Hannah's MB Ultra Experience
A month or so ago a friend of mine asked if I'd like to take his entry to the “MB Race” as he could no longer race. Having never heard of the race, Paul's description suggested that it was up there as one of the hardest single day mountain bike races in the world. This single day mountain bike marathon in the magnificent Portes du Mt Blanc region of France sounded awesome, I said yes without really thinking just how hard it would be. I really love getting stuck into tough races like this, the adventure and the challenge, I was really looking forward to it!
The race was first run in 2010, being in its 5th year it is still relatively new, and it is growing each year. The inaugural race saw only one competitor finish out of 600 starters, attesting to its self proclaimed title as 'the World's most difficult, single day mountain bike race.' Following a group start, riders can decide if they want to conquer the full 140km distance, or stop after 70km or 100km. The MB Ultra 70km has 3500m of elevation gain, the 100km has 5000m, and the 140km boasts an unbelievable 7000m of climbing!
![Spectacular mountain views all day long]()
![Racers studying the map to understand the route and plan for the next day]()
Driving South from my home in Fort William ready for three weeks in France, Combloux was my first stop. The first task was to get there, my van has been intermittently smoking and no one had any idea as to why. Following the advice of my local garage to "get some good breakdown cover and enjoy your holiday," I set off for the Channel Tunnel to hopefully avoid the ferry strikes.
After two days of driving I arrived in beautiful St Gervais, just down the road from Combloux. Spending a couple of days to chill after the drive, it was perfect to do some yoga, spin out the legs, and get prepared for the race. I went up the gondola to the top of the mountain to enjoy the views of Mt Blanc and have a coffee, then distracted by the surroundings, I missed the last gondola down so had a two and a half hour run to the bottom! Passing a little lake and it was great to have a refreshing swim. This wasn't the best prep and my legs were pretty sore afterwards, all part of the adventure!
![6am start half asleep but ready to go.]()
On Friday it was time to register in Combloux. It is a lovely little alpine village, with spectacular views over to Mt Blanc. I gave my bike a once over, secured my race number and laid out my clothes and nutrition for the early start the following day. Not wanting to carry a bag for eight hours in the saddle, I had one bottle on my bike and a second in my back jersey pocket, then crammed loads of bars and gels into any available pockets.
![My trusty race bike a Specialized S-Works Era.]()
I chose to race on my lovely new Specialized Era – a full suspension 29er cross-country bike. I had raced a 10 hour cross country race on it a couple of weeks prior, it proved to be such a fast, comfortable and capable bike, I knew it would be perfect for this long and technical race! Having a tool, chain tool, pump, tyre lever and CO2 integrated into my bike as part of the SWAT technology, meant I only had to carry my food in my race jersey. Further preparation included a local French speciality for dinner. A huge cheese, bacon and potato tartiflette did the trick to take on board as many calories as possible, succeeded by a tea and crème brule, because it is delicious. Setting my alarm for 5am slightly hindered my plans for a late night Downton Abbey session, but one needs rest when a race starts at 6am! The upside of this was starting the race early and getting the first few hours of the race underway before the real heat of the day kicked in.
![The start - 6am and everyone is ready to go]()
Starting early in the heart of Combloux, it was beautiful with the fresh Alpine air and morning sun light rising from behind the mountains. It was so early I felt like I was just going through the motions of getting to the start and still waking up! At 6am the tape dropped and we were off! We wound our way up and up the road, past houses and people cheering us on. The locals were out in force, cheering and clanging cow bells, it is awesome how the people get so behind events such as this coming to their little village.
![The route drawn out the map for the racers to study the day before.]()
Using past experience I got into a good rhythm and just kept it steady, it was a long day ahead! Saying that, knowing that the first few hours were the coolest in temperature it was going to be comparatively easier to push on before the heat of the day really kicked in. Europe was sweltering in a heat wave, with temperatures soaring to 38 degrees Celcius that day. Even Scotland was feeling it! The organisers added in a few extra water stations in account for the extreme heat, which was definitely welcomed by all the riders.
![Meandering up the valley on changing terrain climbing higher and higher.]()
We wound our way up and over mountains and around valleys, through Alpine villages, with breathtaking views over Mt Blanc all day. The climbs were so steep and loose with gravel and dust, I really wished that I had anticipated the severity of the climbs and fitted a smaller chain ring than my 32 tooth. A lot of people opted for a 26 tooth, I didn't even know such a small chain ring existed. I quickly discovered it was crucial to not grind your bike to the top of those nasty big climbs!
![Onwards and upwards Pushing on during a very long day in the saddle]()
![The race profile on my number board very handy but a constant reminder of how much climbing lay ahead]()
![One of the many feed zones - luckily the organisers added a few extra due to the extreme heat]()
The full distance of 140k, around 85 miles, is a shorter distance than I raced at '10 Under the Ben' in Fort William two weeks previously, yet it was infinitely tougher with around 3,000m more climbing and a lot hotter! The thought of racing for 15 or so hours in 38 degrees realistically wasn't going to be fun, so I thought I'd enjoy the 'easy' race of 70km and 3,500m of climbing. To be honest, it was still brutally hard. I gained a huge amount of respect for the riders who did the full distance, what a huge amount of fitness and mental strength it takes to finish a day like that!
I didn't particularly feel like eating much during the day, it was so unbearably hot perhaps I was becoming delirious! It was so important to eat and drink enough though, so arriving at the feed zones I shovelled in salty Tuc crackers, refreshing orange slices and anything else that was to hand. It is funny how in a race situation you eat food you normally wouldn't go for, but just what your body craves at the time.
Our number plates had the race map and profile on so we could see where we were throughout the day, with feed and tech zones also marked. Although this was really handy, it is not so fun when you see that you're at the bottom of a thousand metre gravel climb!
![Hike a bike - there were a few of those]()
In this type of race it is as much about survival as racing. Body and bike have to be able to keep going. Pushing towards physical and mental limits, everyone shares something from being part of such a tough experience, so the camaraderie and banter between all the riders is as memorable as the spectacular views and great single-track!
![A finishers medal for the few tough racers who completed the full 140km distance.]()
The last big climb of the day was tough but the end was in sight, I could just see a big line of people going on and on, pushing their bikes up towards the ridge. Walking on steep gravel in XC shoes isn't the easiest, and I was happy to reach the ridge and jump back on my bike for the traverse and then then down towards the finish. We topped out at 2000m with spectacular 360 degree views of snow-capped peaks. In the last feed zone I crammed in a few more salty Tuc biscuits and headed into the final 1000m of vertical descent towards Combloux. This was the best yet, I think parts of it were for the Enduro race stages the following day. It was fast and fun bike park style which was cool to ride on an xc bike. Rolling through the streets towards the finish line was awesome, by this stage I felt pretty depleted, and I was so happy to have finished! There was no way I was heading out again to do another 70km, I was more than happy with my big day out. As we started at 6am, by the time I finished at 13:30 I had time for a cold Orangina, the most amazing cold shower, then I put my feet up and watched the live feed of the downhill World Cup. What a great day!
![The finish - 70km and 3500m of climbing later]()
136 people finished the full distance, only two of which were women. The fastest time for the 140 km distance was 9.05.53 by Vincent Arnaud. Next time I'll be back with some friends to share the experience with, and also a tiny chain ring. Cheers to the organisers for being so welcoming and running such a fantastic event!
mb-race.com
![Just some of the race helpers who make such events possible]()
MENTIONS: @Specialized
The race was first run in 2010, being in its 5th year it is still relatively new, and it is growing each year. The inaugural race saw only one competitor finish out of 600 starters, attesting to its self proclaimed title as 'the World's most difficult, single day mountain bike race.' Following a group start, riders can decide if they want to conquer the full 140km distance, or stop after 70km or 100km. The MB Ultra 70km has 3500m of elevation gain, the 100km has 5000m, and the 140km boasts an unbelievable 7000m of climbing!
Spectacular mountain views all day long!
Racers studying the map to understand the route and plan for the next day...
Driving South from my home in Fort William ready for three weeks in France, Combloux was my first stop. The first task was to get there, my van has been intermittently smoking and no one had any idea as to why. Following the advice of my local garage to "get some good breakdown cover and enjoy your holiday," I set off for the Channel Tunnel to hopefully avoid the ferry strikes.
After two days of driving I arrived in beautiful St Gervais, just down the road from Combloux. Spending a couple of days to chill after the drive, it was perfect to do some yoga, spin out the legs, and get prepared for the race. I went up the gondola to the top of the mountain to enjoy the views of Mt Blanc and have a coffee, then distracted by the surroundings, I missed the last gondola down so had a two and a half hour run to the bottom! Passing a little lake and it was great to have a refreshing swim. This wasn't the best prep and my legs were pretty sore afterwards, all part of the adventure!
6am start, half asleep but ready to go.
On Friday it was time to register in Combloux. It is a lovely little alpine village, with spectacular views over to Mt Blanc. I gave my bike a once over, secured my race number and laid out my clothes and nutrition for the early start the following day. Not wanting to carry a bag for eight hours in the saddle, I had one bottle on my bike and a second in my back jersey pocket, then crammed loads of bars and gels into any available pockets.
My trusty race bike, a Specialized S-Works Era.
I chose to race on my lovely new Specialized Era – a full suspension 29er cross-country bike. I had raced a 10 hour cross country race on it a couple of weeks prior, it proved to be such a fast, comfortable and capable bike, I knew it would be perfect for this long and technical race! Having a tool, chain tool, pump, tyre lever and CO2 integrated into my bike as part of the SWAT technology, meant I only had to carry my food in my race jersey. Further preparation included a local French speciality for dinner. A huge cheese, bacon and potato tartiflette did the trick to take on board as many calories as possible, succeeded by a tea and crème brule, because it is delicious. Setting my alarm for 5am slightly hindered my plans for a late night Downton Abbey session, but one needs rest when a race starts at 6am! The upside of this was starting the race early and getting the first few hours of the race underway before the real heat of the day kicked in.
Starting early in the heart of Combloux, it was beautiful with the fresh Alpine air and morning sun light rising from behind the mountains. It was so early I felt like I was just going through the motions of getting to the start and still waking up! At 6am the tape dropped and we were off! We wound our way up and up the road, past houses and people cheering us on. The locals were out in force, cheering and clanging cow bells, it is awesome how the people get so behind events such as this coming to their little village.
Using past experience I got into a good rhythm and just kept it steady, it was a long day ahead! Saying that, knowing that the first few hours were the coolest in temperature it was going to be comparatively easier to push on before the heat of the day really kicked in. Europe was sweltering in a heat wave, with temperatures soaring to 38 degrees Celcius that day. Even Scotland was feeling it! The organisers added in a few extra water stations in account for the extreme heat, which was definitely welcomed by all the riders.
Meandering up the valley on changing terrain, climbing higher and higher.
We wound our way up and over mountains and around valleys, through Alpine villages, with breathtaking views over Mt Blanc all day. The climbs were so steep and loose with gravel and dust, I really wished that I had anticipated the severity of the climbs and fitted a smaller chain ring than my 32 tooth. A lot of people opted for a 26 tooth, I didn't even know such a small chain ring existed. I quickly discovered it was crucial to not grind your bike to the top of those nasty big climbs!
Onwards and upwards! Pushing on during a very long day in the saddle.
The race profile on my number board, very handy but a constant reminder of how much climbing lay ahead!
One of the many feed zones - luckily the organisers added a few extra due to the extreme heat.
The full distance of 140k, around 85 miles, is a shorter distance than I raced at '10 Under the Ben' in Fort William two weeks previously, yet it was infinitely tougher with around 3,000m more climbing and a lot hotter! The thought of racing for 15 or so hours in 38 degrees realistically wasn't going to be fun, so I thought I'd enjoy the 'easy' race of 70km and 3,500m of climbing. To be honest, it was still brutally hard. I gained a huge amount of respect for the riders who did the full distance, what a huge amount of fitness and mental strength it takes to finish a day like that!
I didn't particularly feel like eating much during the day, it was so unbearably hot perhaps I was becoming delirious! It was so important to eat and drink enough though, so arriving at the feed zones I shovelled in salty Tuc crackers, refreshing orange slices and anything else that was to hand. It is funny how in a race situation you eat food you normally wouldn't go for, but just what your body craves at the time.
Our number plates had the race map and profile on so we could see where we were throughout the day, with feed and tech zones also marked. Although this was really handy, it is not so fun when you see that you're at the bottom of a thousand metre gravel climb!
Hike a bike - there were a few of those!
In this type of race it is as much about survival as racing. Body and bike have to be able to keep going. Pushing towards physical and mental limits, everyone shares something from being part of such a tough experience, so the camaraderie and banter between all the riders is as memorable as the spectacular views and great single-track!
A finishers medal for the few tough racers who completed the full 140km distance.
The last big climb of the day was tough but the end was in sight, I could just see a big line of people going on and on, pushing their bikes up towards the ridge. Walking on steep gravel in XC shoes isn't the easiest, and I was happy to reach the ridge and jump back on my bike for the traverse and then then down towards the finish. We topped out at 2000m with spectacular 360 degree views of snow-capped peaks. In the last feed zone I crammed in a few more salty Tuc biscuits and headed into the final 1000m of vertical descent towards Combloux. This was the best yet, I think parts of it were for the Enduro race stages the following day. It was fast and fun bike park style which was cool to ride on an xc bike. Rolling through the streets towards the finish line was awesome, by this stage I felt pretty depleted, and I was so happy to have finished! There was no way I was heading out again to do another 70km, I was more than happy with my big day out. As we started at 6am, by the time I finished at 13:30 I had time for a cold Orangina, the most amazing cold shower, then I put my feet up and watched the live feed of the downhill World Cup. What a great day!
The finish - 70km and 3500m of climbing later!
136 people finished the full distance, only two of which were women. The fastest time for the 140 km distance was 9.05.53 by Vincent Arnaud. Next time I'll be back with some friends to share the experience with, and also a tiny chain ring. Cheers to the organisers for being so welcoming and running such a fantastic event!
mb-race.com
Just some of the race helpers who make such events possible!
MENTIONS: @Specialized
Author Info:
Must Read This Week
Sign Up for the Pinkbike Newsletter - All the Biggest, Most Interesting Stories in your Inbox
PB Newsletter Signup
As stiffness is "over rated", the second choice makes a lot of sense. For bigger 29 wheel, you may need more stiffness, but for smaller 26 or 27 ones,I'll take durability over stiffness.