The Badlands race in perspective

Last spring we started our preparation for Badlands during a 4-day training camp organized by DirtyDropbars in the Moroccan Atlas. We were focused on our physical preparation and pushing our limits for what’s known as the hardest ultra-distance gravel race in Europe. We experienced the lightness of being: riding with the founders and friends in the magical setting of the atlas and hospitality culture. Months after this trip would take us back to hard reality, with one of the founders Nils Luypaert having to fight a new combat against cancer, and the region we were riding through being hit by an earthquake and leaving massive death and homelessness on the region.

So, riding Badlands for me this year was not only about the power of ultra-distance racing for building endurance and resilience, but was all about the fragility of life. About how all in life can change so suddenly and your current worries/priorities become totally irrelevant in wake of such events.

Hence the Badland’s 750km/15000D+ vertical of being tired with almost finding no sleep, all sort of muscular pains, technical issues with the bike, not enough food and water supplies, getting off-track for 3 hours and need to come back… all appeared so light and even funny to me. I felt so lucky to be able to suffer in a healthy way and laugh with these physical and technical problems, when I was thinking of the real fights / races for life of these affected people.

Full respect and admiration for their power and determination to keep riding with confidence of a better future.  

Life is so fragile! Enjoy the fullest the happy times and build resilience for when it will get tough. 

Keep riding,

Nico