What does it take... to win the Tour Divide? Ulrich Bartholmös on his victory in the mother of all unsupported races

Whether on a road bike, gravel bike, or mountain bike - Ulrich "Uba" Bartholmoes has become a well-known figure in the world of ultra-cycling / bikepacking since 2019. Competing in a long-distance race with Uba is a tough challenge, as he has built an impressive palmarès in just three years, participating in 19 ultra-races worldwide and winning 14 of them. Recently, the Munich native and Catalan resident secured his biggest victory to date: winning the Tour Divide on his first attempt, only a week after taking third place at the prestigious Unbound XL.

The Tour Divide is a grueling 4,400 km race through the Rocky Mountains, starting in Banff, Canada, and ending in Antelope Wells, near the Mexico-US border. As the oldest "unsupported" ultra-race, it has inspired other events, such as the Transcontinental Race in Europe, founded by Mike Hall.

We had the opportunity to speak with Uba shortly after his win at the Tour Divide and are happy to share this exclusive interview with you.

Congratulations on winning the legendary Tour Divide, Uba. What was your experience during the race? Is there a story you share with everyone who asks about it?

A particularly memorable story happened in the "Great Basin." We were halfway through a 150 km stretch that is extremely barren. There's hardly any vegetation or civilization, which means no resupply, shelter, or anything. At one point, we (that's Uba, Justinas Leveika, and Jens van Roost) were caught in the rain, turning the landscape into a muddy mess. We had to carry our bikes and move at a snail's pace while getting colder and wetter. Eventually, we found a small miracle: a portable toilet in the middle of nowhere, large enough for all three of us to fit. We spent the night there, waiting for the rain to stop. I had initially planned 7-9 hours for this section, but it ended up taking 26 hours.

What are the unique challenges of unsupported races over such long distances?

The challenge with these events is that you have to be prepared for anything, but you can't really anticipate everything. I would say only 20% is under your control, while 80% depends on the circumstances. To illustrate, at the Tour Divide, we had rain during the first week, headwinds and heat in the second week, and even snow at higher altitudes. With such remote routes, you must also be able to handle any technical problems on your own. To not become overwhelmed, you should maintain mental clarity and focus despite sleep deprivation, adapt to various conditions, and sometimes come up with creative solutions.

How do you specifically prepare for an event like the Tour Divide? Or, is it even possible to prepare for it?

Training for the Tour Divide was different from my previous race preparations. It focused more on mountain biking, as it's more complex and engages more muscle groups than road cycling. For the first time in years, I went to the gym, not only training my legs but also targeting my back. A stronger back and core can better absorb the many shocks encountered off-road, which I believe paid off during the race.

Have you always ridden such long distances? How did you get into ultra-cycling?

I got into ultra-cycling in 2019. Before that, I mainly rode Gran Fondos. My first long-distance race was the "Transpyrenees," which I stumbled upon by chance. While in Spain, I looked for cycling races and saw the nearly 1,000 km event as doable. I signed up and won on my first attempt. Later that year, I tried the Transiberica (over 3,000 km) and won that race as well. From that point on, I was hooked and started looking for even bigger challenges. My longest race before the Tour Divide was the Transcontinental, which took 10 days to complete.

Why did you choose SUPERNOVA lighting? What do you particularly like about the B54, DY PRO, and AIRSTREAM?

A few years ago, around 2017/2018, I was looking for a powerful and compact light and found the Airstream. It eventually broke, and I made an Instagram post about it. The next day, Marcus (Wallmeyer) from SUPERNOVA reached out and sent me a replacement. That was the beginning of our long-term collaboration, and I've had the chance to test various products. During the Tour Divide, I used the DY PRO. This dynamo-powered headlight provides enough brightness to light up the path even while climbing hills. Especially on descents, the powerful light gives you a lot of confidence on challenging terrain like that found in the Tour Divide. In that sense, it was the best lighting solution I could have asked for.

Why use a dynamo instead of a battery light?

I chose a dynamo because it offers a reliable and constant power source. In unsupported races, charging options can be scarce, and you want to minimize downtime. With a dynamo, you can keep riding without worrying about your lights running out of power. Additionally, you can charge other devices, like GPS or smartphones, using a dynamo USB charger. This reduces the need for external battery packs, saving weight and space in your bikepacking setup. The only downside is the slight increase in rolling resistance, but the benefits far outweigh this minor drawback in ultra-long events like the Tour Divide.

Which races do you still want to win? What other adventures do you dream of?

I have a long list of routes and races that I still want to ride, especially in North and South America there is still a lot to discover, but also for example, I haven't ridden the Silk Road Mountain Race or the Atlas Mountain Race yet. However, I am also glad that the Tour Divide is now behind me and a quieter phase can begin. New plans will be forged soon enough.

Thank you, Uba.

Photos: Ulrich Bartholmoes / Bikes Or Death Podcast

Interview & Text: Levin Sottru