Past Editions

FINISHERS OF ILLYRIAN LOOP 13th Yotam Cohen (#4) Finished in 3 d 16 h 8 m 14th Maya Christofori (#3) Finished in 4 d 4 h 41 m 15th Lisa Weichert (#26) Finished in 4 d 4 h 42 m 16th Martin Aylward (#2) Finished in 4 d 4 h 42 m 17th Clara Pohland (#17) Finished in 4 d 5 h 28 m 18th Dario Majetić (#14) Finished in 4 d 5 h 50 m 19th Mathias Kirsten (#11) Finished in 4 d 8 h 47 m 📸 @doma.grunt . . . #serpentsarerising #sevenserpentscc #sevenserpentsgravel #7SG2025 #quickbite #illyrianloop #pasol #vivifuori #missgrape #missgrapepeople #8bar #8barbikes #elitecycling #ciclovation #bikepacking #bikepackinglife #cyclingadventures #ultracycling #cycling  #gravel #gravelgrinder #ridegravel

FINISHERS OF ILLYRIAN LOOP * Benjamin Fenner - 50 hrs 26 mins * Urszula Żuchowicz - 56 hrs 20 mins * Joel Temple - 65 hrs 52 mins * Daniele Maestri - 74 hrs 14 mins * Richard White - 77 hrs 34 mins * Claire Frecknall - 77 hrs 34 mins * Johannes Hackmann - 77 hrs 46 mins * Paolo Romoli - 78 hrs 36 mins * Fabian Süggeler - 79 hrs 20 mins * Lucia Minervino - 80 hrs 24 mins * Stefano De Paola - 80 hrs 24 mins * Jan Szczygielski - 83 hrs 6 mins 📸 @gravelmerk . . . #serpentsarerising #sevenserpentscc #sevenserpentsgravel #7SG2025 #quickbite #illyrianloop #pasol #vivifuori #missgrape #missgrapepeople #8bar #8barbikes #elitecycling #ciclovation #bikepacking #bikepackinglife #cyclingadventures #ultracycling #cycling  #gravel #gravelgrinder #ridegravel

Joel Temple closes the podium! Joel is the next rider who arrived in Shköder, he rode the whole loop in just under 66 hours! Last year he also finished at night, but this time he performed a way more consistent riding pace, with just one major stop at CP2, Lüre. He rode very strong (maybe too strong) the whole first day and night, then he took a well deserved rest and finally kept a steady pace all the way to the finish. Joel also said that his favourite part was the new section around Bizë national park, we can't wait to hear more stories about that! Congratulations for finishing two times the Illyrian Loop! 🐍 📸 @gravelmerk . . . #serpentsarerising #sevenserpentscc #sevenserpentsgravel #7SG2025 #quickbite #illyrianloop #pasol #vivifuori #missgrape #missgrapepeople #8bar #8barbikes #elitecycling #ciclovation #bikepacking #bikepackinglife #cyclingadventures #ultracycling #cycling #gravel #gravelgrinder #ridegravel

Second overall and first woman in Shködra city! Urszula Żuchowicz rolled to the finish with a big smile, just 6 hours after Benjamin! Riding strong during the first day, leading more than once but suffering the off-road section through Lüre and Bizë national parks. Urszula managed a solid second position, gaining a gap of about 12 hours from Joel, who's supposed to be the next! Yesterday morning, after some WhatsApp messages where it sounded like she wanted to quit, she then decided to grab herself and keep going. The media team crossed her right after Peshkopi, finding out she suffered neck pain and she even bought a "medical collar support". Now a well deserved rest awaits, and maybe a quick visit to the local physio? 🙌❤️‍🩹 📸 @gravelmerk . . . #serpentsarerising #sevenserpentscc #sevenserpentsgravel #7SG2025 #quickbite #illyrianloop #pasol #vivifuori #missgrape #missgrapepeople #8bar #8barbikes #elitecycling #ciclovation #bikepacking #bikepackinglife #cyclingadventures #ultracycling #cycling #gravel #gravelgrinder #ridegravel

50 hours in...and we have a bouncing dot! Benjamin Fenner managed to finish the Illyrian Loop just in time for breakfast! Riding constantly and optimising his stopping time (about 2 hours of sleep) he performed an average moving speed of 14 km/h which is pretty impressive for this demanding terrain! After his disappointment for scratching at Seven Serpents due to shermer's neck, Benjamin came to Albania ready and motivated to rock the course...and this is exactly what he did! Congrats for this mega ride, now it's time to recover with a trileche after the other! 🫡🤟 📸 @gravelmerk . . . #serpentsarerising #sevenserpentscc #sevenserpentsgravel #7SG2025 #quickbite #illyrianloop #pasol #vivifuori #missgrape #missgrapepeople #8bar #8barbikes #elitecycling #ciclovation #bikepacking #bikepackinglife #cyclingadventures #ultracycling #cycling #gravel #gravelgrinder #ridegravel

36 hours in the race! Burning hot asphalt, endless climbs, wrists ripping gravel, food coma at every resupply point! Those were the most significant characteristics of the second day of Illyrian Loop. The mid pack is proceeding to Lüre direction while the front of the race has been shuffling the positions! #25 Joel Temple took a big brake at CP2 leaving #28 Urszula Żuchowicz going ahead but preceeded by #6 Benjamin Fenner. Right now Benjamin is approaching CP3, while a fresh night is about to come. Next stop ~> Rreshen and the last stretch to Shköder 🏰 @gravelmerk . . . #serpentsarerising #sevenserpentscc #sevenserpentsgravel #7SG2025 #quickbite #illyrianloop #pasol #vivifuori #missgrape #missgrapepeople #8bar #8barbikes #elitecycling #ciclovation #bikepacking #bikepackinglife #cyclingadventures #ultracycling #cycling #gravel #gravelgrinder #ridegravel

12 hours in the race! After a quick passage of Shköder promenade riders reached the first gravel hill: just a small appetizer before the endless uphill that leads to Theth valley. #12 Michael Lee, #25 Joel Temple and #28 Urszula Żuchowicz definitely set the pace, crossing Theth really close to each other but opening a gap of about 30 minutes with the other riders that started to spread out. The media team collected moments together with all the riders while resupplying and preparing for the next massive climb! Twelve hours in and Urszula overtook Michael crossing Mesi bridge as first... we're definitely off to bed but we're more than excited to wake up early in the morning and see what the night will bring to our dotwatching platform! 📸 @gravelmerk . . . #serpentsarerising #sevenserpentscc #sevenserpentsgravel #7SG2025 #quickbite #illyrianloop #pasol #vivifuori #missgrape #missgrapepeople #8bar #8barbikes #elitecycling #ciclovation #bikepacking #bikepackinglife #cyclingadventures #ultracycling #cycling #gravel #gravelgrinder #ridegravel

Imagine this! Morning in Shkodër — people are heading to work, schoolchildren are on their way to class, the city is just waking up, but the sun is already warming the ground. And then… a small yet very excited crowd with bicycles has gathered in the square, waiting for the signal. Three, two, one! Off they go, ready to explore the hidden corners of Albania. Hot asphalt, loose gravel roads, and breathtaking mountains await them on their journey. And every rider our media car meets along the way can’t believe just how stunningly beautiful Albania really is! Next stop ~> Theth valley! ✨ 📸 @gravelmerk . . . #serpentsarerising #sevenserpentscc #sevenserpentsgravel #7SG2025 #quickbite #illyrianloop #pasol #vivifuori #missgrape #missgrapepeople #8bar #8barbikes #elitecycling #ciclovation #bikepacking #bikepackinglife #cyclingadventures #ultracycling #cycling #gravel #gravelgrinder #ridegravel

Albania, we're back! Shköder welcomed us with great food and a warm atmosphere. It's hard to find such an intimate situation as an accreditation process: our participants sit together at a dinner table, tasting some Albanian delicatessen and hearing the briefing from RD @bruno.gpx Tomorrow the grand départ will be at 8 a.m. sharp! Covered on @dotwatcher.cc and tracked by @fmchallenge 🫡 650km / 13.000hm of pure Albanian wilderness! 📸 @gravelmerk #serpentsarerising #sevenserpentscc #sevenserpentsgravel #7SG2025 #quickbite #illyrianloop #pasol #vivifuori #missgrape #missgrapepeople #8bar #8barbikes #elitecycling #ciclovation #bikepacking #bikepackinglife #cyclingadventures #ultracycling #cycling #gravel #gravelgrinder #ridegravel