Ambassador Adventure with Allan Shaw

As the full moon illuminated the surrounding scenery, the Atlas Mountain Race participants set out from the start line. Hiking his bike down the infamous 4km mule track, Allan Shaw made it to the first checkpoint of the race just after 5 AM in 52nd place. With sunset at 7 PM and sunrise at 8 AM, the riders had no choice but to battle it out in 13 hours of darkness.

Shaw transversed through the vast North African terrain and arrived at another checkpoint on day 3. His body, building with fatigue, had taken a significant beating - and the abnormal, subzero temperatures didn’t help.

No matter how alone he felt during his journey, he knew the others weren’t too far from him. Whether it was the flickering of bike lights in the distance or the moments shared with riders along a trail, he was comforted by the camaraderie of his fellow competitors.

After riding entirely self-supported through this single-stage race, Shaw made it to the last few steep switchbacks. He finally crossed the finish line after six long days on the saddle in 28th place, exhausted, delighted, and incredibly inspired by the beautiful land and people.