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The sixth edition of the Atlas Mountain Race kicks off Friday 6th February, 2026. For the first time, we'll start in Beni-Mellal, a new gateway into the Atlas Mountains. From CP1 riders enter classic AMR terrain, into the rugged Anti-Atlas, winding their way to the old port town of Essaouira. Riders will have have until midnight on February 14th to reach the finish line. Tune in every day for a front-row seat to the action. We’ll bring you stories and updates from the trail, illuminating the dots on your screen and bringing their adventure straight to your ears. Follow the dots on MAProgress and follow @atlasmountainrace on Instagram for visual updates from the trail. This series is hosted and produced by Mel Webb and sound design by Ben Crannell. Cover image by Stephen Shelesky Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to our podcast coverage of the 2026 Atlas Mountain Race, supported by Tailfin, Pertex and Albion. The sixth edition is a year of change for the Atlas Mountain Race with a new start in Beni-Mellal. In this episode, Media Manager and host of this year's race podcast, Mel Webb, sits down with Race Director Nelson Trees to provide an overview of this year's route, our favourites for the win and what dotwatchers and riders alike are in store for. Dotwatch the 2026 Atlas Mountain Race Follow us on Instagram @atlasmountainrace for daily visual & written updates Credits: Hosted and produced by Mel Webb Sound design by Ben Crannell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Atlas Mountain Race 2026 is finally here, beginning with the usual proceedings of registration. Riders trickled into the cultural centre at Ain Asserdoun Park in Beni-Mellal under persistent rain. After years of drought, high rivers, lingering snow on mountain passes, and late route changes set the tone for the adventure ahead. In this opening episode, we hear from riders across the field to heart their thoughts and feelings on the road to the start line and what they are about to embark on. Riders featured in this episode: Abderrahim Aarab & Haitam Ait bouaziz — Caps 301A&BRebecca Rusch — Cap 316BGökay Bıyık —Cap 17Sean Geivett & Emma Missale — Caps 309A&BTaylor Doyle — Cap 62Cynthia Carson — Cap 33Steven Davis — Cap 55Kerry MacPhee — Cap 137Rob Britton — Cap 25Max Riese — Cap 180 Dotwatch the 2026 Atlas Mountain Race Follow us on Instagram @atlasmountainrace for daily visual & written updates Hosted and produced by Mel Webb Sound design by Ben Crannell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Silk Road Mountain Race, created by Nelson Trees, is a self-supported bikepacking race through the remote mountains of Kyrgyzstan. The seventh edition kicks off on Friday August 15th at 6PM local time from in front of Mayor's Hall in Osh, Kyrgyzstan. Riders will have until midnight on August 30th to reach the finish line in Karakol. We'll be bringing you daily updates from the field throughout the duration of the race. Dotwatch the 2025 Silk Road Mountain Race Follow us on Instagram @silkroadmountainrace for daily visual updates. Credits: Hosted and produced by Mel Webb Sound design by Ben Crannell Music by Batyrkan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to our podcast coverage of the 2025 Silk Road Mountain Race, supported by Albion, Tailfin, Pertex, STYRKR and Julbo. The Silk Road Mountain Race returns for its seventh edition with more than 700 kilometres of new, remote, and rarely travelled terrain. In this episode, Media Manager Mel Webb sits down with Race Director Nelson Trees to break down the 2025 route and preview the strongest field the race has ever seen. From the new Suyek Pass hike-a-bike to a 400-kilometre stretch without resupply, Nelson explains the challenges that await and why this year feels like a return to the uncertainty of the first edition. We talk through the favourites for the win, and the plethora of unpredictable factors—weather, altitude, and decision-making—that can shape the race.  Dotwatch the 2025 Silk Road Mountain Race Follow us on Instagram @silkroadmountainrace for daily visual updates. Credits: Hosted and produced by Mel Webb Sound design by Ben Crannell Music by Batyrkan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our podcast coverage begins in Osh as the Silk Road Mountain Race moves from registration day through to the race start. Riders gather in the theatre to collect trackers, check their bikes, and receive Albion race caps printed with their numbers, along with t-shirts, socks and goodies from our partners Pertex and Styrkr. The atmosphere is a mix of excitement and nerves—quiet conversations punctuated by laughter—as the reality of what’s ahead begins to sink in. In this episode, you’ll hear from a handful of riders drawn from a field of 250. Some are returning after past editions, others are here for the first time. They share why Kyrgyzstan pulled them to the start line, what they’ve learned in previous races, and the mindset they’ll carry into the mountains. Following registration, they have one last briefing with Race Director Nelson Trees before setting off into the mountains Riders featured in this episode Max Cherkasov - Cap 131Karen Wykurz - Cap 106Gabi & Herman - Caps 311A&BChris Burkard - Cap 69Tobias Callister - Cap 196Cat McGill - Cap 33Eric House - Cap 62Annie Dunlap - Cap 16Carlotta Schumacher - Cap 31Meaghan Hackinen - Cap 132Robin Gemperle - Cap 165Anatole Naimi - Cap 10Alex McCormack - Cap 8  Race Preview Blog Race Preview Podcast episode Click here to Dotwatch the race Follow us on Instagram for daily visual updates Production and hosting by Mel Webb Sound design by Ben Crannell Intro/outro music by Batyrkan Cover image by Stephen Shelesky Thanks to our race partners Albion, Pertex, Tailfin, Styrkr and Julbo.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The first full day of the Silk Road Mountain Race is behind us. From Osh, riders faced over 6,000 meters of climbing in just 300 kilometers en route to Checkpoint One at Peak Lenin Base Camp. For some, that meant pushing on through the night. Others chose to rest early and save energy for the long road ahead. In this episode, we follow riders up the tight switchbacks of the Koy-Djul Pass topping out at 3811m. They recount stories of their first night on the road. By late afternoon, the leaders had already reached CP1, with Robin Gemperle arriving first and Meaghan Hackinen the first woman to arrive in 10th position overall. For everyone else, it’s still just the beginning of a long journey that will stretch to the cutoff on August 30th. Riders featured in this episodeMaarten Vanhaverbeke - Cap 122Andrei Tereskin - Cap 12Miron Golfman - Cap 137Max Cherkasov - Cap 131Carlotta Schumacher - Cap 31Daniel Gottschalk - Cap 45Victor Eklund - Cap 205Sergei Cherepanov - Cap 320Josh Ibbett - Cap 101Adam Palin - Cap 1Meaghan Hackinen - Cap 132 Click here to Dotwatch the race Follow us on Instagram for daily visual updates Production and hosting by Mel Webb Sound design by Ben Crannell Music by Batyrkan Cover image by Lloyd Wright Thanks to our race partners Albion, Pertex, Tailfin, Styrkr and Julbo.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sitting in the shadow of the towering Peak Lenin, Checkpoint One at Topol Camp feels like a real refuge. At 3,600 meters, the yellow tents stand against the wind, the alpine lakes reflect the mountains above, and riders arrive carrying stories from the road. It’s just over 300 kilometers into the route, but already they’ve faced long hike-a-bikes, icy river crossings, and the reality of altitude. Some pressed on through the night, others chose to wait for safer water levels in the morning. For a few, sickness and fatigue turned CP1 into the natural end of their race. For most, it was a welcome pause — a place to eat, rest, and carry on. From Robin Gemperle, first to arrive, to Camila Guaritá rolling in with just minutes before the cut-off, the voices in this episode capture the contrasts of those first days. Relief, doubt, joy, exhaustion, and the little things that keep you moving forward. A Simon & Garfunkel song hummed on the trail, a pocket full of condensed milk, the warmth of a yurt, the simple pleasure of a hot shower. The road from here stretches into the unknown: several hundred kilometers of tarmac before the next major hike-a-bike, and the decisions riders make now will shape the days ahead. Riders featured in this episode: Andy Peterson - Cap 14Dennis Stegemann - Cap 55Leanne Bentley - Cap 116Tori Riemersma - Cap 200Thomas Quirk - Cap 194Robin Gemperle - Cap 165Alex McCormack - Cap 8Anatole Naimi - Cap 10Chris Burkard - Cap 69James & Kirsty - Caps 315 A&BSimon Petley - Cap 177Roz Osborne - Cap 171Anne Hutmacher - Cap 303AIgnacio Pellejero - Cap 86Johannes Santen - Cap 98Marius & Wililam - Caps 317 A&BMarlin Peterson - Cap 126Nat Anderson - Cap 319AKaren Jennings - Cap 107Guillaume Lallement - Cap 78Sami Sauri - Cap 174Camila Guaritá - Cap 30 Click here to Dotwatch the race Follow us on Instagram for daily visual updates Production and hosting by Mel Webb Sound design by Ben Crannell Music by Batyrkan Cover image by Stephen Shelesky Thanks to our race partners Albion, Pertex, Tailfin, Styrkr and Julbo.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Four days into the Silk Road Mountain Race, the field is now stretched across hundreds of kilometers. Leaders have already passed through Checkpoint Two at Kezgin Guesthouse, while much of the pack is still making their way over the Suyek Pass, the last major obstacle before reaching the valley near the Chinese border. Tucked away in a stunning valley, surrounded by towering peaks, Checkpoint Two offers only a brief pause: hot food, a bed, and a stamp in the brevet card before the road pushes on. Riders arrive carrying stories of river crossings, long nights, frozen shoes, broken racks, and moments of beauty. Some gamble by carrying the bare minimum and pressing on, while others opt for warmth and rest, knowing the Soviet Road lies ahead. Riders featured in this episode: Robin Gemperle - Cap 165Alex McCormack - Cap 8Anatole Naimi - Cap 10Chris Burkard - Cap 69Josh Ibbett - Cap 101Tomas Fabian - Cap 197Miron Golfman - Cap 137Meaghan Hackinen - Cap 132Alex Kopp - Cap 9"Vlad" Teisseire Wladimir - Cap 189Ashley Cordingley - Cap 22Daniel Perotti - Cap 46 Click here to Dotwatch the race Follow us on Instagram for daily visual updates Production and hosting by Mel Webb Sound design by Ben Crannell Music by Batyrkan Cover image by Stephen Shelesky Thanks to our race partners Albion, Pertex, Tailfin, Styrkr and Julbo.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the fifth day of the Silk Road Mountain Race, many of our riders made their way through the Chinese border zone. Vast grasslands stretch in every direction, hemmed in by jagged ranges that feel impossibly large. Rusting fences, distant watchtowers, and the hum of trucks passing through mark the frontier, but otherwise this is a place that feels almost untouched. For riders, this stretch comes what will no doubt become the infamous Suyek Pass hike—thirty kilometers of rivers, scree, and thin air at over 4,000 meters. They arrive to the border road carrying stories of frozen shoes, broken chains, nights of snow and cold, but also of wild horses and sunlit valleys, and many moments that make the effort feel worthwhile.  Riders featured in this episode Victor Eklund - Cap 205Oliver Geiger - Cap 149Maarten Vanhaverbeke - Cap 122Sami Sauri - Cap 174Leanne Bentley - Cap 116David Hills - Cap 50Nikolaay Bulgakov - Cap 145Carlotta Schumacher - Cap 31Stefan & Helene - Caps 312A & 312BMichael Gaffey - Cap 135Eric House - Cap 62 Click here to Dotwatch the race Follow us on Instagram for daily visual updates Production and hosting by Mel Webb Sound design by Ben Crannell Music by Batyrkan Cover image by Stephen Shelesky Thanks to our race partners Albion, Pertex, Tailfin, Styrkr and Julbo.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On day six, the Silk Road Mountain Race has reached the wide expanse of the Burkhan Valley and the steep switchbacks of Arabel Pass. It's an endless valley, with hundreds of kilometers of no resupply, made longer this year with a right hand turn after Arabel Plateau and a 200km loop up and over the second Suyek Pass. The conditions changed quickly. Sunlight in the valley gave way to storms at altitude, snow sweeping across the plateau and visibility dropping to almost nothing. Riders pressed on through whiteouts, frozen shoes, and river crossings, while others took much-needed rest. Alongside them, our control cars navigated their own challenges in their pursuit of the leaders. Riders (and media team) featured in this episode: Meaghan Hackinen - Cap 132Miron Golfman - Cap 137Nelson Trees, Race Director "Vlad" Teisseire Wladimir - Cap 189Victor Eklund - Cap 205Davide Zanardo - Cap 53Danil Usmanov, Control Car 3 PhotographerKayla Hall - Cap 110Nat Anderson - Cap 319A Click here to Dotwatch the race Follow us on Instagram for daily visual updates Production and hosting by Mel Webb Sound design by Ben Crannell Music by Batyrkan Cover image by Stephen Shelesky Thanks to our race partners Albion, Pertex, Tailfin, Styrkr and Julbo.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day seven of the Silk Road Mountain Race brings Control Car 2 to Tamga and the calm shores of Lake Issyk-Kul. After days of snow, mud, and cold at altitude, the descent into the valley feels like a different world. Riders arrive to shade, trees, and the rare luxury of a proper guesthouse meal — a short pause to wash clothes, patch gear, and reset before heading back into the mountains for the final push. At Checkpoint Three, we hear the relief of riders as they catch their breath, take stock of what’s left, and prepare for the road ahead. We also meet many of our chasing riders on the cross-over point on the course. Riders featured in this episode Alex Kopp - Cap 9Meaghan Hackinen - Cap 132Johannes Stanten - Cap 98Sylvain Loup - Cap 187Rodolph Rainteau - Cap 166Sami Sauri - Cap 174Leanne Bentley - Cap 116Tomas Hadamek - Cap 198Victor Eklund - Cap 205 Click here to Dotwatch the race Follow us on Instagram for daily visual updates Production and hosting by Mel Webb Sound design by Ben Crannell Music by Batyrkan Cover image by Stephen Shelesky Thanks to our race partners Albion, Pertex, Tailfin, Styrkr and Julbo.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we sit down with Robin Gemperle, winner of the 2025 Silk Road Mountain Race. Finishing in 6 days, 20 hours and 36 minutes, Robin set the pace from the very start, steadily building a gap that no one could close. At just 29 years old, the Swiss rider has quickly established himself among the very best in the sport, with a palmarès that includes the Atlas Mountain Race, Transcontinental Race, and a sub-12 day Tour Divide. Now he adds a win at Silk Road Mountain Race to that list. Recorded the day after his finish, Robin shares his reflections on his winning ride. Click here to Dotwatch the race Follow us on Instagram for daily visual updates Production and hosting by Mel Webb Sound design by Ben Crannell Music by Batyrkan Cover image by Lloyd Wright Thanks to our race partners Albion, Pertex, Tailfin, Styrkr and Julbo.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On day nine of the Silk Road Mountain Race, we follow riders as they climb Tosor Pass — one of the highest and most rideable passes on the route. The shifting weather, dramatic landscapes, and long climbs test both body and mind as riders make their way into the final quarter of the race. Back at CP3, we hear from pairs and solo riders managing their race in different ways. And finally, we return to Karakol, where Meaghan Hackinen arrives as the women’s winner, completing all three Mountain Races in a single season with the second-fastest cumulative time overall. Riders Featured Claus-Henning Schulke - Cap 40Julien Merle - Cap 104Michal Ozogan - Cap 136Julien Hamelin - Cap 186Anton Kollegin - Cap 18Sorachi Sakai - Cap 181James Roberts - Cap 92Sebastian & Daniel - Caps 306A&BThomas Quirk - Cap 194Meaghan Hackinen - Cap 132 Click here to Dotwatch the race Follow us on Instagram for daily visual updates Production and hosting by Mel Webb Sound design by Ben Crannell Music by Batyrkan Cover image by Lloyd Wright Thanks to our race partners Albion, Pertex, Tailfin, Styrkr and Julbo.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the 10th day of racing, the route winds through a crossroads at kilometers 1191, 1347, and 1497 — a place where riders pass three times, each at a different moment in their race. Here, tracks converge and brief encounters are exchanged: a word of encouragement, a story from the road, before paths diverge again. To one side lies the easier descent to Tamga and an early end to their race; to the other, the remote 200-kilometer loop, rough and demanding, yet essential for those pressing on all the way to Karakol. To begin and end the loop, riders traverse Arabel Plateau and over Suyek Pass at 4,020 meters. Suyek means “bone” in Kyrgyz — a name tied to the tragedy of 1916, when thousands lost their lives fleeing across these mountains. The pass leads riders into the wide, open expanse of the Upper Naryn Valley, one of race director Nelson Trees’ favourite landscapes in Kyrgyzstan. Riders featured in this episode:  Kayla Hall — Cap 110Rob Waller — Cap 162Konrad Kowara — Cap 112Nol Van Loon — Cap 146Dennis Stegeman — Cap 55Danielle Coffman — Cap 122Marcus Baguley — Cap 124Sandor Boros — Cap 175Ethan Washam — Cap 64Caroline Prigent — Cap 32Matteo Garbellini — Cap 128Alessandra Bussolli — Cap 6Murray Crichton — Cap 139Daniel and Stefan — Caps 307A & 307BAnnie Dunlap — Cap 16Tobias Callister — Cap 196Natalie Anderson — Cap 319A Click here to Dotwatch the race Follow us on Instagram for daily visual updates Production and hosting by Mel Webb Sound design by Ben Crannell Music by Batyrkan Cover image by Stephen Shelesky Thanks to our race partners Albion, Pertex, Tailfin, Styrkr and Julbo.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.