Race Preview

After its inaugural edition last year, TransIbérica once again rolls out of Bilbao with 31 riders on the list eagerly awaiting an adventure like no other they've taken on before.

From the same organisers that brought you the TransPyrenees earlier this year, TransIbérica is a true test of endurance through some of the most trying checkpoints located in Spain, France and Portugal.

ONES TO WATCH

Ulrich Bartolmös recently won the TransPyrenees race and has been busy training on similar terrain to that which he will race through in just a few days' time.

With a truly international field (riders from everywhere between Brazil and Finland), it's hard to know whose race it might be and it'll be interesting to see how the German pair of Sandra Rosgalla and Stefan Slegl get on.

THE CHECKPOINTS

Information about each of the checkpoints can be found here but some particular highlights include:

• CP2: Javalambre Peak - the riders can take some shortcuts for the descent but with hard gravel.
• CP4: Pico del Veleta - it's always an amazing moment watching riders climb the 3394m peak, but some of the riders have announced that they will climb it from the south side. It's shorter coming from CP3, but there is more than 30km of gravel probably with some snowfields.
• From CP5, the Andalusian village of Ronda, to CP6 in Albufeira, PT, the logical way is crossing the Spanish/Portuguese border by ferry but this ferry doesn't run at night, so they have to plan their time accordingly.

Coverage begins on Sunday 1st September so keep checking back for updates on how the race will be won.