I might have mentioned that I have a busy tour schedule in 2025, which is really cutting into my options on things that will keep my weight down and give me some more motivation to ride lots – something ‘ultra’.
And because I’m off to Japan in a few days and I like to have these goals made before the New Year, I found myself doing a search for ‘ultra vélo cyclo’ last night. A surprisingly big number of things popped up, including a whole series of races called Biking Man, the old standby L’Ardechoise, and even La Marmotte seems to be rebranding themselves as an ultra gran fondo these days. And, of course, the expanding Race Across series of events that I’ve been looking at for sometime.
I wanted to do the 500km version in France, but I just can’t figure out the convoluted logistics of it. The starting town (Digne) doesn’t even really have a proper train station, for example, so I would have a hard time either getting there or getting back after it’s done and I’m far away on the Mediterranean. And so it was a pleasant surprise to find this one last night.
This is the 500km version of Race Across Switzerland, which starts and finishes in a place called Champagne and has two handy loops; one north, which looks to be partly in the hills of the Jura (Luc, you can help here); and one south that has a lot more vertical, going into what I think is called the Vaud, before hitting Lake Geneva (and the beautiful Lavaux vineyards) and cutting north again. Given that I just did 330km and 8300m in one (very long) day this year, 500km and 9000m over two days is not unrealistic, but it’s still a big objective and more importantly, I only know a bit of that route. New things are fun.
From what I understand, you are meant to do one loop, sleep, then do the other. I guess the amount of sleep you get is up to you. I haven’t yet figured out where this sleeping actually happens, but it seems that they’ll have cots or something at the base de vie in Champagne. The 2nd loop/day could hurt: 307km and 5200m.
Dates are Aug 15 & 16 (you have 40 hours to finish), which is 4 days before I start a tour of the Alps with my step-brother and friends. In short, it can work, and I might be running out of excuses not to do it.
The Vicious Cycle 
Bravo!
wait, Gerry, so while I will be tapering you will ride 500km in two days, just 4 days before our “revival” Haute Tour? 🙂
Jan, didn’t you know that the guides take turns riding? I’ll be in the van every two days 😉
I hope that it works out.
Looks like an epic ride Gerry. And yes looks like the Cantons Jura along with Vaud and Neuchatel and Fribourg and Bern. Switzerland just goes from beautiful to more beautifuler. Just drove by your part of the world. Very nice around there too. Enjoy Japan and season’s greetings to you.
Thanks, Luc. I’m going to pull the trigger (or not) before I leave for Japan, so I get that out of the way. I watched a video of the route in detail and the guy who made it is a local, who seems to have chosen small roads when he could. It looks like a gorgeous couple of loops.
Happy Holidays to you as well.