Story
A Landscape Exhaling
Atlas Mountain Race
By Ben Chadourne
I began with a relentless 28-hour ride, climbing the height of Everest and covering the distance from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. At last, I stopped at a small café in Aït Saoun, my body heavy with exhaustion. I ordered five omelettes, each with four eggs. As the owner placed the plates in front of me, he glanced around and asked:
“Where are your friends?”
“I’m alone... and very hungry,” I replied.
And so began the rhythm of my days in riding the Atlas Mountain Race in Morocco. Endless pedalling. Quiet solitude. Simple pleasures. It made me the happiest man.
The total fantasy of the Atlas Mountain Race
I remember coming across a video of the Atlas Mountain Race when I first got into cycling and thinking, ‘this is too cool and absolutely insane.’ The people doing it seemed completely nuts, and the idea of crossing such a vast and rugged landscape by bike was fascinating to me. Participating still felt like a total fantasy. Next thing you know, I’m at the starting line of my first ultra endurance race, the Transpyrenees, organised by Lost Dot. Over time, I gained experience, built confidence and realised I actually really enjoy these. It was basically in Istanbul, right after finishing the Transcontinental Race and while sipping my glory beer, that I decided Atlas Mountain Race would be next. I felt ready for it. But beyond the race itself, I’ve always loved Morocco. Its landscapes, culture,vibe and people. Getting to experience the country this way made it even more exciting.
On deciding and knowing when to stop
You pretty much only stop to sleep. Since Transcontinental Race, I’ve figured out a pattern that works for me, and I’ve been sticking to it. I’m not the fastest rider, but I can keep moving and spend a lot of time in the saddle. I knew the first day was going to be a 24-hour+ ride since Atlas Mountain Race starts at 6pm.Because this race is relatively‘short’,’ my plan was to sleep outside only. I started with about 3h30 the first night, then gradually cut it down, adjusting based on how I felt. Even adding 30 minutes of sleep can totally change how the next day feels, so you just have to go with the flow. Experiment, listen to your body and find the balance that keeps you moving.
Experiencing overwhelm and overcoming it while enroute
There was a time in the desert when everything seemed to fall apart. I had a flat tire, and my pump broke, leaving me no choice but to walk under a burning sun. I had to take breaks in the shade whenever I could and got dehydrated. Riders passed me and the frustration built up.
Eventually, I reached a road, and a truck driver gave me a lift to a nearby village. There, I found a group of kids running a small garage. Ended up fixing my tire, and as I got back to racing, we all shared a snack together. That moment was like a reset; it fired me up again, giving me the energy to push hard to the finish line.
When you're sleep deprived, your brain becomes less effective at processing information and the hallucinations, especially at night, were totally insane.
Every time I lay down, I had this brief window before sleep took over. I’d gaze up at a sky so dense with stars, glowing brighter than I’d ever seen. It was truly magical and deeply humbling.
I also remember crossing a vast riverbed at twilight, pushing my bike over the rocks. I paused for a moment, the silence was so deep, almost unreal. I couldn’t help but think: ‘Walking with a bike here doesn’t really make sense, yet at this moment, it feels like it makes perfect sense.’ Experiencing your body, your mind and all the elements in that way is overwhelming, in the best possible way. Only races like this can give you that raw feeling.
Connecting the dots between ultra and filmmaking
“Most of my work happens in dense urban environments but I love resetting in the middle of nowhere. Being out in nature, surrounded by open space, is my kind of meditation. It puts everything into perspective and clears my mind. That clarity makes for better, more creative work, I do believe. I’m all about experimenting, stepping into new territory and letting fresh experiences inspire me from within. My background in skateboarding and working closely with skateboarders on video projects taught me the power of focus and persistence. Watching someone try a trick for hours until they land it, that kind of dedication is endlessly inspiring. Events like AMR push me in the same way. Dream big, set big goals. I see it as using both body and mind to their fullest, pushing my limits and learning to deal with it. It shapes me, makes me a better human. I just hope more people give it a shot and experience the beauty of it all.”
The similarities between cycling and skateboarding
I grew up in Bordeaux, in the southwest of France, but now I live in Paris. My background is in skateboarding. I started when I was around 10 years old, and it’s been a part of my life ever since. I’m a videographer and photographer, mainly working in the skateboard industry.
I got into cycling through one of my best friends, Gauthier, who had already done solo bikepacking trips. We both got stuck in Paris during the lockdown. It was strict here, with no way to leave the city by car, train, or anything else. So, we started joking about biking to Bordeaux to visit family and friends. I picked up a second-hand bike, threw on some bags, and off we went. It took us 6 days to reach our destination. I had never felt so free. From that moment on, I was hooked on cycling.
Cycling is still fairly new to me, but it brings me back to that excitement I felt when I was a kid growing up skating. There’s something similar between the two, just like it’s easy to grab your skateboard and go skate, cycling feels the same way. It's that same feeling of freedom, the thrill of the unknown, and I really enjoy that feeling all over again.
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