Chasing a Dream: My Journey to the Tour Divide 2025

When

The Tour Divide kicks off on Friday, June 13th in Banff, Canada, and will take me roughly 4,400 km (2,700 miles) by mountain bike with 60,000 meters of elevation gain. The route follows the spine of the Rocky Mountains, heading south all the way through the U.S. to the Mexican border.

For anyone interested in following along and watching some sleep-deprived ultra-cyclists battle joy and suffering alike, here are the key links:

📍 Route & Live Tracking: Trackleaders – Tour Divide 2025
📣 Race Commentary: Dotwatcher – Tour Divide 2025
📜 The Rules: TourDivide.org – Rules
📸 Instagram: @jochenboehringer
📘 Facebook: jochen.bohringer.3

Why

When I first discovered ultracycling, the Race Across America was a huge inspiration—an ambitious dream that felt unreachable, yet deeply fascinating. Over time, however, the appeal of supported road races faded for me. I found myself drawn more and more to the adventure of unsupported racing in rugged terrain.

That shift in mindset eventually replaced the Race Across America on my bucket list with the Tour Divide—a race that’s fully unsupported, starts with several hundred kilometers through Canada, and then traverses the U.S. from north to south.

I’ve built quite a list of dream events by now, but the Tour Divide has always remained at the top. And this year, I finally get to tick it off the list. I’m beyond excited for the challenge—and equally for the incredibly diverse and beautiful landscapes along the way.

How

My journey begins on Tuesday, June 10th with a flight to Calgary, giving me two days to prep my gear and try (at least a little) to adjust to the time zone. Though let’s be honest—during the race, normal sleep patterns get tossed out the window anyway.

As a family, we had already planned a long road trip across the U.S. during the school summer holidays. After a few key conversations with my wife and my manager at work, I made the decision to extend my sabbatical by a few weeks to squeeze in the Tour Divide beforehand.

A huge thank you to my employer Bosch for making the sabbatical possible—and of course, most of all, to my wife and teenage sons for giving me the freedom to chase this dream. You guys are amazing!

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Aspiration

The Tour Divide means two things to me. First and foremost, it’s the realization of a lifelong dream to ride this legendary route. That means finishing is my top priority—like in most races I do.
But everyone who knows me also knows: I wouldn’t sign up for a race without trying to go as fast as I can. 😉

My longest race so far was the Silk Road Mountain Race in Kyrgyzstan, which took just under 8 days. The Tour Divide will likely take me twice as long, and I’m really curious to see how this extended duration affects me—especially mentally.

In shorter events, I’ve managed to stay focused despite exhaustion and lack of sleep. But over two or more weeks? That’s uncharted territory.
Don’t worry—bike happy. 🙂

For now, I’m just incredibly excited to finally arrive in Banff, to get to the start line, and to immerse myself in the special community of riders. These events always bring unforgettable encounters with like-minded adventurers from around the world.

Wish me luck—for my mind, my gear, and the weather!