Singletrack/MTB
Gravel/All-road
Dirt-road Touring
Fat-bike
Alex McCormack took first place at Further Elements Scotland over the weekend, finishing the 700-kilometer mixed-surface route in just over 38 hours. Find a post-race recap from Alex and photos from the event here…
Photos by Alex Dyson / Restrap
Twenty-six year-old Alex McCormack from South Devon, England, has had an exceptional year of bike racing. Most recently, he was the first to finish the Highland Trail 550, setting a new record. He also had first-place finishes at the Dales Divide, Trans Kernow Way, and Bright Midnight. Even more impressive is that Alex is relatively new to this genre of bike racing, shifting his focus from competitive sailing to ultra racing in 2021.
Adding to his list of wins, Alex was the first to finish Further Elements Scotland over the weekend, completing the 700-kilometer route in 38 hours and 26 minutes. The event followed a course defined by a mixed bag of gravel roads, pavement, and rough paths to link dead-end roads. As expected, the challenging Scottish weather added another layer of difficulty, forcing riders to carry a heavier-than-average kits to keep moving forward. Congrats, Alex!
During a train ride back home, Alex put together a brief reflection on how the event played out. Find that below.
Words by Alex McCormack
Camille McMillan (the route creator) has a knack for routes and cultivating entire events. From hospitality, the route itself, weather, and vibes, it’s always a good weekend. This year’s version was an entirely new route. With that comes the usual kit choice challenges with the added element of the unknown.
Pitched as being “mostly about roads, tarmac with potholes, and some rough stuff to link remote dead-end roads,” I opted for the Fairlight Secan gravel bike. However, if there’s one thing I learned at my last Further, it’s never as straightforward as it seems. Tackling some long remote stretches of hike-a-bike, peat bog, and tennis ball gravel I had ridden earlier in the year, robustness was high on my priorities list. This also helped guide my bag options, opting to run the Tailfin bar bag to keep the weight off the back wheel and make it easier to shoulder the bike.
There was also a weather-safe gear list to contend with. Knowing sleep wasn’t in the cards, this meant I was packed “heavy.” But as we were warned, the Highlands can kill in late October, so added security was welcome.
Starting at 8:00 a.m., the first crux of the route was the Corran ferry. The last sail was at 8:30 p.m., which meant there was an early push to get there. That said, it went relatively smoothly with only a tubeless puncture to slow me, and a quick petrol station resupply in Oban meant I made good time.
As promised, the back-loaded route delivered a sharp level of difficulty towards the end of the ride. Torrential rain and even snow rolled in over the infamous Glen Affric and Corrieairack Pass, bringing the name Elements to life. A flooded river crossing and testing winds kept me honest over the last 100 kilometers. Layered up head to toe in Albion ZOA waterproofs, it was a relief to roll into the haven of the Station House after 38 hours on the trail.
As always, I’ll never pass up the opportunity to ride a bike, especially if Camille makes the route.
Further Reading
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