Lost Dot’s new #100TCRWOMEN campaign aims to inspire 100 women to race the 2025 Transcontinental Race. Learn about the project and how they plan to support women and other underrepresented groups who are interested in signing up here…
It’s no secret that bikepacking ultra-endurance races are, like most sports, male-dominated. Seeing more women and other underrepresented groups in such events is promising, but the industry has a long way to go. Building on this growth, the non-profit Lost Dot, organizers of the Transcontinental Race, Trans Pyrenees Race, and Accursed Race, aim to have 100 women start the Transcontinental Race (TCR) next year by reserving 100 spots.
In 2019, Fiona Kolbinger became the first, and so far is the only woman to win the Transcontinental Race (TCR). When asked whether the race would see another woman win, she said, “It’s definitely going to happen again. If one woman can do it, multiple women can do it.”
The #100TCRWOMEN campaign aims to inspire more women to register for TCRNo11. This includes other gender identities, such as FLINTA, a German acronym that refers to people who are not cis men and stands for Frauen: Women, Lesbians, Intersex, Non-binary, Trans, and Agender. Since the first edition of TCR held in 2013 when just one woman registered, last year, 41 women lined up in northern France for the grand depart, accounting for just 12.5% of the racers.
The project is already picking up steam, including Lael Wilcox, who earlier this year broke the women’s Guinness World Record for the fastest circumnavigation of the globe by bicycle. To support the riders, Lost Dot has organized a number of community events. The first is a women’s-only workshop and online Q and A session happening December 12th, 2024. This will feature TCR veterans, including TCRNo10’s fastest woman, Jana Kesenheimer, and TCRNo7 overall winner, Fiona Kolbinger. You can register here. They have also created a WhatsApp group to tap into the collective knowledge of racers, which can be accessed by emailing tcr@lostdot.cc and asking for an invitation.
Applications to race will open for women on the December 3rd, and general applications will open on December 8th. All applications will close on December 31st. Explore the route and apply at LostDot.cc.
Further Reading
Make sure to dig into these related articles for more info...
FILED IN (CATEGORIES & TAGS)
Dispatch
Please keep the conversation civil, constructive, and inclusive, or your comment will be removed.