The Event That Broke Me. Was It Worth It?

Can you ride 300km overnight in 8 hours? Si travelled to Finland to take on the Saimaa Cycle Tour, an incredible event that takes riders on a journey around the country’s biggest lake from dusk until dawn.
Joined by a team of super-strong local riders aiming to finish in a blistering time, he pushed his limits to hang on through the magical Finnish twilight. This is a story of stunning sunsets, legendary feed zones (including porridge with blueberry soup!), and Si’s struggle to overcome his body’s urge to sleep.
It’s also a journey for Si to find his “Sisu”—the unique Finnish concept of determination and grit. And trust us, he needed it.

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⏱️ Chapters:
00:00 Intro: Si’s 300km Overnight Challenge
01:40 Why Ride 300km in Finland?
03:00 The Pre-Ride Sauna Briefing & Team Tactics
05:33 The Bike: Si’s Orbea Orca
06:32 Who Are Si’s Teammates?
07:08 The Start Line Nerves
08:36 The First Hour: High Speeds from the Start
11:04 Riding Into The Incredible Sunset
13:55 The Struggle Begins: Riding at Midnight
15:52 The Legendary Feed Station
18:20 The Final Push & The Meaning of “Sisu”
22:15 It All Goes Wrong For Si…
25:26 The Finish: Did They Do It?

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I am in Finland for the Saimar Cycle Tour. It is a 300 km event around the country’s biggest lake. Participants take up to 20 hours to complete it. I though have been added to a team of super strong Finnish riders who are aiming to do it in less than 8. Oh, and did I mention we don’t start until the evening? We have to ride through the night. It’s 3:30 a.m. and I’m going full gas with 240 km in my legs. Oh man, that’s never happened before. I’m feeling pretty nervous about this one. The only other time I’ve tried to ride through the night, I cracked at 4:00 a.m. and had to sleep in a bush. Good times. However, Finland is far enough north that during summer, using the term night might be a bit of a stretch. Instead, we will have several hours of sunset and sunrise separated with only an hour or two of darkness, promising to make this one of the most incredible cycling events in the calendar. Yeah, I am kind of looking forward to that bit. But riding at 38k an hour between 8:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m. does seem slightly out of my comfort zone. But this being Finland, I’m just going to need a big dose of seis. No seisue. I’ll explain later. I’ve never been to Finland before. And when the Saimar cycle tour organizers invited GCN out, I called Shotgun. I mean, who wouldn’t? It’s the world’s happiest country. And that’s no surprise. is there are more sauners here than cars. In fact, with 3.3 million sauners, there’s more than one sauna here for every two people. I’ve flown into Helsinki, the second most northerly capital city in the world, and I need to travel east to Imatra. It’s about 3-hour drive to get there. And along the way, I’ve realized that the classic Finnish stereotypes are completely true. It’s peaceful. It’s clean. 75% of the country is forest, 10% of the country is water, and I read that there are 187,88 lakes here. I mean, that is a lot of lakes. This is also in part what makes the Siar cycle tour so special. A look at the map shows you that the route not only traces Siar Lake, but many hundreds of other lakes and islands, too. But while you might think from this that it must be very flat, there is still nearly 3,000 m of elevation gain over the 300 km. In 24 hours time, I will be on the start line. But right now though, I’m off to meet a man in a sauna. Look, that’s just how they roll here. Okay. My only concern is that I’ve read that fins are people of few words. Small talk isn’t a thing here apparently and silence is something to be enjoyed. Now, unfortunately, as a Brit, I find silence deeply uncomfortable and something to fear. But it shouldn’t be a problem. We haven’t actually got time for small talk cuz the man I’m meeting is Keo Cannon, my new teammate. He’s a lifelong bike racer who was a professional some years ago, but continues to tear it up on the road, on gravel, and on his mountain bike. He told me that he has tried golf, but found it slow and boring. I feel like he’s a true kindred spirit. Well, nice to meet you, Kate. And nice to meet you, too. What a location. What a sunset. And 10:30 in the evening. Pretty cool, isn’t it? Right. Talk me through the tactics for tomorrow then. Well, the tactic is uh pretty simple because it’s a 300 km ride and u you’re the captain. So, it means I’m the captain. Yeah, you’re the captain. I’m the captain. I’m the captain on the road. Sorry. Sorry. Uh so it means that actually we will do um something between time team time trial and a leisure ride. Going to be quite a long ride but with a two stops. So it should be doable I would say. Okay. Two stop strategy. When how long have we got to go before the first one? Uh the first one is around 120ks and then the second one in 210. And and what power output are you going to be asking for on the front? I would say somewhere around 280 to 300. Little bit more on the bigger guys. Yeah. On the back, I think I can do that. But all right. Okay. So 300 W on the front, 38k average speed and 30 second pulls. So it’s it’s not that much. But of course, because it’s a 300 km, you get quite a lot of uh pulls. So it’s it’s it’s not it’s the quantity of those. Yeah, 4,400 people are riding here this weekend. As well as the 300 km routes, there is a slightly less challenging/ more appealing option of splitting into two stages with an overnight stop. There’s also a 100 km option and a 65 km option, too, plus gravel events as well. As we’ve heard, Finland is apparently gravel heaven, and there are three different route options there, too. Quick bike check for those that are interested. I’ve brought my Auba Orca. You might be wondering why I’ve chosen a bike that prioritizes weight over aerodynamics for a route that is predominantly flat. But whilst light, this is slow. It isn’t. In fact, it’s properly fast, particularly with these Vision Metron SL wheels and Speedy Boy Pirelli P 0 RS tires in a 30 mil width. Crucially, this bike is also plenty comfortable enough to spend the night on it. Now, whilst we have Tom there on the camera, I’ve also got an Insta 360 up front. This is the X4, so you can see me suffering and beautiful vistas simultaneously in 8K. It’s also Chris, you got a massive battery on there. Instate will get 135 minutes of run time. So, probably enough for Tom to actually go and have a decent nap in the middle of this. Then lastly, I got a Wahoo Element Rome on there. I do not need it for navigation, but I do need it for my data. So, who are my teammates? We have Yusi Machinen, Larry, Lindon, Mikanto, Mikuel, Turin, Pacivoi, Teros, Settler, Aurelain, Anti. This all male squad, it should be said, is slightly at odds with the rest of the event where 30% of all participants are female. And no, since you’re wondering, I’m not actually fluent in Finnish. I’m just really good at pronouncing names. Really, really good. Hey, guys. All right. Right. We got about 15 minutes to the start. Like it’s very much evening time. So, if I’m honest, like I’m properly feeling nervous because I’ve been here before. I know what riding through the night can be like. And uh these guys look really strong. So, I think I’m in for it a little bit. But anyway, they’re a thoroughly nice bunch. So, you know, they said they’ll wait for me if need be. The buzz around here is incredible. You got to say there’s so many people and they’re just of all types and abilities. It’s it’s really cool. Can’t wait to see everyone out there. But I am nervous nevertheless. Isn’t that stupid? Shouldn’t be nervous. But I am 4 straight out of the blocks. 400 W. So that’s what I was told today. This tarmac is the smoothest tarmac I’ve ever ridden. It’s flipping amazing. I’ve got 23 minutes on the clock, which means dinner time. So, I got the aim of doing 100 g of carbs an hour. But I have been told that the feed zones here are absolutely legendary. The second one we’re stopping at serves hot food. Given we’re going to be there at about 2:30 a.m., I’m expecting kebabs to be on the menu. One thing that definitely will be is coffee. So, Fins are prodigious coffee drinkers. The event will be serving 5,000 lers. I know that’s a liter each. appearances might be deceptive given that we’re doing 41 km an hour right now. But we’re currently waiting for uh the strongest man in our group, second place in the National Road Race Champs the other day. Uh who has unfortunately punctured and um anyway, apparently he’s going to be able to get back on. So fair play. This uh this next stretch, I think it’s going to start taking us back past the lake again, like with the lake on both sides, which I cannot wait. These are the photos I’ve been looking at on the website. Looks amazing. We’re just riding towards the most incredible sunset and uh I mean you just kind of takes your breath away really. Absolutely stunning. Just under two hours in. 74ks. It’s pretty good. Average speed 40k an hour. Nice. Because I know you are all crying out for a geography lesson, I’m going to give you your fix. So the reason why Finland is not super hilly is cuz during the last ice age it was under an ice sheet kilometers thick and it scoured the landscape flat as it flowed southwards. A lot of the lumps and bumps that do remain though or marine I should probably say are actually made up of gravel deposits that were left behind as the ice sheet retreated. Now, one final interesting fact for you is that this ice sheet was so thick and heavy that since it melted 10,000 years ago, Finland has actually been steadily rising at a rate of 1 cm per year as it decompresses. Right, jog lesson over. Back to the job at hand. What’s really surprised me is just how many people are out cheering everyone on. Just sat at the roadside ringing cowbells, cheering, singing. That was cool. But it’s absolute wicked. They’re going to be here for hours. And one thing I am doing, longtime GCM viewers will know I don’t really like cows because they’re vicious and very dangerous. Now the good thing is that in Finland I haven’t seen a cow yet. But Kim, correct me if I’m wrong, we have to look out for bears, wolves, wolverine. Yes. Lyns. Yes. And elk are probably the worst. Yeah. Yeah. So anyway, cows they they always f inside they’re not floating around here because you recognize that cows are so dangerous. Yeah, I speak sometimes. Yeah. So you can tell it’s starting to get dark now. It’s quart 11 at night. So we’re doing incredibly well for light still. But this is the part where I start to have to play some serious mind games with myself. Like it’s like my body just knows it’s bedtime and it’s not a time to be riding a bike, let alone 45k an hour. And I find first it’s like my head I get really sort of introverted and I don’t really want to talk to anyone even though I’m surrounded by this great bunch of lads. Just really I’m just in my own little bubble. And then I can start to feel my my body temperature dropping as well and I’m really struggling to eat. But knowing all this is kind of almost a superpower because I’m like sort of surfing the waves if you like. And what I’m really trying to do is just to sort of stay in the moment a little bit. It’s an incredible place. And little things, one of the things I noticed most is the temperature. How you sort of go through these pockets of cold and then warm. And it only happens when you’re riding at night. So, just trying to focus on stuff like that and not on the fact that I’ve only done 103 km, which means that there is 197 to go This is amazing. Porridge with the addition of what’s called blueberry soup. I don’t know what it is. Blueberries. And it’s kind of soupy, but actually amazing. Never in my days have I ever had food like this at a feed station. This is insane. Next level. Only 700 volunteers made this event happen. 700. It’s 20 midnight now. not long since left the feed zone. You could ride here if you’re on your own. You could ride without lights and see where you were going. There’s enough light for that. It’s quite antisocial. I think Just coming out to halfway now. But 148ks on the clock and it is 10 to one. Properly gone into myself now. Haven’t said a word to anyone about the last 10 minutes. So, a few kilometers ago, we hit the most northerly and western Y point was the city of Nikola. It’s obviously completely dead at this time of night, but quite a milestone now. Heading for home. I’m feeling uh I’m feeling like I’m riding my bike hard in the middle of the night. Let’s put it that way. I’m feeling a bit sick now, but trying to get as much food down as possible. It’s not a very good strategy at 2:00 a.m. I think once we’ve gone through this next feed, I think we’re going to put the hammer down again. And I think that’s the point where at the minute we’re just ticking along. But when we’re having to really press on again, that’s the point where Cisu, it’s going to have to be channeled. Okay, coffee time. So, 85k to go. This feed zone is amazing. Got past the the works over there. The last section. I mean, it’s actually it’s been great. Like, has felt super tough, but I think it’s getting light again now. So, hopefully solar power will kick in. Yeah, home stretch now. But we’re going to go full gas because this is going to be really tight to get under eight hours. As we set off for the final 85ks, my legs felt okay, but I was in a bad way otherwise. It was time for some seasuit. Not something I’d known anything about before this trip, but I’ve been asking around to find out. Okay, now talk to me about seu. What is it? Cecil that’s the um that’s really actually a wide expression in Finnish. It’s um it’s something that the determination that you don’t give up and you do the stuff no matter what it’s coming uh when the distances are really hard then uh you think you have reached the limits or am I too tired or something then comes sisu it’s part it’s mentally but it’s also physically I think after tomorrow you you will um you will have much better knowledge of that one because you will need it tomorrow you will find your inner ceil You might be say go for it and some really rude Finnish say like what does that mean? It’s it’s um uh I’m a teacher. I I don’t sell uh say those words to my children but uh it’s really tough. Some people have a little bit more of it but it’s but everybody has it. So that that’s the thing. You just need to find your inner sisu. We are absolutely tanking. Our average speed is shot up. Now I need sea soup. Oh my god. I think we all need a big dose of it. It’s 3:30 a.m. and I’m going full gas with 240 km in my legs. See super I’m having to sit in the back for a bit. I feel really sick. Like just sleep deprivation. Bodies all over the place kind of sick. So I’m just hoping it’s going to pass. That’s never happened before. Just had to stop and be sick. Oh god, I knew I was feeling rough. I really am not very good at riding through the night. I’m struggling to eat for the last I don’t know 60k maybe and then uh maybe just the last 30 or so. I was like I do feel a bit queasy but it’ll go cuz the sun’s coming up and then uh I don’t know whether you want the details but a few little burps. I was like that’s cool just clearing a bit of space. Oh, I just had to pull out of the line and then uh anyway, suddenly very peaceful onwards. My teammates, bless them, were waiting just over the hill. Someone in the group had raised the alarm and they’d stopped for me rather sheepishly. I then had to tell them exactly what had happened. We duly set off a touch slower, but the goal of sub 8 was still alive. Just we’re in the closing stages now. Just over 10 km to go. I got to say actually, whilst I didn’t want the ride to end this way, it’s actually been pretty booming perfect. just chilling out. The guys are set a wicked tempo, nice and steady, and uh been able to just enjoy the amazing scenery and the sun coming up. I know it sounds a bit cheesy, but to be fair, it is actually really nice. And you know what? We still might squeeze in under 8 hours. I don’t really feel like I’ve embodied CESU. Or maybe I have. Maybe CESU is only so strong. And when you got to vomit, you got to vomit. Nothing CEU can do about that. Thanks guys. So the question is then did we do it in 8 hours? The answer is yes. And no. So total elapse time was eight and a half. What with throwing up punctures, but riding time. We did it. They did it basically. So we we kind of got around in under 8 hours, didn’t we? Yeah, we did it there. 7:55 I think was the was the time on my not counting punctures, feed. Yeah. Yeah, it was it was the rolling time. Yeah. So, it’s um kind of a win. Yeah, I would say it was really nice because we we had an average of 38. Yeah. So, that should be okay. Lastly, Cisu, did you did you find Cisu? Yeah, I I had to find also Cisu in the last 25K, but I thought think that you found it a little bit earlier, but I think you had a really good Cisu. Yeah. Yeah. Which bit? Like before I threw up or after I threw up? After? After. Because I was I was I was afraid that you will quit. Yeah. Yeah. But then you found Cisu and you kept going. That’s Cisu. Oh, thanks, man. I actually felt a heck of a lot better after. It was before. I think I was really struggling. Yeah. Yeah. But it it was a good I mean it happens. Yeah, it does. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So, yeah. No, that’s cool. All right. Well, thank you so much. It’s been an absolute pleasure. Yeah. Likewise. I think it might take me a while to find the words to sum up that event. It was absolutely brilliant. I think I can start with the organization of it. The feed zones were incredible. The volunteers were amazing. The route is amazing. The scenery is breathtaking. And even though riding through the night is something that I find quite hard, it certainly adds an extra something. That’s for sure. I was so impressed with the amount of people that were just off out there having an adventure, whether they’re in a group or on their own. It’ll live long in the memory this one. That’s for sure. Now, I’m told the entries for next year are already open. So, uh I mean, if you like what you see, then get involved. Sign up, come over to Finland and and ride this event. I genuinely don’t think that you would be disappointed. Uh, right. Give this video a big thumbs up if you’ve enjoyed it and uh, well, see you on the next one.