AMR 2025 Preview
The fifth edition of the Atlas Mountain Race is almost upon us! The race kicks off this Friday at 6PM from Marrakech, and it’s shaping up to be one of the most exciting yet. We return to the Atlas and Anti-Atlas with the biggest and most competitive field yet, in what is looking like it will be a rather cold edition, with temperatures expected to drop below freezing at night.
This year we have 278 riders signed up with 41 nationalities represented. It’s also the largest women’s field we’ve ever had with 30 women overall in the solo and pairs category. The racers have a whole range of backgrounds, some vying for the overall win with many more along for the adventure with their only goal being to achieve a finish on this demanding course. Our youngest rider is Carlotta Schumacher who came to the race all the way from Germany by bike while the oldest participants are both 67.
Who to Watch: Top Contenders for the Win
Men’s Race
Drikus Coetzee: He pushed last year’s eventual winner hard all race, coming up just short and scratching agonisingly close to the finish line.
Alex McCormack: The Highland Trail record holder is on a mission to complete all three Mountain Races this year (Atlas, Hellenic, Silk Road). He’s been on a roll, breaking FKTs across the board.
Philippe Vuilloud: He’s raced before, leading a previous edition for a period until a slashed tyre forced him to scratch. If he can stay consistent, he could be in the mix for the win.
Robin Gemperle & Lucas Strittmatter: The 2022 AMR winner, Gemperle, is racing in a pair this year, a move that could make history if they take the overall win.
Dark Horses:
Ron Van Roosmalen (4th at Silk Road, riding to the start by bike)
Abderazzak Elhjouji (Moroccan National MTB Team, home-soil advantage)
Floris Braat (Led Hellenic Mountain Race until halfway, olympic kayaker)
Women’s Race
Meaghan Hackinen: With a whole host of wins under her belt including the women’s race at The Tour Divide as well as 7th place overall and one of the strongest endurance racers in the field, it would be difficult to look past Meaghan as the outright favourite. She’s also tackling all three Mountain Races this year.
Marei Moldenhauer: Women’s Winner of Bright Midnight and fourth overall, she’s proven her ability to race up front and we’re looking forward to seeing how she goes at AMR.
Mascha Wahlig: Hellenic Mountain Race winner, raced AMR in 2024 and finished fourth in the women’s category and is back with more confidence and looking to correct errors she made the first time around.
Emma Missalle: Second at Hellenic and Silk Road in 2024, she’s consistently improving and could be in contention for the win.
Sherry Cardona: Two-time Transcontinental pairs winner, now aiming to build on those results in off-road races.
Course Overview
The AMR course remains one of the most stunning and challenging in ultra-racing. It’s a little more accessible than the other two Mountain Races, with a few less factors to deal with for racers but there are still plenty of challenges. The weather is generally good, albeit cold, and the route doesn’t spend much time at altitude. That being said, the riding is tough and remote and the lack of water can be tough at times. The overall distance remains sensibly unchanged this year at 1,304 km with 23,000m of climbing.
Toughest Sections:
Telouet Pass: This is the highest point of the race and comes in very early on the race route at 126 km from the start. There was some snow last Thursday and we expect it to be somewhat snowy and icy. With most riders tackling it in the dark, it’s going to be tough for sure.
Immasine to Afra: One of the highlights of the route, this stretch features 100 km of remote rocky canyons with no resupply or water for the entire stretch.
Old Colonial Road: An improbable 70 km dry stone wall construction lost in a rocky desert mountainscape. It’s pretty rough and all uphill without any resupply. It’s also an incredibly beautiful stretch.
Sandy Section near Aït Baha: Rideable last year, but always unpredictable. Depending on sand conditions, it may well be a real slog.
Moroccan Stelvio & Crossing the High Atlas: Before the home stretch to Essaouira, riders must once again cross over the Atlas mountains. They must tackle a whole load of elevation gain and what has become known amongst AMR riders as the Moroccan Stelvio.
Route Changes for 2025:
Telouet Returns: After being forced to divert around the highest point of the race in 2024 due to flooding, it’s back this year and looking cold and icy.
Draa River detour: the once dry Draa river is currently in full flow so we’ve had to make a small change after Afra to keep on the right hand river bank.
Finish Moved to Essaouira Medina: Riders will now finish in the historic medina, with food and drinks available 24/7.
Follow the Race
There will be plenty of ways to follow the race February 7th through 15th.
Live Coverage:
The Atlas Mountain Race Instagram will provide daily visual updates
The Mountain Races podcast will largely cover the midpack, with winners interviews ~24 hours after they finish
