Atlas Mountain Riders: Sandro Büttel
The Atlas Mountain Race, the famous bikepacking race in Morocco, started on Friday. More than 250 racers headed out of Marrakesh and into the Atlas mountains on their 1,300 km journey. The Atlas is a true adventure.
We took this opportunity to catch up with a few riders. After talking to some of the favorites, including Marei Moldenhauer, who is leading the women’s category, today we hear from Sandro Büttel, who has no ambitions of winning the race. Here is why he loves bikepacking, and why he entered one of the world’s toughest races.
I got into ultra cycling through a friend I met years ago on a bicycle trip around the world. He had already done a few races, and I was impressed by the distance you could cover in such a short time. I was also fascinated by the fact that you reduce your gear to the bare minimum for a race like this. I lead a minimalist life myself, and reducing what I carry even more is quite appealing.
So far I’ve only done one ultra race back in the summer of 2024. it was a 1,300 km race with 27,000 m of elevation gain. Unfortunately, I had to scratch after 950 km.
That’s why my goal for the Atlas Mountain Race is to finish inside the time limit. I think I’ve learned from my mistakes, and I hope for the best. A finish time of five days would be dreamy!
Most of all, I am looking to add to the great experiences I’ve had on my bike. My best memories are my bikepacking trips around the world. When I’m on my bike, exploring places that are exotic and completely new to me, I get a feeling of freedom that I haven’t experienced in any other setting. Definitely a highlight was riding my bike above 4,000 m on the Annapurna Trek in Nepal, back in October 2024.
For the Atlas Mountain Race, I will ride a Specialized Epic World Cup with a SON generator hub and a K-Light light system. I use an AeroPack and top tube bag from Tailfin. My framebag is custom-made by Capricorn Bags. I also will carry a hydration pack from Apidura for extra water and food. And of course I’m running my favorite tires: Rene Herse Fleecer Ridge Endurance. I just love them: fast and resistant. The flat pedals you see in the photos will stay on for the race, but I’ll change into closed-toe shoes for the rough trails of the Atlas and Anti-Atlas Mountains.
Good luck, Sandro. It looks like you’re having fun on the forgotten trails of Morocco. We can’t wait to hear your stories once you finish.
Further Reading:
- The first parts of the Atlas Mountain Race mini-series: Sofiane Sehili, Meaghan Hackinen and Marei Moldenhauer
- Follow the riders with the Atlas Mountain Race tracker
