Singletrack/MTB
Gravel/All-road
Dirt-road Touring
Fat-bike
Ultra-distance powerhouse Alex McCormack is back in action, this time taking on the Silk Road Mountain Race in his bid for a 2025 Mountain Series clean sweep. With wins already at the Atlas Mountain Race and Hellenic Mountain Race, a victory here would cement an unprecedented triple crown. Alex is riding a Fairlight Holt 2.0, featuring Shimano XTR wireless shifting and a few other changes for this ride. Have a look here….
Photos by Lloyd J. Wright taken in Devon; courtesy of Fairlight Cycles
Alex McCormack has rapidly emerged as one of ultra-distance cycling’s most formidable competitors. In 2024, he set a new course record by winning the Highland Trail 550 in Scotland, completing the grueling 550-mile route in 3 days, 5 hours, and 27 minutes—beating the previous record by over two hours. Later that same year, McCormack triumphed in the Further Elements Scotland race, covering 700 kilometers self-supported in just over 38 hours. His momentum carried into 2025, when he took first place at the Atlas Mountain Race in Morocco, finishing the demanding 1,300-kilometer route in only 3 days and 20 hours and completing the course faster than any previous winner. Then, the young lad went on to win the 2025 Hellenic Mountain Race, finishing the 884-kilometer route in just 3 days, 4 hours, and 31 minutes.
Despite being relatively new to ultra-racing—only having focused on the sport since 2021—McCormack’s already on the pedestal of the sport’s elite, and now he’s in the 2025 Silk Road Mountain Race attempting the unfathomable: a 2025 Mountain Series clean sweep. With wins already at the Atlas Mountain Race and the Hellenic, a victory here would be a monumental achievement, a triple-crown of sorts. At the time of this writing, he’s holding strong in third place, although Robin Gemperle—following an astonishing 2025 Tour Divide win—has a roughly 60-kilometer lead. It’s going to be a fun one to watch.
Alex’s Holt 2.0 build for the Silk Road Mountain Race differs notably from his Hellenic setup, with upgrades including Shimano XTR wireless shifting, expanded luggage for the longer race, and the addition of dynamo-powered lighting and charging. Below is the complete kit list.
- Frame: Fairlight Holt 2.0, Violet, Large
- Fork: Fox Factory 34 SL 110mm
- Wheels: DT Swiss XMC 1200
- Dynamo: SON 28
- Rear Mech: Shimano XTR Di2
- Casette/chain: Shimano XTR 10/51
- Crankset: Quarq XX1 170mm
- BB: Hope T47
- Pedals: Shimano XTR
- Brakes: Shimano M9200 XTR 4-piston
- Seatpost: Oneup V2 Dropper
- Handlebars: Truvativ Atmos
- Stem: Profile Design 70mm -17D
- Headset: Chris King
- Tires: Vittoria Mezcal TNT 2.35
- Saddle: Selle Italia Boost S3 3D
- Bags: Tailfin R&D
- Aero bars: USE
- Inner bar ends: SQ labs 411
- Grips: Ergon GA3
- Lights: Exposure Revo, Exposure Boost
Good luck out there, Alex. We look forward to following along. And you can do so at our Tracker linked below, which can also be found anytime during the race linked mid-way down our home page.
Check out the 2025 Silk Road Mountain Race Tracker page for updates and to follow along on the live tracking map, and stay tuned in for more event coverage. Find it here.Further Reading
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