SRMR 2025 Race Preview
This year will mark the seventh edition of the Silk Road Mountain Race, and, despite having done this for a little while now, this year feels like something of a new beginning. I feel some of the emotions that I had, before that first race: anticipation and excitement tinged with a healthy dose of apprehension in front of the scale of the adventure that awaits. Back then there were so many unknowns regarding how everything would unfold, none of us really knew what we were getting ourselves into. This year, there is a little of that again. It’s not just that there are a lot of new sections but rather that pretty much everything that is new is obscure and remote and wild.
Image by Lloyd Wright
I think there still isn’t really any other event quite like the Silk Road Mountain Race: none that takes riders through quite such remote, isolated and potentially harsh mountain environments, where every turn uncovers another stunning landscape on this scale. Kyrgyzstan is a truly special place and a spectacular setting for riders to themselves against the elements and each other. What has been written and shared about the race over the years has of course done something to erode the adventure a little, so it was about time we found some new challenges to reinject some of those unknowns on which adventure is built.
What’s really different this year is that the many of the 700 or so kilometres that are new are so far off the beaten path. We take the race this year to places where only a handful of riders have ever been before, places that most people who are familiar with Kyrgyzstan have likely not heard of. Have a look online for information on the Suyek pass that crosses the Fergana mountains, connecting the Alay and Tian Shan ranges and you’ll likely draw a blank. Of course to the shepherds that spend their summer season in these summer pastures it's a different story, but for us, these are untrodden paths.
The weather can change in an instant in Kyrgyzstan… Image by Lloyd Wright
Route Preview
This year marks the second time that we start in Osh, the southern capital of Kyrgyzstan and its second largest city. The race starts at 6PM on Friday with a police escort and neutralised start for the first few kilometres. We’ll then waste no time heading into the mountains on our way to the stunning switchbacks of Koi-Dzhuly pass (3811m) that connects Osh with the Alay mountains. With only a little over 300 kilometres to the first checkpoint of the race, we’ll be surprised if the front runners stop at all.
CP1 will be located at the foot of Peak Lenin (7,134m) where Topol Camp will host the first checkpoint of the race at 3600m. It’s a stunning place nestled amongst alpine lakes in the shadow of this vast mountain. Weather conditions are unpredictable and the wind can have a massive impact on pace.
A couple hundred fast kilometres later, riders will tackle what may well be the biggest challenge of the race: the soon to be infamous hike to Suyek Pass. It starts at KM656 and goes all the way to KM688, where a very welcome, recently built 4x4 track will appear and mark the ending of the slowest miles.
Image by Stephen Shelesky
This section is on the route because it’s wild, remote and beautiful and allows us to connect the south with the east of the country while skipping more populated, lower altitude roads. It is also rather difficult and will give riders a taste of what it’s like to scout the route for this race. It’s what I would say is just about on the right side of what is acceptable to be included. It will feel more like exploration than bike race, but to be fair I’ve always thought that the SRMR is right on the fringes of what any reasonable person would call a bike race in any case: it's more of an adventure that happens to include a bike. There are 2 to 3 proper river crossings to be negotiated, the strict rules of unsupported racing are suspended for river crossings and riders can wait for each other and cross together if they feel the need. The hike tops out at 4020m just next to the Chinese border, where a high fence and watch tower can just be seen in the distance.
After the hike, we’ll pop out in the vast expanse of the plateau near Chatyr Kul lake. We’ve been here plenty of times before on our way to Kel Suu but not on this old, abandoned, soviet road, that cuts straight as a die across the map. When I rode here, storms rolled across this beautiful, but desolate landscape and it's hard to describe how small and insignificant this terrain can make you feel. Conditions here vary enormously, the lucky could speed along with a tailwind while others may be slowed to a crawl.
The Chinese border zone highway. Image by Stephen Shelesky.
The Blue Caravan situated in the Chinese Highway zone. It moves each year… Image by Stephen Shelesky.
Another 150 kilometres or so and riders will reach Kel Suu and the second checkpoint of the race. It's not for no reason that this remote valley has become something of a tourism hotspot in recent years. There is something truly special about this little valley lost near the Chinese border. Luckily, the absolute best viewpoint is the top of what has affectionately become known as the Old Soviet Road and it is highly unlikely that more than a handful of hardy individuals will make the climb up to this point following what remains of this short but very steep road.
From a racing perspective, timing is everything here. This whole section is at altitude and you cannot under-estimate the benefit of getting some proper rest indoors. We’ve seen riders skip sleeping at the checkpoint in a nice hot yurt to try and gain a gap over their competitors, only to pay the price shortly after. Tough terrain demands quality rest and if it is on offer it's likely best to take it.
Riders climbing the infamous Soviet Road after Checkpoint 2 at Kel Suu. Image by Stephen Shelesky
After Kel Suu, riders will reach Naryn, hopefully avoiding the trap of scratching in this brief respite from the remote mountain sections before and after. What comes next is over 400 kilometres of high altitude wilderness without resupply, the longest such stretch that has ever been included in the race. It starts with the classic gradual climb beside the mighty Naryn river past Eki Naryn and into the Burkhan valley, topping out on the Arabel plateau. Whereas this marked almost the end of this wild section in the past, this year, riders will take a right and head over the second Suyek pass in the race. This one is also 4020m high and is the key to the wide expanse of the upper Naryn valley. These are some of my favourite landscapes in Kyrgyzstan and I’ve long wanted to include them in the race. After a long loop to Karakolka where they will ride down and then back up the Naryn rider, riders will head back over Suyek pass a second time on their way to the final checkpoint of the race in Tamga, on the shores of lake Issyk-Kul.
How well riders will have planned for this extended spell in a remote, high altitude environment will be key. Any mistakes on resupply could prove extremely costly. They will also almost certainly need to sleep at some point in this section, where they do so will also have a big impact. Will they manage to find somewhere lower down and sheltered or will they struggle with the cold at altitude?
They’ll then tackle Tosor pass (3893m) and the Keregetash river trail which is a mix of singletrack with some rocky hiking sections that will be slow, before riding back up to the Arabel plateau and down Jukuu gorge, another beautiful classic of the race that is rocky and slow at times. What follows is almost the final run into the finish. Riders will follow one of the only transition sections on a mix of tarmac and gravel as they skirt around the finish line in Karakol for one final dip into the wilderness along the Karkara river that follows the Kazakh border and out into the stunning Eshkilitash valley before returning to Karakol to the finish line via Chon pass (3860m).
Rider Preview
Robin Gemperle
Robin is fresh off a win at the Tour Divide having completed the fastest ever time of the race route, albeit not an official record due to a fire detour. In the past he’s also won the Atlas Mountain Race and Transcontinental so his ultra credentials are pretty well established. We’ve heard from a recent podcast interview that he’s hoping to finish the Silk Road in 6-7 days, if he manages to pull that off then it would be the fastest ever finish in kilometres covered per day, but as we well know, anything can happen in this race and he has never raced in Kyrgyzstan. A serious contender for sure.
Leanne Bentley
Third woman at Hellenic Mountain Race 2024, and winner of the women’s category at the inaugural Alps Divide, Leanne has shown she can handle serious climbing and tough weather. Those experiences should serve her well in Kyrgyzstan, where conditions can change in an instant. She also makes all her own bags, refining them to be as light and efficient as possible. Earlier this year she led the women’s race at the Trans Balkans on the opening day before an achilles issue forced her to scratch. We’ll be hoping that doesn’t trouble her here and she’s able to get a clean run at SRMR.
Image by Stephen Shelesky
Alex McCormack
Alex’s 2025 season has been focused on the Mountain Races. He won the Atlas Mountain Race in Morocco in February and the Hellenic Mountain Race in May. When he won in Morocco, one of the first things he said when he crossed the finish line was that he had wanted to finish the route faster than Robin did when he won in 2023, something that he accomplished by 15 minutes. He’s also won the Highland Trail 550, setting a new course record and recently completed a world record double everesting a few weeks ago. He’s clearly in good shape and is highly focused on winning all three Mountain Races this season. Again, however, the Silk Road is a different beast and this will be his longest race, with more riding at altitude than he has faced in the past. It’ll be interesting to watch.
Meaghan Hackinen
Meachan is aiming to become the first woman to complete all three Mountain Races in a single calendar year. After taking second at Atlas and winning Hellenic, she’s been building momentum as the season goes on. She’s spent the past few weeks touring Kyrgyzstan, getting used to the altitude, the food, and everything else the country has to offer. Meaghan also holds the fastest women’s grand depart time at the Tour Divide, and while SRMR is half the distance, her experience in long, demanding races could be an advantage.
Anatole Naimi
One of the nine riders racing all three Mountain Races, Anatole was fifth at Atlas Mountain Race and pushed Alex very hard almost to the finish at Hellenic, settling for second place. His form has been improving all year and he came out to Kyrgyzstan early to acclimatise and make the most of this beautiful country. Let’s see what he can do in the final Mountain Race of the season.
Carlotta Schumacher
Known to many as “Lotti Power,” Carlotta has quickly become a fan favourite in the Mountain Races series. This year she’s been riding between events, travelling huge distances, and finding her racing legs in the process. At the Hellenic Mountain Race, she found herself in podium contention for the first time and fought hard to take third place. After months on the road, it will be exciting to see how she gets on.
Looking down form Arabel Pass. Image by Stephen Shelesky
Josh Ibbett
Is there any self-supported bikepacking race that Josh hasn’t done? His biggest result is winning the Transcontinental a few years back. In the meantime he has regularly posted top ten finishes, and has extensive experience of this kind of racing. At Hellenic he was right near the very front, finishing fourth. This will be his third Silk Road and that experience may serve him well against the other top riders this year.
Melina Boening
Melina placed second at what was a very wet 2025 Highland Trail 550, a race known for rewarding strong mountain bike skills. That technical ability should serve her well on SRMR’s rocky descents. She also raced the 2024 Atlas Mountain Race, and that experience in remote, rugged terrain will be valuable in Kyrgyzstan’s high mountains.
Vlad Podofedov
A young rider from Kyrgyzstan, this will be Vlad’s third time racing the Silk Road. He’s twice finished in the top ten, finishing seventh last year. He’s a very consistent rider and has ambitions of bettering his previous performances. A local to the race with vast experience of Kyrgyzstan, this could well be the year that his efforts pay off. He’ll be carrying the hopes of the host nation for another strong performance.
Sami Sauri
This year has been all about adventuring for Sami, and while it’s possible she is focused more on the adventure than the result, she has the horsepower to be competitive. Last year she finished second woman at Across Andes in some of the worst weather the event has seen, showing both speed and resilience.
Image by Lloyd Wright
Building Momentum
We’re also proud to share the fact that this is also easily the biggest field of local riders, with 16 racers representing Kyrgyzstan this year. The full list (put together by Malik from Bikepacking Kyrgyzstan) can be seen below:
Atabek Akbalaev Cap 23 @excellent_nomad
Daniiar Kamalov Cap 49 @daniiar.alves
Dmitrii Petrovskii Cap 56 @petrovskiy.dm
Erkinbek Aidarov Cap 63 @erkin_aktay
Farkhat Rakhmatullin Cap 67 @farhat.rahmatullin
Ildar Giniatullin Cap 87 @gm_ildar
Max Cherkasov Cap 131 @maxcherkasov
Muhammetenes Giden Cap 138 @iammuhametgiden
Nurbai Keneshbek uulu Cap 147 @dzhumabaev_615
Rinat Gariev Cap 161 gariev_rinat_a
Rustem Ilyasov Cap 173 @rus.ilyasow
Vaceslav Abdulin Cap 202
@abdulinvaceslav07Vadim Fatkulbainov Cap 203 @streetgun
Vlad Podofedov Cap 206 @marxistcyclist
Nurdin Babakulov Cap 211 @trinxx24z
Duishenbek Kadyrkulov Cap 37 @bikebayke
Into the Unknown
It would be impossible to highlight all the incredible people across the entire field. While we’ve highlighted some favourites and local riders, we’re certain there will be riders who deliver standout performances we didn’t see coming, and countless stories of adventure from all riders.
Follow the 2025 Silk Road Mountain Race
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