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Sofiane Sehili’s 2024 Highland Trail 550 Race (Video)
Sofiane Sehili finished fourth at the Highland Trail 550 (HT550) in Scotland this spring, pushing through the Scottish weather and several mechanicals to complete the 550-mile route in 3 days, 16 hours, and 40 minutes. Sofiane shot video footage and put together an entertaining look at what he experienced during the race. Watch his 2024 HT550 video and find a short written reflection here…
Inspired by events like the Tour Divide and particularly the Colorado Trail Race, the Highland Trail 550 is a 550-mile self-supported mountain bike route with over 16,000 meters of climbing. Despite its beautiful Scottish terrain and remote wilderness, the annual grand depart puts even the strongest riders to the test with a healthy dose of hike-a-bike, challenging weather, and technical singletrack. Over 60 riders signed up for the 2024 grand depart this spring, and nearly 20 eventually bailed.
Among the fastest riders was ultra-endurance athlete Sofiane Sehili, who took fourth place with a time of just 3 days, 16 hours, and 40 minutes. Sofiane was 11 hours behind first-place finisher Alex McCormack, who set a new course record by over 2 hours. Sofiane brought a GoPro along for his ride and released a charming 17-minute video, providing an intimate look at the highs and lows. Watch it below and then scroll down for a short recap from Sofiane.
Words by Sofiane Sehili
My story with this race started in 2019 when I saw a picture taken by James Robertson of Dustin Eroh crossing a loch, almost fully immersed in water, holding his bike over his head. It looked like pure madness, and I was mesmerized. Dusty went on to win the race, and I knew I had to give it a go sometime.
Then, of course, Covid happened. I shifted my focus toward Tour Divide. And finally, in 2023, when it seemed I would be able to show up at the start ready to take on the challenge to the best of my ability, I suffered a nasty dog bite. I went to Scotland to familiarize myself with the course. With no fitness or training, I had no choice but to go easy. For my first time in this part of the world, I simply had my mind blown by the beauty of the Highlands. A place like I’ve never seen before that sometimes made me feel like I had reached the far end of the world. A place beyond which nothing lies—an anomaly on a continent as populous as Europe.
Finally, last May, I was able to line up healthy, well-trained, and with the proper focus. The goal was clear: to race full-on, hoping to be the first to reach the finish despite not being the most technical rider in the field. Things didn’t go quite as planned. You always need a certain amount of luck to be successful in bikepacking, and this time, luck wasn’t really on my side.
My experience ended up being fairly different from last year. While it was far from being a lousy year weather-wise, it was much wetter than in 2023. And taking on this course with minimal sleep showed me just how tough it can be. The relentless hike-a-bikes, the multiple technical stretches, ridden both day and night, wet and dry, the very rare opportunities to resupply, the midges, and most all, the absurdly slow pace that the course dictates.
I finished battered and bruised, but I finished. And a finish on the Highland Trail 550 is never a given. I don’t know if I’ll ever go back. Part of me feels like I have unfinished business there, but another part thinks that not every race has my name on it.
Further Reading
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