Our Personal View of Ultracycling
Anyone who equates ultracycling with titanic efforts, extreme performance, pushing the body to its limits, or all-out competition is falling into an oversimplification.
At least as far as our philosophy is concerned: the philosophy of Balutia, of Al-Ballut, and of the events and races that have inspired us and in which we have taken part.
The prefix “ultra” refers to distance, to the sheer number of kilometers, not to competitiveness. Covering great distances using a vehicle powered solely by oneself connects us with the great adventures in human history: with explorers setting out toward the unknown without knowing what awaited them; with the novels of Jules Verne; with the original Paris-Dakar Rally, where, even though motorized vehicles were involved, self-sufficiency was essential.
Some References to Identify With
It also resembles the early years of the Tour de France, when riders covered enormous distances day after day, sometimes more than twice what they ride today, without team cars or mechanics, on roads that were rarely paved, stopping at shops and bars to refuel on wine, bacon, and bread.
If you want to explore this further, we highly recommend “Plomo en los Bolsillos” by Ander Izagirre, which recounts the origins of the Tour de France as a race and the misadventures of those who took part simply trying to make it to the finish.
Ultra Distance: Ultra Experience
Ultra-distance cycling is not about riding the lightest possible bike either. It is about a way of understanding the journey: a philosophy built on resilience, adaptation, flexibility, and the ability to manage both body and mind in order to go further, all within a shared set of rules that every participant commits to.
Today’s technical possibilities, especially GPS, allow us to come closer to the travel experiences of those who once undertook these great journeys, without exposing ourselves to unnecessary risk. And as the director of an ultra-distance project, my greatest wish is to inspire more cyclists to embrace this kind of pedal-powered journey and fall in love with the extraordinary experience of spending long days on the bike, one after another, far from home, discovering hidden places and crossing horizons that remain etched forever.
Of course, it’s not for everyone. But more and more people are discovering that the true journey lies in the road itself.
Perhaps we should write more about this.
Because there is a saying that goes: what you don’t tell about yourself, others will end up telling in their own way.
Text and Contemporary Photography: David Molina @davidmolinagrande
Tour de France, 1913 photograph: unknown author
Riders: César Merás (@cesar_meras) and Antonio Pedrosa (@parchita_velo.cc)
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