Day 1: We have a race

Day 2: No more mountains. For some.

Sam Thomas wins the inaugural edition of Heading Southwest

No shortage of hills

Sam Thomas

João Manuel Pinto

Luís Medeiros Pereira

Chris Thomas

André Alves

Luís Carvalho

Daniele Fonelli

David Raquel

Luís Barreiro

André Bernardino

Luís Luz

Lucie Hogger

Miguel Veterano

Miguel Rola Costa

Mário Marinheiro

Bruno Inça

António Francisco

Reeta Nykänen

Laura Delnevo

Thomas Chateau

Pedro Pinto

Lenita Lemos

Ricardo Stringfellow

Ryan Le Garrec

João Garra

João Palma

Kristina Kozlova

Lee Jackson

Wilson Oliveira

Nuno Martins

Paulo Jorge

Inês Sanches

Filipe Pinto

Kika Castro

Moey Chen Lim

Pau Wong

Paulo Lopes

Diogo Duarte

Micha Mamede

Arturo Vieira

Jeane de Figueiredo Abreu

Carlos Guedes

Media Car (Juliana)

Media Car (David)

__Welcome to Heading Southwest__

My name is Joel and I will be covering the inaugural edition of Heading Southwest.

__About__

The inaugural edition of Heading Southwest features a start list with a mix of experienced riders and a few amazing rookies. According to the weather forecast at the time we are writing this post we can expect amazing weekend, all the cars in Portugal will head to the beach so we will look forward to plenty of empty roads only for our riders. 
In the following days we will update you with the highlights of the race, but for now you can read about what’s coming. 

__The route__

The route will cover a very diverse type of terrain and landscapes. Riders will start heading north out of the wonderful city of Coimbra until they reach the city of Arouca, right in the middle of the mountains. From there on, riders will slowly turn East and then South, heading from there to slopes of Estrela, the biggest mountain in Portugal.

The first half of the route favours the climbers. The first 250kms of the race will cover 5400m of elevation. After that, in the following 250km they climb more 4770m of positive altitude. That’s a lot, and only riders in top shape will be able to cover that without any rest in the middle.  

Because of that, we expect that the group will be divided near Arouca. The fastest riders will continue after the small city in the mountains, while the not so fast riders will wisely choose to rest a little bit there. 

At roughly half the route, the terrain will change and will not be so hilly. Mountains will be smaller and smaller until the moment riders enter in the Alentejo region, where they will cover dozens of false-flat roads. The biggest challenge in here will be the heat and the wind if it’s from south, because those roads will be as empty as you can imagine. No protection from houses, walls or trees. During this part riders will also need to be wise, because there will be a shortage of places to refuel. Villages will only appear from time to time, and covering a few dozen kms with no water or food there will be painful. 

The race will not end without a last gift. Right before the finish line there will be a last amazing climb up to close to 500m in Serra do Caldeirão. Riders will need to pack some chocolates and take a big breath before the finish line to cross this one. 

Fortunately, the finish line will be at the beautiful village of Alte where plenty of bear and food will be waiting for riders.  

__Riders to watch__

The start list features 42 riders, with 10 riders racing in pairs and a total of 11 female riders. The pack will be a mix of very experienced riders and some absolute rookies. 

- Crazy fast climby riders

Pretty sure that this will age bad because some other riders will surprise us, but looking at the start list, the riders that look like great bets for the win are Chris Thomas, Sam Thomas, Luís Medeiros Pereira and Daniele Fonelli. First three have Transcontinental on their CV and all of them had some serious badass performances in the past. Luís knows the terrain very well and is used to high temperatures, but Chris, Sam and Daniele are very experienced racers and will perform a great race to watch. Daniele will be riding in a fixed bike so it will be very interesting to watch if he can climb the first half of the race as well as the other. 

- Experienced racers 

The start list features a big group of riders with several serious races in the pocket. Miguel Rola is a veteran of North-Cape4000, Bikingman and Portugal Divide. Luccie Hogger is a finisher of Transcontinental Race, Luís Carvalho and André Alves are finishers of Transiberica and Portugal Divide. Miguel Veterano, Bruno Inça, João Pinto, André Bernardino, Reeta, Lenita and Wilson, all have some impressive rides in the past, and if they appear at the startline in top shape it will easily be a great show. 

- There’s more 

Ultracycling is unpredictable and you should expect a few surprises of not-so-well-known riders in the community. At this point, I’m pretty sure that the top10 will feature some rookies. 
Some of the riders will be at the startline eager to get a great adventure and it will be tons of fun to follow them. Riders like Ryan Le Garrec and Thomas Chateau for example always deliver great content on the webs. To make sure you don’t skip a beat, follow the hashtag [#headingSW](https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/headingsw/) on instagram. 

__What to expect__

__Weather –__ it will not be too bad. But it can play a role in the race. In the first half of the race, the riders will be covering mostly mountains and according to the weather forecast they will not face temperatures that can compromise. However, as they head south and enter the Alentejo region, riders can expect the temperature to increase and should pack some sunscreen, because there’ll be no shade to protect them from the sun. The temperature there will not be too high during those days and should be at low thirties, at worst. Lucky riders. 
Wind is not to be expected, but if in Alentejo region (second half) the wind picks up from south, riders can expect some painful hours. Despite the good weather, the forecast displays some rain for the late Saturday in the north. Riders should be in the Freita mountains by that time. If the rain really decides to appear, riders should be prepared for it, because in there when it rains it pours. 

__Landscape –__ the race will pass through some of the most amazing places in Portugal, like Buçaco, Freita, Portas de Rodão or Alentejo for example. This is the first ultra-endurance bikepacking race that covers a vast part of the territory in Portugal, so you can expect a lot of pictures on instagram with the most amazing roads on earth.  

__Key dates -__ The race starts next Saturday 21ST at 9AM CET. First riders will probably finish on Monday. The time limit is Friday 27TH 23:59 at local time.

Race preview

Hi 

The race is about to begin. Tomorrow morning riders will start from Coimbra and will head north. Here’s the highlights of the route. 

__Mata Nacional do Buçaco | KM 39-42__ 

![buçc](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1z107TLpzr4hTqZwlsNbxg/8bca0390edf668d0a5eea36fd1102827/bu__c.jpeg)

A special cobblestone sector surrounded by the protected, historic and mysterious Buçaco National Forest. The ‘Buçaco Palace climb’ is a journey back in time. It isn’t long and too steep (2KM & 6.8% average slope), but  will extend the gap between the riders. 

__Serra da Freita e da Arada (Arouca Geopark) | KM 131-158 + KM 181-208__ 

![inferno](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1yAET2RuqIHpbGdoSXEFdV/b8459f4f3d3e8dcfe6f28bcea0160f5d/inferno.jpeg)
Riders will face the two first mountainous challenges of the route (‘Serra’ means mountain range). Serra da Freita climb is long (27 kilometers), with some sections with more than 10% of average slope and starts from 150 meters up to 1.099 meters above sea level. In Serra da Arada climb there is one of the most emblematic points of the route: Portal do Inferno (Gate of Hell). The name honors the challenge. Both climbs are in the UNESCO Arouca Geopark territory. 

__Serra da Estrela (Estrela Geopark) | KM 340-400__
![estrel](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/42n7PPGfOJBWfjt5ZdwQ8q/3138a2bd8d894048fe3e67c862fccee3/estrel.jpeg)
This mountain range is the main reference for road cycling in Portugal that features the highest point of the Portuguese mainland territory (2.000 meters above sea level). However, ‘SouthWest’ will show the less familiar side of Serra da Estrela. Cabeça climb has 13KM and 5% of average slope, but – due to the irregular declives - this sector will show that climb higher, longer and on a high average slope doesn’t means harder.

__Vila Velha de Rodão (Tagus River crossing) | KM 537__
![rodao](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/EPrl6tzMb7N19ADYEtuZv/a98aacf3d1f672ed0d90b023bc553dfc/rodao.jpeg)
It isn’t exactly the halfway point of the route, but it is the transition point in the landscape, from the mountainous areas to hills/plains areas, from the Center of Portugal to Alentejo Region, from the ‘Atlantic’ zone to the ‘Mediterranean’ zone. The bridge over Tagus River has a landscape bonus: the view to the most famous natural Portuguese monument – Portas de Rodão.

__Marvão Village | KM 594__
![marv](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/65feGNnI6n4FjTrob80dcM/0be3c4867d525cc233d6b24196707f30/marv.jpeg)
The only ‘Dead End’ point of the route. Marvão is one of the highest spots of Alentejo region (860 meters above sea level) and an historical place, concerning the battles between Muslims and Christians in the XII century, as well as between Portugal and the Kingdom of Castila (former Spain) in the XIII century.

__Alentejo | After Tagus River__
![alent](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6RxEgWdKmvqOVf8zfGxomv/e1b9d15467b67ace9f82be565cf2cb71/alent.jpeg)
Alentejo is the biggest region of Portugal and probably the territory with the strongest identity in the mainland areas. Some would say that is flat terrain but we believe cyclists will have a different opinion. In Alentejo is located the only gravel sector of the route with 6 kilometers – between the kilometers 862 and 868. The goal is to honor the characteristics of the landscape.

__Alte, Algarve | The Finish Point__
![alte](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2mYBy1O1qMAwiw9blkP66n/256dfa70e6ec47a24cf998dbe6d9c146/alte.jpeg)
The route finishes in Alte village (a few kilometers away from the Atlantic Ocean), namely in the Germano biciArte Café: the place where every single cyclist riding in Algarve region stops. However, there is a mountainous challenge before the glory. Serra do Caldeirão divides the regions of Alentejo and Algarve. Riders will need one last deep breath to complete the adventure across the diversity of the Portuguese territory.

See you tomorrow

The route

__The dots are moving and the race is on.__ 

Right after the dawn, riders started from Coimbra and got into the mountains right ahead. As expected, a strong group of riders imposed a big tempo right from the start which made the peloton stretch a lot. Two hours in and the dots were already covering a large part of the map. 

![David Raquel](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3a3lv4o78FF22lDjZVkZCw/de1d7e5d557e49e03268ed0dff499313/raq.jpg)

André Bernardino, David Raquel and Luís Pereira were the first to reach the Vouga river, with a big group right behind them. The climb to Freita was, as expected, the first big deal of the race and stretched the front group. André lost some speed (or maybe saved it) and was approached by the trailing group. João Pinto kept a very strong tempo and reached the front duo. 

![Luis Medeiros](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2nY9hcUZrRsKtpFwrEbUf6/2f327f4d25ca9db724893649af00041b/medeiros.jpg)

Until Arouca, the leading riders exchanged positions but reached the city pretty much at the same time. Some of them chose to take a breath and eat something, some passed straight away and started to head East to the slopes of Arada mountains.

![João Pinto](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3xrIqZG8k1usfK04xyaDjT/82ae92e78dccd68ec34357e6243ae879/pinto.jpg)

As expected, Freita was the big divider. 10 hours in and we have two groups. The first group is heading to Estrela, while the second group is still climbing Freita. It’s very likely that most of the riders from the second group will choose to rest in Arouca. 

__No dull moments__ 

Ryan has an appetite from adventure. So, a few hours after the start he was already facing some mechanics. Luckily, he was very close to the only city able to provide some parts in the following days. Mário Marinheiro also broke his crankset and was able to reach the same bike store and got his bike fixed.  

Instagram is getting flooded with reports from the riders as they go through some empty roads. It’s worth checking the organization page.

In the meantime, the weather decided to play its part. The forecast for today and Sunday was sun and probably some rain in the mountains in the north, but the sun was hidden all day behind the clouds. Temperatures were raising to the high twenties and the humidity was going up. It could, however, be worst for a cycling day. Some more rain is expected for the following hours. 

__What to expect for the following 24h__ 

The leading group will continue the pace and will probably reach the 400kms mark before the sunrise. The second group will be stretched tomorrow between Freita slopes and Estrela.  

__And the peloton is no more__

![Miguel Veterano](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/7meFMO6Cg1hl9daEQh8n8M/6b0f545c3d74a64521361b07c8a0e9ed/veterano.jpeg)

That was an easy one. Predicting that Freita and Arada would spread the peloton was easy. And yet we had some surprises. 

The leading group didn’t stop during the night and stretched the race even more. I failed yesterday by 50kms when I said that the front riders would be crossing the 450km mark. In fact, Luis Medeiros and João Pinto were so strong during the night that they crossed the 500km mark in the first hours of the day and the trailing group was just behind.  

![ayP1wnDY](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6ndRzf847ORu7XkeyBPTfr/c4f8815fff7a06aa6996d7b8c11826b8/ayP1wnDY.jpeg)

David Raquel and André Bernardino, two of the fastest riders yesterday, chose to rest some hours during the night and lost the leadership of the race, while André, Danielle, Sam Thomas, Lee Jackson, Luís Carvalho and Wilson pushed through the night and gained some positions in the race. 

The weather forecast failed miserably and the riders cycled the entire day through some clouds, fog and rain, which made the life of the riders from northern countries a little bit easier.  

As for the leading group, there were some changes during the day. João Pinto passed over by Luís Medeiros and, later in the day, Sam Thomas took the leadership of the race. Reports on the ground told me he was literally flying in the “flat” roads of Alentejo. 

![Sam Thomas](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6uaV0mhsRxgD3OjYrwA14L/97259b71a529865483d914fc226adcca/sam.jpg)

In the female competition, Lucie Hogger is leading the race by some margin and is already in the Alentejo region. If she pushes through the night, she will be able to finish the race tomorrow. 150kms behind follows Reeta Nykänen. At the end of the day she is already through the most difficult part of the race and close to the “flat” terrain. In third follows Laura Delnevo, about 50 kms behind. She is in Unhais da Serra, which means that she had already crossed the big mountain of the day, but still needs to pass a few more hills before entering the Alentejo region. 

 ![lucie](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/jadbpew7iGm0IQuD59bsn/44e6036377b0d6b77ac1e443e77f2129/lucie.jpeg)

In the pairs competition, Kika Castro (F) and Filipe Pinto (M) are leading. They just crossed Unhais da Serra and are heading to the last mountains before the Alentejo region. Pau Wong (F) and Moey Chen Lim (F) follow in second place, 50kms behind. They are now heading to one of the most difficult climbs of the race (Estrela), so it’s expected that the gap increases.  

![reeta](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6HbR70PDvjvt2A2eDST65m/64b9c7b1f772b968f81dfc1c624677ba/reeta.jpeg)

By the end of the day all riders had already passed through Freita and Arada mountains, and the slowest riders are now heading to Estrela. Some of them are already resting their tired bodies and probably eating some great food. 

Sam Thomas won this morning the with a time of 47 hours and 18 minutes. Less than two days to cover the entire parcour. 

João Pinto reached the finish line in second place and Luís Medeiros Pereira was the third one to arrive.  

The leading riders are arriving as I write this article. 

__How the race was won__

The race started with a crazy strong pace. The first half of the race was hardcore hard with multiple ascents up to 1000m. From the start David, André Bernardino and Luís Medeiros set a crazy pace. Probably due to their characteristics and appetite for suffering, they really dominated the race in the first 24 hours. A very strong pack of riders never gave too much leeway, though. André Alves, João Pinto, Sam Thomas were always really close to them, with a yo-yo interval of about 30 min.  

![end 1](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6C8qn7x0bh1g1EuHMDrYUp/36a0817a1f38e397807df6feb1b2e6f7/end_1.png) 

When the pack reached Arouca, things started to change a little bit. David and André slowly lost some ground, while Luís kept the pace. 

![end 2](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4km3G6jm0YW0qPMCAPukGU/cf46df16553381ccb9b75c01d5e88eae/end_2.png) 

Two riders that took some time to warm up, slowly reached the leading group: Sam Thomas and João Pinto. After Arouca they were already pursuing Luís Medeiros with a 20 min gap more or less. 

![end 3](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5o7Pa2A7TxMfpL2gfpjRCI/b6fc34ae8f204fcd2717224ef588992a/end_3.png) 

When the leading group was deep in the Estrela, the classification was already mixed: Luís Pereira and João Pinto were leading, with Sam Thomas, André Bernardino and David Raquel trailing 40 minutes behind. Chris Thomas, Daniele Fonelli and André Alves were about 1 hour behind. 

![end 4](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6uNkWCWM4mhk6ZsInBFeLS/3d13f5c79589c72b299276d48df63a14/end_4.png) 

When the leading group left Estrela and headed to the last big mountain top of the race, at about 0400AM of Sunday, there was a key moment: André Bernardino and David Raquel stopped to rest for some hours, Daniele and André Alves kept the pace and Sam Thomas slept in Silvares for about two hours. 

![end 5](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1aWXrnO8MgP5dtzus9C1DR/ec705ade08d429a799c4359427843bc7/end_5.png) 

In the early hours of Sunday everything was already mixed again. Pinto distanced himself from Luís Medeiros with a good margin, and Sam Thomas (that was briefly surpassed by André Alves during his sleep) kept a staggering pace until he reached the leading duo, more or less 6 hours later. 

![end 6](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/7jovQIaepppsoPjzhVLyIQ/be2ce10bd7fbc3df62071e5a2ed57f3c/end_6.png) 

At 0500pm on Sunday he was already leading the race and only increased his margin from there on. Not sure that this difference in performance was boosted by the rest he took during the night or if he was only saving himself. But whatever it was, it worked flawlessly. 

![end 7](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6w2QMXH1RPIBcLzZ8rwBGz/82a16a39bcf246736d07ec5ecaa90689/end_7.png) 

At the end of the day his gap was more than one hour to João and he had about 200km to cover before the finish line.  

Ending before the 48hour mark was close, but not a done deal. Either way, he kept his frantic pace and reached the finish line in 47 hours and 18 minutes. 

Epic performance for Sam Thomas. 

![three](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5pY84tOBIW7eyAi4rj9W2/1a0ac29cd523aee17c8d86e3621be570/sam.jpg)

João Pinto and Miguel Pereira crossed the finish lines 3 hours later, ending an absolutely amazing performance. 

![three](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4RE3oG9ueDfiOojllFG98A/45322919b0ab74ffe4253a1c713ba142/three.jpg)



The 1st edition of Heading SouthWest is over. All riders arrived to Alte. Safe & sound. Kudos for all participants, from the first to the last. 

A few things were to be expected: challenging route, great landscapes and tons of photos from vistas and food. Others not so much.

The weather forecast missed completely and riders were presented with clouds, wind and light rain. Even some cold during the night. But heat also took part on the race, and some of the riders experienced temperatures ranging 10 to 40ºC.
But what is more impressive is that percentage of DNFs were very low, as some riders took the decision to slow the pace instead of killing themselves on the slopes of the northern region.

![Photo by Juliana Veterano](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2S4pTwfr59qjq01GDFKoLH/f787d5ec6514a42065a29c002a241d06/Photo_20-05-2022__5_40_36_PM.jpg)

__Women and pairs competition__ 

Lucie was the winner for the woman competition. Her leading position looked solid from early in the race, and she just increased the difference in the following days. All 5 lady riders that started the race finished within the time limits. 

All pairs rode in moderate pace, taking their time to enjoy the route and get a proper rest every night. All 4 pairs finished the race well within the time limit. However, some of the riders from pairs competition left the idea on the table that next year they will participate as solo to get a proper taste of their own limits.  

![Photo by Finisterra](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/7BsVawZLY3IV6lYp8U2RlE/b2342b00b93490eef8ad9354a88d7a9b/IMG-20220524-WA0011.jpg)

__Scratches__ 

The % of DNS/DNF riders was surprisingly low comparing with the usual scenario in self-supported ultra events with a similar profile. Unfortunately, 3 riders didn’t make it to the end of the route. Nuno Martins scratched early in the race with about 300kms, well deep in the mountains. Lee Jackson and Wilson Oliveira were both doing a very good race, but they took the decision to scratch due to physical and emotional hurdles, both with about 530kms clocked. 

![Photo by Juliana Veterano](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4nyHmArSltKWkSp8KhcM8Q/205e86c5523debd5d9a6bdf8c57ab192/Photo_22-05-2022__1_30_08_PM.jpg)

__Race is over__ 

The group of riders that participated in the inaugural edition of Heading Southwest performed a great and entertaining race to watch. The pace was very strong from early on, and the leading riders kept in a close range throughout the first two days. The top-5 was open pretty much until Alentejo and after the moment Sam Thomas assumed the race, the remaining positions remained up for grabs. João and Luís Medeiros reached the finish line in 2nd and 3rd but they had to fight for it. The riders from 2nd to 7th position reached the finish line in an interval of about 3 hours, after covering 980kms and north of 15000m of elevation. 

The big difference in the leading pack and the riders that reached the cross line a few hours later were mostly the hours slept. Most of the riders in the leading group chose not to sleep, pushing the bike until finish line for more than 50hours.  

![Photo by Juliana Veterano](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1zwVOM23wMTncQrlULPHBL/e192e4ecca2bc5662d4dbf2d82cf7a75/Photo_21-05-2022__8_15_43_AM.jpg)

__Classification__ 

The leading times for the 3 categories of competition are: 

- Men: 

1st #26 Sam Thomas 47H18M 

2nd #15 João Manuel Pinto 50H30M 

3rd #03 Luís Medeiros Pereira 51H56M 

- Women: 

Fastest Woman: #6 Lucie Hogger - 63H06M 

- Pairs: 

First Pair: #48 Kika Castro & #49 Filipe Pinto - 104H09M 

![Photo by Juliana Veterano](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/25o6s7BFNishDjajTy02ow/64e38df3e842754b5975839ad99dbf51/Photo_23-05-2022__8_12_00_PM.jpg)

__Thank you__ 

On a personal note, I (Joel) would like to thank David, the front-man of Finisterra and race director, for the opportunity to cover this race and to be close to the backoffice of the race. It was a pleasure. 

In addition, the organization would like to thank the best sponsors and crew. Here it follows David words: 

“Special thanks to the crew. Juliana was a last hour addition and she was the most active ‘dot’ on the road. Kudos also to the team of dotwatchers volunteers, identifying potentially dangerous situations.  

Thank you to @fmchallenge for the accurate and intuitive live mapping/tracking. And also, for the total availability before, during (from the first to the last minute) and after the event. This support was crucial for an unexperienced organization that needs confidence.  

 The briefing-dinner was definitely special. Thank you @galeriasantaclara & @espacoapasso ! Also thanks @ciclofemina and @oficina35c for the help. 

 Thank you to @zeus.bars and @cabeca_de_martelo . They weren’t partners waiting for promotion. They were worried friends wishing the well-being of the riders/crew. 

Thank you to @dotwatcher.cc - our media partner and main ambassador of our sport. They don’t care if you have a fancy event. They are totally in for the development of the sport. Massive thanks to Joel Olivera for the live commentaries/updates. Analysis straight to the point. 

 Thank you so much @germanobiciarte_cafe staff. Heading SouthWest finish line was much more than a 'point' because of you.  

 The fastest riders were ‘awarded’ with @volta_cerveja 

The last riders were ‘awarded’ with the UNvisible by @unlost.pt - they have plenty of time to take magical photos. 😉 

“ 

See you next year

![Photo by Finis Terra](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/OMlwEqipdk4PxuQhSkIQ2/8d3ab0dfa6d0a03578fddf18839a08de/P1080460.JPG)

An offering of Portugal's diverty to the ultra-community; this new race leads riders from the centre of Portugal through mountains, plains and the coast to the Algarve.

Heading SouthWest

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