Overview heading into the 3rd night

Top 9 men at the finish – Ladies on the home stretch

Rick steffen first rider to finish Badlands

Race Preview Badlands 2025

Rick Steffen

Max Agut

Chris Mehlman

Andrea De Silvestris

Benedek Borsos

Ulrich Bartholmoes

Francesco Bettini

Markus Valentin

Maxime Prieur

Patrick Staubach

Ondrej Sobek

Juan Antonio Flecha

Donald Campbell

Zachary Morvant

Svenja Betz

Niels Tiaden

Christian Stepke

Johannes Franzky

Anuchi Gago

Rasmus Wulff Nørholm Gøtke

Ella Bloor

César Mato

Vincent Chege

Cristian Auriemma

Paulo Alexandre Da Silva

David Bates

Joe Jackson

Sebastian Helbig

Felix Brenner

Zuzana Bohacova

Krzysztof Nowak

Cyril Thibault

Sergi López

David Arthur

Jesús Sánchez

Pierre Lambert

Stephan Stange

Julie Von Gruenigen

Paul Merkel

Alexandre Gazquez

Álvaro Jiménez

Jeff Webb

Craig Mccoll

António Carlos Ferreira

Richard George Welch

Cees Akkermans

Yvonne Waltert

George Steele

Jace Cimabue

Damian Huba

Elmar Petrisor

Duarte Tirapicos

Carles Serrador

Anja Hausamann

Nerea García

Christian Riveros

Kenn Stoejer

Ana Orenz

Friedrich Matzen

Oliver Schuller

Miguel Alexandre Morais

Gontzal Ayerdi

Jorge Antonio Macías

Patrick Strack

Clinton Halsey

Isabelle Berti

Juan José Gómez

Gints Pele

Martino Basilisco

Pablo Gonzalo

Jake Inserra

Benjamin Quinn

Nikolaj Georg Setzkorn

Bartlomiej Tytko

Gala Giannini

Antonio Muñoz

Filipe Cunha

Nacho Sánchez

Sarah Diekmeyer

Mattei Tommaso

Luca Kluzer

Mindaugas Sujeta

Sarah Bosslet

Arnþór Gústavsson

Leonard Müller

Edgar Grandio

Florian Burauen

Ivonne Lamp

Aidan Duff

Elin Zoe Winkler

Bert Van Der Plas

Carlos Rodes

Marie Rydne

Francisco Camacho

Jesús Rull

Patrick Peritz

José Lombardía

Simon Öst

Ismael Masero

Duarte Pais

Adam Jordan & Gregor Lah

Inocencio Serra & Jesús Alberto Rubio

Victor Bosoni & Charles Nora

Mathias Duus Møller & Jonas Krarup Kirkegaard

Philipp Bützow & Scott Thiltges

Sergei Haukka & Artjoms Hondozko

Rich Allinson & Sam Collins

Lucas Tissot & Geoffrey Baudouin

Jessie Rowlands & Lucinda Megan Davies

Adam Clinton & Finbarr Duerden

Francisco Garcia & Hugo Sérgio Fernandes

Ramiro Jacome Leal & Rodrigo Pesantes Saenz

César Merás & Antonio Antequera

Cameron Crabb & George Alexander

José Padilla & Vidal Fernández

Florian Rothe & Alexander Nikolopoulos

Manuel Toribio & Aitor Cahue

Steven Kohl & Aline Barre

Dennis Klaar & Andreas Brettmark

Lachlan Dane Hore & Kyle Duncan Baker

José Antonio Molina & José Francisco Arias

Pau Mitjans & Aitor Fusté

Dylan Hubble & Stefan Brisbane

Henryk Wieschalla & Roberto Marrone

James Page & Mark Whittle

Jordi Vera & Nil Vera

Dennis Schnepper & Marco Jochmann

Beat Bosshart & Moritz Bolli

Sergio Mora & Helio Alejandro Domínguez

Alkamar Ermy Bin Mohd Aris & Amir Sharifudin Bin Mohd Amin

Walter Contreras Aguilar & Jose Adrián Meneses Bonilla

Dragomir Kouzov & Victor Kouzov

Alejandro Rodríguez & José Carlos Pardo

Bettina Araya Napolitano & Enrico Stehr

Peter Lynch & Aidan Lawlor

Juan José Gutiérrez & Octavio Molina

Stefan Radojicic & Milos Radojicic

Caroline Gahne & Silje Leira

Nils Ralf Kranhold & Tyrin Kirby

Oscar Ivan Medina Sanchez & Julio Cesar Martinez Jr

Alexandre Luz Xavier Da Costa & Diego Henrique Dantas De Oliveira

Ross Lovell & Christopher Grundberg

Marc Newrzella & Maximilian März

Tim Carson & Franz Kupfer

Griffin Easter

Julia Altrup

Jon Endres

Federico Michetti

Miguel Angel García

Crew 4

Crew 1

Crew 2

Crew 3

Kitty here, a massive thank you to Nathalie for commentating this extremely speedy event of Badlands, she's racing now so we'll take over for some final updates. 

[Chris Tonge](https://www.instagram.com/christonge/) has been giving us the details from the ground:

## Day 4 Morning Update
 By the morning of day 4 only 59 solo and 7 pairs had finished, still a mammoth amount of riders over the line. With the largest group spread between 500km and 700km it looks like they'll all be rolling through on day 5 (yesterday).  It's hot out there - 33-34 degrees celcius on the ground, something that always plagues riders at Badlands.

 ## Day 5 Morning Update 
 There were still 73 solo and 13 pairs on the track on Thursday morning. Pushing through the exhaustion and keeping moving, less about speed and more about the mental and physical fortitude. Riders further back have longer out on the road so bike maintenance, rest and nutrition are key to finishing the Badlands route.

 ## The Final Morning
 With just 3 hours left, the final 9 are pushing to the end, there are two pairs and 5 solo riders still out on the ground. A true testament of human spirit and endurance, they'll have spent 6 days in heat, dust and immense physical and mental strain. Bring on the final push!

## Other Updates 

[https://www.instagram.com/p/DOLLZdajPm6/?img_index=1
](https://www.instagram.com/p/DOLLZdajPm6/?img_index=1) 

As usual Badlands provides the riding conditions we all dream of. Everything looks serene and enticing, so we'll dig into the socials of the riders to see what is going on on the groud, but a key update here from Victor Bosoni.

To caveat this, we're posting this to generate a discussion, this isn't a reflection on the race or the organisers as the Badlands team works extremely hard to foster a positive community. They have warmup rides, training camps and encourage the philosophy of ultra. This is more a reflection on the intersection between competitiveness and the ultra-cycling scene. 

By nature, ultra goes through towns, cities and villages that are completely unaware of the event going on. There's no bin zones, no pit stops... nothing. Understanding the complex equilibrium between the remote places we visit and us is vital to continuing the sport as we know it. 

[https://www.instagram.com/p/DOMIGTRDE4r/?img_index=1](https://www.instagram.com/p/DOMIGTRDE4r/?img_index=1)

Sarah Bosslet, who just finished the TCR riding for herself and her partner, who was sadly killed during a world record attempt, has finished Badlands in 82 hrs 11 mins. She finished Race Across Spain, B-Hard Race and the TCR. So heading to Badlands to add a fourth race to the roster, this has been an unmatched season for Sarah, you can learn more [here](https://worldbicyclereliefde.koalect.com/en-GB/project/ride-for-mohit?tab=overview). 

![Screenshot 2025-09-05 at 10.44.18](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/7qDz7yFsz64r0yN0XRvagl/325263dc7fbbaecfd22123b000f76133/Screenshot_2025-09-05_at_10.44.18.png)

One of the final riders on the course still within the cut off, [I Han Lo](https://www.instagram.com/veryhangry_/), has been providiing some great updates on social media. With insight into the food, the race environment and what it takes to tackle such a difficult event. Chapeau!

Keep your eyes peeled over the next few hours for the final few riders to come in. What an incredible race Badlands 2025 has been!

Badlands Is Almost Over... Day 4 and 5 Recaps

__Still on the Course: The Heart of the Event__

The real story of the event is still unfolding with the 196 solo riders and 42 pairs who are still pushing forward. They are spread across hundreds of kilometers of the track, with a significant number currently in the final third of the event.
The majority of these riders are in the 600-700 km range, meaning they are approximately 114-214 km from the finish line.

__Finished Riders__

In the Solo category, 30 riders have crossed the finish line. Rick Steffen secured the top spot with an impressive time of 1 day, 14 hours, and 15 minutes. The first four finishers all completed the track in under 2 days, a testament to their incredible speed and stamina. However, the times quickly spread out, with later finishers taking over 2 days and 12 hours to complete the same distance. This wide distribution highlights the diverse strategies and pacing adopted by the competitors. Crazy enough: All top 6 riders have a stopping time of under 2 hours. The shortest stopping time have 2nd placed Max Agut and 3rd placed Chris Mehlman –  both only stopped for 30min in total. 

In the Pairs category, 4 teams have finished. The duo of Adam Jordan & Gregor Lah claimed first, finishing in 1 day, 20 hours, and 39 minutes.

__Attrition and DNF Statistics__

46 riders have officially dropped out (DNF), 37 were solo riders and 4.5 were pairs. The primary reasons for withdrawal were the heat on the first day, mechanical failures, falls, sickness, or severe fatigue.

__Nothing beats sunsets at Badlands. __
![beauty lights](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/tU9XLPCnvChWucKmjuPUg/6a5b5cc1932c884671686f9c5af6366d/Badlands-0317.jpg)


The ladies race was nail biting until the end. After a slowish start Svenja Betz turned the race into her favor with strong riding during the nights and a stopping time of only 93minutes. She played her strenghts well and finished in 51 hrs 54 mins. (15th overall)

happy, but exhausted Svenja at the finish.
![Svenja at finish line](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4QyiXleyWQeBKerfjz7bCm/f8eb4328e50c2b78930307fdf658bc59/DSC04132.jpg)

Behind her Anuchi Gago finished second after leading most of the race. She finished 18th overall, showcasing a stellar performance. Finishing time: 55 hrs 38 mins

Not far behind Ella Bloor finished 3rd place (20th overall) in 56 hrs 16 mins and Zuzana Bohacova 4th (29th overall) in 59 hrs 29 mins. Julie Von Gruenigen	is the next woman supposed to finish – she has 40km to go.


Top 5 Ladies

Most riders are still on course. 6% hev finishes, 14% have scratched and the rest is still out there! Thankfully the riders are experiencing slightly lower temperatures today. Here a brief overwiev whats going on on track:

__Solo Riders__

There is a tight cluster of riders between the 700 km and 800 km mark, with Johannes Franzky leading the pack at 802.08 km, followed closely by Anuchi Gago (2nd woman) and Christian Stepke. This group is likely pushing hard to be the next to finish.

The main group: A large number of riders are distributed between the 600 km and 700 km range. The field starts to spread out more as the distance increases, but there's still a significant concentration here.

The mid-pack: The bulk of the remaining solo riders fall between 450 km and 600 km. 

The tail end: A small group of riders is still in the early stages, below the 400 km mark. The last rider who is still active on the course is Muhammad Rizky at 210.87 km, with many riders behind him having already dropped out (DNF).

__Pairs__

The chasing pack: The top three pairs who haven't finished yet are fairly close to one another, ranging from Inocencio Serra & Jesús Alberto Rubio at 771.87 km down to Mathias Duus Møller & Jonas Krarup Kirkegaard at 742.33 km. They are all well within a strong position to finish soon.

Day 3 – What's happening a bit further back

Svenja Betz has achieved an extraordinary feat, conquering Badlands after a strategic push and cementing her legacy, adding to her wins at Traka 560 and Unbound XL. Despite admitting to a slower start at Badlands this year, Svenja demonstrated incredible determination, digging deep and finding strength in the nights to close the gap on Anuchi Gago. Her efforts paid off, leading her to "go for the win" when she caught up. This victory is particularly meaningful following her previous experience at Badlands, where she "was a bit afraid to come here and to not win like last year and then be sad again." Now, she expresses immense happiness, having achieved "perfection" by securing all three major races. What an inspiring display of grit and triumph!
__First Women Finisher: 2d 3h 54m__


Svenja Betz first woman to finish 

__Solo Standings Men__

The top 9 riders have finished. Rick Steffen in an impressive time of 1 day, 14 hours, and 15 minutes. He was followed by Max Agut, Chris Mehlman, Andrea De Silvestris, Benedek Borsos, Ulrich Bartholmoes, Francesco Bettini, Markus Valentin and Maxime Prieur.

__Ladies on the home stretch__

Svenja Betz has been catching up during the night and is showing a strong second half of the race, showing her growing experience in Ultra-Cycling races. She has passed Anuchi Gago in the sunrise hours. It's a tight race, but Svenja is now quickly gaining ground in the final stretch and is currently sitting 13th overall. Anuchi Gago is second in the womens field, currently 15th place overall. She is holding a comfortable lead to Ella Bloor, who is also performing exceptionally well, holding 17th place overall. The womens race is now surely decided by whom can best cope with sleep deprivation.

The top-ranked all-female team in the pair category, Jessie Rowlands & Lucinda Megan Davies, is in 9th place, having completed over 576km.The rest of the women in both categories have a long way to go, with the finish line at 813.84 km.

__Pair Standings__

In the pair category, Adam Jordan & Gregor Lah have finished with a time of 1 day, 20 hours, and 39 minutes. The second-place pair, Nils Ralf Kranhold & Tyrin Kirby, seem to have troubles with their trackers as their dot is still at 769km. The third-placed, Inocencio Serra & Jesús Alberto Rubio, are holding a strong position at 687km.

__Other fun facts__

Another mention worthy performance is currently showing Juan Antonio Flecha, a former professional road cyclist. Juan Antonio podiumed 4 times at paris-Roubaix and is currently sitting in 18th place.

At this point of the race 37 riders have scratched, which is 13% of the field. 276 solo riders & teams are still in the race. 

German firefighter and amateur cyclist Rick Steffen returned to Badlands to finish the race after crashing out last year. He prepared by drawing on ultra-cycling experience, including completing Paris-Brest-Paris in 44 hours. He found the Gorafe desert landscape "crazy" and African-like, feeling like he wasn't in Europe. The course was faster but still had bumps and hazards, and he had pre-ridden the technical finish into Granada. During the race, he had to push hard to stay ahead of Max Agut. In the final hour, he constantly watched for others, and was surprised to discover a two-hour lead at the finish, his first question being about this gap.
__Official finish time 1d 14h 15m__

Rick at the Finish Line – happy, but exhausted
![Rick at Finishline](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/7MaKNqB3FyPVTf0w3Jh8yR/0d6067122eb94a3f69a4f523e13b89ac/DSC03436.jpg)

Sneak Peak of Ricks Bike
![WInning Bike of Rick](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4JFnEg6HpviP5v6hEstWqK/e64753971cb5993aef5a06fcde731013/DSC03480.jpg)


With the finish line drawing near (after 620km ridden), the final hours are proving to be as intense as the first. The event has seen a relentless battle across the challenging terrain of southern Spain, making it's namne BADLANDS proud. This is a testament to the mental and physical toughness required for an event like Badlands. The first riders in each category are now in the home stretch, and their final push will decide the ultimate winners of each category.

__Dominant Lead for Rick__

Mens front ride Rick Steffen holds a dominant lead, with over 765 km completed. He is in a strong position to win and is likely to arrive at the finish line in the next few hours.

__The Podium Battle__

While Steffen seems secure, the fight for second and third place is tight. Max Agut and Chris Mehlman are locked in a close contest, with the top contenders pushing hard to secure a spot on the podium.

__Ladies going strong__

Anuchi Gago is still leading the women's field. She has been noted as a strong competitor from the start, navigating the challenging conditions with determination.
The Chase: Anuchi is being chased by other top female riders, including Svenja Betz and Julie Von Gruenigen, who are currently ranked 17th and 22nd overall respectively. The gaps between them suggest a thrilling finale for the women's podium. But: even the leader Anuchi has a challenging 228 km remaining on the course.

__Pairs__

In the pairs Adam Jordan & Gregor Lah have established a commanding lead, completing 668 km of the course. They have approximately 148 km remaining, and based on their lead, are on track for a strong finish within the next several hours.
The fight for the second and third place podium spots is incredibly tight, with Inocencio Serra & Jesús Alberto Rubio and Victor Bosoni & Charles Nora separated by less than 2 km. With over 240 km still to ride, the outcome is far from decided.

__Badlands at its best__

![beautiful road](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4UwaR60JI1STMxsQNcqsUD/0e7bb5d2e3ef90a74d517559d872ce0b/WhatsApp_Image_2025-09-01_at_20.13.20.jpeg)

Leaders heading into the second night

Rick Steffen punctures at Kilometer 650. But not even this seems to slow him down. 

Punctures for the win?

Anuchi Gago has started the section along the coast, The Cabo de Gata Natural Park. She's looking really strong and pushing with every kilometer. 
![Anna](//videos.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4g3vgQfYitMSnz8BSY0YW6/d8512b82078950648b430bff3bd5ea7e/WhatsApp_Video_2025-09-01_at_12.11.39.mp4)

The women's field is demonstrating remarkable performance and is a strong part of the overall race. Anuchi Gago is currently holding an impressive 18th place overall with 473.37 km completed and has a solid lead over the next female rider. But the women's event for the top spots is highly competitive, with a few riders closely clustered together.

Julie Von Gruenigen is in 21st place, less than 5 km behind the leader, demonstrating that the gap at the top is very tight and the lead could change. Svenja Betz (23rd) and Ella Bloor (24th) are very close behind, with only about 1 km separating them, indicating a direct competition for the third spot.

The Spread of the Field is similar to the overall race, reflecting a variety of racing strategies and endurance levels. 

And oh well... The skies have cleared here, and the temperatures are up to the mid-30s again. It's looking like it's going to be another scorcher of an afternoon.

Another quick update on the women category

Nathalie Schneitter

Cara Dixon

Alex Martínez

Badlands 2025 tracking and commentary: is a true test of gravel skill. At 800km, this race is a difficult balance between non-stop riding or adventuring through the Spanish wilderness. With difficult terrain, sharp climbs and deserts to cross it'll be exciting from start to finish. 

Badlands 2025 tracking and commentary

Badlands is a true test of gravel skill. At 800km, this race is a difficult balance between non-stop riding or adventuring through the Spanish wilderness.

Badlands 2025

DotWatcher.cc

Badlands 2025

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