Ten Years Of Transcontinental Racing

After ten years of running the TCR, what are some things that still surprise and excite you with each new edition?

Every new edition stands on the foundations of those that came before it, but each one also represents a fresh start. Every step, from designing a brand-new route to opening applications and watching the world’s best ultra cyclists apply, makes each edition unique.

The diversity of applicants continues to grow, which is really exciting. This year we are set to have the largest women's field we have ever had on the race, while also being able to do things like extend the Bursary and the number of places we can offer for the Low Carbon Travel Fund. This has made the race more representative and more sustainable, and to see increasing numbers of riders intend to travel to and from the race without flying is really inspiring.

We’re pleased, rather than surprised, that the TCR still attracts so many applications every year. We have three applicants for every place on the race, and to know that all the hard work we do planning potential routes and doing recces still captures the imagination of all these adventurous souls is a fantastic feeling.

How do you think the TCR has helped shape cycling?

The Transcontinental has set the standard for our sport, and we aim to keep reflecting on what is best for the race and for the ultra-cycling community in general. We’re really fortunate to have had riders who have taken part—and who really understand the spirit of the race—go on to start their own events, from Nelson’s Mountain Race series to Angela running All Points North or Piko running Race Through Poland.

To see that ripple effect is pretty amazing, and I’d like to think is testament to so much of the good ‘stuff’ that makes up the Transcontinental Race. We’re hopeful that things like our work on diversity and sustainability continue to influence other races as well; seeing Kromvojoj and L’espirit both running bursary schemes is brilliant, and a step towards making the sport more representative. If we can continue to play a small part in things like that, it’ll be worth it.

How do you think cycling might change over the next ten years?

The growth in ultra-cycling over the last ten years has been massive; it’s going to be fascinating to see whether it continues, or whether we start to see a consolidation of races on the calendar. The emergence of more off-road racing means that there are now loads of opportunities to test yourself as a racer on different terrain. We’d love to see a growth in consciousness of the environmental impact that races have on the places they pass through, and to see the community work together on mitigating this so that people can continue to enjoy exploring on two wheels for years to come.