How technical is Atlas Mountain Race?

The Telouet Pass descent: "Rocks, boulders and well, more boulders strewn along a convoluted and rarely trodden route that winds down the back of this peak enveloped in thick darkness." "hours spent riding through dry river beds which consist of anything from sand and small stones to baby-head rocks." More technical than most — comparable to Belgian Waffle Ride San Diego.[2]

Atlas Mountain Race Review 2027 | Morocco

[01]

Course Overview

827 unsupported miles from Ouzoud across the Atlas to Essaouira.

827 mi

Distance

81,011 ft

Elevation

Ouzoud to Essaouira, Morocco

Location

March 13-20, 2027

Date

~2027

Field Size

£375

Entry Cost

+ Google Calendar Download .ics

[03]

The Course

Winding gravel road cutting through red rocky desert terrain with layered canyon walls in Morocco's Atlas Mountains - Atlas Mountain Race

Gravel cyclist in racing gear taking selfie on desert road with barren Atlas Mountain peaks in background - Atlas Mountain Race - Morocco

The 2027 fixed route runs 1,331 kilometers from Ouzoud through the Atlas and Anti-Atlas to Essaouira, gaining 24,688 meters on gravel, singletrack, doubletrack, and remote colonial pistes with very little tarmac.

Signature challenge: The clock never stops during an unsupported eight-day crossing with long gaps between resupply points and mandatory hike-a-bike terrain.

RIDERS REPORT

Immediate Atlas climbing

The 2027 route starts in the foothills at Ouzoud and climbs toward the Cathedral of Imsfrane and the high plateau of Toujodine before the first major resupply at Tabant.

Unsupported resupply gaps

Tabant is approximately 180 kilometers from the start, and the organizer warns that some remote sections can exceed 100 kilometers with essentially no resupply.

Continuous eight-day clock

The clock never stops across a 1,331-kilometer route with 24,688 meters of climbing, rough tracks, mandatory walking, navigation, mechanical work, and sleep decisions.

The 2027 route uses gravel, singletrack, doubletrack, and remote colonial pistes with very little tarmac.

The organizer describes broken roads, steep climbing, rough descents, mandatory walking, and long gaps between commercial resupply points.

[04]

From the Field

It's 4:30 in the morning and I'm currently hiking my bike up an unridable trail somewhere outside of Agadir in Morocco. I've been living on about 2 and a half, 3 hours sleep a night for the last four nights, been wearing the same kit for the last 5 days, I smell terrible.
tristantakevideo · 117.1K views

One of the toughest days I've ever had on a bike, just that climb we knew it was gonna be hike-a-bike coming down but there was just like this stream of ants going up the far side. You get to the top it's cold, just as the sun was setting, and then just big rocks, bike going not where you wanted it to, couldn't see where you were going.
Atlas Mountain Race · 386.8K views

So it took me all night to get over Tizi n'Tichka pass which is over 2,000 meters and it was a savage, savage pass.
Girl Outdoors · 92K views

I've been living on about 2 and 1/2 3 hours sleep a night last four nights been wearing the same kit for the last 5 days I smell terrible
tristantakevideo · 117.1K views

ATLAS MOUNTAIN RACE: The story of my first Ultra-Distance Bikepacking Race

tristantakevideo · 117.1K views · 1:05:29

My HARDEST Challenge Yet! Bikepacking 800 Miles across Morocco ( Solo & Unsupported )

Girl Outdoors · 92K views · 35:56

Into the Rift : The Story of the PEdALED Atlas Mountain Race

Atlas Mountain Race · 386.8K views · 40:03

[07]

Training

March 13, 2027 ATLAS MOUNTAIN RACE

RIDERS REPORT

The organizer recommends wide tires, low gearing of at least 1:1, and says a hardtail 29er is often the safest all-round choice.

Current required equipment includes front and rear lights, basic first aid, waterproof and insulated jackets, a survival blanket, a spare derailleur hanger, warm water-resistant gloves, and a sleep system comfortable at 0°C.

[08]

Train for Atlas Mountain Race

RACE DEMAND PROFILE

Durability

10

Climbing

10

VO2 Power

5

Threshold

5

Technical

8

Heat

1

Altitude

8

Race Specificity

9

3 WORKOUTS BUILT FOR THIS RACE

Each workout below is selected from our archetype library based on Atlas Mountain Race’s specific demands. Click any workout to see the full execution protocol.

Durability Progressive Fatigue

2hr +

Power targets INCREASE as duration goes on — reverse-pacing that builds race-finishing strength.

827 miles. Your legs will beg to quit after 120. This trains the power output you need from mile 130 onward.

WU 15m

Z2 30m

TEMPO 20m

G-SPOT 15m

FTP 10m

VO2 5m

CD

STRUCTURE 15min warm-up → 30min Z2 → 20min Tempo → 15min G-Spot → 10min Threshold → 5min VO2 → cool-down

EXECUTION Each block is harder than the last. By the time you hit threshold, you’ve been riding for 80+ minutes. The final VO2 effort is the test — can you go HARD when everything says stop? This is how you win the last 20 miles of a gravel race.

POWER Z2: 65–70% | Tempo: 78–85% | G-Spot: 88–92% | Threshold: 95–100% | VO2: 110–115% FTP

CADENCE Z2: 85rpm | Tempo: 88rpm | G-Spot: 90rpm | Threshold: 92rpm | VO2: 95–100rpm

POSITION Progressive: hoods → drops as intensity rises

RPE Z2: 3 | Tempo: 5 | G-Spot: 6–7 | Threshold: 8 | VO2: 9

RACE-SPECIFIC: ATLAS MOUNTAIN RACE

NUTRITION Ultra-distance fueling for 827 miles: 80–100g carbs/hour from mile 1 — don’t wait until you’re hungry. Practice your exact race-day nutrition in every long training ride. Carry backup calories. 827 miles burns 8,000–12,000+ calories — you cannot replace them all, but you must try.

ALTITUDE Atlas Mountain Race with 81,011ft of climbing, much of it above 8,000ft demands altitude preparation. Arrive 5–7 days early for acclimatization. Expect 5–15% power reduction at altitude. Increase iron intake 4 weeks out. Hydrate aggressively — altitude increases fluid loss by 20–40%.

TERRAIN Highly technical terrain at Atlas Mountain Race demands practice on similar surfaces. Ride atlas mountains ultra-endurance gravel at race-day cadence weekly. Expect: atlas mountains, ultra-endurance, self-supported. Practice cornering, descending, and power delivery on unstable surfaces. Dial in tire pressure before race week — 5 PSI wrong costs you 15+ minutes over 827 miles.

Endurance Terrain Simulation Z2

2hr +

Zone 2 with rolling terrain simulation — undulating power that builds fat oxidation.

Every hard session works better with a bigger aerobic base. At 827 miles, base fitness is the difference between racing and surviving.

WU

RISE

FLAT

RISE

VALLEY

RISE

FLAT

RISE

VALLEY

RISE

CD

STRUCTURE 10min warm-up → 1.75hr alternating 4min @ 72–78% FTP (rises) and 6min @ 62–68% FTP (valleys) → cool-down

EXECUTION Stay in Zone 2 the entire time, but undulate your power to simulate rolling terrain. The rises push the top of Z2; the valleys ease off. This builds terrain-responsive pacing without leaving the aerobic zone. Your body learns to modulate power without thinking.

POWER Rises: 72–78% FTP | Valleys: 62–68% FTP | All within Zone 2

CADENCE Rises: 80–85rpm | Valleys: 88–92rpm

POSITION Alternate: hoods on rises, drops on flats. Build position endurance.

RPE 3–4 throughout — never hard, but never mindless

RACE-SPECIFIC: ATLAS MOUNTAIN RACE

NUTRITION Ultra-distance fueling for 827 miles: 80–100g carbs/hour from mile 1 — don’t wait until you’re hungry. Practice your exact race-day nutrition in every long training ride. Carry backup calories. 827 miles burns 8,000–12,000+ calories — you cannot replace them all, but you must try.

ALTITUDE Atlas Mountain Race with 81,011ft of climbing, much of it above 8,000ft demands altitude preparation. Arrive 5–7 days early for acclimatization. Expect 5–15% power reduction at altitude. Increase iron intake 4 weeks out. Hydrate aggressively — altitude increases fluid loss by 20–40%.

TERRAIN Highly technical terrain at Atlas Mountain Race demands practice on similar surfaces. Ride atlas mountains ultra-endurance gravel at race-day cadence weekly. Expect: atlas mountains, ultra-endurance, self-supported. Practice cornering, descending, and power delivery on unstable surfaces. Dial in tire pressure before race week — 5 PSI wrong costs you 15+ minutes over 827 miles.

Over Under Classic Over-Unders

1hr +

Oscillating above and below threshold — trains lactate clearance under load.

At Atlas Mountain Race, surges push you above threshold and you have to recover while still riding. Over-unders train exactly that.

WU 10m

3m UNDER

1m OVER

3m UNDER

1m OVER

3m UNDER

1m OVER

REST

SET 2

REST

SET 3

CD

FREE

GET THE ATLAS MOUNTAIN RACE PREP KIT

12-week training timeline, race-day checklists, packing list, and personalized fueling calculator — unlocked instantly.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

[09]

Race Logistics

Airport

Marrakech (RAK); arrange transfers to Ouzoud and home from Essaouira

Lodging

Self-supported. Plan your own accommodation.

Food

Self-supported. Carry all nutrition and resupply in villages.

Packet Pickup

Pre-race briefing

Parking

Varies

RIDERS REPORT

Build food and water capacity from the final race manual and conservative pace; checkpoints are not personal support and should not be treated as aid stations.

Use the final organizer-issued GPX and race manual as the controlling documents for route, equipment, checkpoints, and resupply.

OFFICIAL SITE

[10]

Tire Picks

45mmTECHNICAL

1

Schwalbe G-One Bite

45mm · $70 · 38W

Technical terrain dominator. Aggressive grip when the course gets rowdy.

2

Maxxis Reaver

45mm · $80 · 35W

Technical all-rounder. EXO+ casing shrugs off rocks and roots.

3

Pirelli Cinturato Gravel S

45mm · $74

Soft-terrain specialist. Open knob pattern sheds mud and grips wet rock.

FULL TIRE GUIDE & PRESSURE TABLE

NEWS

Latest Coverage

[—]

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the climate like at Atlas Mountain Race?

Jochen Böhringer faced "stiff wind, then heavy rain adds and finally the temperatures drop to 5°C while thunderbolts lighten the dark" followed by flooding that stopped the race. Justinas Leveika experienced "temperatures from -7 to + 25°c" in a single edition. February brings "0 Celsius at night" despite 30°C daytime temperatures. More weather exposure than Belgian Waffle Ride San Diego.[1]

How are the logistics for Atlas Mountain Race?

The start in Ouzoud and finish in Essaouira require separate transfer plans around a remote point-to-point course. The organizer supplies a validated GPX, three staffed checkpoints, bike-box transfer, and 24/7 race HQ; everything between checkpoints is still unsupported.[1]

How adventurous is Atlas Mountain Race?

The route explores new M'Goun gorges where "riders will follow a mule trail through the river itself". Valerio Stuart describes terrain that "looked at times like Utah and at times like Spain" approaching the Cathedral d'Imsfrane rock formation. Michael Drummond encountered sand sections he calls "billions of microscopic permutations of glass with an appetite for tyre and energy."[2]

How prestigious is Atlas Mountain Race?

Six years running as part of The Mountain Races series alongside Silk Road and Hellenic Mountain races. Jochen Böhringer found himself "fighting for 3rd place with Philippe Vullioud after Justinas Leveika (1st) and Marin de Saint-Exupéry (2nd)." The February timing attracts serious bikepacking talent, but the field remains smaller than marquee gravel events.[3]

Should I race Atlas Mountain Race?

If you're an elite ultra-endurance rider with a big budget—maybe. For most riders—there are better options.

[11]

Sources & Citations

Research sources used to build this race profile. Always verify details with official race sources before making travel or registration decisions.

Official Official Websitewww.themountainraces.cc/atlas-mountain-race
Route Maps RideWithGPS: Atlas Mountain Race // Moroccoridewithgps.com/routes/32078944
Other Sources Bikepackingbikepacking.com/bikes/2026-atlas-mountain-race-rigs-part-...
Other Sources Bikepackingbikepacking.com/plog/2025-atlas-mountain-race-mid-race/
Live Tracking DotWatcherdotwatcher.cc/race/atlas-mountain-race-2025
Other Sources Ozoganozogan.eu/atlas-mountain-race-2025/
Other Sources Pasnormalstudiospasnormalstudios.com/int/pages/atlas-mountain-race
Other Sources Restraprestrap.com/blogs/news/atlas-mountain-race-report
Other Sources Biketour-Globalwww.biketour-global.de/en/2026/02/07/bikeanalytics-atlas-...
Other Sources Buzzalongwww.buzzalong.cc/post/how-to-bikepack-the-atlas-mountain-...
Other Sources Gravelunionwww.gravelunion.cc/article/armchair-adventure-conquering-...
Community Redditwww.reddit.com/r/bikepacking/comments/1al6j2h/why_i_train...

Atlas Mountain Race

The Ratings

Train for Atlas Mountain Race

Course Overview

The Course

From the Field

Racer Reviews

RATE ATLAS MOUNTAIN RACE

Training

Train for Atlas Mountain Race

RACE DEMAND PROFILE

3 WORKOUTS BUILT FOR THIS RACE

GET THE ATLAS MOUNTAIN RACE PREP KIT

Race Logistics

Tire Picks

Latest Coverage

Similar Races

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the climate like at Atlas Mountain Race?

How are the logistics for Atlas Mountain Race?

How adventurous is Atlas Mountain Race?

How prestigious is Atlas Mountain Race?

Should I race Atlas Mountain Race?

Sources & Citations