A Ferry Tale on the GranGuanche Audax Trail: A Video Project by Josh Ibbett, Sofiane Sehili, and Ryan Le Garrec

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A Ferry Tale on the GranGuanche Audax Trail: A Video Project by Josh Ibbett, Sofiane Sehili, and Ryan Le Garrec

The GranGuanche Audax is a series of self-supported race events – trail, road, and gravel – across the Canary Islands. Pacing is established by ferry schedules, so it’s more of a race against the clock instead of other riders, as transmarine connections are required to travel from island to island. And, unlike other similar endurance cycling events, pelotons are allowed. This past November, Josh Ibbett and Sofiane Sehili took advantage of the Audax format to ride the trail version together and film their adventure. Ryan Le Garrec connected with Ibbett and Sehili to edit their video, which we’re debuting here today (below), layered with an interview between Ryan and event organizer, Matteo Minelli, and an epic image gallery from Minelli, Sergio Villaba, and Rubén Plasencia.

Happy is the Messenger – Ryan Le Garrec

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Happy is the Messenger – Ryan Le Garrec

Happy is the Messenger
Photos and words by Ryan Le Garrec

HAPPY IS THE MESSENGER
asphalt surfing

NO GPS, NO DEVICES

No GPS, no Strava, no smartphone, no device if only an old Nokia burner. No Macbook in the bag but a map book that rarely makes it out. After ten years on the streets, Karadama a.k.a. Karl Heinz Pohl knows the client list and all their locations well enough. He knows enough shortcuts and safe ways to make his day smooth rolling, dodging delays, anticipating complications, chasing any trouble out of his way. You’ll rarely see him hammer but when he does it’s with this emergency motto in his head “it had to be done yesterday”, that kind of speed.

Fail 12: Tomorrow Comes Too Soon at Gravel Birds Ultracycling Challenge

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Fail 12: Tomorrow Comes Too Soon at Gravel Birds Ultracycling Challenge

For Fail 12 Ryan le Garrec raced the first edition of Gravel Birds, a 750km bikepacking race in Portugal’s largest region, Alentejo. For Ryan, it was initially more about the idea of fast touring a well-curated route than properly racing the course. The region is characterized by a beautiful mix of rough hills, coastlines and small deserts inland. Its arid section, down South and just over the more famous Algarve, is often ignored by tourism yet hosts some of the most incredible hidden gems of Portugal and probably its best gravel tracks too!

Radar

The Length Of Time. Inside The Tour Divide

Ryan le Garrec, one of our contributors here at the Radavist, followed cyclist Josh Ibbett during his 2019 Tour Divide attempt. This is his story. Watch this documentary here and be on the lookout for a photo gallery later this week.

One Arm Bandit: Little Wings, Big Things

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One Arm Bandit: Little Wings, Big Things

One Arm Bandit: Little Wings, Big Things
Photos and words by Ryan Le Garrec

François is what you would call in French a “fonceur”.
Literally, the word means “fast guy” but it’s more of an expression.
It evokes enthusiasm, determination, well, a lot of will and positivity,
and I couldn’t think of a better way to define this guy.
He won’t take no for an answer. From anyone. He is driven.

At the beginning, he was the first messenger working for Hush Rush, that another François created. He soon took the project by himself and managed to develop it into a real company.

Conversations with Tom Ritchey Part Two: The Influence of Jobst Brandt

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Conversations with Tom Ritchey Part Two: The Influence of Jobst Brandt

This is part two of an in depth conversation between Tom Ritchey and Ryan le Garrec where Ryan seeks to identify key periods in Tom’s life alongside key people. Perhaps second only to Tom’s father, it seems that Jobst Brandt had significant influence of the young Tom. Below, Ryan shares excerpts from Tom’s side of their conversation that highlight Jobst’s character, his notorious rides, and his lasting impact. Enjoy!

FAIL 11: Going South at Portugal’s “Heading Southwest” Bikepacking Race

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FAIL 11: Going South at Portugal’s “Heading Southwest” Bikepacking Race

Fail 11 is the latest installment in Ryan Le Garrec’s multimedia “Fail” series. Check out the related articles below for more of Ryan’s work.

Heading Southwest is a new bikepacking race in Portugal. It crosses the country with a set route of 1000 km and 15,000 meters of elevation gain. The route was designed to show the diversity of the country far from the clichés of coastal tourism and bigger towns. It showcases the country in a way only a local long-distance cyclist could provide. I have toured this beautiful place I call home for a while now, never have I had so much fun (and pain yeah) on the roads of this country. Massive thanks to David Cruz at finisterra.cc

Fail 8: No Spain, No Gain

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Fail 8: No Spain, No Gain

Fail 8 is the latest installment in Ryan Le Garrec’s multimedia “Fail” series. Check out the related articles below for more of Ryan’s work.

Day 47 – Santo Isidoro, Portugal

My son told me the other day:
“Dad, the trees don’t use their roots only to drink, they also use them to communicate.”
When I saw these two trees, on the way back from Spain somewhere in Alentejo, I thought: “These two must have some kinda romance going on.”

Radar

Fail 3

The Volta As Aldeias Historicas is a 450 km route in Portugal with 8000 meters of elevation.
It links up 12 medieval villages and their castles.
Our contributor Ryan Le Garrec went to tackle it for his “Fail” video series,
alongside friends Sjors Mahler and Tiago Cacao,
It seems Ryan got bored of castles and failed at reaching them all.
“Those things are nice but they’re all at the top of a village already perched up a hill,
and the road to each is ridiculously steep,
I love villages and I love Portugal
but somehow castles just make me think of Middle Age wars,
I don’t really dig that,
I skipped a few and the guys did too!”

Radar

I Absorb Things Better at Speed: Fail 4 Migration Gravel Race Teaser

One of our contributors, Ryan Le Garrec, just took part in the Migration Gravel Race last week in Kenya. It is a 650 km off-road stage race with 8000 meters climbing in the Massai Mara. The grueling but rewarding course attracted lots of riders from all over the world. Among them was Unbound winner and second, Ian Boswell and Laurens Ten Dam. But more importantly, the race took pride in featuring local talents, riders from Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda.

The race organization wants to have an impact on African cyclists representation in gravel and road races around the world.

Radar

TUGENDE: the 2020 Race Around Rwanda – a Bikepacking Story

Check out the full-length video from today’s Reportage here.

A film by Ryan Le Garrec Produced by Ryan Le Garrec and Lander Deldime. Made with the support of The Race Around Rwanda, Visit Rwanda, and Hunt Bike Wheels.

On February 2020, 65 people lined up at the starting line of what was to become an extraordinary adventure, a challenge through thunderstorms, muddy roads, and never-ending hills, rewarded with stunning views, thousands of cheers and everlasting memories. Each and every participant of this 1.000 km bikepacking race has an amazing story to tell, Tugende shows you some of these stories, from the very first person over the finish line, to the last one to reach Kigali.

www.racearoundrwanda.com

Radar

Tugende Teaser

Tugende is a film about the race around Rwanda, made by Ryan Le Garrec, produced by Ryan Le Garrec and Lander Deldime. Check back here on the 22nd of April for the full feature and photos.