M A U R I T A N I EL'AVENTURE EN LIBERTÉ

AL KHALAA ULTRA

The Al Khalaa Ultra is an extraordinary long-distance ultra-cycling project, covering a distance of 1,800 km — an unprecedented adventure at the heart of the Sahara.

The event will take place in Mauritania, on a loop route starting from Atar, the capital of the Adrar tourist region.

Claude a répondu : You will be treated to landscapes of great diversity, from the tabular mountains of the Adrar to the vast expanses of the Mauritanian Empty Quarter, passing th…You will be treated to landscapes of great diversity, from the tabular mountains of the Adrar to the vast expanses of the Mauritanian Empty Quarter, passing through stunning canyons where crocodiles still survive — true living fossils from the humid period.

I know Mauritania intimately, having travelled through it since 1994 — by 2CV, by bicycle, and on foot. I notably wrote a book dedicated to the country, detailing several thousand kilometres of tracks and off-road routes, with precise GPS recordings. Over the years, I have also developed a strong network of contacts across the various regions of the territory.

As part of setting up this Ultra, I am looking for a co-organiser with genuine knowledge of the long-distance ultra-cycling world — either as an athlete (professional or amateur), or as a former practitioner who has maintained active connections in this field. This person must also be able to take part in on-site reconnaissance and validate the route by bicycle.

THE AL KHALAA ULTRA IN A FEW WORDS :

_ Designed for fat bikes (80% sand),

_ A loop of approximately 1,800 km starting from Atar,

_ Terrain breakdown: 0.5% tarmac roads, 45% off-road, with the remainder split between well-defined tracks and faint 4x4 traces of varying visibility,

_ Two major sections of absolute off-road with no GPX track, requiring full navigation. The first spanning 120 km and the second 380 km. Only an entry point and an exit point will be provided. Two 100% sand sections with dune crossings, either direct or by going around (always possible but longer). It will be up to you to anticipate the best passages through these dune ridges to save time.

Autonomy, a key factor :

_ A 900 km section with no villages or oases (a single organisation resupply point at the midway mark),

_ You will need to be self-sufficient in water; the location of wells will be provided (take Micropur, even though well water, drawn from the water table, is naturally filtered through geological layers),

_ Participants who manage their water consumption efficiently will be able to skip detours to certain wells and gain valuable time.

_ It will be impossible to find any spare parts to repair your bike : you will

need to be completely self-sufficient. At the halfway point, a bag containing

your equipment can be dropped off by the organisation.