#TARNo1

The Accursed Race is Lost Dot’s first fixed route, no-fly, off-road race. Exploring the Balkans — the heartlands of the Transcontinental Race  — the Race will take riders through Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo. In the works since 2017, The Accursed Race is the result of years of knowledge built up by Lost Dot in this breathtaking corner of Europe. 

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No-fly

Key to our mission is that our Races are sustainable, and that they continue to set the benchmark for unsupported ultra-racing. Switching from aviation to overland travel is the most impactful thing we can do to to minimise the environmental impact of our Races. We hope that The Accursed can be a catalyst for change, and to show the community that this is what sustainable ultra-racing can look like.

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Fixed route

Breaking the mould from our free-route events, The Accursed Race takes a fixed route format, allowing us to shape the narrative of this route in minute detail. Rather than racing from A to B via the line of least resistance, a fixed route will take riders on the route less travelled. 

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Off-road

An off-road format for The Accursed Race will take riders straight to the heart of some of the most magnificent scenery in the Balkans. Meandering over diverse terrain, the route will take riders along some of Europe's last wild rivers, down sweeping gravel tracks, tracing contours of mountain ridgelines, and over karst plateaus.

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Mike’s Legacy

Standing on the shoulders of Mike Hall, The Accursed Race is Lost Dot's first Race to be conceptualised since he tragically passed in 2017. Still led and inspired by his spirit, The Accursed rings true to the values that have been woven through the fabric of the Transcontinental Race and the Trans Pyrenees Race: 

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Courage // Respect // Humility // Inclusivity // Integrity // Equality // Sustainability // Ethical // Ecological

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The Accursed Race was inspired by Mike’s idea that the more competent and confident you feel on a bike, the bigger your map grows and the greater your desire to fill in the spaces between. With enough experience, knowledge and preparation, you can take yourself anywhere you want.

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It was on the Tour Divide, an annual off-road race that traverses the length of the Rocky Mountains, that Mike Hall cut his racing teeth. The Tour Divide is annually beset by conditions that test a racer’s problem solving capabilities and endurance to persevere under challenging conditions. This, combined with the remote landscapes and spectacular views, make the route all the more rewarding.

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Speaking of the Tour Divide as the inspiration behind The Accursed, Anna Haslock, Managing Director of Lost Dot, said “I wanted to bring some of that to Europe, giving riders the opportunity to experience some of the more unique and exotic locations Europe has to offer.”

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