Day 4 // I Dream Of Vegetables

Words by Athlyn Cathcart-Keays

Photos by Liz Seabrook and Sam Dugon

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‍Bienvenidos a Córdoba

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After 4+ days on the road, arriving back into the bustle of Córdoba can feel like a shock to the system. This is a particularly vibrant week in the Andalucian city, with two big events happening this week. The first is Fiesta de los Patios de Córdoba – a showcase of vibrant planted patios and courtyards across the city; and the second is an ultra-distance event of a different kind: the pilgrimage of El Rocío.

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Every spring, thousands of Andalucians journey along historic routes to reach the small village of El Rocío in Huelva, 225KM south-west of Córdoba, travelling on foot, horseback, or in decorative carriages. The atmosphere blends traditional music and vibrant energy, and this is the backdrop awaiting our weary racers when they reach this lively Spanish city.

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The race finishes at Revelociona, a cycling co-operative and bike shop run by Manon and Julio, organising pedal-powered city tours, hosting a variety of events, and educational workshops on maintenance and encouraging travel by bike. We are also delighted to be joined by veteran race volunteer Peter ‘Larry’ Lawrence, who was waiting along with other volunteers to welcome riders after a long pilgrimage.

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We Have Our Podium

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Since Wednesday evening, the fastest riders of the Lost Dot 101 have been thrown back into reality after descending the final parcours and entering Córdoba’s city limits. The 2026 Lost Dot 101 podium is:

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1st Anna Richter (071) 

2nd Amrei Kuhne (034)

3rd Elise Sauvinet (128)

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Anna takes the top step and also is the fastest non-binary rider of the 101, with a finish time of 3 days, 3 hours, and 30 minutes after a composed and consistently assertive ride at the front of the field. With two TCR finishes under their belt, and first non-binary winner (and an impressive 14th? place overall) at Atlas Mountain Race earlier this year, Anna brings a depth of ultra-distance experience, particularly in how they manage effort over long terrain and long hours. 

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We look forward to seeing what Anna can do in the Trans Pyrenees Race in September.

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Amrei takes 2nd place and is the fastest woman at the Lost Dot 101, with a ride defined by remarkable calmness. After 3 days, 15 hours, and 8 minutes, Amrei arrived in Córdoba with a smile on her face after an outstanding race. After a crash and a broken navigation device before CP1, Amrei spent most of the race working to pull away from the chasing pack, opening up a hard-earned ~8 hour gap to the next rider.

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Every time we caught up with Amrei on the road, she told us that she felt like she was “on holiday”. After her GPS failed, she resorted to pulling her phone out at every junction to navigate, taking the disruptions in stride as she continued to move strongly through the field.

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Riding a decade-old bike built on a modest budget, Amrei reminds us that success rarely comes down to equipment alone, truly embodying the ethos of the bike you need is the one you’ve already got. From being the first Lost Dot Bursary Rider to finish the TCRNo8, to standing on the podium here in Córdoba, Amrei has become an important presence within the FLINTA ultra-racing community, and one many riders look up to.

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In a time of 3 days, 23 hours, and 23 minutes, Elise crossed the finish line in 3rd place. Consistently hovering around a podium position throughout the entire race, Elise’s determination has paid off. Starting the race with a chesty cough, she prioritised a warm, dry bed each night, often stopping early to rest before pushing on again in the early hours.

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When she arrived at the finish line, Elise described herself as an “outsider” in the race – she wasn’t included on our ‘riders to watch’ list, yet still made the podium.

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All three riders were also on our Green Leaderboard – a special ranking for riders who travel to and from the race without flying.

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Together, the podium tells the story of three different approaches to the same challenge: control, composure, and persistence – each rewarded in a race where margins play out over many days.

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Jeanne LePoix (086) was also on trajectory for a podium position but scratched due to saddle sores in the early hours after riding an impressive 1,050KM. Her ride had been one of the standout performances of the race, and her words on Instagram capture the complexity of that decision:

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“I am disappointed, but it’s ‘only’ a race, and you also have to listen to your body before pushing yourself too far,” she posted. “I’m mainly trying to remember the good times: the incredible landscapes I crossed these past few days, the immense mountain spaces that I love so much and whose images are still vivid in my mind, the long hours alone cycling, the doubts, the pain, the bursts of tears, and the moments of grace too. I loved being at the front of the race, battling for several days between extraordinary strong powerful women.”

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Her ride is a reminder that outcomes in ultra-distance racing are rarely linear. The front of the race is often shaped as much by resilience and decision-making as by position on the road. It can also be defined by how riders interpret and comply with 10 rules designed to promote safety, sports(wo)manship, self-reliance and equity on Lost Dot races. 

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Megan Young (022) and Nicky Shaw (092) were the fourth and fifth riders across the finish line after two powerful rides. Following a route review, however, both were found to have used sections of Autovía (Motorway), which are illegal for cyclists and therefore not permitted within Lost Dot’s race rules. As a result, both were disqualified from the race.

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This is, of course, a huge disappointment for them both, and it is important to point out that race organisers have no reason to believe that this was a deliberate attempt to gain unfair advantage.

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Created after the tragic death in 2017 of Transcontinental Race founder Mike Hall, prioritising rider safety is and always will be a fundamental priority of Lost Dot. To overlook such serious safety concerns would risk normalising choices and increasing the likelihood of road-related incidents. 

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Pairs Update

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In the pairs race, Johanna Drolshagen and Jonne Van Bommel (146) are still out front, with a ~50KM lead on second pair Geraldine Nassieu-Maupas and Martha Parkinson (148) – a gap which could well shrink with still more than 300KM to go.

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In third so far are Cat Dixon and Razzle Marsden (141). Note that Razzle has lost her tracker, hence why on the map it looks like she’s been abandoned by her partner. The pairs are nearing CP3 in Guadalupe, which has a cut off of midnight on Friday night.

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Two pairs (147 and 142) scratched yesterday morning due to fatigue and time constraints, respectively, which now leaves four pairs in the running.

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Finish Line Dreams

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After so long on the bike, our minds have funny ways of spurring us on ever further. As the kilometres stack up and the finish line edges closer, it is often the smallest, most human cravings that come into view.

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Rolling into 3rd place yesterday evening, Elise Sauvinet (128) had a particularly niche recovery strategy: “When I finish races, I just want to smoke cigarettes and drink beers”, she laughed. “It’s really the worst thing to do – don’t do that – but that’s exactly what I’m going to do… Sorry, I’m French”.

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For others, the finish line meant something quicker. After days fuelled largely by sugar water – carrying 4KG of food, half of it sugar to pour into bottles for quick calories –  Anna Richter (071) could think of only vegetables. Amrei Kuhne’s (034) dreams were simpler: sleep, and a huge plate of patatas bravas. For 4th place finisher Larissa Unsinn (103), she spent the final stretch motivated by the thought of seeing her mum and sister waiting in Córdoba, and by the promise of finally beginning the holiday that had started with over 1,200KM of racing. Like many others who finished today under clear skies, Larrissa said her legs felt so good she wished she could keep on riding.

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It must be the sunshine getting to their heads.

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Scratch Report

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086 Jeanne Lepoix – 06:47 CEST – Scratched due to injury (saddle sores)

024 Igu Schwab Hoyer – 06:47 CEST – Scratched due to mechanical issues and fatigue

070 Jane Marusaik – 08:13 CEST – Scratched due to fatigue

055 Lizelle Kemp – 08:48 CEST – Scratched due to injury (Achilles)

147 Pairs Johanna Greenberg and Nicole Lewis – 08:50 CEST – Scratched due to fatigue

060 Katerina Sedlackova – 09:24 CEST – Scratched due to health reasons

012 Lea Peter – 09:38 CEST – Scratched due to injury (saddle sores)

095 Gemma Russell – 09:52 CEST – Scratched (no reason given)

119 Helen Winton – 10:11 CEST – Scratched due to timing constraints

102 Mogli Taudien – 10:52 CEST – Scratched due to timing constraints and mechanical issues

142 Pairs Sarah Hughes and Rocio Miguez – 10:59 CEST – Scratched due to timing constraints

131 Katrin Kuch – 11:24 CEST – Scratched due to timing constraints and mechanical issues

032 Melanie Allard – 15:00 CEST – Scratched due to knee injury and mental exhaustion

010 Susannah Kirk – 20:10 CEST – Scratched due to knee injury

003 Judith Gordon – 23:25 CEST – Scratched due to wanting to attend the party

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