6-11-08 // Events: 2,711-Mile Tour Divide Starts Friday

Aaron Teasdale

For years, the Great Divide Mountain Bike Race has stood as the world’s longest, most-grueling multi-day endurance mountain bike race. But for some, that isn’t enough. Enter the 2,711-mile long Tour Divide, which begins in Banff, Alberta, this Friday.

Traversing the Continental Divide on two wheels is a feat that only a handful of riders have completed. Legendary endurance racer John Stamstad was the first to succeed, alone and unsupported, in 1999. That accomplishment remained unchallenged until 2004, when a small but inspired group of riders organized and competed in the first Great Divide Race (GDR).

One of those riders, Matthew Lee, has completed the race every year since. And for 2008, he has introduced a new, even-longer race known as the Tour Divide. It follows the original Great Divide mountain bike route, but starts a week earlier and 221 miles farther north in Banff, Alberta.

“Opening day in Banff is 110 miles of the most beautiful, rugged country the entire race has to offer,” Lee says.

Riders of Tour Divide, ominously starting on Friday, June 13, should eventually meet with racers in the GDR, which begins a week later at the United States-Canada border in Port of Roosville, Montana.

Starting in Banff, Alberta, Tour Divide challenges riders with 2,711 miles of demanding terrain (though there is only minimal singletrack), and more than 200,000 vertical feet of climbing. Riders must also provide their own food, supplies, spare parts and shelter.

“Tour Divide is the most demanding ultra-endurance mountain bike race on the planet,” Lee says. “It's 100-percent self-supported for almost 3,000 miles with very little access to communication or emergency help.”

This year, Tour Divide riders will be equipped with SPOT Satellite Messengers, a GPS system that tracks each rider online using Google Maps and post progress to an online leader board. The system also allows riders to request help in case of emergencies.

All those challenges keep race fields limited to a few riders. Even fewer finish. To date, less than 20 riders have officially completed the GDR race; nearly 50 percent of starters never make it to the finish on the Mexican border. The Adventure Cycling Association supports riders of the Great Divide Race, but does not organize or officially sponsor either race.

Neither of these races have the prestige of other endurance events, and there are no prizes for winning, but making it to the finish in Antelope Wells, New Mexico and tossing back a cerveza is a reward that only the toughest competitors can appreciate.

More information about Tour Divide, including the leader board and race blog, can be found at TOURDIVIDE.ORG. For information on the Great Divide race, visit greatdividerace.com.

Track the Tour Divide competitors in real time HERE.