Podiums completo, and the rain is invested in seeing this through

A warm, dry room in the barn for the speediest

What is in these cakes?

The cake hunt has begun

Cake and beautiful, quiet mountain dead-ends

Philippe Béchet

Lorenz Inauen

Simon Geiser

Luca Widmer

Michael Benci

Hugo Karas

Nicole Albrecher

Simone Allemann

Benoit Abel

Remy Girardin

Michael Neumann

Eva Parascandolo

Heiko Kippes

Marleen Kirchner

Maximilian Abbe

Lukas Rinderer

Katharina  Kramp

Ingo Nachbaur

Patrick Djuga

Kamil Biedermann

Markus  Marquart

Tobias Schürer

Anastasia Stiel

Lisa Nemetz

Aurelia von Feldberg

Madeleine  Bähr

Jonas Götte

Patrick Wiesner

Nicolas Pulfer

Daniel Lefebre

Anina Schälle

Robert Schneeberger

Thomas Vogler

Sabina Müller

Ide Smets

Sabine Verzier

Lena Kleeb

Stefan Wendler

Melanie Scheffke

Barbara Walcher

Gabriella Antal

Annika Baumann

Chloé Epinat

André Ruhner

Leonie Fischer

Jacqueline Hagel

Eric Weber

Alessia Sträuli

Cyrill Meier

Johanna Wildmoser

Christian Sacha Kleidl

Sandro Poltéra

Alessandra Schmid

Jacqueline Kania

Jana Kesenheimer & Jannik Kesenheimer

Oliver Herrmann & Benedikt Roessler

Michael Meier & Anna Pomwenger

Benjamin Koch & Sandra Meyer

Laila Lüthi & Ronja  Trachsler

Robert Natau & Samuel Meili

Nils Hilligardt & Benjamin Baer

Christophe Dijkmans & Alexander Kopp

Tobias Hengartner & Lukas Hengartner

Irene Graf & Kyra Gürtler

Stefano Bergamaschi & Matteo Steiner

Liz Zimmer & Melissa Gewiese

Robin Füglistaller & Patrick Angehrn

Julian Stadelmann & Daniel Hagleitner

Jan  Famulla & Julia Föllmer

Svenja Hölzl & Bastian Cambresy

Laura Indermühle  & Viviane Buchmann

Claus Siegert & Sascha Nuszkowski

Claire Reierson & Diego  Guillen

Franziska  Schöni & Orphea Sommer

Jasmin Trachsel & Annick Wyss

Julie Chenevoy & Elia Collignon

Hetty & Annie & Flo Kingston

Media-Crew MONoPOLE

Photo Jonas & Andrea

Flying Cake-Angel

Today was all about the survivors. The warrior few that were out there for the 3rd day, taking on more rain again this morning, and then the effects of a sun that everyone thought had officially relocated to another galaxy.

__Lisa Nemetz__ was down to some macgyver-ing to get through the last of the rain today. 10 points for style, and a solid 9 for durability - only dropping one point due to a left toe-piece exposure.

![show covering](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4PzCAC1oI9xY71A9SaeFFU/970b58dcb30a02d44f54e5cd7c49707e/448810853_18442819462022024_2023249568927872454_n.jpg)
(image from Lisa's instagram)

Lisa also found the snow that is sticking around far too late this year (read the room snow, read the room…)

![snow banks](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2yi1ArUuRpIyBBSX1pu7K4/3f30a46929d7753fa02a089a5d4ab958/448821341_18442819270022024_5257674221800144208_n.jpg)
(image from Lisa's instagram)

But it was the lucky couple __Svenja Hölzl & Bastian Cambresy__, who had been snacking their way around the route, that felt the effects of the sun. I would not blame Svenja if she jettisoned the suncream earlier in the route to save weight thinking it was not a necessary item. At least it matches her rain jacket -  which she still had to wear today. Talk about conflicting messages, weather…

![svenja sunburn](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3QKVH4bJwUBj4rUEhTTV2/be1f2694da46ee77d91ba9875453616b/R6JT3396.JPG)

We have seen evidence that there were, in fact,  2 mountain bikes that made the tour, by owners __Christophe Dijkmans & Alexander Kopp__. The strava write-up by Ali laments the high ratio of tarmac to single track. Unfortunately, the conditions did not make for a safe and fun tour this year, despite my high hopes of a first ever mountain bike route finish. Maybe this is the nudge for me to plan a route for myself and my mountain bike and do the Dead Ends & Cake challenge this year. Watch this space.

Of the 100 riders that started Friday morning, 38 solo riders and 18 pairs made it to all 5 checkpoints and back within the 60hour limit. The last person to have made the full round and make it back with 12 minutes to spare is __Annika Baumann__. 

Of the remaining riders who kept going but didn’t quite hit all the checkpoints (6 solo, 2 pairs 1 trio) 1 solo rider and 1 pair reached 4 checkpoints, and the rest were served 3 portions of cake. This was no mean feat, with the climbs Dom picked out this year, and the weather that turned-up.

## Scratch report

Taking a look at scratch reports today, there were a few new additions that showed up, taking the final total to 14:

- __André Ruhner__
- __Alessandra Schmid__
- __Julie Chenevoy & Elia Collignon__

When we look at the map after end of play, the locus of black dots (signifying scratched riders) it at the confluence of the Cucagna and Tguma route sections. 

![scratch map](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/79mYNa0noJOFlAkypygqdk/85e49c582d536a6254f894abffc2f060/Screenshot_2024-06-23_at_21.05.24.png)

I am sure the weather over the first 2 days, combined with the highest and most exposed summits, made a lot of people question whether to keep pedalling or not. As we always say, even just getting to the startline of one of these events is an achievement to be celebrated, regardless of what happens on the groads.

We send our greatest congratulations and celebrations to everyone who started and took on the challenge, however it ended for you!!

The party is going strong in St. Gallen, with copious amounts of ramen noodles and - you guessed it - cake.

![ramen party](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5LU9ypUNhUhiOzmF6OCQiP/c8502423b0494900a6fb31336e767469/R6JT3774.JPG)

If this was your bag, but racing it would mean sacrificing on time enjoying the views, then keep your eyes peeled for the Dead Ends & Cake Challenge. Brevet cards and stamps will be made available, and there will be cake for anyone that makes it to the checkpoints over the summer. It normally happens each year, so I can’t see why Dom wouldn’t do it again this year. And of course, in the fall, there is the Dead Ends & Dolci. Ticino and sweet things, on two wheels. What’s not to love?

With this final stamp, we close out this year’s dead ends.
![closing stamp](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5vjvWgOG4yB1sc5S6hlHVv/0e0ef0c4f3a89c15e1d2948826593b6e/R6JT4387.JPG)

(all photos from Dead Ends and Cake Media unless otherwise noted)

Still room for more cake back at HQ

It has been a busy day at Dead Ends & Cake HQ with many new arrivals throughout the day.

One of which is __Nicole Albrecher__, who has claimed the 1st place solo women’s title with a tidy time of 29hrs and 20mins. With only 2hrs 33mins stopping time, it was a steady and measured reace for her through the hills of the region.

![nicole albrecher](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/8uP1vS1QG2hgfHkSF6Ojp/a8f33288282157a085ce1153d24f912f/448733105_441776095273233_7766302598768197719_n.heic)

We can also cheer for the 2nd place solo woman __Simone Allemann__, who was only 2 hours behind Nicole. Simone’s route was 30km shorter than Nicole’s which allowed her to take more down time (over 4 hours), and register a average moving speed only 0.5 km/h slower than Nicole. 

![simone Alleman](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/71Q6lCGfCKtJfPmLChupho/336e53b108fcc70f89bb74c4d79a1a36/448986460_1177478516599697_1792807756732721949_n.heic)

This screenshot of the two routes (Nicole blue, Simone red) highlights these differences in routing tactics very well. You can see Simone took more direct routes, and also chose the less adventurous paths, and finally was consistent in doing the same route out and back to the dead end. 

![route tracking dead ends and cale ](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/DzLryd2n7xEey6T5PUgAq/216d2a7078e93f82c61b634890d3102b/Screenshot_2024-06-22_at_21.35.40.png)

Even though Nicole made it back in 1st place, the extra rest advantage that Simone had, may have paid off in a longer event, or may have just made it more enjoyable. Evidence that even on ‘short’ ultra races like this, the route planning is a skill that can make a difference before the pedals even start turning.

The final podium place for the Women’s solo category is __Eva Parascandolo__, clocking a finish time of 33hrs and 29mins. A fantastic effort with limited stopping time - made even the more incredible with the weather.

When we look at GC, Nicole finished 7th, Simone 8th and Eva 12th. Congratulations to the now complete women's solo podium!

The remaining top 10 spots were gobbled up by 2pm today, with __Benoit Abel__ in 9th place and last spot snatched by __Remy Girardin__.

19 of the 50 solo riders are now happily dehumidifying themselves back at the HQ. Here are the incredible times and names of the great athletes:

![top 20 solo dead ends and cake 2024](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/RfOEwaucGtHTUBltHjgbU/1c220c22685f56f97610786965530520/Screenshot_2024-06-22_at_21.44.38.png)

Pairs pedalers have also been part of the finisher crew, with the top 10 now back at base:

![pairs top 10 dead ends and cake 2024](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/7KWUMykqP2vOYTtITnWkQN/553b55832df0cb5d91378e9614c09fdd/Screenshot_2024-06-22_at_21.47.30.png)

The remaining pairs still out on the road are crushing it! All of them have made it to at least 4 of the 5 checkpoints and three pairs are now on the home stretch after eating 5 pieces of cake.

Speaking of eating all the cake, there is one pair that can't get enough cake: __Svenja Hölzl & Bastian Cambresy__ are a regular to the swiss ultra cycling scene, but what you might not know is that Svenja is also an incredible cook, injecting mouthwatering meals regularly into her instagram stories of beautiful swiss landscapes. Some of these Michelin star level meals are even whipped-up (see what I did there?) in a van. So if they stopped for cake, it must have been a good cake. 

![svenja cake ](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6v3pSZ4YZS6lPmvPWRYPe3/466debaf9801bd79622e466ea40e8951/448996212_2987242328084582_3632967071029156928_n.jpg)
(image form svenja’s instagram)

__Hetty Kingston__ and her adventurous offspring are still out there and making their way towards Tösstal checkpoint after ticking off Komar earlier today. The trio were last spotted making their way along the Wallensee in the rain. Truly inspiring.

![R7JT2140hetty wallensee dead ends and cake 2024](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1SkJO0F20t4qHA151xrOks/330fe9e289f094f3e22eb52222929915/R7JT2140.JPG)

## The weather
Anyone who still decided to turn-up for this race after seeing the forecast deserves a medal. Today has been another day of torrential downpours, and even snow (!) at Tguma. Chapeau riders, chapeau.

There was a few moments of sunshine today, where more locals came out to support and marvel at the craziness of ultracyclists:

![marmots dead ends and cake 2024](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5xCcOYz6BhRUUGnMlu2vEt/cc55e33bac041eb10e166b75e65d68c0/448994403_779988780886815_3604920560154674372_n.jpg)

## Scratch report

The daytime has brought 4 more riders who have decide it is better to no longer be pedalling:

__André Ruhne__, __Chloé Epinat__ and the pair __Jasmin Trachsel & Annick Wyss__. We hope they are resting well and have found a warm shower to remember that falling water can also be a nice thing.

Tomorrow is another day, and with it a new weather forecast.  Good news could be on the horizon for many, as rain is set to start to trail off as of 8am-ish, and even stop around midday. 

The night time is still going to see some very wet, gravity pulled atoms coming down. With half the field still out there after 2 days of wet weather, steep climbs, and cold temps, it will be interesting who decides to keep at it and make the trench foot worth it, and who will decide to sit out the last of the bad weather in turn for a nicer finale. 

We will be back tomorrow at the end of the day to recap on what happened, and see the happy faces tucking into some warn ramen noodle soup at the finisher party. Ciao for now!

(all photos from Dead Ends and Cake media team, except where noted)


The first finisher is in - after 19hr 6mins __Philppe Bréchet__ celebrated in the warmth of indoors with a beer! An incredible ride, and definitely one of the fastest in Dead Ends history! His final kilometres appear to have gone off with no issue, taking the southern route up to Tösstal and a smooth ride back east to St. Gallen. 

According to the tracking, Philippe only stopped for 22mins during his time out there. An incredible efficiency that helped secure his 1st place finish.

![Lorenz Dead Ends & cake 2024](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5hw3fAmC43ZRrJb3veTosv/83dd83fa2be3d7eb808e11b47017da34/448760955_445940268176124_4380710515139403073_n.heic)

Not long behind Philippe was __Lorenz Inauen__ who safely claimed the 2nd finisher spot 2.15am this morning. A correction to yesterday’s coverage, he actually had Kamor left to tackle before finishing up, which he did arriving from the east, and descending down to Appenzel to take the fast roads back to a welcoming finish line. A very fast finish time fo 20hrs 15mins tracked for his effort to eat 5 pieces of cake and survive torrential down pours.

Following the same tracks as Philppe were the joint 3rd place finishers __Simon Geiser__ and __Luca Widmer__ who kept pushing through the cold wet night to make it back just before sunrise after 21hours and 55mins out on the roads and groads of eastern Switzerland. 

![3rd place dead ends and cale 2024](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/CZzfnXj86CrcIM7VTtVDa/ca25777ff1ad30d17c72fc6675c4cfc7/448527428_1156019659014000_7214516509543818323_n.heic)

Something weird happened to Simon’s tracker and doesn’t show a timestamp for one of the checkpoints correctly, but reports from HQ show that they agreed on a joint 3rd place and celebrated with a smile.

__Michael Benci__ was the next solo-ist to make it home at 7.55am after scaling Kamor in the early hours, giving us a very full and enlarged podium now enjoying the benefits of a shower and hot drink - and maybe a little extra cake for breakfast.

![1st pair dead ends and cake 2024](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/783wiEFTpbzT4ql2q4dHrO/3db4b10011b282c4dd8c8d9e8b537274/R6JT0849.JPG)

In the pairs there was lots of activity through the night also. __Jana & Jannik Kesenheimer__ have firmly laid their mark as a family of bikepackers that can take 1st place pair, and 5th finishers overall, even on your first try and with a smile! 

A little less than 1 hour later, __Oliver Herrmann & Benedikt Roessler__ rolled in to St Gallen and claimed second place (tracking seems to be bugging and not showing a timestamp at Tösstal), and had the 3rd position pair __Michael Meier & Anna Pomwenger__ were not too far behind, registering their finish at 8.34am today. The data sows that Michael Meier & Anna Pomwenger had 3hours stopping time comparted to only 1 hour for the 1st and 2nd place pairs, however with the bug for Oliver Herrmann & Benedikt Roessler’ tracking we will not rely on that data too much.

__Congratulations to all the finishers for some incredible riding over difficult terrain and in challenging weather conditions! We hope you are enjoying your finisher cake!__

Off the 50% of riders who are women, __Nicole Albrecher__ is steadily making her way towards the finish having ticked off all the checkpoints and has just left Tösstal. Expect to see our first woman solo finisher before lunch.

Elsewhere out there, it has been a mental game against the weather. Yesterday __Lisa Nemetz__ stopped after 150km of riding to dry out overnight in a hotel. 

Her dot was not the only one to take a rest overnight in civilization. The replay feature shows a few groups of dots in towns and at checkpoints until about 5am when the morning light and weather window motivated people to get their legs turning again.

![weather dead ends and cake 2024](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2YTDvRr7hwBkjunjA1TNa3/43e454d2d15ce141c5a4b3249be10fd0/448773492_1913744859097239_5957523390447951419_n.webp)
*(photo from Nicolas Pulfer who is currently questionning his life choices)*

The clouds that have been making for some very beautiful and atmospheric photos are sticking around today. Almost everyone who is still in the game is over halfway around the route. A big push today (in soggy shoes) could be enough to get a lot of people home with a promise of a dry and warm shelter somewhere tonight.

## Scratch report
Dom shared a little extra info on yesterday’s scratches. Sandro Poltéra had a mechanical yesterday which was the cause of their exit, and Jacqueline Kania was also attacked by the mechanical gremlins, along with the weather, meant it was a good time to stop.

Since then, we have had a few more scratches. Last years woman’s winner, __Alessia Sträuli__, scratched yesterday due to sore knees.

After having reached 3 checkpoints, __Eric Weber__ has retied from the race in Versam after coming down from Cucagna. 

A little further up the valley __Cyrill Meier__ has also called it a day, post-cake and a checkpoint stamp. 

__Johanna Wildmoser__ is the third scratchee after visiting the same checkpoint. She does seem to be one of the few that took the more adventurous way up via Siat - which may have contributed to the scratch.

With the additional scratches through the night, we have a total scratchcount of 6 riders. We wish them a fast, warm and dry recovery to be back on the bike soon.

Halfway done is only that. With another day of challenging weather and steep climbs, it is not going to be an easy Saturday for many, but this is about visiting some of the least travelled, most beautiful places in Switzerland, and there’s cake. We can see why there are so many smiles.

Next check-in tonight to see what has happened through the day.

![smiles at dead ends and cake](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1l4LYKopnnPdhwfs2hD3Qk/39cf19e68d2279c2766d8dbcdb54686f/R6JT2220.JPG)

*(all photos from Dead Ends & Cake media team except where noted)*


Incredibly, after only 14 hours and 18 minutes (as I type) there are 2 riders who have claimed 4 of the 5 cakes! And for our dotwatching pleasure, their final checkpoint is different for each of them! 

The two leading riders are __Philippe Béchet__ and __Lorenz Inauen__, and the final checkpoints to be reached are Tösstal and Tguma respectively.

Tösstal is the most easterly, and Tguma the most southern of the checkpoints. At first glance it may seem that Lorenz has his work cut out for him as his stamp awaits him at 2400m above sea level, and he appears to have further to travel back to where he started this morning. Yet a closer inspection shows a relatively straight route back to base along fast and (most importantly) flat roads to St Gallen.

Philippe is closer to the finish having made his way back and close to Landquart. Will he decide to take the eastern route past wallensee (featured in the first edition of Dead Ends & Cake and worth a detour if you are ever in the area) to reach Tösstal from the south? 

This is the flattest and fastest route to get him in proximity of the offroad area leading up to the checkpoint, but it is then unknown. His excellent offroading skills, history of taking on very unrideable ‘gravel’ in Switzerland, could be the bag of tricks he needs to get up and down quickly. He is then a simple hop, skip and a jump back to the finish line.

A light north-easterly wind favours them both equally, but is so light is almost insignificant, so we can’t count on that making any difference, The weather has turned and it currently a cold 6C at the Tguma checkpoint at 2400m which will make Lorenz's descent frigid.

Whoever is the first to make it back, this could be one of the fastest finishes in Dead Ends history, and it has all the ingredients to be a nail bitter until the first pair of wheels makes fresh tracks in St. Gallen.

![jana k](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4pGJUWmrXBpkDfcaRCxyw3/fa8aa454f96ac4584ee8bf3fc3cab617/448733655_1315615262517997_5176643034215104183_n.heic)

Siblings pair __Jana Kesenheimer__ & __Jannik Kesenheimer__ are currently 2nd place in the pairs category. They are either working really well together, or there are some family genetics that Jannik is tapping into. 

__Michael Meier__ & __Anna Pomwenger__ are the leading pair at the moment (going by distance) having logged just 2km more than Jana and Jannik, currently having covered 243km. 

![hetty kingston](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2JApoFIi63gpXd0NIjihcP/47b186f79b2037d37491e97063060b99/448881633_990937952772916_7208656770173497378_n.heic)

Elsewhere on the route, the riders were bringing the sunshine despite the rain and clouds that descended. __Hetty Kingston__ pedalled and pushed herself, her bike, a trailer and 2 children up the longest climb in Switzerland, and still found the energy to smile at the top. Inspiration for us all. After doing a hefty 90km today, the trio have stopped for the day and will continue tomorrow.

Pair __Jan Famulla__ & __Julia Föllmer__ are a great example of how to beam sunshine when you reach a checkpoint and have had your slice of cake (they also make adorable matching kit grids on instagram - check them out if you want some wholesome goodness in your life):

![pairs dead ends and cake](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3tcBbHBu9vUWDRoZkaVgdw/ebe5a78549f78c5b2887a03689592e6c/448909035_996007078546177_2787465368595826440_n.heic)

At Sankt Martin-Calfeisental, the volunteers have been caring for the wet and weary with hot soup and a wood burning stove that is drying out clothes and making the cakes that the riders get on arrival. Could this race get any more Hygge?

![swiss brown cattle](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6izfVOBrRo0bPp7vCmb90V/30cb4f0f05e3b5c250faa318004feea3/448892318_1492476854692882_3379789055450316580_n.heic)

Stereotypes exist for a reason, and the riders have been meeting lots of the local ladies as they pedal around the eastern part of the country. The ladies in question are, of course, cows. The cow they are coming across the most is the Brown cattle (pictured above), which also happens to be my favourite swiss cow. 

Originally from central Switzerland, the brown cattle “Braunvieh” is a robust cow appreciated for its nutritious and substantial milk. It’s milk is considered so superior, that their milk is 25 cents per litre more expensive than others, as it make such great cheese. So next time you are enjoying a slightly more expensive but delightful gruyere, emmental or raclette, it may have come from a Braunvieh.

Interesting cow facts aside, we haven’t seen too much divergence in the routes as of this evening. Let’s see what tomorrow brings and if new paths in the beautiful swiss hills will be ridden in search cake.

## Scratch report

__Sandro Poltéra__ appears to be our first scratch of the event. We are not sure what happened, but after reaching both Tösstal and Calfeisental checkpoints, they made their way to Chur ad took a train back to St. Margarethen (on lake Constance and the border with Austria). We hope they are doing ok and are warm and dry somewhere.

We also say goodbye to __Jacqueline Kania__, who took on the climb up to Kamor but decided to call it quits in Schan after getting back down into the valleys. We hope she is doing well and will eb sticking around the base camp for the afterparty.

Scratch count as the first evening comes to a close, is a very low 2.

With the speeds the pointy end are putting out, there is a strong likelihood the first finisher will be back home before the 5.32am sunrise tomorrow. For the others that will spend the night out there, sleep choices and locations will be taking up a lot of head space right now. After a day of rain, cold and wet night weather forecast, it will be interesting to see who choses to push through, and who opts for a warm indoor space to dry out and rest for another day of inclement weather.

Oh - and I also received an avalanche warning for parts of Switzerland tomorrow. The riders are going into some crazy weather this weekend.

Meet you back here tomorrow with coffee and some cake for breakfast - purely out of solidarity with the riders, of course 🙂


6am start for the riders in St. Gallen and all is rolling well in the quest for cake. No rain for the moment - let’s keep our fingers crossed for the 99 (+2 twins) riders that started this morning. Only 1 DNS flagged - __Linda Farczadi__. Shame, as she puts on an entertaining ride.

![Lisa Nemetz Dead Ends & Cake](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6U9LaCHqnVFE0OG0Yxvgpo/bcfda36b3d8f86c13cdae9c962df3ece/Lisa_Nemetz.jpg)
*(photo by __Lisa Nemetz__)*

The group has split in two, with the majority heading for some early tastebud activation at Kamor. The front of this pack are in sniffing distance of their first cake, and its the pairs that seem to be the most motivated:

__Irene Graf__ & __Kyra Gürtler__ are about to start the uphill bit (a not very unique description when in Switzerland, I concede). Irene has a strong sweet tooth as we caught her stocking up on Haribo last night, via IG stories. A little further behind are the second pair __Laila Lüthi__ & __Ronja Trachsler__ keeping things rolling early today.

It is __Remy Girardin__ who is the most motivated to get his second breakfast and is currently leading the charge about to hit the last hundred metres of the tarmac before starting the gravel adventure up to 1754m and his first checkpoint. On his tail is __Simon Geiser__ in second place. Both will be meeting the media crew any minute now, and hopefully not too much mud as they start the off piste journey.

A healthy contingent has embraced the off road much sooner to reach the remote Checkpoint of Kamor, exiting the road a little further north from Eggerstanden. In amongst this group are the offroad experts __Christophe Dijkmans__ & __Alexander Kopp__ - this could be a good tactic for them with a more direct route, if a little more bumpy.

In front of this duo, are three other duos about to reach the path heading south: __Oliver Herrmann__ & __Benedikt Roessler__, siblings __Jana Kesenheimer__ & __Jannik Kesenheimer__ and __Michael Meier__ & __Anna Pomwenger__, who are at the front. 

But it is __Philippe Bechet__ and __Luca Widmer__ who are breaking through the unknown and have progressed the most out of the Eggerstanden group.

If we cast our view west, that is where we find the rest of the starters. Heading in an anti-clockwise direction, Tösstal is the first objective. Not a bad choice as a starting point with a maximum of nice smooth roads,  leaving only about 4km of off road travel to reach the checkpoint from the last village, Libingen. When we say only, we also mean a minor pass at 1200m to cross in order to reach the checkpoint, but hey, its Switzerland, and there is cake on the other side.

__Lorenz Inauen__ is the closest as I type - by quite a few kilometres. The main clump of dots is in the last big town before leaving towards the checkpoint.

![Dead Ends & cake 2024 welcome party](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1OUUDXKr3JGM4OJdYxG6eu/531dfcfff13056380736a323d1cf4ba7/R6JT0337.JPG)

Pictures from the welcome party last night show the wonderful experience that the organizer puts on at this race, welcoming them into their own home (which is the base for the event.) Out on the road this early in the day, the atmosphere will still be good as people ride in close proximity to each other. Little do they know what they will have to do to earn their cake. Dom is a nice guy, until it comes to route planning ;)

Happy for the riders to see that the H2O has held off for a while and as the first arrivals check in at the various checkpoints we will reveal the delicious sweet treat that awaits them - and this year the riders are being spoiled!

Back this evening with the first day’s update. Until then, grab a piece of cake with your Friday morning coffee - you deserve it!

*(all photos from Dead Ends & Cake unless otherwise mentioned)*


It’s that time of year again, Dead End & Cake is back for its 4th year. It fast became a go-to race for beginners and experienced bikepackers alike, and for good reason.

When Dom launched the first edition is was a very novel concept - a ‘short’ bikepacking race, self-routed where the lucky riders would navigate to five checkpoints placed at the end of the valley with no through pass (except Emma Pooley challenged that concept the first year) and be reward with some cake on arrival.

Simple, beautiful and delicious. A winning trinity.

Dead Ends & Cake is now one of 3 races organized by Dom, each taking you to breathtaking vistas around different areas of Switzerland.

This weekend we are concentrating on Eastern Switzerland, with a strong gravel-leaning vibe, where riders will get to experience some very nice paths leading to a stamp at the end of the valley. Roughly 500km and 9000m climbing depending on the rider's routing preference. Let’s check out where they'll be eating their cake:

![Daegelsberg DE&C](//downloads.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3GMiS7KappSWHQrqPnYpde/b3916837873c8dbe5cb1c74085becf47/DE_C_100_TobiSch_rer-29.jpg)

__Tösstal - Dägelsberg__    
This Checkpoint is in the middle of nowhere. The paved road from Steg (east from the starting point in St.Gallen) will surprise many, as it is incredibly steep and the last 1.5km are on gravel. There are many other ways, more direct from/towards St.Gallen for those that are into the masochism of hike-a-bikes, that does reward with incredible beauty. The lack of a good route makes this checkpoint so special. The tiny hut has no electricity for any emergency charging, but the clang of cowbells will surely make up for it.

![St Martin](//downloads.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4etMrEPotazBIynqcDsA3x/c025cfd47b1134a41acf86cfe9d1d262/DE_C_100_TobiSch_rer-42.jpg)

__Calfeisental - Sank Martin__ 
The only checkpoint that was in every edition and for good reason. The tiny rugged road with tunnels and bridged along the lake is just too beautiful. And in combination with Kunkelspass it takes riders away from the somewhat boring Rhein-Valley. Kunkelspass is a beauty of a gravelclimb – but steep as hell. Riders who will ride it from Tamis will get a real test of their legs – the others of their brakes. 

__Cucagna__
A new Checkpoint above Ilanz (toward Panixerpass). A tiny wooden hut with a wooden hot-tub invites to take a break. Yes - a hot tub. Not the first time this luxury has been part of the Dead Ends & Cake experience, and I am looking forward to seeing who will take time for a little self-love in between the gravel rough stuff. This Checkpoint will bring riders through the Rheinschlucht – Ruinaulta. One of Switzerland’s finest mountain roads. 

![alp nurgen](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1FoaiDPw7X3kZij2ddsoph/b8df64cfd1da341924ece8d632a59883/DSC00164.jpg)

__Alp Nurdagn__
Not a myth that Switzerland is a country with quite a few climbs, and included in this edition is one of the longest climbs in Switzerland (23km long and 1700m+ up) – and it happens to also be one of the most beautiful. It leads up to 2400m above sea level (hang on to that number for a little later in this post when I talk all things ‘schnee’ and weather). At the checkpoint we will have 2 Vans, a tent, a campfire! 
![Kamor Cows DE&C](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3K5GMQXauLGcNCv0fvwUnk/36e9168d3878ee081a4ae52d6d0ffa5e/2023_Dead_Ends_and_Cake__JT_034.jpg)

__Kamor__
Very close to St.Gallen but out of this world. When climbing from Reihn-Valley it is 13km/1300m+ with gradients up to 20%. But the views get better and better and will blow your mind at the top. Arriving from east / St.Gallen, there are some hiking-trails and gravel roads leading towards the Kamor-road. At the top our famous singing (and guitar playing) checkpoints crew will hand out some delicious local cake!

## Weather in its many water forms

Roll-out is tomorrow morning, the day after the summer equinox, and the eve of a full moon, means we should be hopeful for an abundance of light illuminating the paths for riders over the weekend. Unfortunately that doesn’t look like it will be the case.

Weather forecasts for the region are showing rain, and lots of it. Tomorrow there could be as much as 25mm of precipitation in the St Gallen area. Yikes. 
Good news though - it gets better as the weekend goes on, only 20mm on Saturday is planned. Double yikes.
And maybe just a light shower on Sunday. 

In the mountains this can be very unpleasant as temps drop when the elevation rises. We hope the riders have a good clothing strategy, and if not have identified the free dog-poop bags available en route to keep their feet dry. 

And then there is the snow. This winter some of areas of Switzerland saw 400% more snowfall than the average, and a report released by the SLF showed that the glaciers are covered by 31% more snow this year, when they measured in May (we are happy for the glaciers). There were snow dumps still happening in May and the snow has stuck around some of the higher areas thanks to the cool June central Europe has been experiencing. Anyone who has created a more adventurous route may be in for a unplanned side of potholing with their hike-a-bike.

The checkpoints favour a gravel route to get the most from the location and ride, however I am hoping that someone has decided to cut out as much tarmac as possible and take on the challenge with a mountain bike. 

## A few names standing out on the startline

Alessia Sträuli: last year’s women's winner is back. Keep an eye out for her moves.

Luca Widmer who was 2nd place last year, a very strong climber and part of the very fun group Disco Cycle Bern is back fro more cake this year.

Lorenz Inauen was the 3rd place finisher last year, which he adds to his accolades as a former silver-medal athlete at Duathlon worlds. His participation last year was his first bikepacking event which seem sot have not scared him off, as he returns this year for his second ever bikepacking event.

Sandro Poltéra is a fast one to watch, but this is his first Bikepacking event. Maybe his finish in 8th place at Trondheim-Oslo previously will carry over.

Simon Geiser - 9th place at TCR last year, twice taking 3rd place at DEAD ENDS & cake, and even gave back volunteering last year will be a pair of legs to watch.

The Lausanne Gravel crew have made the journey north east, and their penchant for ridiculous ‘gravel’ rides makes them a good group to keep an eye on. If you’re not familiar with these riders these are two of the names to star:  Philippe Bechet (countless top 3 results all over the world) and Linda Farczadi who has regularly placed in top 3 positions on numerous occasions.

A pedaling force who has left a mark on podiums all over Switzerland is Julie von Grünigen: Winner of this years Leman Gravel (pair), Lucerne303, 2nd overall and at les geants. If you’re not watching her dot, what are you even doing with your weekend….

An exciting duo is lined-up for tomorrow with the joining of Chris Dijkmans & Alexander Kopp. Two well known dots, it will be interesting to see how they perform together, and I really hope they have brought their mountain bikes with them after dominating with their recent wins at Hellenic and The Accursed race this year, as well as high ranking finishes at The Atlas race previously.

Dead Ends & Cake is a great venue to try something new and different and this year we are getting a special treat:

Hetty Kingston completed Dead Ends & Cake 2 years ago and since then did an even greater feat of growing and birthing 2 incredible humans into the world. 'Start ‘em young' seem’s to be her philosphy as she will be taking her twins in a trailer - just goes to show you what is possible if you dare, and you have an organizer as openminded as Dom.

Tobias Schürer: he was part of every cake, dolci and Züri Escape – but with his camera and not on the bike. Now he has decided to take on the challenge and change of perspective and ride it himself.

Ben Koch & Sandra Meyer: Last years solo-winner Benjamin Koch will be at the start again – but with a completely different approach. Starting as a pair and with no racing in mind.

Jana & Jannik Kesenheimer: Jana, who is very well know at Dead Ends events and many other bikepacking gigs, is taking her brother to his first ever Bikepacking event. It will be interesting to see how the siblings will work together, or not…

Stefano Bergamaschi & Matteo Steiner: Stefano is Dom’s partner in crime at DEAD ENDS & Dolci (the sister event in Ticino, Switzerland). After organizing an event, he’s getting his feet wet (most literally this weekend) by riding his first ever event.

The allure of cake, unrivaled beauty of Swiss dead-end valleys, and a bunch of fun folks is going to be an excellent dotwatching weekend. See you tomorrow when the riders cycle around the ancient tree in the central square of St. Gallen before heading out, in search of cake!


Wendy Ellis

DEAD ENDS & cake 2024 Tracking + Commentary: A free-route adventure with five checkpoints, each at the end of a dead-end path, to explore the most beautiful, remote places of eastern Switzerland. One for the sweet tooths amongst us and a penchant for doing things a little differently.

DEAD ENDS & cake 2024 Tracking

A free-route adventure with five checkpoints, each at the end of a dead-end path, to explore the most beautiful, remote places of eastern Switzerland. One for the sweet tooths amongst us and a penchant for doing things a little differently.

DEAD ENDS & cake 2024

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