained 12.6mph Average After spending a night under the watchful eyes of Mary hanging on the wall and dreaming about who the old mans slippers were in the bed next to me, the buzz of my bike computer alarm jolted me into life from aContinueContinue reading “TCRNO7 – DAY 4 – Prokuplje, Serbia – Sabac, Serbia”

TCRN07, Day 3: Dupnitsa, Bulgaria – Prokuplje, Serbia

178.60 Miles 15:17:26 Moving Time 17:51:58 Elapsed Time 8,701 Elevation Gained 11.7mph Average 6 dog attacks avoided Starting out from the hotel around 04:30, I spotted a few more bikes in the room where I kept mine, TCR riders. The receptionist was surprised to see me so early, but the other riders must have explainedContinueContinue reading “TCRN07, Day 3: Dupnitsa, Bulgaria – Prokuplje, Serbia”