Una ultra en casa… ¿por qué no?
A veces no hace falta irse lejos para sentir algo grande
Solo cambiar la perspectiva, salir con ganas y volver a conectar con eso que realmente nos mueve
Porque al final no siempre se trata del resultado
A veces se trata de ese escalofrío que aparece cuando disfrutas de verdad lo que haces
Aunque el principio de la temporada haya sido complicado, sigo aquí: resiliente, constante y con ganas de seguir pedaleando
Hoy toca disfrutar de los caminos de casa, perderme un poco, encontrar alguna sorpresa por el camino y recordar que poder estar aquí, bien física y mentalmente, ya es un premio enorme
Gracias a @termes_53 por crear algo tan especial en nuestra casa 🤍
📸 @by_byatriz
Balutia is a 870km race with more than 11.000m+ around an old arab province, in some of the least populated places in southern Spain. This year was the first edition. Our athlete @cesar_meras managed to finish it in third position, battling with the fourth finisher until the last kilometre. In his words:
“Balutia came as fast as it went. This time I had a clear objective: going fast, and trying to be efficient in every decision during the race. The previous days were key for the preparation”. He adds:
“Having used CYCLITE bags for over a year now, I knew exactly which ones to choose: I was looking for just the right amount of storage space for food, tools, gear, and everything else you need to take a break. On top of that, I used the new hydration vest, which not only holds 2.5 liters of fluid but also offers extra space for a rain jacket, a toiletries bag, and some snacks, without making you feel like you’re carrying excessive weight on your back”.
@balutia_cc
Pauline Gaidet is a French ultra-cycling athlete. Her cycling story, though, begins in a hospital. After a serious mountain accident in 2022, she spent nearly two years in rehab; and what started as cycling on a home trainer to recover transformed into an entirely new sporting chapter.
Since entering ultracycling in 2024, she has risen rapidly, claiming victories at Race Across Spain 300, Race Across France 500, and Race Across Portugal 1000, while also podiuming at Race Across Switzerland 1000 and Tour du Mont Blanc 300. In 2026 her target is the Race Across France 2500.
A product manager by background, she brings the same precision and systems thinking to her sport as she does to her work: valuing gear that is aerodynamic, functional, and aesthetically coherent. Resilience and patience aren’t just words for her; they’re how she rebuilt her life and her athletic identity.
Great to have you in, Pauline!
The fastest fork bag on the market... Even compared riding without fork bags?
We tested the FORK BAG / 01 against a reference setup without fork bags and a classic round 3L fork bag, using a standardized outdoor aero protocol: multiple runs in both directions on the same course, controlled system weight, speed sensor (not GPS), and stabilized rider position on aerobars.
The round fork bag came in at 37 dm² CdA. The no-bag reference at 32 dm². The FORK BAG / 01 at 29 dm².
That’s not a rounding error. The complete system (rider, bike, and bag) was measurably faster with the fork bag fitted than without anything on the fork at all.
At 33 km/h, the FORK BAG / 01 required 15W less than the bare reference setup, and 39W less than the round bag. Over a 100km course at 200W, that’s 4+ minutes gained over riding with nothing, and 11 minutes over the round bag.
But, something to take into account is, that these numbers belong to this setup. One gravel bike, one rider, aerobars, a full frame bag, these exact bag positions. A different fork geometry, wider tires, a different body position, any of these can shift the result. Aero is always a system output, not a product spec. We’re not claiming 29 dm² for every bike. We’re showing what happened on this one.
What’s interesting is that the gain likely doesn’t come from the bag itself in isolation, it can’t have “negative area.” The more plausible explanation is what the bag does to the airflow around it. The narrow, wedge-shaped profile sitting close to the fork appears to redirect air more cleanly through the area of the front wheel and legs, creating less turbulence where the legs pass through during pedaling. The bag adds drag in one place and seemingly reduces it elsewhere... and in this test, the balance came out positive.
It won’t replicate identically on every setup. But the direction of the result, and the margin, are hard to ignore.
Study conducted by @patrickzasada .
Photos by @pataspts
From the land, with those of the land. Experiences that leave a mark alongside good friends.
Taking the chance to test the new ForkBags from @cyclite.cc through the Gorafe Desert.
📷 @pataspts
The Unknown Race (@theunknown_race ) lives up to its name; you never quite know what you’re signing up for until you’re in it. No fixed route. No handed directions.
It tests not just your legs, but your mind, your judgment, and your ability to make smart decisions when you’re exhausted and the clock is running. Some of our athletes were at the start line this year. Four different races. Four different stories.
@straps_377 finished in first position after months of preparation, sharp navigation, and the kind of composed racing that The Unknown demands at its best. We couldn’t be prouder.
Some of them were toeing the start line of this race for the very first time. This race is a brutal introduction to a new format, and they took it head on; learning on the fly, adapting, and crossing that finish line with a whole new understanding of what this sport can ask of you. Some fought through a race that just wouldn’t go their way. Setbacks, tough patches, moments where it would have been easy to stop. Some carried the experience and scars of previous editions into this one, pushing their limits, managing the unknown, and reminding us why this race keeps pulling people back year after year.
The Unknown Race is one of a kind. And watching our athletes take it on, each in their own way, is exactly why we do what we do.
Sven, Jair, Betti, Straps. Thank you! We are proud of every single one of you.
9th position for @betti_boegl
9th position for @jairhoogland
17th position for @__________sven____
🥇 @straps_377
Photos by:
@saskiacmartin@doma.grunt
Meet our new FORK BAG / 01.
More gear, same handling. FORK BAG / 01 sits flat and low on the fork so your bike stays balanced and responsive, whatever the road ahead. Weatherproof, stable at full capacity, quick to access and easy to clip in and out.
More information at cyclite.cc
Because dotwatching can also be fun!
Dotwatching (/dɒtˈwɒtʃɪŋ/, noun). Act of virtually following endurance athletes, particularly during ultracycling or bikepacking events, by monitoring their live GPS location (“dots”) on a digital map.
Who’s riding them? Let’s meet the dots!
The Race Across Portugal is an ultra-cycling event that pushes athletes through a demanding mix of terrain, elevation, and long-distance endurance riding. Over the course of the long 1012 km / 12588 m+ race, competitors face continuous self-supported effort, where navigation, pacing, and resilience are just as critical as raw power. It is considered one of the key fixtures in the European ultra-distance calendar.
For CYCLITE, this edition delivered outstanding results through the performances of our athletes Pauline and Stéven. Racing through the full 1000 km route, Pauline (@paulinegaidet ) showed exceptional consistency and strength, securing 1st place in the female category. Her performance stood out in a highly competitive field, reflecting both physical endurance and smart race execution over multiple days.
Stéven (@stevenlehyaric ) also delivered a strong performance, finishing 9th overall after a solid and steady ride across Portugal. Together, these results highlight a successful race for CYCLITE athletes, with top-tier placements in both the general and women’s classifications, reinforcing the team’s presence in the ultra-endurance racing scene.
More details soon.
Photo credits: @robinissartel
Christoph Strasser (@straps_377 ) is one of the most successful athletes in road ultra-cycling. The Austrian’s career is defined by a relentless pursuit of limits: nine participations in the Race Across America, six victories, and a course record from 2014 that still stands today. Beyond RAAM, he won two times the Transcontinental Race, and became the first person to ride more than 1,000 kilometres in 24 hours; a world record that cements his place among the greatest endurance athletes of his generation.
After successes in races like the Race Around Austria and 24-hour records on the track and road, Christoph chose a new path. Switching to unsupported bikepacking races meant taking full responsibility for his own equipment, navigation, and repairs. For him, it is no longer just about power output and split times; but it is about the combination of competition and adventure that only ultra-cycling can offer. Straps just came from The Unknown Race in north-east Spain after winning it despite its tough conditions.
What makes Christoph truly exceptional is not just the palmares. It is the way he thinks. He takes great joy in digging deep, not necessarily exploring new countries or new races, but really studying something and fully immersing himself in it. Every record broken, every race completed, is the result of a methodical and uncompromising approach to self-improvement. As he puts it himself, the joy in reaching a goal lasts only briefly; real satisfaction comes in the small daily steps on the way there. That is the philosophy of a true champion, and at CYCLITE we are so proud to have him in our family as a pro athlete!
📸 (c) @saskiacmartin und @doma.grunt
The myth says Hercules split two columns open, one on each side of the Strait. Two continents, suddenly facing each other. Only 14 kilometres of water between them. But that’s just a myth, and the Strait is a mirror where we see ourselves.
Coming up next week.
Video: @pataspts
Riders: @cesar_meras & @raulsotillo
Voice: @irenegonzalezh@elmitochallenge
