Transibérica Ultracycling 2021: Fulcrum enters the world of endurance racing
Transibérica Ultracycling 2021: Fulcrum enters the world of endurance racing
17 March 2021
“The Transiberica Ultracycling events are designed as personal challenges and collective adventures”, this is the definition given by the organisers of the Transiberica, Transpyrenees and Badlands. For lovers of extreme endurance races, these three events are unmissable. The Spanish peninsula, with its deserts and some of Europe’s toughest passes, is the setting for these races, with routes designed to challenge even the most expert riders. Transiberica Ultracycling is also committed to keeping alive the memory of Mike Hall. The spirit of adventure encapsulated by the organiser of the Transcontinental, who passed away in 2017, plays a fundamental role here and is summed up in a few simple rules that guide every competitor: self-sufficiency, respect for nature and no drafting.
The majesty of the landscape, the toughness of the routes and that sense of belonging to an international community, have ensured the popularity of these events in the ultra-cycling panorama. The success was undoubtedly helped by Lachlan Morton’s exploit, (EF World Tour team), who in 2020 crushed the competition to win the Badlands race, with an extraordinary performance.
The allure of a personal challenge and this new way of racing struck a chord with Fulcrum and for 2021 we have decided to support the Transiberica Ultracycling events as official sponsor. Federico Gardin, Fulcrum Brand Manager, explains: “We were impressed by the enthusiasm and professionalism of the organisers of the Transiberica. As well as an evident passion there is a meticulous and fully developed communication of the experience and the formats offered. Organising this type of races, in such incredible landscapes, is a source of inspiration and feeds people’s dreams and goals. We believe in this evolution of the bike too, which is no longer limited to just practicing a sport, but is also a journey of self-discovery, where the experience contributes to one’s personal growth”.
The routes. The three races offer very different routes and formats. Badlands is run entirely off-road and follows a set route of 720 km with 15,000 metres of climbing. The same for the Transpyrenees, where competitors have to tackle a 1,080 km route with 25,000 metres of climbing, almost exclusively on paved roads. The Transiberica is more similar to the Transcontinental in approach. The start, checkpoints and finish are set by the organisers, but competitors are free to choose the best way to connect them. In this case too, the distance is in the ultra realm and the route is almost entirely on paved roads.
The wheels. Badlands is a race for gravel bikes and mountain bikes. The off-road and extreme nature of the terrain is an important factor to consider, in order to complete the mission. Reliability, comfort and traction are therefore the fundamental characteristics that must be checked off in a set of wheels. This is the perfect environment for Fulcrum’s Rapid Red line and its range of wheels designed specifically for gravel use. Stability and traction are guaranteed by the wide channel, strong aluminium rims, which can be fitted with tyres over 50 mm wide, a true advantage over the unrelenting Spanish stones. Available in both 700C and 650B, the Rapid Red wheels use the 2-Way Fit Ready system for tubeless tyres, which are essential for this type of competition. For those who prefer to tackle the race with a mountain bike, Fulcrum has 29” and 27.5 solutions, that can withstand extreme off-road challenges.
The Transpyrenees and Transiberica are run almost exclusively on paved roads, except for a few kilometres on gravel. The conditions of the roads, (at times very demanding), the many hours in the saddle and the weight of a fully-loaded bike are the factors that must be considered for the ideal set up and, therefore, choice of the wheels. In this case too, riders should shift their focus from gram counting and aerodynamics, to reliability and strength. A road bike with endurance geometry, fitted with a set of aluminium Fulcrum Racing 3 DB, Racing Zero DB or Racing Zero CMPTZN DB (with ceramic CULTTM bearings), shod with 28/32mm tyres, is undoubtedly the perfect setup for conquering these ultra-cycling races. The 19mm channel and the 2-Way Fit system allow for wider tubeless tyres, compared to those usually used on the road, ensuring greater comfort and safety, whatever the conditions of the road surface. For those who don’t want to give up on the lightness of a carbon rim, Fulcrum has solutions that provide an excellent combination of performance and stability, such as the Racing Carbon DB or Racing Zero Carbon CMPTZN DB line. Also available with the 2-Way Fit system, these two lightweight, low profile wheels are ideal for the lethal climbs of these two events.
As Carlos and David, the organisers of Transiberica Ultracycling, put it: “Our events are amongst the toughest in Europe. They are the only ones that include two deserts and the highest mountain passes on the continent. It’s important that the competitors can count on high-quality and reliable wheels such as Fulcrum’s”. The pleasure of a challenge and a passion for bikes are in Fulcrum’s DNA, so we couldn’t fail to seize the opportunity of supporting these three ultra-cycling events.
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