First Finisher: Mark Turnbull

The Perfidious Albion Preview

Mark Turnbull

Mark Baker

Mike Redshaw

Callum Rae

Pascal Vandenbussche

Tim Brown

Christopher Murkin

Ian Mitchelson

Mat Ivings

Thomas Martinus

Ken van Someren

Simon Mowles

Rob Hyde

Pete O'Millervan

John Casey

Paul Glasspoole

Crew 2

Crew 1

Callum Cant

# Party Time

In fourth place we have Callum Rae, finishing in __7d 6h 59m__. After scratching from the 2024 edition, he returned and put that experience to good use, producing a fantastic ride. Our blessed child of the race, Callum was denied room at the inn one night (due to a booking error) and spent his final night in a shepherd's hut.  Unconfirmed if any wise men visited him during his sleep. 

![P1056082](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3nGFXNAsjJYeFBVICJ46Di/b98ba97d3484151e0d385b251d857349/P1056082.jpg)

A few hours later we had our fifth finisher, Pascal Vandenbussche. Our most experienced entrant this year, Pascal will leave Perfidious Albion with even more stories to add to his collection; hunting down a bike shop built into someone’s home in Wales, conquering the weather, and finishing in __7d 10h 22m__. Not only that, but he’s riding to get the ferry back to Belgium now! 

![P1056086](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/M06T6mlcSfILe8l58p173/9f1ac649ed9919d38b8b3f6ba770d825/P1056086.jpg)

His partner in crime for the final stretch was our final finisher, the rider in sixth place, Tim Brown. Rolling across the line with a time of __7d 11h 15m__, he deserves huge credit for pulling himself back from the brink and deciding not to scratch during the week after the terrible weather around Bowland. 

And with that, we’re done! Seven finishers out of the seventeen starters. From scorching heat to monsoon conditions. A broken wheel, derailleur. Brake issues. Some accidental detours. Some forced road closures. Local delicacies. Various McDonald’s. There’s never any overarching theme when I put together race updates, but if by the end I’m inspired to get out on my bike and throw myself into an adventure, then I consider it a success. If you feel the same after following these brave souls then you can find out more events [here](https://dotwatcher.cc/events), or even get an entry in for the final part of the 2025 Perfidious Albion chapter, [The Mountains of the Merfynion](https://theperfidiousalbion.cc/mountains-of-the-merfynion/). 


Final Finishers

# The Podium 
In second place we have Mark Baker. At just after midday, he reached the finish line and completed his Perfidious Albion journey in __6d 3h 5m__. He’s had a great event, averaging __263km__ a day over the course of the ride, battling the weather throughout and even overcoming a broken gear cable in the run in. While his sleep stops have been consistent, his final push has been impressive- an all out charge for the line that started the day before the finish, only punctuated with power naps. While we’ve seen other riders fall foul of the conditions and the relentless nature of the course, Mark has moved his way up the leaderboard and is rewarded with a podium finish! 

His companion over the last few days has been Callum Cant. Designated ‘Outside of Classification’ since his wheel mishap on day one (TLDR damaged wheel, wrong place/time, replacement wheel donated by a stranger), Callum has had a fantastic debut event, finishing in __5d 23h 23m__. He deserves great credit for embodying the spirit of the sport- not only admitting to the wheel swap- but also continuing to press on with such intensity whilst knowing he wouldn’t receive a placing. His daily average is on track with the other fast finishers, around __270km__, but notably he rode a perfectly balanced event- __50%__ moving, __50%__ idle time. Mark Baker was __60/40__, Mark Turnbull __74/26__. What that means though is his time on the bike has been rapid, averaging over __22km/h__ throughout the event. Callum jotted down some thoughts for us after finishing his first bikepacking race:

> TPA is brutal, there's no two ways about it. Having never ridden for more than one day before I expected it to be tough, but the reality was more than I could have imagined. The heat and then the rain tested everyone, and the gradients never let up.
> 
> But as you suffer through the route, you get treated to one amazing moment after another. I was in tears at the beauty of the Welsh mountains, in tears at the thought of climbing more Welsh mountains - just in tears in general.
> 
> The last push to the finish was bonkers. Down on the aero bars, energy drink in the bottles, techno in the headphones. 26.5 hours of straight grinding with only a 20 minute nap. Experiences like that push you to expand your understanding of your own physical and mental limits.

![P1056000](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3px5ZMoBgDmGssZCRqPnE6/8bb07b345b0c141b0238aad8ce34b900/P1056000.jpg)

The third M in our Roman numeral inspired podium (MMM) is Mike Redshaw, who claims third place! __6d 18h 38m__ after setting off, he rolled into the finish just before sunrise this morning. Like the other finishers, it was a big final push to make it to the end (the weather warning for lightning on the horizon might factor in for some people)- just a two hour sleep and the odd nap to get him through the final stretch. Whatever plan Mike had for the whole event, the nature of the route forced him to reassess it the further into the week he got- the weather, the climbs, the isolation- all slowing the progress down (“Rider makes plans and ~~God~~ Rob laughs”, as the old saying goes. I still have the notes in my phone from my 2023 PA ride and let me tell you, I was embarrassingly optimistic with pacing). Mike is already an alumni of the wider Perfidious Albion universe, having finished Wild West Country in 2023, so the triple crown is on for him if he ever throws his hat into the Mountains of the Merfynion event… 

With the final three riders all less than 100 miles from the end, we should see everyone back safely before the day is out! 


Finishers

# The Perfidious Albion Champion

At 3am on Friday morning our winner rolled into town. __5 days, 17 hours and 55 minutes__ after leaving Lockerbie (time bonus still to be applied), Mark Turnbull made it to Brimscombe. It’s not been a ride without challenges- outside of the weather that has plagued riders across the board, Mark had to navigate a large portion of the race with his phone after a GPS failure. Not only that, but after a little tumble he’s been missing several gears for the final __300km__. 

![WhatsApp Image 2025-07-18 at 03.50.12 68ba9936](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5ODdKIxvykYnDpvhrlN0eF/74251c40237b5c3a4ea3f725633d5cc3/WhatsApp_Image_2025-07-18_at_03.50.12_68ba9936.jpg)

All of that adds to the story of pure determination though. The fifth rider to Kielder, the second to Great Dun Fell: since then he’s been the first to every checkpoint. The progress hasn’t always been fast- whether consciously or not- Mark found himself adopting the routine of long, steady stints and minimal rest. To break it down even more, his average moving speed was __15.74 km/h__, which might rank on the lower end once we have more finishers. But his daily distance worked out at a mighty __281km__ a day! And his idle time? Well down, we’re talking 26%. If you checked the map at any point since Saturday, there’s a good chance Mark was moving. 

A huge effort. A worthy champion. Now enjoy the weekend! 


# Wear and Tear

Mark Turnbull had a mixed Wednesday night. After his little detour he decided a bed for the evening was the correct course of action; sensible when you consider how hard he’d been pushing himself since Saturday. The bad news was that he took a little tumble before the end of the evening, which resulted in a broken derailleur. He took to instagram to post an update, telling everyone he’ll be missing his easiest three gears for the duration of the event (unless he finds a fix). Now he should be over the most challenging part of the course but it’ll be by no means flat between now and the finish. Let's see how he gets on! He’s made it through Abergavenny today and checkpoint 8, Gospel Pass, is within sight. He’s covered just over __1,400km__ since setting off, and the finish line is __200km__ to go! 

![DSCF5766](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/WnXW2Ry5k58X18ruSg4Hg/a58fb57078328396a7664a552097fc95/DSCF5766.jpg)

Mark and Callum both bunked up last night in the same town. Mark was the early riser of the two, setting off before his companion to tick off CP7 and press on. Callum wasn’t too far behind, but unfortunately he suffered a stroke of bad luck on the descent from Devil’s Elbow and had a minor crash. Everything seems to be OK right now, here’s hoping he doesn’t wake up too sore tomorrow. Mark is about 50km back from the leader, but worth remembering that Mark Turnbull will get a time bonus at the end of the event. 

![P1055914](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4NMspdOVYz9urDWXliYB1W/74ce3e8b8475b75feab55f3e9b53d8a4/P1055914.jpg)

The weather today isn’t as wild as we’ve seen, but now the riders will have to deal with rain and mist. Visibility is not very good- riders have been encouraged to keep their lights on and don their high vis. Pea soup. 

The good news following on from yesterday is that Pascal found a bike shop! After some mechanical issues he found a bike shop in Tywyn who managed to get his bike back on the road. The situation isn’t 100%- his wheel is still slightly skewed- but he’s back and moving. Currently he’s just about to catch up with Tim Brown, who is on the Elan Valley trail. The reservoirs around the Elan Valley are beautiful, if anyone ever gets a chance to visit, please do. 

Callum Rae is in front of them. He’s made it through one valley, and has another to make it through. This is Callum’s first time in Wales, so what a way to discover it. 

Mike Redshaw went au-natural at his lunch stop today: shoes off, socks off, get everything dry. The rain hasn’t been too torrential, but to lean into a cliche, it’s the type that soaks you through. Soggy. 

The worst of the weather should be done for now, with tomorrow looking mixed at the start before turning into a pleasant enough Friday and Saturday in South Wales. 


Day 6 Update

# What a Difference a Day Makes

When we left off last night, almost everyone had found shelter for the night after a miserable day. Hatches had been battened down. 

Mark Turnbull was still pressing on though, and he eventually made it through the gravel section and took some rest at Llanidloes. He was the first through the double off road section, and we can take a second to expand on the terrain a little now.

The first section by the coast after Dolgellau follows the Mawddach Trail, a path formed from a disused railway line next to the estuary. It is flat, but in the rain nobody (man or bike) is making it off the path in any sort of presentable condition.

![P1055800](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4A8rp34bRqxt5IyQLRuk5s/040fe0bd36dfdf4948494b120e47dc91/P1055800.jpg)

Between the gravel sections we’ll find CP6, Cregennan Lakes. A short climb from the coast takes them to a beautiful part of the world; picturesque views, stunning vistas. If the weather is nice… Then it gets more challenging. The climb continues, still off road. Expect some gradual hike-a-bile for the riders involved, maybe a gate or two as well. After reaching the top, the challenge isn’t over. For the third year in a row the descent will be wet, and we’ll move on from gravel analysis to… puddle analysis. 

![P1055852](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2YwMUtGY8MhVrruiamBG5S/4a060911475f8e0e1d6d5afa110eee42/P1055852.jpg)

The water on the descent doesn’t drain especially well, which is a problem, so after some on-off action going uphill, they’ll likely have a little on-off action to avoid any potential risks on the downhill. Descend, dismount, walk round a puddle, repeat. Not a section you want to do if you’re in a rush or if the conditions aren’t playing ball. 

The checkpoints come pretty close together in this section of the course, and not long after the CP6 we have Devil’s Elbow. Mark is the only rider so far to make it to CP7. I don’t know if there is an award for most distance covered in an event with a fixed route, but Mark Turnbull is pushing new boundaries. Detours, fields of wheat… and today a missed turn while heading towards the next off road section. 

![MT Detour](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2ZkGgbgQU7MiQuVlPpgzA8/9ad634ec7f63541fe204dfb6af914a71/MT_Detour.png)

The good news is that he realised his mistake pretty quickly and turned back. The bad news is that turning back involved a 7km climb towards the top of the hill. He is slowly heading towards more urban areas though, so if all else fails there should be more road signs he can use. 

![DSCF5724](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/48F9hMp40GB9Rq4emgvgIk/705d2b3e783d3bc288775aa938e88f07/DSCF5724.jpg)

Five of our six riders have ticked off the lakes so far. The tracker data showing the time between segments tells the story of foul weather and inopportune timing: Callum Rae made it from Tyn Llyn to Cregennan Lakes in just under 5 hours after setting off at 13:20 today. Mike Redshaw spent over 18 hours travelling between the two. 

![CP Time](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/vybRyEsDpt4IfhAGMFHmf/3ab230afa60de74f50aeb17a9d49bd35/CP_Time.png)

Behind Mark we have two riders taking a long rest in Llandovery tonight. After waiting out the worst of the weather, Mark Baker and Callum Cant were rewarded with glorious (in comparison) conditions for CP6. Callum’s trip is doubling as the launch of his food blog; this has predominantly been based on the McDonald’s menu so far. But as the route is taking him into parts of Wales he’s never explored before, he’s expanding his culinary horizons as well. Today? A butter bun. A little Google deep-dive seems to suggest he’s in the butter bun capital of the world. Tune in tomorrow for another edition of Callum Cant Cook, Won’t Cook. 

![butter cakes](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4clkALXor3YEtnSiIMN5H5/25a1ea0caaf6ab5ff6024379fad32e0b/butter_cakes.png)

Mark Baker started a little further back today, but the two of them have been leapfrogging each other at every opportunity. 

![P1055791](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1CENyj8RXIoxV625NgzrCY/4d2e4be8ef4951b597677e41dfc6cd56/P1055791.jpg)

Behind them we have Mike Redshaw. He’s in Rhayader at present. He set off a little after Mark and the long rest looks to have helped him, as he’s made some great progress today. 

Callum Rae has bunked up in Machynlleth for the evening. He arrived slightly too late to enjoy the comforts of the manned check point, but it’s been a great day on the bike for him, ticking off two checkpoints since leaving the outskirts of Wrexham. 

Pascal Vandenbussche has been consistent in his approach throughout the event but unfortunately has hit his first big setback, and it’s mechanical related. We’ve had news that he’s had issues with his brakes, so he has sensibly decided to take a longer rest in Tywyn and wait for a shop to open to see if he can get things fixed. 

You’ll notice a name missing from the action so far; Chris Murkin. He has withdrawn after battling illness. The glorious sunshine from the opening day seems like a lifetime ago now! 

Never scratch at night, one of the golden rules in this crazy sport. Tim Brown had a rough Tuesday (who didn’t) and he took an early rest to take stock of the situation. Thankfully he decided to stay in the race! Like Callum Rae, he was a bit too late for the manned checkpoint but he’s another who’s had a strong day- he wasn’t even in Wales last time we checked in on him and now he’s practically on the coast! 

![Met Office](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1HSu3MxCiTXb7qzNCuMugY/80763bf8aa393ee9fe5546a96ee1aaff/Met_Office.png)

Weather wise, what can we expect? More rain I’m afraid. With all our riders now in Wales they can expect consistent showers from the wee hours of the morning until midday, at which point things should clear up slightly. 


Day 5 Review

*A short little update about what’s happened today- we’ll include more details in an extended review tomorrow. For now, the pictures will tell the story better than my words can*

# A Lesson In Welsh

Mae hi'n bwrw glaw. It's raining.

![TPA Detour](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1lPvZKD81MFIiP00sRWgrT/d84f9d8f69cc1ee2c8f33ec7e7886640/WhatsApp_Image_2025-07-15_at_14.43.33_d2a6a517.jpg)

It is wet. Wild. And we’re into the pivotal part of the race. Snowdonia is no joke. 

We’ll start with the bad news: Ian Mitchelson and Mat Ivings have both scratched. Ian put in a huge shift yesterday, but things fell apart in the evening as his lights failed and he had to walk to the nearest town, deciding upon arrival to call it quits. Mat had a similar thought process and pulled out of the running after feeling that he’d reached his limit.

5 riders have made it to the manned checkpoint. Mark first, then Chris, Callum, Mike, and Mark. Callum, on his loaned wheel, was actually the fastest between the two check points, taking just over 21 hours. 

![DSCF5450](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/36Qeaawu5fC3gAi8HwagzH/a4bba95600e614cd5a2fb050e812ac34/DSCF5450.jpg)

Mark still leads. As mentioned in yesterday’s update, he’s been the guinea pig for sudden road closure. That was the case today, battling up a climb in the torrential rain only to find a detour in place. His time will be adjusted in the final standings to reflect this. Chris is a little further back. Mark is onto the second section of gravel: Chris looks to be waiting out the storm in Dolgellau. Callum is just about to join him- he sent the group a voice note describing the conditions he faced after leaving the last checkpoint and it sounds extremely grim. Not just rain but strong winds- he likened it to a tropical storm. Some of the roads were beginning to flood. The forecast is meant to improve slightly into the evening but anyone pressing on tonight will need to be attentive. 

Mike has left the CP, Mark looks to be checking the weather before leaving the sanctuary of  Tyn Llyn. Callum Rae is planning on finding some shelter in Wrexham for the evening. Pascal is a little further back but might be thinking the same. Tim Brown has stopped for the day and will spend the evening contemplating his plans for the next few days. 

Any supportive messages to the brave souls still out there will be much appreciated I’m sure. 


Day 4 Update

# The Tortoise and the Hare

We’ve had an eventful Monday. The weather has changed. Riders are getting tired. 

![P1055681](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/38D2J2JHjgBC99hE3HALho/cdc386eacb6c6b7e5463e309ee42f2a8/P1055681.jpg)

Mark Turnbull still leads the pack. But he has slowed down. Understandable when you consider he has covered almost __900km__ in __60h__, with only __6h__ of down time. Since last night he has successfully made it to CP4, Bowland Knotts (at 3:45am), and isn’t too far away from the manned check point ahead. It’s a huge effort from Mark- especially when you consider that due to a combination of GPS error and sleep deprivation he rode an extra loop today and had to wade through a wheat field to get back on track! [Our own lycra-clad Theresa May. ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Running_through_fields_of_wheat)

![MT Error](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6xBuGRPWFhOZtwKPJXOxYU/3789d89044561d9dcd72443d1b3acd64/MT_Error.png)

By dint of being the lead rider out there, Mark has also had the mixed fortune of being the first rider to encounter roadworks… Sometimes this is a benefit; he managed to walk through a portion on Sunday while it was unmanned. Sometimes it isn’t; today he had to detour slightly after finding a road closed sign, while the news filtered back to the other riders. It's unconfirmed if Mark Turnbull crossed paths with *the* bull that faced the other riders while they made there way through a detour. 

![P1055649](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/7kYyKbllXAvL4z3VpHgjHX/4f7015c89618410cc613dab2b40ee022/P1055649.jpg)

![TPA -8](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5e0jSXxtxlqdcHxbZ58p0g/3d2186a707b7bb90479cdf1983de0529/TPA_-8.jpg)

Behind him we have Chris Murkin. After dancing his way up Hardknott last night, he found a Travelodge north of Lancaster and caught up on some sleep. Since then it’s been a relentless push into Wales. Tonight’s accommodation? The Wrexham Premier Inn. If Channel 5 needs a new travelogue I have a pitch for them involving Chris and his reviews of roadside hotels. On a more serious note, it is very interesting to observe two distinct strategies at play here: just look at the average moving speeds of our top two riders. 

![PA sleep](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4dqJx4AqPqoE3BvIBuxZdP/a0a296447999afa28f513e3ddab21ad5/PA_sleep.png)

It’s hardly a two horse race though… 

## As It Stands
Seven riders have made it up and over Bowland Knotts since the last update. Mark and Chris, we’ve discussed. Ian Mitchelson was the third rider over, then Mat Ivings, both of them this morning. In the afternoon we had Callum Cant, Mike Redshaw, and Mark Baker. It’s been a big day out for this chasing pack! Callum, Mat, and Ian were the three riders who decided to sleep in the shadow of Hardknott last night. Mark and Mike were even further back, so a massive kudos to them for making so much progress today. If we look into the data, Mat has actually set the fastest time between CP3 and CP4; just over __7 hours__. The final climb up to the check point is long and gradual and wide open and offers great views (weather permitting)- allowing riders the chance to appreciate the severity of the Lake District behind them and anticipate the rolling moors ahead which will lead them to the relatively flat urban areas around Blackburn and Bolton. 

![IMG 8067](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5RZGiYnRJmBZ3AqitPkoCc/3f8697840a537c7fd21bfd74a798baaa/IMG_8067.JPG)

The rider missing from the above section is Thomas Martinus- he has scratched due to knee pain. Also out is Ken van Someren, who took a late night tumble which, alongside some saddle issues, has proved too much. Further back, our returning rider Simon Mowles has withdrawn as well due to stomach issues. 

That leaves us Pascal Vandenbussche, Callum Rae, and Tim Brown. Pascal is about __20km__ from Bowland Knotts. Pascal rode to the start from the ferry and will be riding home, so this event is just part of the journey. He’s still setting a mean average daily distance though, clocking in at over __250km__ a day. Callum has gone off course slightly- I presume to beat the queue at Burton-In-Kendal’s number one attraction. Tim was our final rider over Hardknott, making it at just after 4pm this afternoon

![PA CR](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2pdkGngPt7Wfc4EVJGQOXm/350d85601f29c5932767aec955d7e0a7/PA_CR.png). 

What can we expect tonight? Chris and Mat seem to have stopped for the night. Our leader is only 35km away from the manned check point, so hopefully he gets some well earned rest (and a trip to the sauna), before setting off again. Ian could move into second overall if he continues his progress. The weather tomorrow around the north of Wales looks challenging. Heavy rain forecast in places. The riders will also have to deal with limited supply stops again as they press on into the countryside. 

![Wrexham weather](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/7XWY2pGaps1yq2uwe1l2a/f2df1e1a91d3ba4215f31e022ec5c90a/Wrexham_weather.png)


Day 3 Review

# The ‘Bull is on a Charge

As we settle into the evening of the second day, Mark Turnbull leads the pack. 6th at CP1, 3rd at CP2, and 1st at the third check point of the route; Hardknott Pass. Since setting off on Saturday morning he’s only stopped for just over 3 hours (this is our 24h TT rider, so par for the course). Most of that has been in the form of power naps so far, taking 20 minutes whenever possible- will he continue that strategy tonight or settle down for a bit of a longer sleep? Either way, he’s through the Lake District and looks set to hit __600km__ covered in no time. 

![TPA Turnbull](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3eNbjBHj25NtTORzqSHApj/6853275fa3f1965ad5b7917c5dba18b9/75.jpg)

## As It Stands

In second place we have Ken van Someren. When we last caught up with him he was making great progress, but seems to be paying for that slightly now- he was second to CP2 today but walked up portions of the climb (just to reiterate though, it is Hardknott. Hardknott after almost a day and a half on the bike in searing heat. Hardknott with its 30% gradient at times). His plan for the evening is to find a meal and a bed and prioritise recovery. 

Not far behind him is Thomas Martinus, who was the third rider up and over Hardknott. Thomas has been quoted as being confused by the decisions of British road builders, which is fair enough when you’re a German living in Switzerland. I think the complaints log starts with Septimius Severus in the 3rd century and ends with Cumbria County Council. Maybe more pressing than a discussion on national infrastructure is the condition of his knee, which has been the source of some discomfort for portions of today. He only reached his hotel at 4am last night, so here’s hoping an extended break will have him fighting fit before the next check point. 

Christopher Murkin is over Hardknott! He’s our fourth rider on the road. Unlike the rest of the top five so far, he’s adopted the sleep lots/ride hard approach. Those 10 hours are doing wonders- he’s just zipped passed the crew over the climb and the feedback from them has been:
- Very fast
- Seated 
- *Sausages for dinner*

Speaking of food, it looks like we have a little group behind who’ll be having a portion of Hardknott for breakfast. Callum Cant, Mat Ivings and Ian Mitchelson are all at the __550km__ mark and all seemed to be resting up for the night.

![Met Office](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1MQfhMG82ncwt0KHUs8lax/93ded6e0b8f376c9dcfdcd969f9c7a15/Met_Office.png)

As mentioned previously, we can expect showers to roll in overnight now and into tomorrow. This will turn to steady rain on Tuesday. This looks to be pretty consistent up and down the west coast, so it’ll be a case of when, not if, riders have to deal with the rain. 


Day 2 Review 

*There’s a lot to cover so this might be the most ramshackle update of the week, but like the riders we’ll settle into a good routine after no time* . All content from the race organisers, [Kitty Dennis](https://www.instagram.com/bluberrysmoothie_photos) or labelled Instagram accounts. 

On Saturday morning we had all 17 riders roll out from Lockerbie, on their Perfidious Albion adventure!

# Make Hay When the Sun is Shining. 

![TPA -2](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3FnGK3TDfsXHl3c8aZOx52/aa9254341763c8aee7950340e0756c1e/P1055330.jpg)

The Scottish portion of the route took them north, riding along the [Talla](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talla_Reservoir) reservoir before skirting Peebles and Innerleithen. After that it was south, via Hawick, and into England for the first check point; Falstone Bridge. This opening section isn’t too challenging on paper but the conditions yesterday, partnered with relatively few resupply stops, could definitely have caught out an ill-prepared rider.

![TPA -1](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5FcV6RowxEIYuJzcnrSFoW/30a07b38105a76ad9718dce92b2ecd60/TPA_-1.jpg)

It was hot in Scotland on Saturday. The bunch will have passed by multiple reservoirs, lochs, rivers… along the route and the temptation to jump in must have been tempting. Thomas Martinus was the first rider to CP1, covering the __240km__ in __9h26m__. Behind him though we had 6 riders make it within __90 minutes__ of his time, so it was a speedy day (in fact, the magnificent first 7 through CP1 are all finished with CP2). __23h__ after setting off, John Casey made it 17/17 at the Bridge. A very speedy start for some riders out there! 

Shortly after the first checkpoint we have the route’s first gravel section, a short track through Kielder that brings them out in the vicinity of Hadrian’s Wall and the surrounding area. Then onto Check Point 2, [Great Dun Fell](https://cyclinguphill.com/great-dun-fell/). The bullet points for GDF, since you asked:
- 7.5km
- 625m
- 8.3% avg, max 18.3%.
- Multiple gates. Limited cars. Pleasant road surface. 
- 1 radar station. 
- The highest paved road in Britain at 848m. 

Thomas was again the first rider to reach the checkpoint, scaling Great Dun Fell at around 3am. With the length of the event, recovery will play a key role, so the first few days will be a good chance to take note of some tactical choices in terms of the land of nod. Thomas blitzed the first two checkpoints but has since stopped for a bit longer to recover. Ken van Someren was the final rider of the group of 7 to make CP1, but pushed on incredibly well to become the 2nd rider up CP2 this morning (around 7am), and has since moved into the race lead. Mark Turnbull wasn’t far behind him though, managing the gates and reaching the summit only a few minutes behind Ken. Then Ian Mitchelson finished off this little sub-group, visiting the radar station atop the climb not long after Ian. It’s a leading four in the contest at this point; Ken, Ian and Mark are all in Keswick with Thomas not far behind.

![TPA -3](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6qCSpUeqpM4hU0CwgjtuZv/9a46ee4b9c7e8534e4cd585e846412a4/P1055403.jpg)

Callum Cant has been the first victim of bad luck. The third rider to make it to CP1, around 8pm on Saturday night he noticed a very worrying dent in his rim. A real wrong place, wrong time situation for him, with his choices at that time of the day limited to pressing on with a damaged bike, detouring to whichever bike shop will be open soonest or withdrawing. In the end though a different situation unfolded:he bumped into a local cyclist who offered him a wheel to use. Caught between a rock and a hard place, and after speaking to the event organiser, Callum decided to take the wheel but accept that he’ll be given an unranked finish at the end due to the breaking of the event rules:

> Ride in the spirit of self-sufficiency, only taking advantage of commercially and publicly available services that all riders have equal opportunity to use. This means no stashing supplies, no sleeping at friends’ houses etc.

![TPA Cap 74](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1huJFvK9TRXgCB9KLuhesj/8e3588d8c32bbf7ca6f4c70a869139ac/74.jpg)

A real tough situation to find yourself in, but the most sensible outcome in terms of the bigger picture. 

Mat Ivings was the 6th rider to CP2, climbing up to the top at 10:23 this morning. An hour behind him we had Mark Baker and Mike Redshaw, with Christoper Murkin on the ascent as we speak. Mat and Chris both opted for indoor sleep last night, trying to optimise recovery (or in Chris’ case, to wait for Co-Op to open). Mark and Mike roughed it- a bus stop and a church porch good enough for them. 

![TPA Bivvy](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1czTDfHiUdjBWZ9CunL81E/1a4e5c1726d4abfac7c24fa46ea56eca/Screenshot_20250713-130506.png)

After him we’ll have a small wait until the next bunch of riders make it along: Simon Mowles, Callum Rae, Tim Brown and Pascal Vandenbussche are all resupplied and making good progress, while a little further back we have Pete O'Millervan and behind him John Casey. They’ll be riding through the North Penines today: unrelenting climbs but glorious views, especially on a day like today. 

![TPA -2](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/595gLVpVYDSOttBL53XWOp/0c5f1b79e6250b3cdf1d2e093be83e45/P1055468.jpg)

Paul Glasspoole has sensibly scratched due to knee pain, and has made a detour to Carlisle. Rob Hyde (who tackled the gravel late last night) is also out, in this instance due to stomach issues. 

![TPA Rob Hyde Gravel](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/7vPjUIRb9gbTAsD4PdJZPR/e01a9bfb71c5863265965db03ed48d1a/Screenshot_20250713-130446.png)

It is still hot out there today. Maybe not as baking hot as yesterday, with the clouds offering a bit more cover, but still demanding conditions. Our leading quartet will be tackling the fearsome climbs in the Lake District this afternoon, on their way to CP3 at Hardknott Pass. 

![Keswick Weather](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/0CObRo81aysWvY2K2bLMV/1459842530e5c3a2d6dfd32fdd72794d/Keswick_Weather.png)

For everyone behind though, things will get complicated weather wise… It looks like we can expect light rain from about 3am on Monday morning in the Lake District, which will turn to heavy rain and thunderstorms over the day before letting up in the evening. Tuesday looks less stormy, but with heavier rain. 

EDIT: John Casey and Pete O'Millervan have both scratched this afternoon. 


Day 1 Review

# Preview 

We’ll start the preview with the opening lines from the rider’s race manual:

> If you’re reading this, it means you have taken the plunge. 1,600 kilometres of the toughest British riding awaits. But we hope that through the ache of tired legs, you will be able to appreciate some of the most beautiful landscapes the British mainland has to offer.

That’s probably the best summary you’ll get. If you live in the UK you can sometimes take the area around you for granted; you never go very far up, or very far down. But this event is quintessentially British in its attritional nature. If we average the __1,600km__ over say 6 days of riding, each day will come with over __4,000m__ of climbing. Constantly up and down. Sometimes the up is steep. Sometimes the down is dangerous. This is __1,600km__ in which the riders can’t switch off at all- very few long, flat, sections for entrants to switch off and eat up the miles. And that’s perfect, because while the altitude doesn’t differ dramatically over the course, the scenery does, and while it’ll be a difficult challenge for everyone taking part, they’ll get to enjoy some of the best landscapes in the world in the best way possible, on 2 wheels. 

My name is Louis Moorehead, and I’ll be behind the keyboard on behalf of Dotwatcher for the duration of this event. I finished 4th in the 2023 edition. That was a very… testing edition for all the riders due to some persistent headwind and lots of rain. Although there was one case of heatstroke amongst the five finishers by the end. The year prior was a certified heatwave. Last year’s race had pleasant enough summer conditions up until the tail end of the route into Wales, where, quite literally, the wheels came off for some riders. 

## The Route

The route itself starts in Lockerbie on Saturday, covering the aforementioned __1,622km__. It finishes just outside Cheltenham, in the Cotswolds. Between the two points riders have __9__ checkpoints to cover (one of them manned). Some of these checkpoints are well known locations- we’ve got Great Dun Fell, Hardknott Pass, Gospell Pass. Some of them are locations you probably wouldn’t rush to visit on a roadbike- the route includes a smattering of gravel sections to keep riders on their toes. 

### The Riders

We have 17 riders taking to the start line this year. We of course have some returning riders (both in terms of The Perfidious Albion, and the wider extended universe of Wild West Country and Mountains of the Merfynion). As is usual for an event in the UK, we have plenty of All Points North graduates. A few Pan Celtic alumni. Some lifelong bikepackers. A Transatlantic Way finisher. A 3 time Transcontinental finisher. Plus some riders with slightly different backgrounds; a rower turned ultra-distance runner. A 24h TT specialist. The beauty of these events is that it welcomes all sorts. 

### The Conditions

In terms of the weather (here we go), it’ll be a hot hot start for everyone when they set off on Saturday. That’ll be a challenge in itself, as the opening section can be a bit sparse in terms of resources. Over the course of the week though the weather will cool down, and we’ll see some rain, maybe even some thundery showers. Changeable is the buzzword here. Shakedry and suncream. 

We should be good for regular updates over the course of the week [albeit I’ll be making the most of the mini heatwave on Saturday]; one, maybe even two a day. Expect a lot of chat about the steepness of hills, weather, race nutrition. Weather, again. There should be a "Bikes of" post going live before the race as well, so look out for that. 


Louis Moorehead

Molly Weaver

Simon Epperlein

A very Great British adventure from the North to the South of the island through Scotland, Wales and England, tackling iconic British climbs.

The Perfidious Albion 2025 Tracking and Commentary

A very Great British adventure from the North to the South of the island through Scotland, Wales and England, tackling iconic British climbs. Riders will need to take photo selfies at a series of checkpoints.

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The Perfidious Albion 2025

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