Transcordilleras 2025 on the Extrema Italia

Marketing 3T

March 27, 2025

As a way to escape winter in the northern hemisphere, and an opportunity to get some good fitness in the legs, I decided to line up for the Transcordilleras stage race in Colombia in mid-February. Previously, I visited this wonderful country to race the Ultra version of the Transcordilleras event. I was excited to return and experience the race in a new way. Instead of 100 hours of non stop riding, I would get to sleep every night and eat a proper meal multiple times a day!

This event is a great way to get folks who might be interested in bikepacking because riders have to carry what they need for the entire event on the bike. It’s a mashup of fast gravel racing and ultra distance, which are two of my favorite things!

Just before leaving for Colombia I had my new Extrema Italia setup. With my experience carrying extra weight I opted for a 38T chainring on my SRAM Transmission setup. I chose to mount the 50C Schwalbe G-ONE overland tires. This allowed for some clearance still in case of mud and plenty of rubber to shred the Colombia mountains. When I was there in 2023, I rode my Ultra with 40s and I knew I wanted more tire width to enjoy shredding the amazing gravel descents Colombia has to offer.

The route crosses the three major mountain ranges in Central Colombia resulting in quite a bit of elevation with a few high altitude days up to 4200 meters. After 8 days of racing we had about 950 kilometers in the legs and over 20,000 meters of elevation gain.

My approach to the event was first to HAVE FUN. I was going to be just one month into training for the year and I had no major ambitions for a result. I gave it a go on a few days and was able to take the win in two of the stages! I suffered a good bit on the days we spent at high altitude and was glad when we returned back down to a more manageable elevation.

What made the experience memorable was the ability to spend time with folks from all over the world. Typically ultras are a solo endeavor and Transcordilleras certainly had its solitude, but I also raced alongside new and old friends. The race was dynamic and fast with peloton mates who were supportive and in the end people who I’ll cherish as friends for a long time to come. Aside from the racing, I was able to enjoy the villages we stayed in along the way. Unlike an ultra where time is of the essence, I was able to enjoy slow walks in the evening with my partner Steven who was also racing. We shared dinner with our new friends at small family owned restaurants deep in the mountainside. I look forward to returning to Colombia again next year for another exciting experience!