Singletrack/MTB
Gravel/All-road
Dirt-road Touring
Fat-bike
Hats off to Justinas Leveika, who became the first to finish the 2026 Highland Trail 550 event in Scotland yesterday evening, completing the 566-mile course in just over three and a half days. Find a detailed recap from The Whisky Trail Angels with more stunning photos taken by Gavin Kaps here…
Words by The Whisky Trail Angels (Donnie and Richie), photos by Gavin Kaps
Justinas Leveika wins the Highland Trail 2026. From the very beginning, he was the rider everyone was talking about—the one to watch—and he more than lived up to the hype. As soon as the field rolled out of Tyndrum, he stamped his authority on the race. Calm, composed, and effortlessly strong, he quickly became the man to beat, building a lead that never truly looked under threat. Each time we met him out on the trail, it wasn’t just his riding that stood out. His character shone through at every encounter: relaxed, in control, clearly loving the experience, and always carrying that trademark smile—and he did enjoy a whisky!
Before he finished, we caught up with him in Fort William while he stopped for a resupply ahead of the final push back to Tyndrum. True to form, he was in high spirits and still smiling. He joked that he was glad to finally have feeling back in his feet. The opening days of the race had been brutally cold, leaving them numb for long stretches. As temperatures slowly improved, the feeling returned—though unfortunately accompanied by plenty of pain.
The last time we had seen him was at Oykel Bridge, after he exited the northern loop. Since then, he’d managed to stop at two bothies for some much-needed sleep. We asked about his sleep strategy—or, perhaps, the lack of one.
“On the northern section, every time I came across a bothy it was always too early,” he said. “It never really lined up with the ride or the time of day, so I just kept pushing on. I didn’t sleep at all during that stage. It wasn’t until later in the route that I finally stayed in two bothies. At one point, I noticed the rider in second place had also stopped, which let me relax a little more. In one bothy, I slept for five hours, which is a long time for me. I remember waking up to rain hammering off the iron roof and thinking, ‘No, I’m not going out in that yet.’ So I rolled over and grabbed a little more sleep.”
When asked about the Scottish weather, he laughed.
“Adventurous,” he said with a grin. “Cold. Really cold. There’s driving rain, passing showers, then sudden sunny spells, all mixed together.”
Mechanical issues were thankfully few, though not entirely absent.
“Actually, today, dropping into Fort Augustus, I got a puncture,” he explained. “I didn’t really have much left to repair it with, but then I remembered I had a £5 note. Because they’re plasticky, I folded them up and used them as a temporary tyre patch. I’ll need to remember to get that £5 back when I sort the bike out later!”
We also asked him about the scenery along the route, and his answer perfectly captured the magic of the Highland Trail.
“Traveling south to north, the landscape changes so gradually you almost don’t notice it at first,” he said. “The mountains begin as softer, rolling shapes—broad hills with flatter tops that feel open and accessible. But the further north you go, the wilder everything becomes. The mountains sharpen into rocky ridges and dramatic cliffs. Everything feels more exposed.”
“And then you reach the coastline: beaches, waterfalls everywhere, huge white streams crashing down cliffs like giant curtains of water. The further I went, the more overwhelming each view became. I remember thinking: wow. I’ve ridden all over the world and seen some incredible places, but this is blowing my mind. I kept telling people along the way how lucky they are to live surrounded by this. It’s extraordinary, and it shouldn’t be taken for granted.”
Once again, congratulations to Justinas on an incredible ride and a thoroughly deserved victory at the Highland Trail 2026. It was a privilege to watch his journey unfold from the sidelines and witness such a commanding performance. We wish him a peaceful and well-earned recovery in the days ahead.
Justinas’ unofficial finish time is 3 days, 11 hours, 49 mins, which means Alex McCormack’s fastest known time of 3 days, 5 hours, and 27 minutes still stands. Congrats, Justinas!
Check out the 2026 HT550 Tracker page to follow along on the live tracking map, find our Rigs of the HT550 roundup, and stay tuned in for more event coverage. Find it here.
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