The Rift in Iceland is known as one of the most epic gravel races in the world. Covering 206 km of volcanic landscape on the continental rift between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates, Iceland’s harsh, cold, windy, and rough conditions make it one of the toughest major gravel events. This was my second attempt at The Rift. In 2022, I finished with four punctures, so this time I was hoping for better luck. Let’s dive into my experience from The Rift.
This is tough. I’m struggling, but we’re only 30 kilometers into the race. Ahead of me, a massive volcano is emerging. It’s Hekla, one of the most active volcanoes in Iceland. As early as the 1100s, Hekla was referred to as the gateway to hell. A poem by the monk Benedeit from the year 1120, about the voyages of Saint Brendan, mentions Hekla as the prison of Judas.
I am not in prison. Riding here feels like pure freedom. Apart from the other riders around me, we are out in a rural area with a landscape that resembles the moon. If it weren’t for the rough gravel road, it seems like nobody would have been here before. It’s surreal.
What’s not surreal is the pain in my legs. Right from the start, I knew I didn’t have good legs. We had a 7 km neutral start before hitting a tough gravel climb that split the main group. I managed to stay with the first 30 riders, maneuvering through rivers and avoiding sharp lava rocks. Now it is time to settle in with this front group. But every time we hit an incline, I have to push more than 450 watts to hang on, and today, that is too much.
I’m not the only one having trouble. Soon, the front groups are divided into smaller fractions. Eight riders are pulling away, while desperate riders try to catch up. I settle in with riders like Vidar Mehl and Andreas Ohldieck. I need to find a pace I can handle, after all, we are just getting started.
– We need to enjoy this! Piotr Havik yell out to me.
He is right. This is amazing. It looks like we are on another planet. We are at the highest point of the course, close to 1000 meters above sea level. The mountain is colored in black. There are no signs of life, not even a flower.
My legs are alive, finally. I had to find my own rhythm, and eventually, I got in a coalition with Piotr Havik and a Belgian rider. Vidar managed to hold on but punctured. We have been catching some riders, and I am happy about finally getting in the flow. We are catching Marius Karteusch.
The roads twist in the hilly terrain, with steep climbs and fast downhills. The loose surface is challenging, but my Challenge Getaway XP 45 tires are holding up well.
We are passing the 80k mark and will soon be out of the lava fields, but first, we have a couple more steep climbs. I dismount and start running up one of the steepest climbs, as it’s unrideable. My group mates are also climbing the hill on foot. From the top, we dive down another 500m downhill before facing another climb, this time at 20% or maybe even 25% gradient. I attempt to ride the whole climb, pushing myself to keep going.
– Come on, Jonas, push! I tell myself.
I make it up the climb, breathing heavily.
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We are finally outside the lava fields. I’m glad to be past the bumpy kickers, but now we’re on a gravel road that’s full of bouncy washboards. The four of us are working together, keeping a steady pace. The wind is picking up, but the weather is great.
We are doing a loop in the Landmannalaugar valley, before going down and starting on the return towards the finish in Hvolsvöllur, where we also started.
We are close to the midway sock change station. With all the river crossings, I assume many like dry feet for the remaining parts of the ride, but I’m not cold.
When we started at 7:30 AM, it was about 13°C. It got colder at higher altitudes, but now in the valley, it’s a comfortable 15°C and rising.
There is one more river crossing to go before the sock station. I let the other go first. Crossing the rivers might be a fun experience, but you never know what’s under the water. That’s why I prefer to follow others’ wheel tracks, rather than being the first one to cross
– Bam!
Marius hits a rock in front of me and flies over the handlebars, laying dead still. He’s breathing, but not moving. The three of us stop and run to him to see how he’s doing. I call the support crew at the check station.
Finally, Marius replies: – Cramps!
I have to laugh and realize the impact wasn’t that bad. Marius gets on his bike and we ride the last 50m to the sock station where he takes a breather while the rest of us keep going.
(Afterwards, I heard from Marius he actually bruised his ribs and got a concussion, as well as he broke his front wheel. That was the end of his race. Luckily, we were close to the aid station).
– Just bottles, a flow flask, and rice cakes, I told my wife Hanna at the aid station at 122k. It was great to see her, but I didn’t have time to talk. It was important to stay with Piotr Havik, who seemed to get stronger with every minute we kept riding.
We left the aid station at the same time, but I didn’t manage to stay with him through the next chunky kilometer with lots of sharp rocks. I didn’t want to get a flat tire, so I played it safe. But now I lost sight of him as I couldn’t keep up.
I’m now all by myself, fighting the wind on a never-ending asphalt road. My lower back hurts, so I have to ride standing to get some variation. It’s still about 70 kilometers to the finish, and it has been an insanely tough 130 kilometers.
After the sock station earlier, we found ourselves on a gravel road with a terrible surface. The washboards were really bad all across the road. It was almost unrideable, but we had to push through the challenging conditions. I think that effort is catching up with me now.
I am on my Felt Breed Carbon with Rocx Shox Rudy suspension fork, which was helping me level out the bumps. But my upper body is tired, and my back is painful. I assume I am in the top 20, so I just have to try to push on. The faster I can get done, the better.
I know the last 25 kilometers of the course. I am now back on the volcanic trails, following the same route we took this morning, but in the opposite direction. We went in this direction on the shake out ride yesterday, and it feels great to know I’m close to completing this challenge.
I’m currently flying past riders on the 100k course. I can see Halfstein ahead of me, but I don’t think I’ll be able to catch up to him. He and another rider recently pulled ahead after setting a high pace for a while.
I got caught by a group of six riders after the asphalt section. It was helpful to have some assistance fighting the wind. The kilometers passed quickly. Just before the last aid station, Halfstein and another rider picked up the pace on a climb, and I struggled to keep up. The other four riders fell behind. I didn’t stop at the aid station, but I gave my wind vest to Hanna. I definitely didn’t need it now as the temperature is around 20ºC. A rare good day for Iceland.
I push through the last two river crossings and fly down the climb back to the last 7k stretch on asphalt. An Irish rider catches me, and we start riding together.
Arriving at Hvolsvöllur will be nice. I love epic adventures, and this has definitely been one of them. I mean, the course: riding on an active volcano with the moon-like landscape and the contrast to the green valleys is something unique. But it’s such a demanding course, and when you finally get out of the hills, you have to fight the washboards or the wind.
It’s a never-ending fight. This time we didn’t have to fight the rain and cold. But I am totally empty.
The Rift is something else
There. I am passing the finish line. 18th place.
I have to sit down. I am exhausted. It might not have been my best day physically, but I am stoked about the overall experience and went smoothly with no mechanical issues.
The local hot dogs taste great, and I enjoy listening to the stories from the other riders. They all have their own unique story.
Thank you, The Rift. This was something truly special, and I will remember it forever.
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– Gravel at it’s best