Published by Silk Road Mountain Race Ltd
We report live from the field in Kyrgyzstan, Morocco, Greece & Turkïye. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Listen on Apple Podcasts37 min
Cynthia Carson, women's winner of Hellenic Mountain Race 2026, fell violently ill on the opening hike-a-bike over Smolikas — what she calls the hardest thing she's ever done. With 700km still to go, she was forced to recalibrate and what follows was a masterclass in relentless self-care, patience, and perhaps a record quantity of glasses of milk consumed. Read the interview Production & hosting by Mel Webb Sound design by Ben Crannell Visit our website to learn more about The Mountain Races Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
36 min
Max Riese took the overall win at Hellenic Mountain Race 2026 by just 24 minutes, after a knife's-edge battle with his friend and rival Marc Büchel in the final days. We get into the obsessive route prep, a hailstorm that tipped him toward hypothermia, the full-compromise bike, and the metal-and-drum-and-bass playlist that carried him to the line. Read the interview Production & hosting by Mel Webb Sound design by Ben Crannell Visit our website to learn more about The Mountain Races Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
26 min
The final episode of our Hellenic Mountain Race coverage. We hear from riders at the finish line about their journey, and everything that they learned along the way. Riders featured in this episode: Daniel Magrizos — Cap 40 Colombine Courouble — Cap 33 Jeff Hehn — Cap 214A Efthymios Tsipouras — Cap 43 John Roe — Cap 86 Christina Chappetta — Cap 206A Sabrina Ste-Marie — Caps 206B Giannis Adamoudis — Cap 66 Follow the dots on MAProgress and follow @hellenicmountainrace on Instagram for visual updates from the trail. Production & hosting by Mel Webb Sound design by Ben Crannell Visit our website to learn more about The Mountain Races Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
34 min
In our penultimate episode, we jump ahead to the sea. CP3 is now closed, the heat is on, and Nafpaktos is filling up with riders who've made it. With plenty hanging around, we hear from some of them before heading up to the final climb before the sea. Abe Kaufman — Cap 1 Arthur Bonal — Cap 17 Marc Büchel — Cap 106 Simone Eder — Cap 153 Urs Mannhart — Cap 164 James Penny — Cap 78 Sebastian Perzlmaeir — Caps 218A Sven Schroeder — Cap 218B Dániel Kövesházi — Cap 207A Marcell Gangel — Cap 207B Follow the dots on MAProgress and follow @hellenicmountainrace on Instagram for visual updates from the trail. Production & hosting by Mel Webb Sound design by Ben Crannell Visit our website to learn more about The Mountain Races Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
37 min
Day six, and the field is on the home stretch. As riders collect their final stamp at CP3 in Karpenissi, the race is taking its toll — cut hands, burst spokes, nine stitches, and a bumblebee with a bottle of Smirnoff for antiseptic. The weather has flipped: the snow and frozen passes of the early days are a distant memory, replaced by thunderstorms and scorching heat. We hear from riders at the checkpoint, on the climb up Kaliakouda, and cooling off in the turquoise water at the Stenoma–Viniani bridge. Riders featured in this episode: Marius Winter — Cap 112 Efthymios Tsipouras — Cap 47 Emma Missale — Cap 209A Sean Geivett — Cap 209B James Penny — Cap 78 Michael Gaffey — Cap 125 Reese Butler — Cap 136 John Roe — Cap 86 Nils Dongowski — Cap 130 Alex MacLean — Cap 7 Adam Broyad — Cap 201A Andrew Proffitt — Cap 201B Follow the dots on MAProgress and follow @hellenicmountainrace on Instagram for visual updates from the trail. Production & hosting by Mel Webb Sound design by Ben Crannell Visit our website to learn more about The Mountain Races Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
21 min
Day five, and nearly a week of living on the bike is starting to show. As Checkpoint 2 in Melissourgi closes its doors, we hear from the riders streaming through, as well as those who have just arrived at CP3 in Karpenissi. Riders featured in this episode: Urs Mannhart — Cap 164 John Roe — Cap 86 Andrei Tereskin — Cap 14 Simone Eder — Cap 153 Maciej Swinarski — Cap 103 Moez Bhatti — Cap 128 Gala Giannini — Cap 62 Giulio Soffiati — Cap 67 Albert Schmidt — Cap 4 Ernest Pilecki — Cap 53 Follow the dots on MAProgress and follow @hellenicmountainrace on Instagram for visual updates from the trail. Production & hosting by Mel Webb Sound design by Ben Crannell Visit our website to learn more about The Mountain Races Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
30 min
Three days into Hellenic Mountain Race and past the halfway mark, we begin our day at Checkpoint 2 in Melissourgi. The route swings from snow-lined waterfalls and 1,600-metre climbs to baking valley heat, leaving riders salt-stained, sunburnt and behind on sleep. Giulio Soffiati — Cap 67 Evert de Proost — Cap 54 Moez Bhatti — Cap 128 Sean Geivett — Cap 209B James Lindsay — Cap 79 Conor McKenzie — Cap 35 Cynthia Carson — Cap 37 Manuel Rauwolf — Cap 105 Lasse Strickert — Cap 99 Follow the dots on MAProgress and follow @hellenicmountainrace on Instagram for visual updates from the trail. Production & hosting by Mel Webb Sound design by Ben Crannell Visit our website to learn more about The Mountain Races Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
41 min
Day three of the 2026 Hellenic Mountain Race begins in Metsovo after a brutal night of storms, with riders rolling in soaked and muddy to dry kit, resupply, and weigh up whether to push on or sit out the next storm. As the field settles into the rhythm of the race, things also start to unravel for many. Riders featured in this episode: Cynthia Carson — Cap 37 Valentin Robe — Cap 165 Agostino Lurani — Cap 3 Gala Giannini — Cap 62 Stepan Aubrecht— Cap 217 Hannes Klingberg — Cap 69 Mario Conradt — Cap 110 Janno de Bruijn — Cap 80 Sandro Buettel — Cap 148 James Lindsay — Cap 79 Justyna Jarczok — Cap 92 Benedek Borsos — Cap 22 Marc-Antoine Colonna — Cap 216A Noémie Checa — Cap 216B Kevin Belyea — Cap 95 Follow the dots on MAProgress and follow @hellenicmountainrace on Instagram for visual updates from the trail. Production & hosting by Mel Webb Sound design by Ben Crannell Visit our website to learn more about The Mountain Races Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
29 min
Day two of the fourth Hellenic Mountain Race takes us to CP1 at the Mount Smolikas refuge, reached only by a tough nine-kilometre hike-a-bike over the second-highest peak in Greece. What follows is one of the finest, and gnarliest, single tracks in the country. Riders trickle in bleary-eyed and hungry, swapping stories of punctures, loose cranks, bear tracks and not-quite-enough sleep over spaghetti bolognese and Coke. Riders featured in this episode: Glenn Bloemen — Cap 211A Thomas Ceyrowsky — Cap 211B Richard Lebon — Cap 140 Michael Hayward-Brazier — Cap 124 Gala Giannini — Cap 62 Anastasis Tirtigos — Cap 11 Carl Hopps — Cap 29 Alex MacLean — Cap 7 Mario Conradt — Cap 110 Stephane Ouaja — Cap 156 Emma Missale — Cap 209A Sean Geivett — Cap 209B Follow the dots on MAProgress and follow @hellenicmountainrace on Instagram for visual updates from the trail. Production & hosting by Mel Webb Sound design by Ben Crannell Visit our website to learn more about The Mountain Races Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
30 min
The 2026 Hellenic Mountain Race is underway. We wasted no time showing riders what they signed up, ascending a 1,200-metre climb straight off the start. Rolling out of Agios Athanasios, riders are quickly dropped into the adventure, surrounded by alpine tundra and snow drifts. In this episode we transport you to the side of this first mountain pass, before catching up with riders resupplying and the first to arrive at CP1. Colombine Courouble – Cap 33 Andy Lingham – Cap 15 Stephane Ouaja – Cap 156 Femke van Kessel – Cap 55 Albert Schmidt – Cap 04 Remco Van Gestel – Cap 137 Florian Wille – Cap 210A Jara Giraud – Cap 81 Declan O’Leary – Cap 30 Rick Steffen – Cap 141 Benedek Borsos – Cap 22 Max Riese – Cap 120 Abe Kaufman – Cap 01 Follow the dots on MAProgress and follow @hellenicmountainrace on Instagram for visual updates from the trail. Production & hosting by Mel Webb Sound design by Ben Crannell Visit our website to learn more about The Mountain Races Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
45 min
The fourth edition of Hellenic Mountain Race has finally arrived. We gathered in Agios Athanasios for the usual registration day proceedings. Hear from our riders, along with Nelson Trees. Riders featured in this episode: Sabrina Ste-Marie — Cap 206A Christina Chappetta — Cap 206B Abe Kaufman — Cap 001 Kristen Tonsager — Cap 096 Mateusz Wąsowski — Cap 115 Benedek Borsos — Cap 022 Colombine Courouble — Cap 033 Cynthia Carson — Cap 037 Gala Giannini — Cap 062 Josh Ibbett — Cap 088 Marc Büchel — Cap 106 Max Riese — Cap 120 Jeff Hehn — Cap 214A Sarah Robbins — Cap 214B Follow the dots on MAProgress and follow @hellenicmountainrace on Instagram for visual updates from the trail. Production & hosting by Mel Webb Sound design by Ben Crannell Visit our website to learn more about The Mountain Races Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
1 min
Hellenic Mountain Race begins Saturday May 23rd at 09:00 local time. This year we start in Agios Athanasios, a picturesque stone village in the north. We'll be on the ground throughout the racing, bringing you visual updates on Instagram and our daily race podcast. Follow the dots on MAProgress and follow @hellenicmountainrace on Instagram for visual updates from the trail. Production & hosting by Mel Webb Sound design by Ben Crannell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
1 hr 13 min
At long last, we arrive at the finish line of the sixth edition of the Atlas Mountain Race. We hear from our riders arriving in Essaouira about their stories from the road. Riders featured in this episode: Darragh Cushen — Cap 52 Martino Basilico — Cap 11 Luise Ollick — Cap 162 Gala Giannini — Cap 81 Patrick Schwarz — Cap 191 Greg Martin — Cap 307A Rebecca Rusch — Cap 307B Silas Schmid — Cap 189 James Illman — Cap 109 David Tilly — Cap 214 John Roe — Cap 184 Murray Crichton — Cap 47 Visit our website to stay up to date on future Mountain Races Production and hosting by Mel Webb Sound design by Ben Crannell Cover image by S tephen Shelesky Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
46 min
We sit down with 2026 women’s winner Cynthia Carson following her second victory at the Atlas Mountain Race. Returning with more experience and a clear plan, Cynthia used this race as the opening chapter of a season in which she’s racing all four Mountain Races. Finishing in 5 days, 5 hours, and 2 minutes, she rode with patience and composure across a longer course marked by more extreme weather than in 2024. In this conversation, we reflect on her preparation, her mindset, and how staying committed to her own strategy shaped her race from start to finish. Visit our website to stay up to date on future Mountain Races Production and hosting by Mel Webb Sound design by Ben Crannell Cover image by S tephen Shelesky Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
22 min
After days of mountains and desert, riders cross back over the Atlas one last time, descending through fog and green hills toward the Atlantic coast. The air shifts, the ocean comes into view, and the end begins to feel within reach. In this episode, we hear from riders in the final kilometres before rolling into the finish line. Riders featured in this episode: Thierry Le Floch— Cap 125 Kevin Masicotte— Cap 142 Tanner Jackson — Cap 112 Aurélie & Jérôme Mesplede — Caps 317A&B Paul Cresveaux — Cap 302B Nicole Van Batenburg — Cap 221 Emma Missale & Sean Geivett — Caps 309A&B 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 Cover image by Nils Laengner Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
40 min
We've jumped forward to the finish line to catch up with our men's winner, Victor Bosoni. The young French rider won this year's race in a time of 4 days, 1 hour and 46 minutes. We sat down in the Medina of Essalouira to hear all about his ride: the highs, the lows and how prioritising rest throughout allowed him to not only race to his fullest potential, but to enjoy the experience to its fullest as well. As Victor's first language is French, we cover a few questions in both French and English. 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 Cover image by Stephen Shelesky Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
39 min
The Old Colonial Road is one of the most iconic sections of the Atlas Mountain Race route, featured across all six editions. Carved into the mountainside, it winds through folded layers of sedimentary rock, the earth rippling in bands of rust and ochre. From a distance the surface appears smooth; up close it is loose, and badly broken in places from erosion. Many riders will rider it at night, missing out on the views. At sunrise, the scale of the landscape comes fully into view and for the lucky few who see it at daylight, it will no doubt be a highlight of their race. Riders featured in this episode: Niki de Kadt — Cap 56 JoJo Blunt — Cap 19 Gala Giannini — Cap 81 Ariane Richter — Cap 179 Jeannie & Martin Dreyer — Caps 306A&B Darragh Cushen — Cap 52 John Roe— Cap 184 Adrienne Estrada — Cap 68 Sebastian Sarx & Denise Vorberg — Caps 320A & 320B Bastien Girard Nkouikani — Cap 82 Richard Hunt — Cap 107 David Tilly — Cap 217 Cedric Henriot — Cap 90 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 Cover image by Nils Laengner Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
40 min
Checkpoint Two: the halfway mark of the Atlas Mountain Race. Riders descend out of the desert and into an oasis of palms, couscous, showers, and stamped brevet cards. For some, arrival brings relief. For others, difficult decisions. Ankles, batteries, bottom brackets, and nerves are all negotiated in equal measure. We hear from riders resetting body and mind, celebrating birthdays, managing setbacks, and chasing the cutoff as the clock ticks toward 17:00. By day’s end, 163 riders make it in before time, the snail still moving steadily behind. Riders featured in this episode: Emma & Sean — Caps 309A&B Paul Cresveaux — Cap 302B Adrienne Estrada — Cap 68 Conor Dunne — Cap 64 JoJo Blunt — Cap 19 Jeannie & Martin — Caps 306A&B Darragh Cushen — Cap 52 David Tilly — Cap 214 Kari Bergstedt — Cap 13 Matthieu Segard — Cap 193 Hannah Larbalestier — Cap 124 Jake Simpson — Cap 197 Matt Franklin — Cap 73 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 Cover image by Stephen Shelesky Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
35 min
One of the most famous sections of the Atlas Mountain Race is the 100KM stretch of no resupply through the desert. Here riders meander through the Anti Atlas, climbing their way up to a plateau with stunning views of the network of canyons below. We meet riders chasing the snail here. We also hear from riders at Café Atlas in Ait Saoun which has become a popular stop for riders, and potentially the best omelette of the whole race. Riders featured in this episode: Zoe McIntosh — Cap 144 Andy Dodd — Cap 61 Julien Gravaud — Cap 89 John Roe — Cap 184 Cedric Henriot — Cap 98 Roz Osborne — Cap 163 Eoin Cocoran — Cap 205 Julia Wuerzinger — Cap 232 Erin Poland — Cap 308B Jono Freeman — Cap 308A Neil Copeland — Cap 43 Matthew Franklin — Cap 73 Gala Giannini — Cap 81 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 Cover image by Nils Laengner Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
29 min
Conditions remain incredibly demanding as our riders press on towards Checkpoint 1 in Boutharar. The weather has improved in some ways, and worsened in others. The silver lining is that, at long last, most of the tarmac is behind them and the route turns back into the terrain riders came to the Atlas Mountain Race for. In this episode, we hear from those still pushing toward their first stamp, as well as riders who have just arrived. Riders featured in this episode: Paul & Benjamin — Caps 302A & 302B Justyna Jarczok — Cap 114 Miroslav Chrapka — Cap 39 Darragh Cushen — Cap 44 Kari Bergstedt — Cap 13 Rebecca & Greg — Caps 316A & 316B Rafal Sokol — Cap 202 Kristen Tonsager — Cap 215 James Illman — Cap 109 Erin & Jono — Cap 308A Sebastian Sarx — Cap 328A Robyn Hughes — Cap 104 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 Cover image by Stephen Shelesky Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.