Saddle Manufacturer Fizik Partner With Transcontinental Race

High-end saddle maker fizik have announced a partnership with the Transcontinental Race and new Trans Pyrenees Race, ultra-distance endurance cycle races across Europe.

The 2019 Transcontinental Race, starting July in Bulgaria, and the all-new Trans Pyrenees Race, starting at the Bay of Biscay in October.

Fizik is well known and highly respected for regular success in top-level road racing, being the saddle and shoes winner of the last Tour de France and UCI World Championships Road Race.

Fizik say their sponsorship of the events is a clear indication of the intention to provide top quality gear in terms of design, comfort and performance to the endurance athletes who push themselves to the very limit day after day.

The Transcontinental Race is an ultra-distance endurance cycle race across Europe, competed every year by a select group of self-supported riders. It is widely regarded as one of the world’s toughest endurance cycle races.

Competitors in the Transcontinental Race do not follow a set course for the entire route: there are fixed start and end points with mandatory control points along the way. All travel must be by bike and riders must work out their own optimum route between the controls, planning their own strategy of riding, sleeping and refueling, and carry all their own equipment such as clothing and spares – they can buy food and drink – along the way.

The previous six editions have started in either the UK or Belgium to finish, anywhere between seven and ten days later, in Greece or Turkey. They have each featured between 3,000 and 4,000km distance with between 30,000 and 45,000m total ascent. The 2019 route is flipped, as the seventh edition starts in Burgas, Bulgaria on 26/27 July and runs East-West, to finish in Brest, France.

A Tribute To Mike Hall

The Transcontinental and Trans Pyrenees Races are a tribute to the late Mike Hall, an exceptional endurance athlete and founder of the Transcontinental Race. Mike was involved in a fatal accident in March 2017 and it’s testament to his irrepressibly positive spirit that he remains a huge inspiration to the endurance racing community.

Preparations for the 2019 edition will now start in earnest as riders discovered last week whether they have been successful in their applications to ride.

“Fizik has long been an admirer of the Transcontinental Race, its ethos, its athletes and its character, so we are very proud to be part of this,” says fizik’s Brand Director Luca Mathia Bertoncello.

“The Transcontinental Race and the new Trans Pyrenees Race represent Mike Hall’s legacy. Mike was a close friend of mine and to be able to support this race and its participating riders is an honor for us.”

Trans Pyrenees Race

A new event created by Lost Dot, the organizers of The Transcontinental Race is the Trans Pyrenees Race. Sharing the same principles as the original event, the first edition of the Trans Pyrenees Race – starting 4th October 2019 – is self-supported endurance riding over a shorter distance but with highly challenging climbing packed into its 1500km total distance. Its route will take participants from the Bay of Biscay through the beautiful yet punishing scenery in the Pyrenees to the Cap de Creus and back again.

“We are delighted to have fizik on board with us this year for both the Transcontinental Race and our new Trans Pyrenees adventure”, says Anna Hashlock, President of event organizer Lost Dot.

“fizik joins our partner group of high profile, quality brands who reflect our values and ambitions. The fact that they truly believe in providing the very best possible cycling products to help athletes perform to their maximum sits well with us.”