Almost a year has passed since my successful start in the race around the Iberian Peninsula, Transiberica, which took place in September 2020.

Since then, at least once a month I have been trying to summarize this fantastic event and describe my experiences of racing against the clock and a few other participants who, like me, decided to flee to Spain in the midst of Covid’s restrictions and difficulties. Never had time to do that untill now. We (riders) were convinced then that 2021 would be much better and easier in terms of Covid. Today, however, it turns out that this is not entirely true and the shadow of the epidemic still hangs out over all the events.

But I was not supposed to write about it, because it is known that the ongoing epidemic causes many difficulties, so in this subject I just wanted to express my words of appreciation, respect and even admiration for all those who, despite these difficult last two years, do not give up and try to create and build. I am lucky to be able to go to Spain and start in this amazing adventure again.

So lets go to the begining.

In 2020, when all long events were subject to covid destructive power, another edition of Transiberica appeared, which found a kind of weather window that allowed to collect a handful of riders at the start. Myself, who, like most of us, got stuck in the world of racing with a broken plan, was lucky enough to notice this window in the appropriate moment, and practically two weeks before the start I signed up for this adventure. This race has caught my attention a long time back and it is in fact one of the few European road races with such a long distance to cover. However, I never managed to integrate it into my private-professional year. What the epidemic forced me (and probably others) to do was use the ability to function at the last minute, make ad-hoc decisions, and quickly adapt to the situation. This was also my start in 2020 Transiberica. At the last minute. In addition, I was not sure what to expect from Spain, because I had never been there before.

At the start in Valencia I met a few familiar faces (Bjorn Lenhard, Richard Gate) with whom I had the opportunity to race before. I also met a few new people with whom I am still in touch today. These are always the positive sides of the race, these meetings.

The preparation for the race itself, however, required a lot of perseverance. I had very little time and my arrival to Spain was hanging in until the very end. Flight changes, canceled bookings, last-minute changes, transfers by other forms of transport. Madness. When I look at it today, I sincerely wonder how I embraced it all then, because it was really not easy

My race route was built hours before the start in the hotel room on a broken laptop, I completed the equipment needed hours before departure, not sleeping at night to pack and book everything, and the work that I had to do in the meantime followed me until the last minutes before the start. Real madness.

However, when I look at it all in retrospect, I have no doubts that it was worth it. Because when I sat in the saddle and we went into the night (yes, Transiberica starts at 9:00 pm), the whole world full of stress and problems disappeared and only few things remained. Bike, route, consecutive days and nights, breathtaking views and unlimited freedom and one simple goal to move on each day. I don’t know if it can be described.

I remember when each subsequent climb on the third or fourth day of the race (these are usually my crisis moments) became twice as long and twice as steep, I kept telling myself that I was here of my own free will and that on the „normal life” day, I would give almost everything to be in this very situation and in this very place. How quickly the perspective can change when we realize that what we are doing is in fact exactly what we want to do, what we have chosen ourselves, what we expect. We rely only on ourselves and our skills, both physical and mental.

This year’s preparations for the race put me in a more comfortable situation. I had a few days to prepare the equipment, mainly thanks to my Magdalena, who gave me a huge amount of space to act, where for parents of two children it is a really difficult experience that does not take place just like that. Many people are not aware of it, but reconciling this sport of ultra-bikepacking racing with an active family life is a difficult undertaking and, unfortunately, it cannot always be successful. In my case it is very clear that it is possible mainly thanks to my beloved girls (because they are three in my life, Madzia and two little crazy women Weronika and Sabinka) who are my greatest support in all preparations. Even if the race route is not ready, because we are going for a walk with little Sabinka, I am always sure that the time spent with her will bring something good in the race with, a bit later.

The route of last year’s edition of the race actually led us around the Iberian peninsula, from Valencia to Bilbao, forcing to cover 2,800 kilometers with approximately 40,000 meters of elevation. These numbers speak for themselves that this is a hilly race. What’s more, the organizers made sure that on the way we visited truly epic places, unforgettable views and amazing spots that you can see only in Spain. Pico de Veleta, Picos de Europa and Antequera are just some of them. These are the wonders of nature in the most hit and breathtaking edition.

Personally, I was very impressed with what this tour allowed me to discover. These endless hairpins flowing through the mountain ranges overlapping each other without hesitation, these are memories that even after a year, remain like very clear images in my head. Adding to this the element of the race, which for a large part of the route drove me very much to cover the next kilometers, especially when I was still chasing Bjorn, this event seemed to be just the perfect event, especially in a year when everything was going wrong.

This year’s edition of 2021, I’ve promised myself for a long time. Already at the beginning of this year, I was planning to return to Spain. For this reason, this choice is much more conscious and expectations are much more specific. I look forward to a great replay of the amazing entertainment I got from fate last year. I am going to Spain much calmer than a year ago, expecting only the best to meet me there. Probably because I don’t remember anything bad from last year. I remember a wonderful adventure, exciting competition, a fantastic challenge and an unforgettable and incomparable nature, and this is probably why I am coming back to Spain for the next edition of Transiberica. It’s like coming back to a familiar place where you just feel very, very good.

So let is start. Keep your fingers crossed for me and for the rest of the riders with whom we will travel through this spectacular country wide and long.

Before we take off, however, I would like to thank you all for writing a good word to me from time to time, sharing your emotions, knowledge or experience. This is an amazing community that we are in and it is that mental support that drives to further voyages.

I wish you a good show!!!

Dots are here to watch: https://www.followmychallenge.com/live/transiberica21/?fullscreen

Live commentary is covered by Dotwatcher.cc: https://dotwatcher.cc/race/transiberica-2021

More about the race: https://www.transiberica.cc/

Photos: Carlos Mazón

Many thanks are also due to certain people and institutions (although in fact they are always people) who helped me with the hardware in embracing me and my bike.

Special thanks to the team from Assos Poland, who took care of the highest-class cycling set in which I will ride this year’s Transiberica. For the first time in several years, the clothes I use are light, durable and, above all, complete. I wonder how they will cope with the heat of Navarre and the humidity of Asturias.

Thanks, of course, as always, also go to the people from Hultaj Bikes, for the fact that they can always be counted on and they will always find time to make my Hultaj ready to ride before the start! Is it a defective spoke, broken bearings, a broken drivetrain or broken cables, they will always put Hultaj back on the wheels in racing form!!! 

For the team from the Szosa magazine, for the fact that they have long been giving me the opportunity to learn about new hardware from the so-called first hand. Whether they are the latest ZIPP models, Vittoria foam inserts for tires, new NS Bikes, Giro gravel shoes or new versions of helmets from various companies, playing with this equipment and the ability to test it on your own skin is always great experience, fun and pleasure. By the way, it is also a great help, and above all it gives satisfaction and confidence that the equipment has been tested in a proper cycling conditions.

There are many other people and institutions that I can always count on and who deserve thanks.

Some of them are: 

Filip from the recently met team from Bike RS from Krakow, who helped a lot in finding the bike parts what is theoretically impossible to comprehend nowadays. Bicycle parts are worth their weight in gold these days, which is why I appreciate the support of the Bike RS very much and we will certainly establish even closer cooperation in the future!

Mikołaj from Dreamworkers, who painted my Hultaj for the third time. Always with flair and the result are always an interesting surprise.

To BLAHOL, for building my fully custom bikepacking setup, over and over again, untill one day we will find this one and only perfect solution!!!

Natalia from BP Intstytut for looking after my core condition for the last few months.

The team from Immotion (Mateusz and Paweł), who always help me in need of the so-called hardware small items like baskets for water bottles, small tools, tubes or patches, and not to mention bicycle boxes, which I think I always get from them for several years when I ask for it.

To the team at Mactronic, which has already set my Noise XTR03 on its feet twice from the hardware underworld, and despite the enormous mileage of this light, it still works on the same electronic soul.

Thanks also to our local bike shop: Pan od Rowerów, who I often visit and they also halp me a lot, when it comes to speed and quality of service. They saved me more than once when something suddenly was needed. High five to you!!!

See you all on the map!!!

Piko