Atlas Mountain Race

Would love to as well, but unlikely for me.
Not impossible though, I'll see when it is, look at the calendar and see if there is a good time to bring it up.
I rode in Morocco about 12 years ago. Some good trails but the local kids tend to chuck stones at bikes. I hope they've moved on from that now.

https://www.komoot.com/collection/1853122/-atlas-mountain-race-2023

"We have a new finish, with the race route now extended to reach Essaouira after 1300 kilometres of Moroccan Atlas wilderness. If you don't know this picturesque 18th century port town, have a quick look online and you'll soon understand why we're excited to take riders here.

To accommodate the new finish line, we've made a few modifications earlier on in the race, shortening it in a few places. We'll also brought the start forward to 18:00 on Friday the 3rd of February, giving riders an extra 15 hours to complete the additional 135 kilometres, keeping the overall difficulty very similar to previous editions. "

We used to chuck stones at cars. Mad Max is definitely a future reality and we will be proved to be in the right...

Doesn't work for me unfortunately, we already have something in diary for 11th.

Do want to try and do two events this year though.

I already have the MTB setup. I just wonder how I'd get to/from the start/finish.

Flights to Marrakesh are easy enough but then from the coast town of Essaouira it's 180km back to the start.

For the first race they ran busses back to the start and to Agadir. They also transferred bike boxes from the start/finish

Nice one. Hopefully they'll have something similar in place.

Did you race? How did you find the event? Has anyone written a race report on this? I guess everyone just posts shit on Insta during and no one does long form reports any more.

Every cunt going has some circlejerk video on youtube.

Shit meant to post that from my burner

Josh Ibbett's video from this edition was good, and Into The Rift from the first edition is worth a watch

I'm down to start Feb 23 but house move business that swallowed my training time plus getting covid a couple of weeks back means i'm out.

Training? wut?

we havent all smashed out infinity AAA points

https://bikepacking.com/plog/josh-ibbett-2022-amr-video/

https://www.albioncycling.com/2022/10/road-to-marrakech/

True. But I think it was doing that that left me too fucked to finish (or really start) L'esperit de Girona.

3 months away just seems a long way out to be calling it off.

I don't even know how to train for this kind of thing. For me, MTB skills is probably the worst aspect - picking shit lines and the mental stress of trying not to die wastes so much energy. I'd probably look at doing much more VO2 stuff as well. All that long slow stuff is no use when you're pushing 600W just to try and get your (my) fat arse over some rock garden.

Perfect. Thanks!

yeah i get you. i basically planned to have a really decent summer of audaxes and overnighters, but it didnt happen so im currently the least fit i have been in a few years, instead of the opposite. Have already emailed them to say I'm a DNS and that if my place can be transferred to someone then cool. He's had such a shitstorm with this event over the past few years I'm just hoping he can keep it all afloat

Raced the first edition. As an event there was couple of small things I would change but overall it was very good.

I'd just practice riding uphill slowly on surfaces that are quite rough but not rough enough that you can't ride. I was also on a Fairlight Secan which is a great bike just the wrong one for the event.

riding uphill slowly

I've got that bit nailed. :D

I think a lot of people rode the first event thinking it was a gravel race, no? So you probably weren't the only one. I've got the Stanton 29er with bags on it all ready from James' event so if I can just find a way to box it and get there (and back) it seems like a nice idea/challenge.

I need to have a closer look at the route though and work out what sleep kit, etc. might be needed.

It's a great event.

I saw 0C at night as clear skies, but no rain, easy. Terrain no worse than Guillieres. Enter!

Guillieres

I'm glad you said that and not Gavarres. #fkngavarres :D

It's like they're listening to me...

https://bikepacking.com/plog/2022-atlas-mountain-race-tristan-cardew/

Yes, I do, and I died!
It's a double suspension or well-doted MTB.
I just bought an OIZ double suspension bike, but 490€ for a SOLO entry and similar or same track, made me think twice.

Does this mean I don't need an e-visa? Seems odd that they list Australia and UK under the e-visa list and the list of countries exempt from a visa. Or does this imply that they are treating visa/e-visa as separate things?

https://www.consulat.ma/en/list-countries-whose-citizens-are-exempted-entry-visa-morocco

This site says "no":
https://www.moroccovisa.com/requirements/uk-citizens/

Also looked into this and I'm pretty sure no visa is needed...

'British nationals don’t need a visa to enter Morocco for the purpose of tourism for up to 3 months.'

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/morocco/entry-requirements