2014 World Cycle Race Gets Underway March 1 In London, Join The Peloton!

March 1 will mark the launch of the 2014 edition of the World Cycle Race, which as the name implies is a bicycle race around the planet. The event covers more than 18,000 miles (28,968 km), with participants racing with no set course in either an easterly or westerly direction. It is a nonstop race, with the clock constantly running, that is a true test of skill, endurance and adventure.

This year, the race will get underway from Greenwich, London in the U.K. at noon. At the moment, there are five riders slated to compete in the WCR, each of whom will of course be at the starting line when the gun goes off. But prior to the start of the round-the-world race, there will be a ceremonial start  that will let cycling fans in London get in on the fun.

At 9:30 AM on March 1, riders are encouraged to gather at Marble Arch to form a peloton that will escort the racers across town to their official start at Greenwich Park. This pre-launch ride will begin promptly at 10:00 AM, giving everyone ample time to safely reach the starting point before the WCR officially gets underway.

The first World Cycle Race took place back in 2012, with Brit Mike Hall claiming victory. That race was supported by Brooks England. Now, our friends over at The Adventurists have joined in and are helping to organize the event too. I'm told that they hope to grow it over time, with more riders taking part and creating a larger awareness of the WCR with the general public. You can find out more at WorldCycleRace.com.

Good luck to all of the riders. I wish I were in London to be able to see you off!

The Adventurists Launch Unsupported Bike Race From London To Istanbul

The Adventurists, whose devious minds have brought us the Mongol Rally and the Rickshaw Run, are launching a new adventure this summer and this time its geared  for the cycling crowd. Starting in August, the first ever QuickEnergy Trans Continental Race will get underway, launching Europe's longest unsupported race covering more than 2000 miles between London and Istanbul.

As is typical with an event put on by the Adventurists, this race gives participants a lot of leeway in how they get from the starting gate to the finish line. Riders will be allowed to take any route they see fit, although they will have to pass through a few checkpoints along the way. These CP's will ensure that everyone faces similar challenges on their ride to Istanbul, with one of the biggest of those being a crossing of the Alps. Navigation along the route is also very flexible and competitors are free to use good old fashioned maps, a GPS device or simply get directions from those they meet along the way. The point is that there are very few restrictions to the race, aside from getting across Europe to the finish line.

As noted, this is an unsupported race, which means the riders will need to carry all of their gear and supplies with them when they set out. That will require them to make tough decisions about what is absolutely necessary and what can be left at home. It comes down to shaving weight off the bike while still having all of the necessary gear with them for a prolonged journey.

Registration for the Trans Continental Race opens tomorrow and the event is scheduled to begin on August 2. Thanks to their partnership with QuickEnergy, the entry fee is going to be just £95 ($146), which is incredibly affordable for this kind of event.

Mongol Derby: World's Longest Horse Race Underway

Last Friday the 2012 edition of the Mongol Derby got underway on the wide open expanse of the steppes of Mongolia. Billed as the "World's Longest Horse Race," the Derby pits 34 riders from 14 countries against one another on a 1000km (621 mile) ride through one of the most remote places on the planet.

I wrote about this amazing event back in June, remarking at the time about my uneasy relationship with the equine species. Seems I'm not that only one as two of the riders were eliminated in the first day of the race when they were thrown from their steeds. Brit Paul de Rivaz broke a collerbone when his horse stumbled on a marmot hole, while Norwegian rider Linda Sandvik was tossed off her mount, puncturing a lung and breaking her pelvis in the process. These incidents only underscore the dangers of this type of event, which is organized by the crack team from The Adventurists, which means that medical support and plenty of assistance was on hand to help the injured.

The rest of the riders are faring much better on their adventures, which allows them to navigate as they see fit across the Mongolian plains. The riders do need to locate a series of horse stations along the way, where they are required to change horses, but how they locate those various checkpoints is completely up to them. At the moment, the six leading riders are through station 14 having covered nearly 560km (348 miles) in four days. Amongst those leaders are professional riders Richard Killoran and Dony Fahy as well as returning racers Barry Armitage and Joe Dawson.

While the Mongol Derby is indeed a horse race, organizers of the event have taken great care to ensure that the animals are well cared for. A staff of veterinarians, both local and international, are on hand to thoroughly check the animals before, during and after the race. The riders are required to not only change horses regularly but also take good care of their mounts at all times. Delivering them back to a station in anything but good health results in severe penalties for the person responsible for the horse.

Obviously the race is going at a quick pace with the front runners more than half-way home in just a few days time. You can follow the event live on the official website, where you'll find rider updates, race reports, video, photos and more.

What an amazing adventure. Good luck to the all the riders. Enjoy the Derby to the fullest.

The Ice Run: 1500km Through Siberia On A Motorbike

The Adventurists are up to their old tricks. The same group that brought us the Mongol Rally and the Rickshaw Run, launched their latest overland adventure – The Ice Run. This time, they're racing across 1500km (932 miles) of frozen Siberian wasteland using old Russian motorcycles, complete with sidecar.

The inaugural Ice Run got underway yesterday at the southern end of the River Ob. The riders will now follow the frozen river north to the town of Salekhard, which sits above the Arctic Circle. During the brief summer months, the only way to complete that journey is by boat or airplane, but during the long winter, the frozen tundra, and even the river itself, allow for passage. Of course, the riders still have to deal with the snow, ice, and incredibly cold temperatures along the way.

Just how cold does it get there? According to this page on the Ice Run site, temperatures will fall between -10ºC and -60ºC (14ºF to -76ºF). Throw in winds that regularly hit 40mph and the windchill shaves another 40º off of those temperatures. As a result, machines start to break down and oil begins to freeze. The local police will even close the roads to prevent drivers from leaving town and getting stranded, quite literally, in the middle of nowhere.

There are currently 13 teams entered into this unique, and dare I say crazy, race. You can track their progress online by clicking here, and as of this writing they've covered roughly 150 miles so far. As with all the other events from the Adventurists, this road rally is helping to raise funds for charity. The live tracker also says that the teams have currently raised £11,980 ($18,770), with more to come.

And while we're on the subject of raising money for charity, I think it is worth pointing out that all of these great road races that the Adventurists have sponsored over the past few years have brought in more than £3.5 million ($5.5 million) for a variety of organizations. That's a pretty impressive number.

So, just what are the Ice Run riders dealing with out on the "road?" The video below, which was shot during an initial test run of the ride, will give you some indication. It's a toss up which looks colder, this video, or one of those shot on those winter climbs we've been following.