Some of the Most Treacherous Roads in the World Just Got a Whole Lot Worse—Tour of the Dragon, Bhutan

As we picked our way across Bhutan to Bumthang through mud bogs, slick sleet, downed trees and narrow, windy endless climbs with thousand feet drop-offs, I realized that what has been slated as ‘One of the Toughest One Day Mountain Bike Events in the World’, had just gotten a bit tougher.

I knew these roads as I have ridden or driven them multiple times. Yet currently they are doing construction on a large majority of the only road that slices through the middle of Bhutan. What was already a rough, mud-slide infused, pot holed road is now predominantly under mud. This is the stage for the 6th annual Tour of the Dragon and what the founder of the event, His Royal Highness Prince Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuck has deemed, “the killer year.” The conditions this year are the worse the race (and country) have ever seen, and for a place that has had a documentary made about their notoriously poor road conditions, that is a large statement indeed.

In spite of  and perhaps because of these conditions, 43 athletes from 9 countries have gathered to venture back to Thimphu in the west of the country over 160 miles in one day on mountain bikes. We will climb and descend several mountain passes that take a car several hours to drive, sometimes on crappy pavement, sometimes through slick mud and likely in incessant rain. After already about riding 110 miles, we will do our final climb from 3500 to top out at over 10,000 feet over 25 miles—a Hors Categorie, the highest rating given for a climb on roads—on one of the worst road sections on the entire stretch. In order to level the playing field in reference to riding in the dark, the race starts at 2:00 AM and riders must reach the top of this final climb, Dochu La, with 12 miles to the finish, at 6:00 PM.

Though all veteran riders are predicting times 1-2 hours slower than the record time, the race organization will stand by its 6:00 PM cut off time at Dochu La. I have already informed them that if I make it to Dochu La after 6:00 PM I will continue on my own accord to the finish. But that is assuming I will make it to Dochu La.

What is exciting is this ride has turned into more of an adventure this year with a small group of hearty, perhaps slightly terrified souls taking it on. Should be an interesting journey. Wish me luck!

Terri