Preview

 And Off They Are!

Day 1 Wrap-Up

The climbing Guanchers 

Seven: The Lucky Number

First Guanchers home!

It’s (Almost) a Wrap!

Kevin Boscardin

Martin Moritz

Mariusz Cukierski

Christoph Pernsteiner

Tobias Gosch

Joerg Encke

Aleksej Dolinsek

Hans Miggenrieder

Steffen Dempfle

Marvin Schumacher

Marius Schada

Maximilian Abbe

Panagiotis Theoharis

Till Schneider

Fabio Doerries

Sergei Haukka

Marcel Niemann

Henning Heimann

Theresa Dorfmaier

Jochen Trede

Dennis Möller

Marguerite Muhlhaus

Philip Polczer

Jens Lüdtke

Alvaro Azcarate Garcia

Daniel Nippert

Sebastian Quast

Raymond Harmeling

Jan Akko Inric Eleveld

Koen Colpaert

Lázaro Méndez Alonso

André Klein

Nestor Jiminex Olite

Quico Del Busto Aparicio

Peter Schumann

Thomas Baumann

Henk Jan Braggaar

Frederic Bouvier

Bram van den Broek

Hans Thomas Buch Lund

Frederik Hart

Domenico Tropea

Fabian Graber

Davide Frassine

Laura danzig

Alex Schwabbauer

Ethan Limchayseng

Steven Dommermuth

Alexander Kraft

Dr Janos Pal Grosz

Wesley Bouman

Virgill Mighorst

De Boisvilliers Florent

Michael Raach

Jaik Gladstone

Pia Pinzl

Tsjerk Bouwhuis

Folkert Visser

Declan Walsh

Arve Espeland

Víctor Pérez Campos

Alfonso ochoa

Wojciech Filipek

Montserrat Rodríguez Espino

Katerina Sedlackova

Macarena Espinar López

Wesley Schol

Simon Ultes

Marko Cupac

Jasper Knijff

Kenneth van de Sande

Katharina Meinhardt

Robert Konitzer

James Pearce

Burkhard Waldeck

Döhling Frank

Mirko Detlefs

Jonah Jones

Ian Appleton

Pete Crayford

Hannes Dorfmaier

Susan Jane Satchithananda

Bjoern Menze

Caroline Wrench

Filip Moravcik

Florian Weindl

Marc Petzoldt

Stephanie Oguttu

Marcus Göde

Sarah Dunker

Michael Coulter

Sarah Wagner-Arendt

Chris McGonagle

Vasiliki Vamvaka

Niki Panousi

Angelos Theocharis

Silvio Duchi

András Fürtös dr

Ildikó Mayr dr

Jonas Feldhaus

Hola and welcome to the Dotwatcher coverage of the GranGuanche Audax Road, hosted by Daniela Kirchner.
After riding the very first edition of the GranGuanche series — the Trail in 2021 and the Gravel in 2022 — the islands kidnapped me, and I keep coming back. This time, Ventura, Aday, and I will follow our Guanchers in a van to bring you the most exciting ferry-hopping stories to your living room. Ventura and Aday are the hosts of the well-known Spanish cycling podcast La Escapada ([Insta](https://www.instagram.com/laescapadacc/)). For all the Spanish speakers, don’t miss their daily podcast updates from the road. I promise you, it will be a blast!

Enough about us! We hope you enjoy the commentary over the next few days. Let’s start with a preview of what the 100 riders can expect from their island-hopping adventure next week.
The adventure kicks off on Sunday, Jan. 26th, at 8 AM GMT in Orzola, a small town in the north of Lanzarote. The riders will cross 5 islands of the Spanish archipelago, finally reaching La Gomera, the road cycling paradise of the Canaries. The Audax follows the well-known GranGuancheRoad route, covering about 650 km with 15,000 m of ascent. As stated by the organizers, “It’s a self-supported, single-stage, fixed-route ride that follows the classic rules and principles of ultra-cycling events, but in the spirit of Audax, participants are allowed to ride in a group and draft each other.” This rule highly encourages sharing the adventure with old and new friends. Quite a few lasting friendships have started here.

With the GranGuanche adventures now in their 4th year, there is plenty of information out there, but the ever-changing weather conditions on the islands can always bring a few surprises. This year, the route in La Gomera will be a bit shorter and will run counterclockwise.

Let’s dive into the adventure, island by island, and find some special highlights and challenges along the route for our Guanchers.
![@matminelli A7 02156](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3krLYACMt9PC8HQT4EnbFx/27af32966545f08e580952dc66463dd8/_matminelli_A7_02156.jpg)
## Lanzarote
### 116 km / 1,780 m ascent
Lanzarote is an easy island to start with. A first climb to the Mirador del Rio viewpoint, built by the famous local architect César Manrique, is followed by a scenic road ride along the edge of Famara cliff. The small towns of Haria and Teguise, the first Spanish settlements on the island, are sheltered in the mountains to hide from pirate attacks. These towns offer an early possibility for an emergency resupply stop. The last climb is in the Timanfaya National Park, a volcanic landscape created by the massive eruption of the 18th century, before descending to the harbor at Playa Blanca. It will be time to enjoy the first "bocadillo de tortilla" on the ferry.

![@matminelli A7 03527](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6hISkZwnlopQ3UOHPaRfZ7/70995de3f5a88ee86c161ae147243940/_matminelli_A7_03527.jpg)
## Fuerteventura
### 138 km / 2,215 m ascent
After a quick 30-minute ferry nap, the Guanchers will tackle an easy but long ride across Fuerteventura. The usual trade winds might help a lot. Two years ago, our riders were flying at 45 km/h, reaching the ferry port earlier than expected. The forecasted winds this year are a bit lighter but coming from the "right" direction. Pájara and Betancuria offer good resupply points, and in Betancuria, there is even a water fountain for those passing through at night. Riders challenging the Audax pace must catch the 6:30 PM or 8 PM ferry to Gran Canaria, while the others can sleep in a hotel or at the beach in Morro Jable and start Gran Canaria with fresh legs after a good night's sleep.

## Gran Canaria
### 143 km / 3,282 m ascent
The climbing begins here, but first, hope for a smooth sea crossing. Two hours on a shaky ferry can be a game-changer. I clearly remember these 60 minutes in the ferry's toilet two years ago — not the best moment of my life. From Las Palmas, it’s a long and steep climb to Pico de las Nieves, the highest mountain on the island. The Audaxers will ride all of this during the night. It's a pity to miss out on the beautiful views, but it's also just another reason to return to the islands in the future.
![@matminelli A7 03822](//downloads.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/USkmZ4lCWRP5ip6FCPuTU/0d9e9e3bce0f0c85843b74c8f4cbfa6f/_matminelli_A7_03822.jpg)
## Tenerife
### 154 km / 3,862 m ascent
The penultimate island comes with a massive elevation gain. The climb starts just out of Santa Cruz city and leads to the Anaga mountains, a lush green forest usually shrouded in mist. La Laguna, the former capital, offers everything a hungry and tired cyclist might need before climbing up to Mt. Teide. Two years ago, the pine forest on this climb was hit by a huge summer wildfire, but this year, our Guanchers will get to see how quickly nature is recovering. The damage from the fire is still visible. Don’t underestimate the weather: it can be cold and freezing. We hope our Guanchers are prepared with proper winter clothing, especially if they plan to tackle this stage at night. If the road up to Teide is closed due to snow, there is an alternative route.
![@matminelli A7 04629](//downloads.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3Zpky0tEvPbtV7LK4O3xIm/3df12ec5be0324e4a385fb97cce0663e/_matminelli_A7_04629.jpg)
## La Gomera
### 100 km / 3,100 m ascent
On to the fifth and final island: the final leg is an 85 km loop before finishing in San Sebastián. It’s a final sprint with massive elevation gain, and we expect the first finishers around 8 PM on Monday evening. But don’t worry if riders stop longer than expected during ultra events. They might just be contemplating the landscape, enjoying the views, and taking it easy. The "party pace" approach is well worth it on these diverse islands.

Thank you for sticking with me through the preview! I’ll be back soon — we’re heading to the briefing now.


Three times a year, the Ermita de Orzola, a small church in Orzola, becomes the Girona of Ultracycling. About 100 riders gathered here this morning at 8 AM to begin the ferry-hopping challenge.

A quick introduction to the so-called “Audax Pace” – a challenge to connect all the scheduled ferries in a non-stop ride:

### LANZAROTE
110 km +1,700 m » Next ferry in 4h15min
≈ Ferry to Fuerteventura: Sunday 12:30 – 13:00 – 13:30 (30 min)

### FUERTEVENTURA
135 km +2,150 m » Next ferry in 5h45min
≈ Ferry to Gran Canaria: Sunday 20:00 (120 min)

### GRAN CANARIA
135 km +3,550 m » Next ferry in 8h
≈ Ferry to Tenerife: Monday 06:00 (80 min)

### TENERIFE
145 km +3,650 m » Next ferry in 7h10min
After 24 hours on the saddle, this is the big challenge of the Audax Pace.
≈ Ferry to La Gomera: Monday 14:30 (50 min)

### LA GOMERA
100 km +3,100 m

We expect the first riders to finish around 8 PM.

When asked about the approach, only about 20 riders expressed interest in challenging the pace – most of our Guanchers will take it easy or challenge themselves a bit while enjoying the views during daylight hours.

Fast or a bit slower – the adventure is made by and for oneself. Because, ultimately, that’s all that counts.

To put faces to our names, here we are: Ventura, Aday, and I will follow along in Lanzarote today in our van and keep you updated over the next few days.![IMG 7805](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1mWYlmAE8R6kSP1TfBGNEI/f726a531fa915fcbcaef27f24a3cc68b/IMG_7805.jpeg)
As mentioned in the preview, Aday and Ventura are hosting the spanish speaking cycling podcast La Escapada with daily updates during the next few days. Check out the first episode here: [Listen to La Escapada](https://open.spotify.com/episode/3KCdd6B4zDuvxYFELcv6r7?si=ba106kxiS3iq72lHG4ieLw)

The conditions on the islands were perfect: a light tailwind and abundant sunshine—perhaps a bit too much sunshine, as the first sunburns were already spotted on the ferry to Fuerteventura.

![IMG 7823](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3S2iKtvsTLomkvTegmqmEf/47108927e24a75a29af17c508b015467/IMG_7823.jpeg)
*Sunburn? Or is it just the light?*

But let's rewind to the beginning. Fifteen minutes after the 100 riders had already departed, we noticed a rider pushing hard to reach the Ermita. What happened to Björn (cap 13)? Did he decide to tack on an extra 30 km to the route? Apparently not. His pre-booked taxi failed to arrive, leaving him no choice but to cycle from Arrecife to the start at the last minute. Fortunately, we were still on-site, sorting out some tracking issues in the van. I can’t imagine riding across the islands with a large backpack!

Around midday, about 30 Guanchers crossed over to Fuerteventura on the 12:30 ferry. Our unfortunate soul of the day was Mariusz (cap 31). He almost caught the 11:30 ferry, but it was canceled. Let’s hope he didn’t burn too much energy dealing with this setback.

The real drama unfolded with the 13:30 FredOlsen ferry. What’s going on with this company’s booking system? Surely, there must be some capable IT professionals who could address this. The captain agreed to taking all the bikes on board, but the system simply wouldn’t allow the staff to process the bookings. It’s becoming a bit of a tradition for Guanchers to approach people with vans in search of transport for their bikes. Luckily there are always a few good souls around. 

![IMG 7822](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4K2m3Fe9ftawSnLv6xHPYX/d750e04fc3db7994be1852928ee568aa/IMG_7822.png)
*Montse (cap 80) and Victors (cap 81) bikes on their comfy ferry crossing*

As with most challenges, it was eventually resolved, and we saw the riders’ frustrated expressions at the ticket office transform into smiles once they were all on board.

![76dfd8e1-1aeb-4ef9-96b9-eed98e061e50](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3keCNny52TfACgvhiLRZdh/266c833eb21e8c5736e09b1ba2ac87ca/76dfd8e1-1aeb-4ef9-96b9-eed98e061e50.jpeg)
*More bikes please!*

A new trend emerging on this edition is riders offering unused ferry tickets in the WhatsApp group, as they missed their intended departure. While it remains to be seen if it is possible, it’s certainly a testament to the camaraderie within the group.

When I am writing this, it’s a bit later than 10 PM, and we’ve just arrived in Gran Canaria with 43 of our Guanchers. Fortunately, no ferry drama this time. These 43 riders have already conquered two islands in just 12 hours, from the stark volcanic landscape of Lanzarote to the arid desert of Fuerteventura. Now, they’ll dive into the bustling city life of Las Palmas (Gran Canaria).

Among these 43, we recognize several familiar faces. A special shoutout goes to the Vienna Crew—this is already their third time participating. Will there be a fourth? Or is three times the charm? As far as I know, a few of them have some unfinished business here. Let’s see if the third time’s the charm in wrapping that up. Tomorrow will tell. Theresa (cap 20) from this crew is currently leading the women’s category and is also the only female rider continuing through the night in Gran Canaria.![IMG 7802](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/75pdBh2L96si8DNfF1MjU5/b718865edf3a1aeced9d0e44f782b92f/IMG_7802.jpeg)
*The Vienna Crew just before the start*

Who will we meet tomorrow morning in Agaete for the first ferry to Tenerife? Quite a few have opted for a well-deserved night of rest after these 250 kilometers. More updates tomorrow. Good night!

![IMG 7829](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2V9yHQ683ugMNbmJzuShyh/cc96ab05a7e10b13578ff5d156bddd1a/IMG_7829.jpeg)

*Gran Canaria: Are you Team Sleeping or Team Riding?*


Eleven night riders made it to the ferry to Tenerife, but it’s been a completely sleepless night for all of them. They arrived just in time to catch the ferry, with no chance for a shower or even a quick one-hour hotel stop. All of them still have a shot at making it to La Gomera by 14:30 on the so-called "Audax" ferry.

Meanwhile, in Fuerteventura, Vicky (cap 126), Angelos (cap 10), and Niki (cap 127) proved they’re not just exceptional cyclists but also skilled climbers. Are they on the run from the police? Breaking into a restaurant to steal food? Don’t worry, they just got locked in their AirBnB! Hopefully, they paid at check-in though.
![0272b749-158a-4d79-a609-ab585bc22b54](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/EWoTTti0D0c2koJoH7tR0/2797371559820c73454f344a3c8f6b1b/0272b749-158a-4d79-a609-ab585bc22b54.jpeg)

*Vicky, Angelos and Niki on a mission*

As I write this, Monday around 11 AM, the Guanchers are scattered across the three islands—Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, and Tenerife. Unfortunately, we've already lost three on Lanzarote. Wishing a speedy recovery to Silvio (cap 52), who crashed yesterday into a lava field — definitely not the kind of rock you want to collide with, if any rock at all. He’s still in the hospital for observation. Get well soon, Silvio!
![IMG 7839](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1N6W1an6WwxlHL8Xfz0VyH/e7056a9aece18bc0c2c09e78192c2661/IMG_7839.jpeg)
*The islands full of dots*


Three is the charm, at least for Tobias Gosch and Martin Moritz of the Vienna Crew! The other Audax Guanchers are Mariusz Cukierski, Christoph Pernsteiner, Jörg Encke, Aleksej Dolinsek, and Kevin Boscardin. Shout out to Kevin, second time in a row! Congratulations to all of you — what an incredible ride so far!

For those unfamiliar with the concept of this event, the so-called Audax Pace connects the five islands in a non-stop ride, and these seven endurance athletes haven’t slept in the last 34 hours, having ridden 550 kilometers with 12,000 meters of elevation gain.

After a regroup at the plaza in San Sebastián and a quick photo op for the album, they’re now tackling the final leg in La Gomera: another 85 kilometers with roughly 3,000 meters of elevation gain.

In Tenerife, things got a bit dicey for Jörg, Aleksej, and Kevin. Forest workers were blocking the road on the climb to Teide, leaving no way through. Within five minutes, we understood why: a massive tree had fallen directly across the road.
![IMG 7853](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3nvud6jD36uB9MiOpCHrG/2de6d266e3e185fe9e7e561a96fe60ff/IMG_7853.jpeg)

I certainly wouldn’t want to be anywhere near that one. It was unclear how long the roadworks would take to clear, and the tension was mounting. On the bright side, the three of them were able to regroup and join forces—some dotwatchers even accompanied them. Fortunately, the road maintenance workers were in a motivated mood, and in just 20 minutes, the obstacle was cleared, and the road was reopened.

It seems the route was almost too easy for these seven Guanchers, though. They even had time to grab food and drinks in Los Cristianos before catching the ferry.

That’s all from me for now. I’ll be back tomorrow with more stories from the road.

The Plaza in San Sebastián is quickly filling up with finishers. Yesterday evening, we saw Kevin, one of our veterans, cross the finish line as the first to complete this edition in an impressive 35 hours and 23 minutes. Congratulations, Kevin - what a ride!![IMG 7877](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4tdzSmDDOo7Kod1IksjWdu/7a790cec6e64d750e93b134b553cb0af/IMG_7877.jpeg)
*Kevin in the middle with Martin and Christoph*

This afternoon, we witnessed the first female rider cross the finish line—Theresa, another GranGuanche veteran. It seems the lessons learned in the previous edition have truly paid off this time. She was greeted by her friends from the well-known Vienna Crew. Will this group of seasoned veterans return next year? After Tobi and Martin wrapped up their unfinished business, three attempts might be enough. Or perhaps they’ll switch gears and take on the gravel next time?
![IMG 7883](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/vG7SRNMIWOuEUiox3S7JO/6bb5dac074b2d356bb7eb1b0d9018028/IMG_7883.jpeg)
*Theresa being welcomed by her friends*

While the first riders have completed the course, the event is far from over. Looking at the map, there are still several Guanchers crossing Teide in Tenerife as we speak. Who will reach the ferry to La Gomera at 8 PM tonight? I hope this group has taken the necessary precautions with sun protection — the sun at 2,000 meters can be brutal.
![5e5b02a8-cf6f-4ec2-9233-5db63177d563](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/u2lZtUIjfhg4honp2yzNV/9e3ba772e1bfad15992f63f587355e75/5e5b02a8-cf6f-4ec2-9233-5db63177d563.jpeg)
*Refueling at El Portillo - almost at the top of Teide*

Rider of the Day goes to our lantern rouge, Ian Appleton. We spotted Ian off the course on the highway, almost reaching Agaete, and were certain he had given up. But then — surprise, surprise! He’s back on track. We're not sure what changed his mind, but we’re thrilled to see him back in action. Or maybe he just forgot something in Las Palmas?
![IMG 7882](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6z5nAcIljfNroFdHdAoGzl/a3ceab11407e3971a1eaf43d5eaf8215/IMG_7882.jpeg)
*Ians detours*

Tomorrow, a finishers' party will be held in San Sebastián de La Gomera. While we know not everyone will have completed the course by then, everyone on the island is welcome to join in - whether you’re celebrating or planning to tackle the La Gomera loop the following day. Just don’t overdo the celebrations—save a bit of energy for the 85 kilometers and 3,000 meters of elevation gain that lie ahead!

*Title Pic: Maracena on La Gomera yesterday*

With Burkhard, Frank, Jonah, and Mirko arriving in San Sebastián de La Gomera earlier today, we’re just missing our Lanterne Rouge, Ian, at the finish line. Ian was about to finish today but got frozen on top of La Gomera and decided to call it a day and took a taxi into town. The same taxi driver is already booked for tomorrow at 7:30 AM to pick him up and bring Ian back to the spot where he left the route today. We’re convinced Ian will bring this home tomorrow by midday. The mystery of Ian's Gran Canaria detour is now solved: Never turn on the rerouting option on your GPS device. No bus or taxi was involved in his detour – all was powered by Ian’s legs.

With Ian still out there, it’s a bit early for a final recap, but let’s do a quick wrap-up of this year’s GranGuanche Audax Road. Out of 99 starters, 78 riders finished, with 7 achieving the Audax Pace. Unfortunately, 20 riders had to scratch due to mechanical issues, injuries, or sheer exhaustion. The main reason for withdrawals this year was knee pain—those climbs in such a short distance should not be underestimated.

Yesterday, our party pacers were hit with a storm over La Gomera - just another reminder that going slower doesn’t necessarily make things easier. You’re out in nature longer, and you never know what the weather might bring. The final descent into San Sebastián turned into a hurricane-like scenario, with riders walking downhill, chasing flying bikes, and watching sunglasses and jackets fly away. The event organizers advised riders to descend the same way they climbed, so those you saw going off-route did so for safety reasons – no penalties or tracking errors there. The ones following the detour even had to climb 200m more.

![8eb19d64-0e12-4806-8d26-7b6bbd83f09d](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1Zf7ixqERP0XG6BM4Q5IA2/8fd02851b79b50ffe49f8cc869122ab2/8eb19d64-0e12-4806-8d26-7b6bbd83f09d.jpeg)
*Advised detour*

The award for the "best" accommodation choice of this edition goes to André. A quick side note about him - he already participated in the Trail edition and will be back for the Gravel edition in two months, aiming for the “GranGuanche triple crown”. As for his accommodation: André booked a last-minute place online called “Flor de Lotus – Tantra Xtreme”. Upon arrival, he found an open front door, no electricity, no running water, and a jacuzzi filled with cold water. Let’s just say, we’ll leave the rest to your imagination! No pictures from this special accommodation, as there was no light (maybe that’s for the best), but remember this face.
We’ll be excited to follow him again for the Gravel edition. 

![02888aec-5625-4f67-83a7-c67d9b720632](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/O89ujeX7ItKLawlNfZdfw/3e987ae25405c8da3f7e5b1cc7c8c2fc/02888aec-5625-4f67-83a7-c67d9b720632.jpeg)
*Always smiling André*

That’s all from me for now. Thank you so much for following along with the forth edition of the GranGuanche Audax Road. The friendly vibe and magical sense of Canarian adventure are what make this event special—who knows, I might switch sides and join the Gravel or Trail editions next year!

Congratulations to all the finishers and participants, thank you for visiting us on the islands (again)!

![1ea01523-b57d-41c1-ac3e-1fe7790667fd](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/15jEzVpP9wiLNwywWH9CNW/bfc0ab7d7cf74a92ee3b120eb0587a99/1ea01523-b57d-41c1-ac3e-1fe7790667fd.jpeg)

Daniela Kirchner

GranGuanche Audax Road 2025 Tracking and Commentary: Back for its 4th edition, the GranGuanche Audax Road is a self-supported, single-stage, fixed-route, endurance cycling event across the Canary Islands. It’s not a race, it’s a collective adventure and a personal challenge to finish the route. There’s no cut-off time, there are no prizes, no medals, no brevet cards or finisher diplomas. The Audax is focused on the experience rather than the final results.

It’s a demanding route for experienced riders as it includes serious climbs, high mountains, and remote areas. Experienced means well-trained, technically skilled, and wisely equipped. Exhaustion, sleep deprivation, and night rides add even more risk to a challenging ride. Participants are fully responsible for their safety and logistics.

GranGuanche Audax Road 2025 Tracking and Commentary

Back for its 4th edition, the GranGuanche Audax Road is a self-supported, single-stage, fixed-route, endurance cycling event across the Canary Islands. It’s not a race, it’s a collective adventure and a personal challenge to finish the route. There’s no cut-off time, there are no prizes, no medals, no brevet cards or finisher diplomas. The Audax is focused on the experience rather than the final results.

GranGuanche Audax Road 2025

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