Five Minutes With Simon Epperlein

You won the Perfidious Albion last year, a race that tackles almost the entire length of Great Britain. What drew you to this race?

I’ve always wanted to ride my bike in the UK, especially Wales and Scotland. When looking for races in the second half of the year this race immediately stood out due to what seemed like a beautifully planned route that leads through these wonderful landscapes while also tackling some of Britain's most iconic climbs. And it didn’t disappoint. Northern Wales included some of the most beautiful roads I’ve ever ridden. At the same time I underestimated how hard some of the climbing would be. British roads can be surprisingly steep and demoralizing!

Photo Credit: Rob Gardiner

How did you get into ultra-distance cycling?

My hometown of Dresden, Germany has quite an active ultra cycling scene. Most famously, Fiona Kolbinger used to live and ride here. After joining a few long-distance events in the area I quickly noticed that this was both something that I enjoyed and also that my body could cope with the demands of this sport. It then only took a little bit of convincing for me to sign up for my first bigger race, the and therefore ride my first multi-day ultra-distance cycling event. The long-distance cycling also is a means of escaping from my sometimes very demanding job as a PhD student in life sciences.

Photo Credit: Tadek Chiechanowski

You started Race Through Poland 2024 in a pair, your partner withdrew late in the race due to a knee injury. How did you find this experience?

Generally speaking, the RTPL was a great experience. But it was much harder than both me and my riding partner had imagined. Still, I would say, it was about 90% fun. I immediately learned a lot about myself and how my body reacts in certain situations. Sharing this experience of the first proper ultra race with a friend was certainly a good way to get started in this discipline. You can keep each other motivated and share these unique experiences!

Of course it was heartbreaking when my partner had to scratch less than 200 km before the finish line. Especially since we were leading in the (admittedly very small) pairs classification at that point. I know it was an extremely hard and bitter decision for him but we had agreed on what to do in these situations beforehand and I continued the ride to the finish line alone. This also in a way showed me that I was ready to tackle the next race as a solo rider which led me to signing up for the TPA24.

Photo Credit: Tadek Chiechanowski

You are relatively new to the race scene but have had some epic races, any advice you can give to riders just getting into the sport?

There are a whole lot of things to consider in ultra cycling both before and during the races. You have to be ready both physically and especially mentally. In the end you spend a lot of time alone with just your thoughts on empty roads. This can be both scary but also liberating. Sometimes during the rides my head is just completely empty and this is a part that I really enjoy.

Most importantly you should always know what you’re getting yourself into and be prepared for as many possible problems as you can be. At the same time, cycling should always be fun. When you’re not enjoying the ride then maybe you should consider changing your approach or your tactics.

Photo Credit: Rob Gardiner

What races have you got your eye on in 2025?

This year I will return to the Race Through Poland as a solo rider. The riders list is pretty stacked for this year so I’m incredibly excited to participate in a race with people whose dots I’ve been watching in the past. Apart from that there will be more smaller events and audaxes around my hometown and maybe another multi-day event later in the year. But I’m also changing jobs in the summer so I’ll have to see where things will take me!

Photo Credit: Adrian Crapciu

What is your favourite ride snack?

I’m a huge fan of vegan gummy bears during long rides. Even when you’re not feeling like eating anything, there is always room for another gummy bear. During the TPA24 I basically survived on Rice Krispie Squares so I will always remember them fondly, especially since we can’t get them in gas stations here in Germany.

Photo Credit: Kitty Dennis