The cool night time coastal air swirls around the 80 strong army of bold cyclists, as they quietly contemplate the huge physical and mental task that lay ahead of them in the form of a 1,000km ultra cycling race across Oman. Some occupy themselves with constant bike checks to calm their nerves, others stare ahead calmly towards the road that will take them on an incredible journey across some of the world’s most impressive landscapes. A heady mixture of adrenaline, jet lag and nervous energy seems almost physical in its presence as the hardy group of cyclists from all corners of the planet line up at the start line in the middle of the dark Arabian night.
The BikingMan ultra cycling series, fairly new to the world, consists of six races throughout the year, set in some pretty incredible locations. In chronological order the season compromises of races in Oman, Corsica, Laos, Peru, Taiwan and Portugal. All of which have very well researched routes, created with the intention of testing the riders’ endurance, mental strength and navigational skills. These are adventure cycling or bike packing races made to leave the cyclists with a lasting memory of pure adventure and an incredible cycling experience.
We have been tasked with the enviable job of following, filming and photographing one athlete in particular. Jonas Deichmann. A record-breaking cyclist from Germany who has ridden in over 100 countries, who spends a huge amount of his time on his bike. He has no house or many possessions, instead dedicating his life to riding from one country to another. From race to record attempt, with a seemingly bottomless pot of energy and enthusiasm for long distance cycling, and a good old-fashioned thirst for adventure. Jonas is the 2019 ambassador for Bikingman and is competing in four of the six races this year. As well as Oman he’ll be riding in Corsica, Laos and Peru.
Back to the start line and it is not long before the final countdown and then they are off. Peddling boldly away into the dark and out along the coastal motorways of Muscat. This first route will lead the cyclists for 70km until they abruptly turn away from the coast, with an immediate climb up through narrow winding roads and ancient stone built villages. Still the dawn has not yet showed its welcome smile. The air is still cold and the cyclists are still in fairly close groups. But as they wind up steep passes, a first glimpse of the Arabian dawn starts to transform the inky black sky with subtle shades of the morning light. And with this brings the first glimpse of the terrain that surrounds them. An incredible lunar landscape, with steep sided canyons and endless peaks, which nestle on a sandy bolder strewn desert floor. Camels graze on the side of the road, nonchalantly chewing dry grass as the colourful cyclist speed by.
As the sun starts to rise, the cyclists have by now been peddling for around five hours without a rest. A first stop off for food and water in a small village on a steep rise, the riders take ten mins to gather their thoughts, check their bikes and take on well needed calories. By now the pack is starting to spread out over many miles. Each cyclist settling into his or her rhythm. Concentrating on the task at hand, and absorbing themselves into the scenery that rolls on under their wheels. Mile after mile after mile. As they pull away from the village shop, rested and fuelled, they are greeted with one of many stunning views the route has to offer. To the West huge mountains rise up from the desert floor with jagged and seemingly untamed peaks. And to the East a forest of palm trees peppered with old windowless stone buildings falls away into the distance.
By midday the heat is starting to weigh heavily on some of the cyclists. Although not summer season yet, it is still hot enough to cause the riders dehydration and discomfort when cycling such long distances. We catch up with Jonas and few other riders who have stopped at a service station on a long motorway stretch of the days route. Jonas removes his arm and leg warmers, gulps back litres of water, re stocks his bike bags with food before heading off again into the bright Oman midday sun. The motorways in Oman, unlike many European motorways, provide cyclists with wide, safe hard shoulders to ride on. So on this fairly flat, long section of the race, they can really settle into their saddles and eat up the miles with relative ease.
However, this easy riding section is short-lived. The route soon takes them away from the main highway and onto a narrow back road that starts to rise towards one of the highlights of the Oman race. As the route sweeps its way through old stone villages, with mountains on all sides, the road ahead almost looks blocked by a huge mountain and cliffs. This is the famous Jebel Shams climb, also known as the Mountain of the Sun. Standing proudly at an impressive 3,028 meters at its highest point, this is a serious climb for even the most seasoned, hill hungry cyclists.
I drove ahead from Jonas in our media car to scope out the climb for drone and ground camera shots. Not long after the road makes its approach the huge vertical faces of Jebel, the aggressively increasing gradient forces the black stuff to turn to sweeping, steep ramps and switchbacks. And halfway up it then remorselessly transforms to a gravel and dusty track, riddled with gnarly pot holes and puncture inducing stones. Onward it winds for many kilometres until it tops out with views that would be hard to beat anywhere in the world. To one side looking back down the track, that winds its way down the mountain like a desert snake with a seemingly unending vista of peaks, and to the other is the equally impressive Grand Canyon of the Middle East.
Jonas makes his approach to the climb, puts his head down and tucks in for the steep ride. The sun seems to beat down even harder, as the cyclists flaunt with the rules of gravity and just keep pushing on up. At some particularly steep sections Jonas results to zig-zagging across the road to minimise the angle of ascent, and to avoid the downward force of gravity bringing him to a complete stop. But onward and upwards he goes. An impressive feat even if his ride had started not long before the climb, but baring in mind he had been cycling solidly through the night and most of the day, its really more like a mind blowing show of endurance.
Eventually as the sun starts to set, and the desert breaths a sigh of relief from the intense heat, he reaches the top of the Jebel Shams climb and pauses for a view out across the huge canyon and impossibly rugged landscape. This is also the location for one of the check points in the race. A place where the riders have to stop at before they carry on their way. It’s also a brief haven provided by the organisers for the cyclist to rest up if they wish, with food laid on and medical facilities if needed. Jonas’ only reason for stopping at this check point is to replenish his water bottles, eat few large platefuls of freshly cooked food, before he’s back in the saddle and heading out for the second nights ride.
He progresses for some four or five hours more, before finding an old stone bus shelter on the outskirts of a small, dusty town to get a few hours sleep. Using just a thin, lightweight sleeping bag and a cycling top as a pillow, Jonas falls into a deep, ultra cycling induced sleep. Recharging and resting his tired limbs in preparation for the final big push.
The last full day of the ride takes Jonas through the incredible sand dunes of the Ash Sharqiyah desert, with wind whipping sand across the road as it slices through the yellow dunes. Dunes which literally reach right to the stunning setting of the Muscat Coastal Road. Another beautiful part of a race that just keeps on throwing up wonderful view after view. With just a fraction of the race left to go, Jonas pedals on and on. One last impressive part of the course is an incredible canyon section and gravel trail, which carves its way through yet more mountains. As Jonas carefully pics his way through the dusty gravel track, he steers his way round herds of camels and roaming goats.
Eventually after 55 long, steep, hot and dusty hours, Jonas finally rolls through into the magical coastal city of Muscat and over the finish line. Even after enduring a 1,000km of almost non stop riding, he still has the energy to laugh and joke and smile for the cameras. You can tell that he has thoroughly enjoyed every kilometre, every twist and turn and every incredible mountain pass. Proof that these BikingMan races are more than just about being competitive but really just about the spirit of adventure. And Oman certainly serves that up in bucket loads.
