Silky Smooth: Sofiane Sehili on the 2021 Silk Road Mountain Race (Video)

Words by Sofiane Sehili, photos by Sofiane Sehili and Danil Usmanov

It’s been almost a year since I finished the 2021 edition of the Silk Road Mountain Race (SRMR) in Kyrgyzstan. A lot has happened in the meantime, with very little time off the bike. I can’t say I revisit these memories often, as I’m not one to dwell on the past, especially when the present and the future are so exciting—full of two-wheeled adventures and discoveries.

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But, once in a while, I look back on that race. So much of it seems unreal. Countless hours alone, lost in the wilderness, feeling unbelievably lucky to have some of the most beautiful mountains on earth all to myself. Hardships like no others. Hike-a-bikes that seemed endless. Roads that will break you and others that simply don’t exist, no matter what the line on your GPS says. The film below captures some of my experiences when I pedaled the 1,858-kilometer course in 8 days, 14 hours, and 35 minutes, and was the first rider across the finish line.

If there were a device that could record intensity levels during an event, I feel like the dial would be close to the maximum during pretty much the entirety of the SRMR. I’ve lined up at the start of 20 ultras in the last six years, but nothing matches what this one has to offer. It’s a unique experience. A race? Well, yes, for sure, it’s in the name. But it’s so much more. But the course is about a bit more than just riding through this small, mountainous country. It’s as demanding as it is rewarding, and it gives as much as it takes, if not more.

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Take the final hike-a-bike as an example: riding from my bivy spot all the way to the top of the very last climb took me 11 hours. It’s only 20 miles (32 kilometers) long, but I spent pretty much all 11 hours pushing my bike for a few minutes, sitting down to rest, looking at the landscape, then pushing the bike some more, then resting again. Adding to the challenge that last stretch was in one of the most remote areas of the whole course. And that’s saying a lot when you know Kyrgyzstan.

At some point, I sat and rested alongside a scenic lake. I remember sitting down next to a stream that was flowing down toward the lake, staying quite a long while. I filled up on water, enjoyed the calmness of the surroundings, and soaked in the solitude. Writing this almost a year later, I have vivid memories of those 11 hours. They were the hardest of the whole race, but I didn’t hate them. I’d go back to that serene spot next to the lake in a heartbeat, even if it meant doing the whole race again to get there. I think that experience sums up the Silk Road Mountain Race pretty well. Physically, it will push you to your limits, but you’ll likely never question what you’re doing there. A quick look around is all the justification you need.

I don’t usually go back to an event after winning it, but as soon as I crossed the finish line in Balykchy, I knew I would be back. The 2022 edition is now only four weeks away, and I can feel the anticipation growing. I don’t know what the next ride will bring, but I already can’t wait for some time racing alone in some of the most majestic mountains in the world.

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