Characterized by its untouched wilderness, high mountain passes, unpredictable weather and warm hospitality, the Silk Road Mountain Race is an adventure like none other.
The Silk Road Mountain Race is a fixed route, unsupported, single-stage cycling race through the mountains of Kyrgyzstan. The clock does not stop and there are no prizes. It follows gravel, single and double track and old soviet roads that have long been forgotten and fallen into disrepair. There is very little tarmac. There is some hike a bike, and at times there is great distances between resupply points.
The exact distance and elevation vary from year to year, but riders can expect approximately 1900km in distance, 30,000m of climbing, and 14 days to complete the route.
How tough it will be cannot be understated, but as Mike Hall once said, “Nothing that’s worth anything is ever easy.” This race will be a true demonstration of this sentiment.
Kyrgyzstan is a rugged central Asian country of incredible natural beauty and proud nomadic traditions. The sheer scale of the mountains here, the vast grasslands of the high alpine valleys and how untouched it all is by human civilization sets the stage for an epic adventure. Many of the places you’ll ride through are not inhabited year round, with only yurts present in the summer months as locals bring their herds up to the summer pastures, known locally as jailoo.
