500km Dorset Divide Ultra Cycling Race: Will This Epic Race Break Me?

On road, off road, and no road at all.

Join me on the 500km Dorset Divide ultra cycling adventure race through the stunning landscapes of Dorset.

Cycling through day and night, this emotional rollercoaster of a race tested my limits. Will my bike and I make it to the finish line?

While some cyclists enjoy a few days of scenic but tough riding, I decided to push through non-stop. Maybe I should try the more relaxed, enjoyable approach next time…

Starting and finishing in Portland, this race winds through both familiar and new cycling routes.

Experience this epic cycling journey with me!

#cycling #Bikepacking #mtb #adventurecycling #gravel #adventure #BikeLife #CyclingRace #Endurance #DorsetDivide #UltraCycling #race

may have had a little cry look at that beautiful absolutely sliced and D horrible section oh good boy done looks like we got a tiny little snail that’s hitching a lift on this 300 mile Journey hopefully it’s not a metaphor for how I’m going to be riding and then also thank you for you guys I mean I do this race because I love the sport and for me it’s not about earning any money off it trying to get more people into the racing scene um and starting a race in dors it I might start I get 5 4 3 2 1 [Applause] [Music] go here we go then Dorset divide 2024 starting down in Portland bille in the sunshine some lovely views of the sea some big Cliff top edges straight into the hiking so that was Portland Bill we now Crossing back over the causeway into waymer woohoo really nice so this is a 500 km route wrigly route entirely Endor it kind of goes Here There and Everywhere it’s not too far from home so it’s nice to be some exploring not too far away about 10 mi in started at Portland Bill and had some rocky single track get back down to wouth and now kind of leaving wouth behind on these cycle paths W and already gone the wrong way just made the classic mistake of following someone else and they went the wrong way had a little detour got cut a bit on some brambles but that’s a little mistake out the way from now on I’m going F my own route we following the route finally starting to get a little bit of space on the road now you know me you know I hate that sty bit when everyone’s bunched together like to get on my own and settle into it well this bit is nice I think the story of the day apart from hills is also going to be the old opening and closing of gates which we all enjoy now we’re into the old field Edge gravel the British classic so I’m about 2 hours in 24 mil so that’s less than 300 mil to go my uh first Stop’s going to be at 40 Mi about 15 M time to get some water in Broad main something else TI to the theme overgrown trails and believe it or not this is actually not a bad one just been for a massive tunnel of pain Rambles and stinging nles oh itchy now back onto the field Edge Rusty gravel this is a little bit more like it proper gravel woo so I just called into broad main broad main to get some more water see me through to C car to therea I’ll get another top up just trying to keep on top of the fluids cuz it is quite warm today so just over 40 mi in next stop at 68 Mi oh a gate to spoil the fun oh I can see uh Portland over there doesn’t look like we’ve come very far now there’s a view for you ring step Bay and some gravel tell you what one of the annoying things so far is the gates every time you get a nice bit of speed you have to slow down again go for a gate onto some familiar roads now lovely descent just going past lorth Castle got to make the most of this flat section between lorth and I think wo there’s a few vicious climbs in the perck to come and now the payback for all that fun downhill tarmac climbing up GRE road then properly into the perck oh no we’re going up Cree which is an evil climb we use it in hill climbs here really steep look there’s a sign 20% this is going to be fun heading up there next might a bit of hike bike I think oh biked didn’t hike that’s a climb from kimid quite Rocky and loose quite steep B of ever think oh but it was got it done got it done that’s what I did I got it done W that was tough but the a ward is that view it’s pretty stunning heading towards cor now cor Castle going to grab some more water there and then make our way to checkpoint one Old Harry’s rocks there’s c car still on the distance nearly at C pass it better bit colder now stopped in C stores had a chicken sandwich no chicken wraps and some more water apple juice got youro there’s about three hard climbs coming up let’s do this straight from a coronation chicken sandwich into this rather big climb I think there’s three more big climbs with the final one being Old Harry’s rocks which is checkpoint one then after that a bit less climbing but not forever there’s plenty more to come oh I’m struggl on this gate sake definitely gate of the Gate of the day so far wor skateboard well at least it’s shut anyway back off road this is quite a testing climb I think so I’ll catch you up there so we’re going up up up up where are the wind swept looking tree getting the top now can see swanage in the distance more lovely views just the problem with lovely views is they have to be earned can’t just zip up here well maybe had an ebike ebike ultra maybe that should be a new thing well goes down let’s go back up again this is climb two or three up and over that Ridge line somewhere how about that for a view Bou and pool down there there oneish down there France over there I guess somewhere so that was checkpoint number one old Harry Rock Old Harry’s Rock to make my way down this slightly busy tourist path I think down to studland and I’m not quite sure where we go after that onto some proper gravel now and I think those big climbs are behind us for a little while now but my gosh my legs are feeling batter already I think I’m about 80 miles in so what’s that oh another 240 proba need to go now into the lovely quiet Lanes of ONN on our way to weum just had a water top up in weum and a pork P oh for most of the day I’ve been really struggling to get my head in it and uh not really enjoying it but the last half hour has been these lovely more gentle gravel tracks like so and it’s got a little bit cooler so I’m feeling a little bit more positive which is good just coming into L at Minster some home roads now ones to ride fairly regularly cruising lovely flat Trailway just TI 100 miles just got to do that twice more that’s a little bit into the airburn of pool now back in the urban area nice to get through here it’s going to be a bit busy I think with rush hour traffic I mean this is a little bit sketchy have to drag the bike down I [Music] think strange smelly man man seen in pull in the rush hour traffic the road provided just in time was going to hit up Burger King but I’m going to go to McDonald’s in fernd down instead probably another hour or so to ride there yeah we’re in uh Bournemouth now nearly taken out by a bus very familiar roads now down near Christ Church ring on knes many times this is St Catherine’s Hill it’s coming out of Christ Church not actually R nothing there before bit Sandy and I think the wet weather earlier in the week’s probably helped here’s some glorious gravel for you not too far from Bournemouth airport it’s the good stuff Posh stuff princess gravel update on the snail he’s still there he’s hanging on so it’s moved into the middle for a more airo position McDonald’s is done and now Lizzy’s appeared taking down Ultra Tong so my uh friend came out to give me a cheer and then my wife appeared and rode along with me for a few moments cheer me on I’m not going to lie may have had a little cry when she uh when she left just struggling with what I think there just lack of sleep last night and it’s really starting to hit me now but going to carry on grinding out that gravel oh the joy of the gors bushes absolutely Torn to Pieces wo so a quick stop at all the hle co-op he get it some more water we also grab some food which should see me through the whole night hopefully should have enough food now to get me through to the morning what town it was beer Minster maybe somewhere like that there’s a co-op that should be open at 7:00 that should be there when it’s open so well was like 11 hours away um but first of all we got to get to sha spry where’s a water tap bampa but there’s a water tap and then we go a bit more into the unknown well I think there might be 24-hour garage at Sherborne if I need it it’ be good to be able to get enough water in blanford to see me all the way to the checkpoint two where I think there is some water available anyway that’s enough for me um see in a bit before I go though let’s see macky’s chips munching on them nice oh bloody snapped a Spoke hopefully it’s right it’s another tunnel of pain Stingers brambles tunnel of pain look at that beautiful heading towards Martin down time to engage the human lawn mower glad I got in the daylight but still liing hard to see with that sun right that’s the teeth done some more shammy cream applied and I got my Gila out ready for a big descent in a bit and my arm warmers starting to get dark now won’t be long till we’re in Pitch Black just heading round to wind green nice high point on the charer Bridgeway we’re in the dark now on the zigzag descent down to shars spry lovely bit of Road just down in sha spry just grabbing a bit more water from this wesex water tap time for a night hike with a bike hambledon hill woohoo oh my that was a horrible section real big slug up to top of B Barrow off road to absolutely ages loads of walking loads of pushing now we got really steep descent down into Shilling Stone just had a cheeky 40 minute lay down in this church when I get moving again though reezon so I had a about an hour stoppage about 40 45 minutes laying down in my emergency biver bag my jacket on and thank goodness I decided this morning to whack my summer sleeping bag in there cuz it was still pretty chilly when I got out of it or not ready to get up again but that’s made me feel quite a bit better I was really starting to flag done about 300K so 200k left and I’m coming onto North Dorset Trailway RIT so the sky is getting a bit of color up us for come on good morning oh we’re going up there at some point in a minute which is the Abus giant Hill thing the hill with a giant on eventually drop down to checkpoint too when you’re looking for a bit of rest bite takes through this overgrown stuff that is awful absolutely awful overgrown looking forward to The Descent and just chalky slippy Brown and metals either side cut to Pieces again but we’re nearly at checkpoint two checkpoint two didn’t actually get any photos or anything but Harry and his mom gave me a load of food had I sit down for 10 minutes or so some drink and now we’re on to final route file number three 95 miles to go but with some big big climbs nice trees all climb number one done think there’s about 10 big ones and then lots of other smaller ones and that was one of the big ones my next Stop’s going to be beer Minster probably the co-op which I think is around 20 2 miles [Applause] away not like the rocking puppies H oh good boys oh the boys that was climb number two with some puppies at the top do have a little bit of bad news the snail’s gone he obviously opted to move away somewhere away from Portland maybe he got off in the night maybe he’s moved to Shar spry woo that was number three quite windy now as well very chilly chilly wind but quite nice wind and climbing to keep it cool but just a bit cold back down and we got two more big ones till we get to beer Minster oh my that was number four and that was number five big descent down now into be beer Minster we go to the C and get some food legs are smoked in B Minster Detroit us on the picnic p so that was beer Minster had about good thousand calories of food and we’re now heading towards I think that Hill about 25 M to reges with a number of rather big Hills theme of the day whoa that was big big climb steep damp and I probably ate my lunch a little too close to it cuz nearly saw it again just had a major bit of deja vu I think I’ve rid that bit before it’s like a a zigzag climb up a forest I think it could have been on the seventh of VI or I’m just going crazy just been thinking about that little snail again and the motivation it provided to get it home safe to wouth but alas he’s gone oh that climb out of lime reges is an absolute Beast I think we got a nice downhill now to recover on before we go back up again up down up down up down up down up down all the way back to wouth down and straight back up again out charmouth there’s some Dorset Coastline views oh bit of gold cap hiker bike coming in it’s a bit too steep to really ride up my gear kind of had enough of being the human lawn mower as well absolutely sliced and diced lots of hiking and biking on this section along the coastline and maybe quicker just to walk Portland down there but looks like it’s in a rain shower starting to rain in West Bay maybe it wash away some of my stench there’s some real Prime gravel there oh this is slow yeah this is a hiker bike and a half nicely back on the bike cuz that was absolutely awful horrible bit hi bike now starting a long climb I think up to Hardy’s Monument which is kind of the last big climb I think other than the one on Portland back up to the campsite I can see Megan is absolutely smashing it she’s First Lady by absolutely miles she’s also fifth overall at the moment I think I’m in si place at the moment but every time I’ve got near her she’s basically ridden off it’s hard to keep up with a absolute Beast Portland in the distance okay in there currently on this Ridgeway hard this Monument nice Monument I think we to send off here now somewhere just deployed the uh crisis Cola to see me through to the end which I’m not quite sure how far away it is 10 miles out now feels close but also so far at the same time a long 10 miles back in wouth not far now glorious October down the beach I know it’s mid July oh this is a cheeky little bit in the end these stairs one final back on the causeway Friday evening not quite sure I got here after yesterday’s negative thoughts but I somehow overcame them and I had a pretty enjoyable day today even though it’s being rather tough just that one last hideous climb up to the top of the island final climb in coming so it looks like it could actually be final bit hiker bike cuz it’s very slippy it’s like wet chalky surface and it’s quite steep so I think I’m just going to walk get back safe and sound oh we’re back at Fancy’s Farm 37 hours later this the end Endo brilliant well done amazing you all right yeah now I’m here I am oh my God that’s just brilliant absolutely brilliant right boy get picture of you together yes hold on Meg done brilliant absolutely brilliant is that the end yeah don’t you can get