Desert canyons, snow-capped mountains and lonely gravel roads. They are all part of the annual Atlas Mountain Race, a fixed-route, self-supported, single-stage bicycle race that covers 1,300km from Marrakech to Essaouira, taking in 21,140m of climbing along the way. Competitors can expect a lot of single-track and old, broken colonial roads, with big distances between towns. There is very little tarmac. Temperatures can range from the high 20s in the day to sub-zero at night. There are steep gravel descents, river crossings and sections of hike-a-bike. There’s also the ‘Moroccan Stelvio’, a 1,000m climb over 12km with a large number of switchbacks.
To ease the hardship, riders can also expect beauty in abundance, with trails overlooking deep valleys, dusty peaks, spectacular sunsets, plus friendly people and the occasional camel.
The Atlas Mountain Race was first held in 2020, and the 2023 edition took place in February, with 117 racers finishing out talked to four competitors to get their stories of the race.
