Follow the race here.

The name of the race is misleading, unless your mind is as warped as ours. The race is not a sprint as commonly known, however it may be considered as one when compared against other long ultra-endurance races.

Two Volcano Sprint (2VS) is in fact a 1,050 kilometer race from Mt. Versivus in Naples to Mt. Etna in Sicily. In the inaugural edition in 2019 it was won in a astonishing 60 hours by Ulrich Bartholmoes – a sprint! If you’ve been to the south of Italy, you’ll know that along with its reputation for beautiful countryside and wonderful food, it’s far from flat. In the 1,050 kilometers of racing, riders will have to ascend 24,000 meters. If you’re one to keep up with the current fad of ‘Everesting’ – ascending the height of Everest on the same hill in one go – you’ll know the elevation and timing of the race equates to three ‘Everests’ in less than three days, serious!

It’s worth making the point that 2VS is a road race - on tarmac, perhaps not smooth tarmac, it is southern Italy after all! Having concentrated on off-road racing recently, 2VS is my first tarmac race since The Transcontinental Race in 2018. It’s not that I have been avoiding tarmac, more that I have become infatuated with the toil offered by off-road racing. In fact it’s been so long since I last raced on the road, that upon entering I realised I didn’t have any road kit! Thankfully, Endura, who have worked with top tier professional teams, have great kit and I’m using their Pro SL line. When I finished Transcontinental in 2018, I decided I wanted a new challenge, to work my way up from the bottom in off-road racing. I had always kept in my mind about returning to tarmac, however I wanted to make good progress in off-road first. And now, I feel at that point. Since 2018 I have finished 4th in Silk Road Mountain Race in Kyrgyzstan, 2nd in Atlas Mountain Race in Morocco and recently 1st in Further in the Pyrenees.

The other reasons for returning to tarmac, and with 2VS in particular are three fold; 1) the race is organised by my friend and esteemed racer/rider herself Juliana Buhring, so I know the route will be good; 2) I love Italy, and I have never been south of Naples, so it presents the perfect opportunity to explore; and 3) Ulrich is racing again. Ulrich has won every race he’s entered over the past few years. I wouldn’t be doing these races if I were not competitive and so while I get the majority of my fulfilment from simply doing my best, I also revel in the challenge of measuring myself against the best riders. It’s worth noting that while I entered initially due to knowing only Ulrich racing, the start-list has since been released and it’s stacked! Notably Fiona Kolblinger is here, it will be brilliant to race with her for the first time. My friendly rival Sofiane Sehili is here too – having both raced off-road at Italy Divide and Atlas Mountain race, this will be the first time we race together on tarmac, it will be interesting to see how we fair. There are many other great riders and it’s anyone’s bet who could take the win, perhaps an unknown racer will emerge or riders who’ve been knocking on the door will step up – it’s always exciting to see people grow.

My bike of choice is the Canyon Endurace CF SLX. I have been using this bike since late 2019 and did most of my winter training on it in the run up to Atlas Mountain Race. It’s had a make over since and is now equipped with Shimano Dura Ace Di2 and a Shimano power meter. Shimano don’t condone it but I am running a 11-40t cassette with a GS ultegra rear derailleur - with the extreme climbing in the race I need the smallest gears I can get. With the long nights I have opted for a dynamo lighting system, using a SON Delux front hub. SON hubs have served me well for years, they’re the best. This is laced to a DT Swiss ERC1400 wheelset. A departure from the shallow aluminum rims I used to use. However, having used a different set of these wheels all through winter, I am confident in their robustness and comfort, while giving me some extra and much needed speed. Obviously the bike is fitted with a signature custom Rusjan frame bag, which holds my water bladder and sundries. I will also use a saddle bag too. With it being October, the weather is fast changing and I’ll prioritise the right kit for all occasions over weight. The setup is familiar now; mostly I’ve returned to tried and tested components from my Transcontinental days, however the biggest change is I have moved from inner tubes to tubeless, with orange seal. I’ve been using this setup on the road for several months and I am comfortable with fixing it. Finally, I’ve gone for a red bike - they’re fastest right?!

Coming back to tarmac is not without some trepidation, one of the benefits of moving to off-road racing is getting away from vehicles and the stress it causes. I won’t dwell on it here, however it’s in my mind. And undoubtedly my risk appetite has shifted since the days of Transcontinental. I hope for fair winds and plain sailing for all of the riders.

The race starts at 05:30 Sunday 18th October, which also happens to be my wife Isabelle’s birthday! I’ve promised her we will celebrate in Sicily at the end of the race, making the most of an earned appetite by enjoying the local Sicilian food and wine together.

When the clock strikes, we ascent straight up Mt. Vesuvius, down the same road and then off to the Amalfi coast. Bella Italia.