This year’s @atlasmountainrace had more plot twists and main characters than a best-selling novel. For Tailfin-supported riders, the AMR proved to be almost the ‘race that almost was’ in many ways, with unexpected flooding, difficult river crossings, unseasonable mud and multiple crashes all causing added obstacles. ⠀ Our latest R&D Division rider Justinas Leveika @justin.and.bikes set a blistering pace at the start, building up an almost unassailable lead over the first couple of checkpoints until a nasty crash saw his race end in an instant. Luckily he’s making a full recovery but is no doubt preparing for redemption. ⠀ Likewise, Katrien de Smet @katrien_kds suffered some almost race-ending saddle sores, which would no doubt have put a lot of riders out. However, Katrien is made of strong stuff and battled through the pain to an incredible third-place finish. ⠀ Josh Ibbett @joshibbett showed his racing maturity, being a stalwart of the ultra-distance race scene, and kept to his own pace and strategy, finishing in a highly respectable 6th place (although he will still be disappointed not to have been higher). ⠀ The good news for all the riders is the 2023 edition goes back to a March slot in the calendar, so there are only a few short months to wait until they can go back and race again. ⠀ Images: @arielwojciechowskiphotographer ⠀ #atlasmountainrace #morocco #ultraendurance #bikepacking