BikingMan

The self-supported nature of the BikingMan races makes it different from supported ultra-distance events like the Race Across America (RAAM), in which each racer has a large support crew with multiple vehicles and where pure performance cycling is needed to finish these races. The carbon footprint of the races are kept to a minimum, support cars outside BikingMan organizations media cars, are strictly forbidden.

Being self-supported means that drafting is not allowed, receiving any form of support from other racers, friends, or family is not allowed; all food, accommodation, repairs, etc., must be purchased from commercial sources if they can find any on the road. The organizer provides a mandatory route, a GPS tracker to monitor each participant's progress and prevent cheating, as well as a road book. Riders must strategically choose how much time to devote to riding, resting, and refueling each day.

It is not a stage race, the clock never stops from the moment the riders leave the start to the moment that they reach the finish. Orienteering plays a major role as most of the races' locations are unknown to most participants.

The complete rule set is available in the race manual of every race.{{Cite web|url=https://bikingman.com/en/bikingman-organization/#bikingman|title=About BikingMan - The Rules|website=BikingMan.com|language=en|access-date=2020-12-15}}

1. Athletes are self-supported and need to handle their fueling, repairs and rest during the race
2. All athletes must ride from the start location to the finish location while crossing the mandatory checkpoints in the right order
3. Every athlete needs to stamp her/his progression at every staffed checkpoint in the opening time windows
4. Drafting and riding as a pack are forbidden
5. Every athlete needs to carry a GPS tracking system to trace her/his progression
6. External assistance of any kind is forbidden
7. No support cars are allowed
8. SOLO or pair riders can attempt the races

BikingMan events are all covered by a limited number of media cars from the organization. The events are therefore presented live on social networks, namely the Instagram and Facebook accounts of the organization.

During races, and on a daily basis, a story-based article is published on the Exposure page of the organization, as well as an additional article for the leaderboard once the race is completed.

All participants are equipped with a GPS tracker, which allows to share their position on a live-tracking website.

In 2017 was held the first BikingMan event; the IncaDivide race,{{Cite web|url=http://www.cyclosportissimo.com/lincadivide-le-nouveau-graal-des-aventuriers-au-long-cours/|work=CycloSportissimo.com|title=L’INCADIVIDE, LE NOUVEAU GRAAL DES AVENTURIERS AU LONG COURS|language=fr-FR|access-date=2018-12-15|archive-date=2018-12-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181215225713/http://www.cyclosportissimo.com/lincadivide-le-nouveau-graal-des-aventuriers-au-long-cours/|url-status=dead}} which took 17 athletes in the Andes mountains of Ecuador and Peru. A brutal race where the main challenge for every racer was to battled against high altitude cycling conditions of the Andes.{{Cite news|url=https://www.redbull.com/pe-es/incadivide-6-de-17-atletas-lograron-terminarla|title=IncaDivide: 6 de 17 atletas lograron terminarla|work=Red Bull|access-date=2017-11-15|language=es}}

In 2018, [http://bikingman.com/en/ BikingMan] introduced the 1st ultra cycling championship which gathered athletes from around the globe to race the Hajar mountains of Oman, across the Andes Cordillera of Peru with [http://www.bikepacking.com/event/inca-divide-2018/ IncaDivide race], around Corsica{{Cite news|url=http://www.bikepacking.com/event/bikingman-corsica-2018/|title=BikingMan Corsica 2018|work=BikePacking.com|access-date=2017-11-15|language=en-US}} and in Taiwan.{{Cite web|url=http://cyclingtime.com/tw/documents/9109.html|title=單車時代 - 120小時內環島探索及無援極限耐力單車賽|trans-title=Cycling Age - Around the island to explore and support the ultimate endurance cycling race in 120 hours|website=CyclingTime.com|publisher=單車時代|access-date=2018-11-03|language=zh-TW}}

On the "Sprint" BikingMan 2018 races (Oman{{Cite news|url=http://www.cyclist.co.uk/in-depth/4509/an-experience-i-genuinely-loved-1000km-of-punishing-headwind-and-heat-at-bikingman|title='An experience I genuinely loved' 1,000km of punishing headwind and heat at BikingMan Oman|work=Cyclist|access-date=2018-05-31|language=en}} and Corsica{{Cite news|url=https://www.vsd.fr/adrenaline/adrenaline-en-selle-sur-les-routes-corses-pour-une-course-dendurance-25587|title=Adrénaline En selle sur les routes corses, pour une course d'endurance - Vsd|last=Média|first=Prisma|work=Vsd.fr|access-date=2018-05-31|language=fr|archive-date=2018-06-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180602033301/http://www.vsd.fr/adrenaline/adrenaline-en-selle-sur-les-routes-corses-pour-une-course-dendurance-25587|url-status=dead}}), base camps were built at the checkpoints where athletes could rest. Compulsory stops at staffed checkpoints ensure athletes timestamp their progression, validate their physical state and eventually scratch the athletes who don't respect the closing times of every checkpoint.

Participants enter the season ranking once they have completed, as finishers, 2 BikingMan series races.

The 2019 season introduced 2 new events: Laos in May, and Portugal in September, bringing the series to a total of 6 events, all parts of the 2019 championship.

{{Cite web|url=https://www.velochannel.com/bikingman-le-calendrier-2019-devoile-teaser-37183/|title=BIKINGMAN, LE CALENDRIER 2019 DÉVOILÉ + TEASER|date=2018-10-16|work=VeloChannel.com Website|access-date=2018-12-15|language=fr-FR}}

Final 2019 Rankings after the race in Taiwan - as of November 15, 2019.{{Citation|title=BikingMan unassisted ultracycling races across the globe|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uckJqpahQ40|language=en|access-date=2019-09-12}}

Participants enter the season ranking once they have completed, as finishers, 2 BikingMan races {{Cite news|url=https://bikingman.com/en/the-races/|work=BikingMan|title=BikingMan - The Races|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-08-29}}

{{Cite news|url=https://bikingman.exposure.co/bikingman-series-rankings|work=BikingMan Exposure|title=BikingMan Series Ranking|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-11-15}}

The 2020 season will be composed of 6 events with new routes unveiled on Oman, Corsica, Peru and Laos. Brazil will be part of the series for its first time. The crown jewel event incadivide will unveil a course in the sacred valley of the Incas around Cusco city.

Following the global pandemic and many locked-down countries, the race calendar has been modified by the race organisation to adapt to the situation {{Cite news|url=https://www.velochannel.com/calendrier-bikingman-2020-mise-a-jour-importante-39642|work=VeloChannel|title=Mise à jour Calendrier BikingMan|language=fr-FR|access-date=2020-04-19}} with the races in Brazil, Peru and Laos canceled, while the 2020 edition of BikingMan Corsica, initially scheduled for April 2020, is planned for October 2020.

The 2020 series will therefore be composed of 3 events out of the 6 initially planned.

{{Cite news|url=https://bikingman.com/en/the-races|work=BikingMan Official Website|title=BikingMan Race Calendar|language=en-GB|access-date=2020-04-19}}

The 2021 season has been announced with 7 events focusing mostly on Europe (4 events in France + Portugal) + Brazil and Oman. Brazil will be part of the series for its first time after the canceled 2020 edition.

{{Cite news|url=https://bikingman.com/en/the-races|work=BikingMan Official Website|title=BikingMan Race Calendar|language=en-GB|access-date=2020-12-15}}

{{reflist}}

• (en) [https://bikingman.com/en/ official site]
• (en) [https://bikingman.com/en/the-races calendar of the BikingMan races]
• (en) [https://www.instagram.com/bikingman_ultra BikingMan Instagram channel]
• (en) [https://www.instagram.com/incadivide Instagram channel of the IncaDivide race]
• (en) [https://www.facebook.com/bikingmanultra official Facebook page]
• (en) [https://www.facebook.com/incadivide Facebook page of the IncaDivide race]
• (en) [https://ultradistancebiking.blog Blog of Rob Packham, participant]
• (fr) [https://www.xaviermassart.eu/home/bikingman-corsica Blog of Xavier Massart, participant]
• (pt) [https://vinicius.mobi/2018/06/07/incadivide-depoimentos/ Blog of Vinicius Martin, participant]

Category:2016 establishments in France

Category:Cycling organizations in France