Bruno Wicht

Christoph Strasser

Riccardo Kuhar

Martin Moritz

Alexander Kinnisch

Jochen Böhringer

Jair Hoogland

Elodie Robert

Samuel Thompson

Hans Miggenrieder

Valentin Ogrzewalla

Ada Haas

Max Siering

Kevin Wernhammer

Eugenio Pasquato

Nick Rotter

Jakub Micorek

Nicholas Hulse

Marcus Nicolson

Sebastiano Frandino

Florian Kraschitzer

Erik Price

Martin Meiringer

Joost van Roosmalen

Jacob Tippelt

Levi Schmidt

Nicole van Batenburg

Jonas Thalmeier

Christian Pany

Nikki Ray

Max Lobeck

Samuel Wintereder

Joe Eustace

Sofie Mangertseder

Damiano Biancalana

Michael Ganz

Igor Abramov

Sebastian Stein

Peer Mechelhoff

Ellen Scherr

Leon Knapp

Norina Tondar

Daniel Gona

Carlotta Schumacher

Markus Zimmermann

Hannah Larbalestier

Sibille Probst

Stefano Zotti

Bastian Völkl

Jan Bruckner

Kilian Traub

Stephan Hug

Jana Kesenheimer

Vincent Fontaine

Sebastiano Marini

Jeff Reding

Samuel Gorman

Caterina Rocco

Manuel Feldbaumer

Marleen Kirchner

Maximilian Hopf

Dimitri Franz

Julian Fricke

Pascal Streng

Andy Georges

Felix Schlereth

Katja Kircher

Matilde Dominici

Peter Kuhn

Christian Geist

Joschka Völkel

Delia Rechichi

Katharina Schrems

Mark Schmid

Annika Baumann

Nora Battermann

Guy Marks

Thomas Robiglio

Matthias Dusch

Francesco Barabino

Marco Di Dio

Michele Cocciardo

Yue Yu

Jan-Willem Bobbink

Melanie Bittner

Henning Sydow

Bastian Mensing

Patrick Djuga

Peter Lényi

Hanna Apmann

Andrea Saltini

Nicolas Falk

Robert Müller

David Geraci

Jean-Yves Naïmi

Mélanie Scheffke

Olivier Renault

Harald Maier

Jonas Maier

Elke Maier

Toine Hooijen

Alexander Spoelstra

David Moser

Béla Dalcher

Mattia Micheletta Merlin

Benjamin Van Vianen

Laurens Dhaese

Thomas Pera

Stefanie Niederberger

Friedhelm Feige

Jeremy Joncheray

Martino Ender

Alexandra Bridarolli

Su Lei

Rémi Mejean

Marguerite Muhlhaus

Nils Reiß

Tim Jodeleit

Gregor Gnisia

Sophie Goerke

Saskia Angres

Quentin Sorigue

Fabio Fenn

Nargis Guseynova

Cara Von Beust

Denise Vorberg

Stevie Thissen

Thomas Thissen

Roland Bartmuss

Christine Bartmuss

Hannah Ferle

Vivien Wenz

Inga Knie

Cynthia Kipper

Ivan Gallati

Eleonora Cazzuola

__The winners have long crossed the finish line, beers, food and chats were had at the finisher party and most riders are already back home. Yet, the beautiful spirit of The Unknown Race best showed in the past two days.__

## Finishing with the community’s support as extra tailwind
After the finisher party had closed its doors, three riders were still on the road. Stefanie Niederberger and Thomas Pera were the last pair in the race and still had to reach CP7. Stefano Zotti was hours behind them and still determined to make it to CP6 and CP7 before finally reaching Lucca. Their fellow riders seemed to be their biggest fans, showing an outpour of support and cheering in the riders’ group chat. Stefanie and Thomas finally reached the finish on Monday afternoon with a huuuuuge smile. They might not have been the fastest, but with the sun finally coming out in Tuscany, maybe they had the nicest finish. And out of 19 pairs that initially signed up, they were the fourth that made it back together. __Well done, Stefanie and Thomas!__  

![Tur last pair](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/71d1jTWfv9NVMBRe8fFF7h/18251b5f5ad874a4903091295b9dbe42/9dedf102-10c0-447f-b65f-ff76ebf3fd61.jpeg)
*[@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/), photo credit: Jan-Willem Bobbink*

Meanwhile Stefano was still struggling with mechanical issues and a swollen finger – nothing that would stop him from finishing his first ultra. Despite being sad to miss the party, he was determined to continue. Samuel Wintereder captured the ongoing support of the unknown race community quite well in his ChatGPT-supported poem:
> **Ride, Stefano, Ride**  
> Pedals turning, heart so strong,  
> You've trained so hard, you've come so long.  
> The road ahead may twist and climb,  
> But you’ll own it, mile at a time.  
> Wind at your back, sun on your face,  
> You're flying now—you're in the race!  
> Push through the pain, chase down the sky,  
> With every turn, you rise so high.  
> We cheer for you, proud and loud,  
> Go, Stefano—make us wowed!

And Stefano *did* make us all proud. As the Lanterne Rouge of this year’s Unknown Race, he reached the finish in Lucca today at around 2pm.  
**Huge congratulations on finishing your first ultra with such perseverance!**

![Tur-Stefano](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2I3sszrZ9UOr7drax6xaHO/0a6918576138bea70e00bdbaad4d630c/42e434d6-9c90-47cb-9a69-e75a7b5bbdbe.jpeg)
*[@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/), photo credit: Su Lei*

## Celebrating the race
For most of the rest of us, the Unknown Race ended with a buzzing finisher party on Sunday night. Racers, organizers, friends and family gathered at *Gorilla* in Lucca to share a beer, enjoy some food and most importantly: share many stories of the race – this time around let’s keep them as the tiny legends of the riders. Throughout the evening the cheering group still welcomed brave riders that pushed hard to make it all the way to Lucca: Norina Tondar, Daniel Gona, Carlotta Schumacher, Markus Zimmermann, Hannah Larbalestier and finally Sibille Probst all arrived throughout the evening.

![TUR-Party 2](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3qKGDttoRcOjOBDwcrxesS/11d9055ac039181db8042f6c9f91186e/DSC_3549.jpeg)
*[@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/), photo credit: [Bite of me](https://www.instagram.com/bite.of.me?igsh=NDBsZnJkanBpOWRw)*

![TUR-Lotti](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/l4JPBhDqSWyWpdP3r4gLX/ef6dd846318e29b24ef701827f552af8/DSC_3591.jpeg)
*[@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/), photo credit: [Bite of me](https://www.instagram.com/bite.of.me?igsh=NDBsZnJkanBpOWRw)*

## This year’s charities
Highlight of the party was the final speech celebrating everyone’s achievements and the podium in each category. A special trait of the Unknown Race is that €50 of each rider’s entry fee and the race’s surplus goes to a charity that the winners of the race get to choose. Here they are:
- **Bruno Wicht** chose [*La Fondazione Michele Scarponi*](https://fondazionemichelescarponi.com/) that promotes road safety, respect among road users, and sustainable mobility in memory of the late cyclist Michele Scarponi.  
- **Elodie Robert** picked [*World Bicycle Relief*](https://worldbicyclerelief.org/), who provides bicycles to people in developing countries to improve their access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities.  
- **Toine Hooijen and Alexander Spoelstra** decided on [*To Walk Again*](https://towalkagain.eu/) that focuses on helping paralyzed individuals regain their ability to walk.

![TUR-Party-3](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1440A6ApJMgMXURgiVKg7U/c7630907307e40251db7a033494cf9a7/DSC_3560.jpeg)
*[@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/), photo credit: [Bite of me](https://www.instagram.com/bite.of.me?igsh=NDBsZnJkanBpOWRw)*

![Tur-party pair](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4vM5ON4egyowmnIv3cmgIa/222571914ec16ad153e45d79ca4ec352/DSC_3534.jpeg)
*[@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/), photo credit: [Bite of me](https://www.instagram.com/bite.of.me?igsh=NDBsZnJkanBpOWRw)*

## It’s a wrap!
And with that, the 2025 edition of the Unknown Race comes to an end. Once again, riders withstood unpredictable weather, material losses, mental and physical challenges. Bruno flew through Tuscany in just 49 hours, Stefano took 126 hours. Marcus Nicholson picked the shortest route with 967km, Michael Ganz got to enjoy 1073km. There were countless climbs, hours in the rain and snacks. I’m glad everyone made it safe and sound and I hope you had a blast – or at least some good stories to tell afterwards. 

![TUR-team](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4tXcfTMNb1r4p7xpaKt2Vq/630fc4bc2e0d6ae1822a0df7a0bcd79b/DSC_3623.jpeg)
*[@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/), photo credit: [Bite of me](https://www.instagram.com/bite.of.me?igsh=NDBsZnJkanBpOWRw)*

A big shout-out goes to the entire organising team and our race photographer [*Bite of me*](https://www.instagram.com/bite.of.me?igsh=NDBsZnJkanBpOWRw). Oh and if you have some suggestions on next year’s destination, you’re welcome to slide into the team’s DMs: [@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/)

**Thanks for the ride and see you next year!**

![Tur-wrap](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1Yk7m5IjUlhWUDZdTCLwbW/364069457ce615ed0f9f422b8095c29c/DSC_3544.jpeg)
*[@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/), photo credit: [Bite of me](https://www.instagram.com/bite.of.me?igsh=NDBsZnJkanBpOWRw)*

TUR#3 is in the books

By now, *“thrilling”* might be a slightly overused term in recent updates — but the third Unknown Race really **is** all about tight, exciting finishes and riders pushing hard till the end.

## Hill sprints among the top-two pairs
Early this morning, the leading pairs opted for *sprints for breakfast* on their way up the finish parcours toward the official finish on top. **David Moser** and **Béla Dalcher** fought hard to defend their lead against the attacking **Toine Hooijen** and **Alexander Spoelstra**. Throughout most of the race, David and Béla had led the pairs category and still enjoyed a 6.5-hour lead over Toine and Alexander at CP5. But the Dutch pair continuously caught up. By CP7, only a 20-minute gap was left. David and Béla truly had to stay on their toes and push hard. At dawn, we could then witness the **showdown on the climb** toward Monte Pisano: Toine and Alexander attacked and successfully claimed the first position, arriving at the finish at **6:13 / 6:16**. David and Béla finished strong in second place at **6:43**. When they finally reached Lucca, the two pairs celebrated their epic battle!  **Well done! What a show!**

![Tur-pairs](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6nF4YZLEtwKk2hLoXvqqZW/b9bfbc0f8b0c260fbb4a9f3fa0ea6496/ef3bd6b4-2f90-487a-8ebf-b49950ff4725.jpeg)
*[@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/), photo credit: Jan-Willem Bobbink*

The remaining spot on the pairs podium is still open. At this time, **Benjamin Van Vianen** and **Laurens Dhaese** just passed CP7. The two just took different routes — maybe they’re A/B testing which way to the finish parcours is faster?

## A strong female podium
**Ada Haas** reached the finish in second position at **23:23** last night. Looks like her unfortunate gravel adventure *cost* her 3 hours. From reaching CP7 only two minutes behind the first-placed **Elodie Robert**, to arriving at the finish 3 hours after her. Nevertheless, Ada **dominated** the women’s field for a huge part of the race — what an achievement!
![Tur-Ada](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3SU3ha2YWBpynB4Tx8gVvL/f47768d2bc781cfa090a85b2f2a19539/d11abfbb-af5f-4383-bcda-1fa95c3be822.jpeg)
*[@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/), photo credit: Jan-Willem Bobbink*

Third-placed woman of this year’s Unknown Race is **Nicole van Batenburg**, who pushed consistently through the race, but had an equally challenging finish. In the early morning hours, Nicole ended up on the same gravel “shortcut” as Ada — but swiftly turned around. In the following hours, she found herself on a “scenic” route with *additional climbs*. To battle tiredness, she had to take naps before finally making her way up to the finish parcours. **What a tough time!** But hey — Nicole still finished the Unknown Race as the **third-fastest woman at 09:49** this morning! **Awesome job, Nicole!**

![Tur-nicole](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6EGS7lznBRAOEzci3v6rvH/5cb0cb272cabc8904a93c18e1963c7ef/DSC_2429.jpeg)
*[@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/), photo credit: [Bite of me](https://www.instagram.com/bite.of.me?igsh=NDBsZnJkanBpOWRw)*

## Reaching the finish, the party, and buses
While the first riders have long reached the finish, many are still pushing toward Lucca — showing true perseverance! Thankfully, the Unknown Race has no cut-off time, and everyone who visits all checkpoints gets an official finish.

![Tur-norina](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6p6nsHdYfWfiHoVZNiakEQ/01af6694e037070555aa4c23c971e8c6/897d91a8-2aa5-46b7-ad7d-b5b896073046.jpeg)
*[@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/), photo credit: Simon Gwiggner*

Among the brave ones pedaling through another round of rain to make it to Lucca tonight are **Norina Tondar** and **Charlotta Schumacher**. I can’t wait to share a drink with Norina and listen to her stories at the finisher party later! Charlotta might have an even stronger incentive to push hard: she still has to **catch a bus tonight**. But as she’s already overcome serious mechanical issues during the race, I have no doubt she’ll make it!

![Tur-norina-Lotti](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1pRkGHW8YuibAk0n1fnQxm/9df1fc3e382dddbaddb677c9a7a776d7/8e180bd2-84fc-4375-a991-1515e8b8660c.jpeg)
*[@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/), photo credit: Simon Gwiggner*

## DnF, but make it social
The Unknown Race creates a wonderful community regardless if you win, finish or do neither of that. A group who opted for ending the „racing“ part early gathered for social ride towards the ocean today. Weather looked still questionable, but the images look fun!

![Tur-social](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1fKfN9f4D9cS8lGkduMSp4/5aa70251932cc8e7decf699d5c3e85d9/51e8364f-6d91-4444-9151-aaa879c4580e.jpeg)
*[@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/), photo credit: Jana Kesenheimer*

To everyone still out there: **Keep going! You got this!**

TUR#3 - Sprinting for the first pair

What a thrilling day! After the very first finishers — Bruno Wicht, Christoph Strasser, and later Riccardo Kuhar — crossed the finish line, I spent most of the day checking in on a super tight race for the fastest woman.

## A thrilling race among the strongest women
After a solid 4h night rest, Ada Haas spent the morning chasing Elodie Robert. The two finally reached the 896m high Rocca di Radicofani, Checkpoint 6, at around 12:00. Elodie came in first, Ada just 7 (!!) minutes behind her. According to the tracker, Ada then overtook Elodie, and the two took turns leading on their way to the next checkpoint: the buzzing Piazza del Duomo in the beautiful old town of San Gimignano.

![Tur-day2-ada](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/pSccoYQppqqo1bAAQqNdz/5e1df9b5c360b63b0961a1ab5650b717/644e9a8d-d3a1-41a4-bd8c-00a161a77201.jpeg)
*[@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/), photo credit: Sebastian Sarx*

Around 17:00, the two reached CP7 almost simultaneously — first Elodie, and Ada only two (!!) minutes after her. Drama swiftly unfolded afterwards. The two took different routes to the north or northwest, and Ada’s tracker stopped. She ended up on a gravel shortcut that, according to her Instagram, was washed out and at times half-blocked by fallen trees. A race-deciding “shortcut” that likely wasn’t intentional. “Tarmac never felt so good,” she later posted. Looks like Ada hasn’t lost her humor yet. While Ada battled the gravel, Elodie managed to build up a massive lead. She finally reached the official finish on Monte Pisano shortly after sunset at 20:25, before rolling down to a cheering crowd in Lucca. Elodie arrived with a massive smile, looking pretty fresh and “feeling good.”

__Huuge congratulations on your amazing race, Elodie!__

![Tur-winner-Elodie2](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3GYlYTMpSG1NyBGPcIUvLM/7ea323257111669b7a1bb2f5cf6f8ea5/43a4a055-7e6a-4d5b-a6a8-57e74c313bc2.jpeg)
*[@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/), photo credit: Victor Eklund*

At this time, Ada is around 35 km behind her in a strong second position. Nicole van Batenburg is on her way toward CP6, closely followed by Nikki Ray, who could still overtake her.

## Final fight for the overall podium
The very front of the race confirmed the trend we already witnessed this morning. Christoph Strasser came in second. Between CP7 and the finish, he had a roughly 3h gap that slightly closed. According to his Instagram, he had to give everything in the cold and wet. “Everything is hurting,” his bike audibly squeaking. It was a tough fight, but he still arrived feeling good.
![Tur-finish-strasser](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2F8QjWkUV1pwu4Lg8SnXvY/25cd54f97c16e539688573e311c897c9/e2d50bc4-7ce5-4482-b379-df33a184b9a8.jpeg)
*[@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/), photo credit: Victor Eklund*

2 hours later, Riccardo Kuhar made it to Lucca in third place. He arrived only four (!!) minutes ahead of Martin Moritz, who continuously worked his way up the ranking since CP4. At CP7, Riccardo still enjoyed a 1-hour lead, which Martin managed to close and aaaaalmost managed to catch up.What a tough fight for the podium! And how beautiful to see the two arm in arm, sharing their well-deserved finisher beer!

![Tur-martin-riccardo](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/7galzD2UmXvms95SsEc8bn/d044ed74ea38b8a573259ec278452a10/ea0bd5f9-c61c-456c-b0c8-70b83d429d7c.jpeg)
*[@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/), photo credit: Victor Eklund*

## The racing continues 
As I write this post, many riders are still racing strong. 31 have made their way to CP6 so far, and 14 reached CP7. The night has just dawned over Tuscany, and we can expect many to make a final push through the night.

On day three of the Unknown Race, sun finally dominated and seemed to lift everyone’s mood. The lucky survivors of days in the pouring rain didn’t lose their humor as we started counting their “losses” in the riders’ group chat. In terms of material damages, a not-yet-complete list includes:
- 12 broken lights (5 of them Lupine ones)
- 3 broken phones
- 7 Wahoos
- 1 Garmin (though we know of more 🕵️‍♀️)
- 6 broken charging devices (chargers, battery packs, etc.)
- 8 times a broken shifting
- 2 broken brakes
- Others reported broken power meters, shoes, and tires

25 riders felt their body broke or suffered, for 17 it was their mind. But hey — at least 5 people did not experience any damage so far. I wouldn’t even want to count the material value of all these broken devices. Maybe the bike industry should consider sponsoring the TUR with devices for real-life extreme weather stress testing?

## On the fun side of things:
Jochen Böhringer described some culinary confusion. He bought three delicious-looking treats at a bakery only to find out on his first bite that they were all filled with rum. I’m glad he didn’t consume them! Alexander Kinnisch entered a café after descending from CP5 but felt so stiff and frozen that it took him ages to get his purse out of his back pocket. It might have left the impression of an unwanted acrobatic performance. Peter Kuhn left an impression on an angry goose who chased him on his ride.

I hope sun and fun are here to stay — and push everyone toward our finisher party tomorrow night. I’m already looking forward to their stories.

### Scratch report:
- 24 – Francesco Barabino *knee*
- 26 – Melanie Bittner
- 30 – Jeff Reding *achilles tendon hurting*
- 35 – Kristian Waalen *…*
- 45 – Yue Yu
- 57 – Julian Fricke *mechanical issues+body*
- 61 – Joschka Völkel *knee injury*
- 62 – Christian Geist *motivation gone*
- 63 – Felix Schlereth *knees issues*
- 67 – Stefan Failenschmid
- 85 – Katja Kircher *fracture du mental*
- 91 – Samuel Gorman *…*
- 100 – Vincent Fontaine *swollen foot*
- 112 – Matilde Dominici *scratch feeling unwell*
- 115 – Roland Bartmuss *mechanical*
- 116 – Christine Bartmuss *mechanical*
- 121 – Cara Von Beust *time*
- 122 – Nargis Guseynova *time*
- 127 – Gregor Gnisia *fracture mental*
- 128 – Sophie Goer
- 129 – Fabio Fenn
- 130 – Saskia Angres
- 133 – Jeremy Joncheray *running out of time*
- 134 – Quentin Sorigue *running out of time*
- 136 –	Thomas Thissen

TUR#3 - The first woman crossed the finish line

At 8 a.m. this morning, Bruno Wicht reached the top of Monte Pisano, where this year’s Unknown Race officially ends. Located on the highest point of the finish parcours, this official finish allows riders to catch one last peaceful view of Tuscany before safely rolling down into the city center.
![Tur-winner-2](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/Owd6IGwjRwAuoqIOagHLb/a18ca7558fca802174e28f189339df52/179779ef-9dba-49fc-ada2-6822c8d41b02.jpeg)
*[@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/), photo credit: Victor Eklund

![Tur-winner-welcome](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5H6bFXIRoKX1lD4ElI8XC7/adc77d0a6423f3d31d2d72b21384c39b/1594e95c-a5c6-4f29-8bcc-22d78215aa84.jpeg)
*[@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/), photo credit: Mélanie Scheffke*

So shortly afterwards, Bruno reached the end of the parcours, where a cheering crowd of organizers and race friends awaited him. Bruno was welcomed by the last two winners, Sebastian Sarx (TUR#1) and Will Vousden (TUR#2). What a strong trio!
![Tur-more winners](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1YXk7pN42xxnhVaalwL11c/5d7c5e7a239b9c67e824f4a91ca15c9d/7294ba8a-2125-49c2-9edf-fe4cc7a87f84.jpeg)
*[@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/), photo credit: Jan-Willem Bobbink*

![TUR-winner-Solo](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3RdBlA8aVkyJUjV0vkiCzI/3da40800d879d72fb46ab5939d6199b2/d81f7fea-9d82-49db-b2d9-71a25b3453cb.jpeg)
*[@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/), photo credit: Mélanie Scheffke*

__Huge congratulations, Bruno! What an impressive race!__

Considering he had just raced 1000 km through mostly harsh, rainy, and wet conditions, Bruno looked surprisingly fresh—almost as if he was ready to just ride once again. Before reaching Lucca, Bruno had raced through the night. He reached CP6 at around 11 p.m. last night and beautiful CP7 around 4 a.m. this morning. From CP2 onwards, Bruno has dominated the race with a safe gap to his next opponents. He always appeared in a good mood, never even used his legwarmers, and despite some cursing about broken electronics last night, he made it to the finish with 1% left on his Garmin battery.

## Who fills the podium?

Last night Bruno kept a safe lead ahead of Christoph Strasser, who is currently climbing up the finish parcours in second position, and Riccardo Kuhar, who is in third place and just left CP7. Martin Moritz and Alexander Kinnisch are not too far behind him. Will Riccardo be able to keep his third place?

## A tight race for the first woman

A bit further south, we can currently witness a thrilling race for the first woman. Ada Haas, who slept for around 4h last night, is trying to catch Elodie Robert, who is currently leading the women’s field. It looks like Elodie only stopped briefly last night. Will she defend her close lead? Behind them, Nicole van Batenburg is currently in third position and reached CP5 around 7:30 this morning—9 hours after Ada, who slept after reaching CP5.

![Tur-women-day3](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/72NtgRYIhw5w7MxaWAHCiM/2d3b4990a8c761e47420b8b7eeb1e8a6/IMG_9059.jpeg)

We’ll be glued to the tracker to watch which woman climbs the Tuscan hills the fastest. Today’s sunshine should help already. Go, go, girls!

TUR#3 - The Winner is back in Lucca, the women racing hard!

Picture a beautiful, lush green valley in the Italian Apennine Mountains. Peaks covered in clouds, fog slowly moving further down. A beautiful scene for a screen-saver—probably less enjoyable when you cycle through the moist, rainy landscapes for hours.

![TUR-day1-climber](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/hMMoEajSGpCwTCwfRKShZ/8c74d0b6b69056ab31ca90c088563e9d/DSC_1987.jpeg)*[@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/),photo credit: [Bite of me](https://www.instagram.com/bite.of.me?igsh=NDBsZnJkanBpOWRw)*

For most of our riders, the second day of the Unknown Race continued as wet as the first one ended. Our race photographer bites.of.me reported many cold, wet, and often shivering cyclists. On the second day, it now shows who can keep up physically, mentally, and mechanically.

## Pushing through the rain vs. Scratching
No wonder these harsh conditions led to a couple of scratches. Robert Müller abandoned the top of the race already yesterday. Today, a super strong Jana Kesenheimer decided not to continue racing at Checkpoint 4. She had already considered taking the train in Bologna, then in Arezzo, but pushed through. The third time around, the missing motivation and fun won. Further in the back of the race, Stevie Thissen and Hanna Alpmann shared insights into their decision to scratch. Stevie had pushed through the harsh conditions, hoping to recover with a good night’s sleep. In the end, a landslide and the prospect of another day of climbing into the cold made her quit. For Hanna, a broken shifter was complemented by a failing brake, making continuing impossible—particularly as she still hadn’t recovered from a crash on the first day.

![TUR-day2-sleeper](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2uab2s01Ri8WTgrl2xXpnb/b3b67e2057c6faacad4fa2ae959827a3/DSC_1759.jpeg)*[@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/),photo credit: [Bite of me](https://www.instagram.com/bite.of.me?igsh=NDBsZnJkanBpOWRw)*

## The weird, nice or noteworthy stories
All the while, the rain also led to beautiful experiences. Cara von Beust, Nara Guseynova, and Annika Baumann were overwhelmed by Italian hospitality. A local café owner in La Lima lit a fire just for them and let them stay alone in her café to warm up as long as they wanted, before handing them Easter eggs for extra energy on the girls’ next climb. 

![TUR-Day2-oven](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1y6M3tV2rQUNX5bDPQgMke/89f75a1f385dc85e1f2974f071c8cc77/d626b0cd-492e-4d20-8fc3-47877df8ce54.jpeg)*[@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/),photo credit: Cara von Beust*

Samuel Wintereder found kindness and encouragement despite a language barrier. In a similar bar situation an older man came up to him signaling that his front light was still on. Denise Vorberg and Friedhelm Feige left a different impression on the locals. When the two entered their perfect sleep spot— a wash salon—the pair got half-naked to dry all their clothes. It seemed like the older Italian lady who was with them would have rather been elsewhere. What a scene! 

Despite the rain, Delia Rechichi and Katharina Schrems seemed to have fun. The two had to take a swinging bridge to circumnavigate a landslide. Nikki Ray was lucky spotting wildlife when a family of wild boars crossed the road on her way to CP4. At least it sounds like they didn’t get too close to her.

![TUR-day2-wahoo](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/knkSb2EqdSXnkv49uFs6q/5131b9b6bead2bc4ea6c3bc79fef99e7/739a11b3-077f-4ece-ba44-0a842592fae8.jpeg)*[@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/),photo credit: Stefano Zotti*

Half art, half electronics problem: Stefano Zotti is currently growing a black circle on his Wahoo. I must say it looks like a Tamagotchi to me. Maybe he should stop feeding it? Meanwhile, Bruno Wicht appeared less amused about his broken power bank, dynamo, and two (!) Garmins. His latest Instagram story featured the f-word quite a lot. 
Joy and frustration can be very close these days. After a veeeeery long morning and a day filled with climbs that were even more exhausting than yesterday, Tim Jodeleit and Nils Reiß describe a moment that felt “like an angel descending from heaven when the sun hit our faces in the last minutes before 7 PM.” True magic!

![TUR-day2-125/126](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/57jCqPMyLE1JcRnRtKh9Zy/26ccac312909f7f8effe5395d215298a/DSC_2230.jpeg)*[@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/), photo credit: [Bite of me](https://www.instagram.com/bite.of.me?igsh=NDBsZnJkanBpOWRw)*

## The mood
Despite the rain continuing and some mechanicals, most riders seem to have a better day than yesterday. At least more riders said they had fun and the sun coming out was a highlight for many.
![TUR-day2-mood](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/7bjqyiCxx6JTD1MPtmUXfy/8cb39c749c5882d1324c2ca0769f5851/IMG_9043.jpeg)

## What’s up in the front of the race?
In the last couple of hours, the top women showed the biggest shift. After Jana scratched, Elodie Robert and Ada Haas are left in the front. Unfortunately, not long after, Ada crashed because of nervous cars at a railway crossing, which left her with a broken derailleur. Luckily enough, she found a bike shop, was able to fix it, and quickly caught up. Meanwhile, Elodie overtook her and is currently leading. Elodie arrived at Checkpoint 5 at 9 p.m. in 9th position overall—Ada exactly one hour later. The closest woman behind them is Ellen Scherr, who has roughly 90 km left to CP5. Nicole van Batenburg seems to be sleeping right now, but is similarly far away.

![TUR-day2-cp5](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6IP0oZPKsQCW4eG3bPWSpn/90ce97c9a4c331102c00fcb81d72605c/ea99d817-f17c-4a44-9f73-bc4d5cd4943f.jpeg)*[@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/), photo credit: Simon Gwiggner*

The fastest men and current overall leaders have already crossed CP5 hours ago. Their order remains unchanged so far. Bruno Wicht was first. Christoph Strasser managed to close the gap a bit more and arrived one hour later in second position. Another hour later, Jochen Böhringer came in as third. Despite his bike, body, and mind suffering, Christoph appeared in a good mood in his last Instagram update. His tactic of taking all electronics twice is paying off and might contribute to high spirits. His closest opponents Bruno and Jochen are worse off in this regard. With only a small headlamp and a wet, non-charging iPhone left, Jochen had to take a break at a hotel to recharge. While he rests, a strong Riccardo Kuhar worked his way to third position.

![TUR-day2-night](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/7DVCyB99exXDq1zuhcQzrr/807d0a56485a8226629be63bd49c6085/DSC_2331.jpeg)*[@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/), photo credit: [Bite of me](https://www.instagram.com/bite.of.me?igsh=NDBsZnJkanBpOWRw)*

Let’s see how this unfolds throughout the night. Who will sleep or push through? Tomorrow’s forecast not only predicts sun in Tuscany, but an interesting fight for the top positions.

### Scratch report - day 2 afternoon and evening
- 1 - Jana Kesenheimer *no motivation left*
- 9 - Thomas Robiglio *sickness*
- 11 - Bara Pilna
- 21 - Elke Maier
- 46 - Nicolas Falk *knee pain*
- 50 - Maximilian Hopf *physically and mentally out*
- 52 - Jonas Maier
- 95 - Dimitri Franz *sickness*
- 115 - Roland Bartmuss + 116 - Christine Bartmuss *rear derailleur is blocked*
- 147 - Rémi Mejean + 148 - Marguerite Muhlhaus *injuries*
- 135 - Stevie Thissen *Cold, wet, partner DNF, broken lights and tracker, road blocks*


TUR# - Day 2 - evening update

As the sun rises on the second day of the Unknown Race, the field of riders has already spread out a lot. Further in the back, riders get up after a cozy and dry night to climb up to CP1B. In the front, we can witness a thrilling race for the top positions.
![TUR-day2-view](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/7Ji74h1102ALeQMbSBNc6i/3c6dda74b08ff7d7d8f2eb7982fbc5a4/45c07e28-46e0-483c-a2f2-aaee1435fc7f.jpeg)
*[@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/), photo credit: Victor Eklund*

## The top reaches CP3 at night
Checkpoint 3 is located at the idyllic Castello di Porciano, roughly 100 km south of CP2 and reachable via one route. I doubt that the leading riders experienced the full beauty of this location when they reached it around 1 a.m. last night. Bruno Wicht came in first, Jochen Böhringer around an hour later, followed by Christoph Strasser, who was third.

The top women didn’t arrive much later. Jana Kesenheimer reached CP3 first and in 5th position overall. Ada Haas came in only 10 minutes later as the second woman and 6th overall. Elodie Robert filled the podium a while later. Different sleeping strategies then completely reshuffled the positions among the top women. Jana Kesenheimer took a solid night break of 4 hours. While she slept, both Ada and Elodie kept riding. Let’s see how this plays out throughout the day!

## Checkpoint 4 for breakfast
Checkpoint 4 – Monastero dei Camaldolesi Avellaniti di San Pier Damiani – is located 160 km further south in a remote valley and offers another scenic view of the Apennine mountains. Arriving throughout the morning in sunny conditions, the top riders had perfect weather.
First to arrive was Bruno Wicht again, who once more took a route around the mountains and might have benefited from tailwind. He managed to increase his lead over Christoph Strasser and Jochen Böhringer, who arrived two hours later. Christoph arrived in second position with a smile on his face and wavy hair. When we chatted before the race, Christoph shared how he always carries backups, including a second phone. In this year’s extra moist conditions, this turned out quite helpful as one of his phones died. The now unusable phone still has an active alarm, though, making sure every five minutes that Christoph doesn’t fall asleep. *Autsch!* Christoph quickly continued riding to stay ahead of his closest opponent, Jochen Böhringer, who reached CP4 in third position, only 10 minutes after Christoph. Jochen arrived in a good, chatty mood despite struggling with electronic issues: his Lupine front light had died, making him reliant on his headlamp. The moisture also killed his Wahoo, so he’s currently navigating with his phone.

![TUR -day2-strasser](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/314bLX5vL3RV6nAiPSzufT/be6422e78cd4e5d844eb7eb1d7328857/6ff99cc0-73f2-482e-b3dd-b91b6ae8a814.jpeg)
*[@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/), photo credit: Victor Eklund*

The top female rider Ada Haas arrived roughly one hour later, after riding through the night. She shared how the police had stopped her to check if she’s okay. She is! And riding super strong! Interestingly, Ada has ridden “only” 480 km—60 km less than Bruno in the front. Elodie Robert managed to defend her lead after overtaking a sleeping Jana at night and came in second. Jana is closely behind her and likely the third woman at CP4 shortly.

![TUR - day2 - Haas](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/8kkFqNuULqeUat4bWSS4x/14328ee1ab6cdc5441511ba5e55f90a3/30474281-1e80-44f9-91ed-6a8d5943acb1.jpeg)
*[@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/), photo credit: Victor Eklund*

## Escaping the rain at night
Further back in the race is once again where creative racing happens. During the night, many riders escaped the cold and wet in cozy indoor spaces. Like many others, Max Lobeck chose a hotel but struggled with moist electronics: unable to charge his wet phone at 1% battery, he programmed his sports watch to a 4h interval training session to avoid oversleeping without an alarm – and it worked! Mark Schmid enjoyed a cozy night in a tiny chapel. Under the vigilant eyes of Jesus and Maria, he managed to recover quite well.
![TUR-day2-hut](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4Q1CdpdyDUoKQOaJ6cl3EN/3142118b93d2927203b1cbb38dc96bd9/51b39937-e934-4954-acf6-38ca0a2d3f84.jpeg)
*[@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/), photo credit: Markus Schmid*

![TUR-day2-wash](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1Dc7vQodcn5iZL1Wrp4Tyc/3cdc895b1c9389e3035ce51f01975293/05ab7943-9e1c-4484-a486-2594e0547d93.jpeg)
*[@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/), photo credit: Denise Vorberg and Friedhelm Feige*

Joschka Völkel, Denise Vorberg, Friedhelm Feige, and Sebastian Stein probably chose the most clever sleeping spot in these conditions: they all slept in wash salons. Sleeping in a heated space while charging your devices and drying all clothes — a night break probably doesn’t get more efficient than this. Unfortunately, Denise and Friedhelm still had to abandon the race later as they struggled with broken shifter cables and roadblocks.

![TUR-day2-roadblock](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5kV9l9VX8gahLnPBRTSPk7/eb47e89286086e1c6d6396a85dc9bc38/e4ab2f16-820d-43fa-a321-a348059337ab.jpeg)
*[@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/), photo credit: Denise Vorberg and Friedhelm Feige*

Melanie Bittner also shared more context around scratching yesterday. Fighting the rain, heavy wind, and freezing temperatures — all while having period cramps — culminated when she witnessed a landslide coming down the road right next to her. She quickly realized that the situation could have actually been threatening: her hands too frozen to fix mechanicals and no cellphone reception to call for help led her to the thoughtful decision not to continue racing. Nevertheless, she truly enjoyed the race’s atmosphere and will be back next year to give it another try.

As I publish this post, the top riders head even further south. Maybe they’ll encounter actual sun over there?

### Scratch report:
- 16 - Manuel Feldbaumer *flat tyre no more tube*
- 70 Jan-Willem Bobbink *Damaged rim and drowned garmin*
- 73 - Nora Battermann *lung and heart not feeling good*
- 96 - Bastian Mensing
- 139 - Friedhelm Feige and 140 - Denise Vorberg *unlucky with mechanicals and roadblocks*

TUR#3 - Day 2 morning update

__The first day of the Unknown Race started out dry, with an idyllic start parcours out of Lucca. Unfortunately, this didn’t last for long. Soon after, the rain kicked in and didn’t stop for hours.__
![TUR - Day1 - By bite of me](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/63fMjC7OYcBJOlvMOybgHd/125fc4e1d0dc00576d2db1acdb52bbfa/DSC_0091.jpeg)
*[@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/), photo credit: [Bite of me](https://www.instagram.com/bite.of.me?igsh=NDBsZnJkanBpOWRw)*

At the end of the start parcours, riders split into a couple of different routes towards CP1A in the idyllic town of Montefegatesi—of course located on top of a mountain. Despite the rain, most riders still appeared well-spirited at this point.

## 3 routes to CP1B – Does adventure pay off?
The truly interesting part of this race day followed afterwards, as riders could choose one of three fundamentally different routes to get to CP1B, located on the other side of a mountain range at Lago Santo Modenese.The vast majority of riders opted for a more conservative, longer tarmac route. It included some construction sections and was roughly 20 km longer than the shortcuts. More adventure-oriented riders chose a gravel traverse over Foce a Giovo. Photos from Jan-Willem Bobbink and Su Lei show a snow-covered path that seemed truly demanding. To top it off, some riders chose to add some hiking fun. A more direct hiking trail towards CP2 offered a nice break from pushing pedals. All in all, a truly exciting race to CP1B.

![TUR day 1 - Jan-willem Bobbink](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1X1ddedYOP1UCLWFJLTapy/56d1720fad95775e845795d356699751/95d295b6-3665-4813-a80f-e6de2f844995.jpeg)
*[@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/), photo credit: Jan-Willem Bobbink*

So, what was the best choice? Hard to say! The results of the first riders at CP1B reflect all routes:
1. Bruno Wicht – Road
2. Robert Müller – Road
3. Jacob Tippelt – Hiking
4. Erik Price – Gravel
5. Markus Zimmermann – Road

The top women took the safer approach and all opted for the road:
1. Jana Kesenheimer
2. Ada Haas
3. Elodie Robert

The top pairs seemed to reach CP1B closely after each other and also on road:
1. David Moser + Bela Dalcher
2. Laurens Dhaese + Benjamin Van Vianen
3. Martino Ender + Mattia Micheletta Merlin

However, Sophie Goerke and Gregor Gnisia had really good chances to make it to the top 3 via the gravel route. When I last talked to the two first-time racers, they still claimed: “We simply don’t know what we’re doing.” Looks like their openness to adventure is paying off quite well.
![TUR - day1 - 3](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6nDjrfMpX7LOPzJUuFqHwh/21ffc1a61d553251a533e17ff608319f/DSC_1138.jpeg)
*[@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/), photo credit: [Bite of me](https://www.instagram.com/bite.of.me?igsh=NDBsZnJkanBpOWRw)*

![TUR -Day1 - 4](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2Qj86KnZkfyFhq5ej3RV79/94a6a2b1d9715e944ab4de2994e8cfef/DSC_1235.jpeg)
*[@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/), photo credit: [Bite of me](https://www.instagram.com/bite.of.me?igsh=NDBsZnJkanBpOWRw)*

## In desperate need of warmth
For many riders, including the top candidates, the mood seemed to drop around CP1B. No wonder—after riding for hours in the cold and rain, a café at the foot of CP1B turned into a popular hotspot for half-frozen riders. Robert Müller shared a joint picture with Jana Kesenheimer and Christoph Strasser, all warming up over a cup of tea. Others were spotted wrapped in blankets while trying to dry their clothes near a fire. I heard that even top riders were contemplating scratching.
![TUR - Day1- 5](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/zcODmYWs6tkj6JIm10kdR/90976db47c626582521c7735f48e9a7b/DSC_1398.jpeg)
*[@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/), photo credit: [Bite of me](https://www.instagram.com/bite.of.me?igsh=NDBsZnJkanBpOWRw)*

All the while, the restaurant’s owner was welcoming and excited. As a seasoned cyclist and bikepacker himself, he enjoyed the atmosphere and supported the riders with towels as best he could.
![TUR-Day1-6](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3rvJ0QVoLretVUK9Uzvk9l/9bc068c0d9d753686571aaa062194839/DSC_1481.jpeg)
*[@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/), photo credit: [Bite of me](https://www.instagram.com/bite.of.me?igsh=NDBsZnJkanBpOWRw)*

## Stories from the middle of the pack
How did the riders further back in the race do? Norina Tonder shared an update from the warmth of a café, trying to warm up her stiff, cold fingers with a cup of soup. For her, this year’s Unknown Race feels really, really hard—even worse than last year. Nevertheless, I saw her continuing on. Andy Georges shares his topinion that “it’s way more f*** ed up than last year.” Su Lei and Alexandra Bridarolli seem to take the rough, snowy gravel conditions with a big portion of humor. In their latest update, I saw the two stopping at a chapel to ask Jesus for warmth after the gravel part. Cara von Beust and Nara Guseynova seemed similarly well-spirited. The two reported having met many frustrated riders already at CP1A. Despite the rain—and one of them getting her period—their mood seemed great. Maybe the outlook of stopping somewhere warm to warm up helped.

Another theme seems to be first mechanical problems. Yue Yu faced a loss in brake pressure on his way up to CP1B and made the considerate decision to go back to Lucca and fix his brakes. Despite the rain, he returned by bike to continue his race. Peer Mechelhoff is currently riding with limited shifting options after a shifter cable broke. Hanna Apmann shares the mechanical struggle and is riding without her big chainring after some electronics started acting up. I also heard she crashed—so please take care, Hanna!

## What’s the mood across the riders?
A quick poll in the riders’ chat shows that most riders feel wet, cold, and are questioning their choices.
But hey—some of them are also having fun!
![TUR - Poll- Day 1](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4XWFIdiB840LK9S5ZlljrO/6eab7c6b8828c29ce4fda03c8c4f529c/IMG_8947.jpeg)

## First riders at CP2
As I write this report, the first riders have arrived at CP2. After CP1B, riders had three main options. Some turned towards Bologna, hoping to dry off and warm up in the sun. Others chose a more direct route through the mountains. Bruno Wicht chose to go around on a southern route via Prato, which made him the first to arrive at CP2:
1. Bruno Wicht
2. Nicholas Hulse
3. Jochen Böhringer

![TUR-day1-7](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6eBTsaFxvepRtn8u1WHUIK/eaf8f15ed68f74595c231bfbf432233a/DSC_1534.jpeg)
*[@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/), photo credit: [Bite of me](https://www.instagram.com/bite.of.me?igsh=NDBsZnJkanBpOWRw)*

The first two women also made it into the top 10—positions 7 and 8. What a strong performance!
1. Ada Haas
2. Jana Kesenheimer
3. Ellen Scherr
![TUR-day1-8](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5hcx2I0tTAQTulSzvHmVqg/75436b38b0ef8eda2b72a5ed75383e66/DSC_1645.jpeg)
*[@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/), photo credit: [Bite of me](https://www.instagram.com/bite.of.me?igsh=NDBsZnJkanBpOWRw)*

Ada had taken the route through the hills. Jana dried up and enjoyed a nice cycle path around Bologna, and aims to ride until 2 a.m.
Let’s see where the race takes us next—and how it evolves throughout the night!

![TUR-day1-9](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/76BZbGedOtOnRtPvyqF3Zz/ad3f21d762c9a60d64b4a1a8daef0335/DSC_1671.jpeg)
*[@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/), photo credit: [Bite of me](https://www.instagram.com/bite.of.me?igsh=NDBsZnJkanBpOWRw)*

### Scratch report
- 3 - David Geraci - *Couldn't leave the fire in the bar*
- 26 - Melanie Bittner - *Mysterious landslide story*
- 93 - Henning Sydow - *Breathing problems*
- 101 - Patrick Djuga
- 110 - Robert Müller - *Horrible weather, bad clothes*
- 136 - Thomas Thissen- *Too much climbing*

TUR#3 - Day 1

__This morning at 6 a.m., our adventurous riders received the coordinates for the first checkpoints of The Unknown Race. In only one hour, they had to plan a route and make their way to the start line. Excited chatter filled the square in front of Lucca’s Obelisco. Some last arrangements: should one start with rain pants or without? The sky looked dark and grey, yet it was dry. Then a few last words by race director Victor Eklund. At 7 a.m. sharp, the pack left Lucca on the start parcours. Riders are currently making their way toward the first checkpoints in Borgo di Montefegatesi (CP1A) and at Lago Santo Modenese (CP1B), both located in the mountains north of Lucca.__

![Jan-Willem handling the TUR registration - by Małgorzata Michalik/bite.of.me](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/33bYUfgF5tVvW6OyHpbFaW/29c80440e063b3d9f50904f8fc11380a/DSC_9657.jpeg)
*[@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/), photo credit: [Bite of me](https://www.instagram.com/bite.of.me?igsh=NDBsZnJkanBpOWRw)*

## Busy Registration Time
But before going there, let’s take a look back at more pre-race stories.
Yesterday’s registration was kindly hosted at Bike Academy in Lucca. The shop and its parking lot were quickly taken over by the buzzy organizing team, who welcomed the riders, distributed caps, and checked everyone’s bikes and equipment. A buzzing and excited vibe—only sometimes interrupted by a tiny bit of rain. At 6 p.m. Jan-Willem Bobbing then handed over the role of the race director to Victor Eklund who shared some last information in the rider briefing.

![Rider briefing -  by Małgorzata Michalik/bite.of.me](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/63BNNTjRDjsHaW8u9Y5p3S/47e35fe2b50fd69a2d5119b7d1e6a38d/DSC_9728.jpeg)
*[@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/), photo credit: [Bite of me](https://www.instagram.com/bite.of.me?igsh=NDBsZnJkanBpOWRw)*

## Feelings and Expectations Ahead of the Start
Throughout the afternoon, I got to talk to many of this year’s Unknown Race participants: seasoned riders and first-time racers; solo fighters and pair adventurers. Let’s hear some of their pre-race thoughts.

Sebastian Stein, Peter Kuhn, and Erik Price are returning to The Unknown Race. After having to scratch close to Lake Ohrid last year, Peter is ready to give TUR another try. Erik is using the opportunity to test his brand-new Fairlight bike, which he only set up days before the race. And after last year’s snow, Sebastian is expecting lots of water—though hopefully “only in liquid, not in frozen state.” Let’s see if his hopes for water and gravel shortcuts will be met. CP1A and B might already offer an adventurous gravel opportunity.

Annika Baumann, Hannah Larbalestier, Nikky Ray, Nora Battermann, and Guy Marks are all riding The Unknown Race for the first time, but they bring experience from other ultra races. Guy should be well equipped after riding the Pan Celtic Race, but didn’t come to Italy to race in rain? Hannah seems equally well prepared after training in a ski resort for five weeks and traveling through Morocco earlier this year. Nora trusts her tested setup from the Transibérica, including a clever hack using Fidlock mounts on her Tailfin rack. While Annika seemed both nervous and excited, I’m sure her Dead Ends & Cake experience is great preparation for the first checkpoints. And finally, Nikky is looking for adventure on her longest race of the following months—one of three upcoming events—before diving into a whole new adventure: motherhood.

![Christoph at the registration - by Małgorzata Michalik/bite.of.me](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2sp8fmV4Zsz7fGNdJg0EZd/4ad5960d88f079476230c7572a1c020d/DSC_9445.jpeg)
*[@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/), photo credit: [Bite of me](https://www.instagram.com/bite.of.me?igsh=NDBsZnJkanBpOWRw)*

Jana Kesenheimer, Christoph Strasser, and Robert Müller all have solid chances to win the race. Jana appeared light-hearted and in a good mood, looking forward to fun on the bike—and less snow than last year. Robert was still making some last-minute preparations, setting up a new head unit to complement his phone, which has a broken screen. Fingers crossed it doesn’t see too much rain. Christoph seemed to take a different approach, riding with four tail lights: “One can be broken, one lost, one with an empty battery”—and he still has a spare. He prepared his bike well and relies on his fitness, though planning routes on a phone will be a new challenge for him. Will Christoph make it back to Lucca in under two days as expected?

Among the first-time racers I talked to, nervous excitement was a common theme. It’s a pity Yue Yu didn’t race last year’s TUR—after riding through the darkest night in snowy Finland during the 2023 Winter Solstice, he would have been perfectly prepared. I’m sure he’ll do even better with Italian sun this year. Sophie Goerke and Gregor Gnisia are tackling their first ultra race as a pair. As flatmates, they’re pretty experienced in handling tricky situations. Sophie just wants to come back alive and enjoy some good Italian food. Gregor thinks they simply have no clue what they got themselves into: “We’re so inexperienced that we’re not stressed”Stevie and Thomas Thissen have more experience, though TUR is their first unsupported race as a pair. Will they manage to coordinate well in such an unpredictable context?

![Alexandra, Shu and Stevie contemplating on riding as a pair - by Małgorzata Michalik/bite.of.me](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5Obf6CVaNEJmjMj9YU5GYx/1ec94e75b567a8e414df89a958a4ac4c/DSC_9536.jpeg)
*[@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/), photo credit: [Bite of me](https://www.instagram.com/bite.of.me?igsh=NDBsZnJkanBpOWRw)*

Su Lei and Alexandra Bridarolli also still seemed to be negotiating their race tactics. The two bring very different experiences—Shu from road racing and Alexandra from mountain biking. However, there seemed to be some disagreement on which route-planning tool to use. In the end, both decided: “When in doubt, we will simply follow Jan-Willem’s route.” A common theme among the pairs seemed to be a longing for adventure. Cara von Beust and Nara Guseynova are looking forward to a fun time in nature, good food, and Italian hospitality. They felt a bit nervous and unprepared ahead of their first race, but I’m sure they’ll do great—and reach their goal of making it to the top two female-only pairs.

## Oracle of the Unknown

Wrapping up this report with riders’ speculations about where The Unknown Race #3 might take them.
Going north all the way to the Alps was a common suspicion—even though several riders were reluctant to cross the flat Po area twice, and feared either the cold or entering areas recently affected by flooding. Some riders hoped for a trip to San Marino to visit a different country. Another popular theory was taking ferries, with several riders betting on a crossing to Elba or over a larger lake.

![Anatole welcoming some rain - by Małgorzata Michalik/bite.of.me](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1yBq2195A096ZjI8jFy0Yp/e0eb2f1adb60eb2f5c3964ee4c1dbb77/DSC_9339.jpeg)
*[@theunknown_race](https://www.instagram.com/theunknown_race/), photo credit: [Bite of me](https://www.instagram.com/bite.of.me?igsh=NDBsZnJkanBpOWRw)*

Will they be right? At least the first checkpoints are directing north—and already hint at a route that considers riders’ love for gravel and adventure. And a look at the bikes of the unknown race might hint at the different tactics. 


TUR#3- Registration and Start

__The 2025 edition of The Unknown Race takes us to Lucca in northern Tuscany, Italy, a town tourists visit to explore the historic city center. But these days, something is different: here and there, expensive, well-equipped bikes lean against the historic buildings; riders stroll through the narrow streets and fill restaurants in search of carbs; occasionally, the sound of a freehub makes heads turn.__

The third edition of The Unknown Race has already established itself as a season opener, with several returning riders and well-known names on the roster.

The race’s special feature remains its unpredictability. The route is only revealed throughout the race. Riders receive the coordinates of the first checkpoint on Thursday morning at 6 a.m.—just one hour before the race begins at 7. At the first checkpoint, they then find the coordinates of the next one, and so on.

Another unpredictable feature seems to be the reliably bad weather. Last year’s Unknown Race was famously cold, rainy, and snowy. Checkpoints had to be moved to escape the snow. Most riders crossed a snowy Triebener Tauern Pass; others got stuck in the snow on Sölk Pass. Many had to scratch.

__What about this year?__
In March, northern and central Italy experienced severe flooding. Luckily, the situation has improved since. Still, riders might face unexpected roadblocks and special adventures. At the start of the race, they might be washed out of the city by a decent amount of rain. While the sun may come out in the following days, it currently looks like the rain will return just in time for the finisher party.
But hey—there’s no snow, right? At least not in Lucca… Who knows where the organizers might have found some snow this year?

__The route remains a mystery, but we do know a few details:__
The start parcours takes riders out of Lucca toward the northeast. After riding along the old city wall, the route follows the Serchio River before entering the first hills—where riders’ own route choices will define their destiny. On their way back, the lucky finishers will enter Lucca from the south, but not before mastering one last climb up Monte Pisano.
What’s in between leaves room for imagination. Visiting San Marino was a favorite speculation among the riders I’ve talked to so far. Last year, the organizers showed their love for ferries with an optional crossing of Neusiedler See. Maybe this year, riders will visit an island?

From Jan-Willem Bobbink I learned that this year’s route will have more checkpoints than ever before. Let’s see if that also means an even longer race. Either way, careful route planning with attention to detail will be important. Italy is known for its many small country roads, offering plenty of options to choose from—and a race that will be thrilling for us to follow.

__Which brings me to the last and most exciting ingredient of any good race: the riders!__

The third Unknown Race has almost one-third FLINTA riders. (FLINTA stands for Female, Lesbian, Intersex, Trans, and Agender.) Amazing! In a male-dominated cycling scene, this more diverse roster is truly special.

Taking a closer look, we have Jana Kesenheimer (cap #1), last year’s fastest woman at both The Unknown Race and The Transcontinental Race, returning to the start line. Last year’s second woman, Irene Graf (#43), will join her. The two will face strong competition. Nicole van Batenburg (#7) kicked off this year as the fastest woman at the Race Around Rwanda. With Sofie Mangertseder (#81), we’re seeing a former German track champion enter the race. They’ll be joined by various FLINTA riders who’ve completed prestigious ultra-distance races like the Three Peaks Bike Race, Two Volcano Sprint, or the Transpyrenees, to name just a few.
Hannah Larbalestier (#39) is not only an experienced racer herself, but also one of the organizers of Lost Dot’s Transcontinental Race and Accursed Race. I’m curious to see what advantages this unique experience might bring her. And finally, Carlotta Schumacher (#34)—likely the youngest female rider—once again cycled to the start of this year’s Unknown Race.

The men’s starter field also has potential for equally exciting stories.
Last year’s overall winner, Will Vousden (#74), returns to defend his title. Will he manage the race with even less stopping time this year? Robert “Aerobert” Müller (#110) will return as well—the likely absence of snow makes him a strong opponent. Christoph Strasser (#75) is known for meticulously planning his races, and quite successfully so: he’s won The Transcontinental Race twice. I’m curious to see how he’ll tackle the unpredictability of this event.
Rounding off my shortlist are Victor Bouscavet (#17), who won last year’s Transpyrenees and the 2023 Race Across France, and Jochen Böhringer (#104), who has finished various major events like the Silk Road Mountain Race.

Last but not least, I’m looking forward to dotwatching Jan-Willem Bobbink (#70) switch sides from organizer to rider this year. As a co-creator of this event, he’s witnessed the struggles and wins of the last two editions more closely than anyone else. Will it make him a winner this year?

The Unknown Race 2025 - Race Preview

Heike Otten

The Unknown Race 2025 Tracking and Commentary: The third instalment of this unique free-route race. The format creates many unknowns but is simple in design: first CP will only be revealed one hour before the start. At CP1 riders will receive the location of CP2. At CP2 they will recieved the location of CP3, etcetera. The final distance will be around 1000km. 


The Unknown Race 2025 Tracking and Commentary

The third instalment of this unique free-route race. The format creates many unknowns but is simple in design: first CP will only be revealed one hour before the start. At CP1 riders will receive the location of CP2. At CP2 they will recieved the location of CP3, etcetera. The final distance will be around 1000km. 


The Unknown Race 2025

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