"In Memoriam: Mike Hall" on bikepacking.com

Tour Divide 2018: Race Preview

Josh Ibbett's Tour Divide Recap #1

Josh Ibbett's Divide Recap #2

Josh Ibbett's Divide Recap #3

Josh Ibbett’s Divide Recap #4

Josh Ibbett's Divide Recap #5

Josh Ibbett’s Divide Recap #6

Josh Ibbett’s Divide Recap #7

Josh Ibbett’s Divide Recap #8

161 riders are due to take the startline for the 2018 Tour Divide group start, but once the racing gets underway, there will be 163 dots, marked by their rider's initials, on the tracker. The two extras are those of the male and female course records, held by Lael Wilcox, and the late Mike Hall. Mike's time of 13 days, 22 hours, and 51 minutes, set in 2016, remains the pinnacle of what is achievable on the Divide, and is one of many tributes that the ultra-distance legend laid down for himself, before he tragically lost his life just the following year. 

Bikepacking.com recently published an article, written by Thomas Hasler, as a tribute to Mike, to coincide with the start of the 2018 Tour Divide. We can't think of a more fitting way to kick off our 2018 Tour Divide coverage, than by sharing it. 

["In Memoriam: Mike Hall" on bikepacking.com](http://www.bikepacking.com/plog/in-memoriam-mike-hall/)

__A feature length film about the Tour Divide, which is as close as you'll get to the experience without actually riding it. __

"[Ride the Divide] weaves the story of three characters’ experiences with immense mountain beauty and small-town culture as they attempt to pedal from Banff, Canada to a small, dusty crossing on the Mexican border.

They’ll experience mental breakdowns, treacherous snow, hellacious blisters, and total fatigue. Above all, they’ll race with no support – at times in total isolation. The tests of endurance and the accomplished moments throughout Ride the Divide prompt us to reﬂect on our inner desires to live life to the fullest."

Find out more and buy the download link for 'Ride the Divide' at [ridethedividemovie.com](http://www.ridethedividemovie.com/)

<iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/9654326" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen></iframe>
<p><a href="https://vimeo.com/9654326">Ride the Divide</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/ridethedivide">Mike Dion</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>

Ride the Divide

__The Tour Divide is the pioneering self-supported ultra-cycling race that inspired a community, and that is often credited with sparking the entire bikepacking movement at large. __

- Website: [tourdivide.org](http://tourdivide.org/)
- Location: Canada & USA
- Length: 4,418km
- Riders: 161
- Last year’s winner: Brian Lucido
- Terrain: Off-road

Starting in Banff, Canada, the race route follows much of the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, tracing the spine of the continental divide for 4418km to Antelope Wells, on the USA-Mexico border. Although riders are welcome to take on the route and set a time whenever they like, there has been a Grand Depart from Banff (mass start) event since 2008, and - since the route can be tackled in revers - from Antelope Wells since 2011.

The first three editions were won by Matthew Lee, who had ridden the route four times already by 2008, and indeed it is Matthew, along Scott Morris and Joe Polk, that much of the Tour Divide's history is owed to. The late Mike Hall - a name more than familiar to anyone with an interest in self-supported ultra-racing - won the race in 2013, and returned again in 2016 to set the current course record: 13 days, 22 hours, and 51 minutes. 

Being that the route follows much of the backcountry terrain of the Rocky Mountains, and the continental divide, the route is predominantly off-road, connecting sections of remote single track and country roads for the duration. According to the organisers, its 4418km make it the longest off-road route in the world, and its 60,000m of altitude gain make it roughly equivalent to scaling Mount Everest seven times.

161 riders are set to take on the Tour Divide in 2018, and a perusal of the startlist shows there to be a great number of new names taking it on. Richard Dunnett, a Brit, is having his first stab at the race, and having finished 2nd at the World Cycle Race in 2012, as well as 3rd at the Transcontinental Race in its inaugural 2013 edition, and being a former 24-hour national mountain bike champion, he is potentially the pre-race favourite.

The race gets underway at 08:00 on 8th June. Be sure to keep the dotwatcher.cc tab open for updates over the next couple of weeks. 



The 2018 Tour Divide Route: 4418km from Banff to Antelope Wells.

![Screen Shot 2018-06-11 at 16.07.34](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5DMhc7zoWsaAYgQeyG6gYY/23b6e9ef7089648bfac90db05b1882f2/Screen_Shot_2018-06-11_at_16.07.34.png)

Red marks the spots

__In this article - which, needless to say, is a gear-junkie's dream - bikepacking.com have featured 80 of the 161 bikes being used at the Tour Divide this year. Each entry is complete with the obligatory side-elevation shot, as well as technical and characterful details on both bike and rider. Put the kettle on and get comfy...__

[Rigs of the 2018 Tour Divide on bikepacking.com](http://www.bikepacking.com/bikes/tour-divide-rigs-2018/)

Rigs of the 2018 Tour Divide on bikepacking.com

And they're away! 

Just the 4400-ish kilometres to go.

![Screen Shot 2018-06-11 at 16.17.55](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/igpr733D5QkYEMmc6AO4W/63e63c56ad8e2b973c7a97dec238c709/Screen_Shot_2018-06-11_at_16.17.55.png)



With somewhere near 60,000m of vertical ascent throughout the race, you could be forgiven for thinking that the Tour Divide already has enough climbing. 

However, it seems there's been an early route change, with the dots of record holders Mike Hall and Lael Wilcox heading straight down the valley, and our 2018 riders feeding into a mountain pass. 

Route changes occur every year, on account of landslides, closed passes, and any number of other reasons that come as part and parcel of overland travel through backcountry terrain. Unfortunately for our class of 2018, that means heading over a pass and into a parallel valley to the east. 

![Screen Shot 2018-06-11 at 16.21.59](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/70LMytmkFOseuOukQEcO66/0b8a6cfbf08dff50f96cc21004245b61/Screen_Shot_2018-06-11_at_16.21.59.png)

Need more climbing? Tour Divide got you covered

24 hours into the race, and a leading group as emerged at the front of the north-south riders. Jacob Roberts, Richard Dunnett, Seb Dunne, Lewis Ciddor, and Seth Wood, have mounted an early - but nontheless definite - lead. 

![34985125 10217183629770946 5992642107171405824 o](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/78FYGbLzr2owgcyEiSAg0G/94cdd6d534016e82e8c8de94f4f6c315/34985125_10217183629770946_5992642107171405824_o.jpg)

Leaders emerge

While it might be the snow of Montana now, before long it will be the sand and dust of New Mexico covering Bailey's bike. Such is the nature of the Tour Divide. 

[[ instagram url="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bj2O4aXBeAj/" ]]

__Here's race leader Richard Dunnett, cruising through yet another epic Rocky Mountain backdrop on a 4,418km bike race like it ain't no thing. __

While he may be a rookie at the Tour Divide, Rich is a highly esteemed ultra-racer: 2nd in the 2012 World Cycle Race, 3rd at the 2013 Transcontinental Race, and a former 24 hour national mountai bike champion, the Brit knows what he's undertaking. 

Rich also happens to be carrying the pump of a certain Mike Hall, who was a great friend to Rich off the bike - as well as, of course, the strongest of competitors on it. 


Ultra-cycling: Home to the greatest stadiums in world sport

For many people, the Tour Divide is the original bikepacking race. It's an event that has inspired many riders, and laid the foundations for an entire calender of ultra-distance bike races to thrive. Following the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, the Tour Divide stretches 4418km from Banff, Canada, to Antelope Wells on the USA-Mexico border. Off-road; self-supported; as fast as possible!

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