From the people behind Iceland’s adventure cycling tour company Made In Mountains comes a new mountain bike event for 2016. The 3 day Glacier 360° will take an international line-up of riders on the first multi-stage cross country marathon race to be run on the island nation. The race which will run in mid August expects to be 2016’s largest XC mountain bike event in Iceland. Registration opens today, January 15, so hop past the break for some more details, and to start planning a trip…
From August 16-19, 2016 this one of a kind race will get competitors deep into the Icelandic highlands. Over three days racers will ride 290kms (180mi), completing a full loop around the Langjökull Glacier. Over the course of the race, competitors will brave the elements of Iceland’s harsh climate while circumnavigating the country’s second largest glacier on what is likely one of the grueling and scenic XC race courses in the world. Even though it will be the peak of summer, temperatures will likely top at most in the single digits centigrade (<50 °F). On the bright side (ha), this far north at that time of year it is light for 18.5 hours a day. And even for the brief time that the sun has set, it doesn’t really get very dark.
The race starts from the world famous Geysir hot springs (from which all other geysers get their name) and finishes at the 32m/105′ Gullfoss waterfall. Along the way competitors will tackle black sands and rocky lava fields, drop through green valleys beneath the glacier, and ford rivers (with race support at points.) Post-race evenings will take in amazing scenery, from lush lava fields to remote highland mountain huts, both with geothermal pools to recover in for the next day of racing.
The not-for-the-faint-of-heart ~640€/$680 race entry includes all the usual support, plus full-service food and drinks by the support crew before, during, and after the race each day, plus a party when everyone makes it back to Reykjavík post-race. In the base registration you bring your own camping supplies, but all-inclusive packages are also available that supply 3 square meals a day, camping gear too, or even indoor accommodation during the event. If that is too rich for your blood, but you’d be up for being a part of it and getting to explore, MiM is also taking applications for volunteer staff. If selected, all you have to do is make it to the airport, and they’ll pick you up, put you to work, and take it from there.
