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Valerio

@vale.stuart

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@thetordivide organiser
District 16 🥇
@ultracyclistsforpalestine -> Taurus ♉️ ⛰️
Made in 🇮🇹. Forged in the Peak. Fuelled by🍕🍝☕️

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DISTRICT 16 🥇
Some ramblings from last weekend, taking on the inaugural edition of District16. 600km 17000m+ of mad trails in possibly the most beautiful corner of England.
This was very much type2 fun at the time, but worryingly I'd do that again already!
Lots learned and lots to learn, now onto the next one!

Some numbers:
1st day: 218km 5200m+ 1.5h sleep
2nd day: 125km 4180m+ 4hrs sleep
3rd day: 267km 7100m+
Calories: 30,900kcal
Est. sweat loss: 57litres
Avg temp: 22°C
Min: 6°C
Max: 46°C(??) taken in Kirkby Lonsdale by @vale.stuart

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2 months ago

🔥 DUST, SWEAT & OMELETTE 🍳

The Atlas Mountain Race wasn’t just a race: it was a ride that pushed us harder, made us stronger, and left us hungry for more. Rocky climbs, flowing trails, and landscapes so stunning they made any pain disappear. It was hard, it was beautiful, and I loved every second of it.
It was great to see some familiar faces and meet so many riders.

@thetordivide is officially the best training for any ultra 💪

Already dreaming of the next one… 👀

I was super happy with my gear choices and tried and tested set-up @schwalbetyresuk @tailfincycling @bum_butter @redshiftsports @tentmeals_expedition_food @peak_bikefitting IYKYK

#AtlasMountainRace #Bikepacking #UltraEndurance #GravelAdventure #RideFar #amr2025 #EpicRides by @vale.stuart

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2 years ago

RIDING THE HIGH ATLAS

Oh wow. It feels a bit unreal typing this: my article from Morocco is now live on BIKEPACKING.com. As someone who’s still relatively new to cycling and bikepacking, @bikepackingcom has been my main source of inspiration, so seeing my photos and words up there has absolutely floored me.

I’m genuinely overwhelmed and over the moon. Big love to everyone at Bikepacking.com and the whole bikepacking community for the constant inspiration and motivation.

Link in bio. Go have a read and let me know what you think.

@schwalbetyresuk @tailfincycling @ciovita @beespokewheels_uk

#tordivide #bikepacking #peakdistrict #peakdistrictdivide #gravel mtb allterrainbike by @vale.stuart

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9 months ago

SIMPLY, WHATEVER YOU WANT.
A weekend on the bike with old friends, or new ones.
A shakedown before something bigger.
An all-out push with a knife between your teeth*
Three routes. One weekend. Your call.
This descent is one of many out there. Big Peak views, fast flowing singletrack, and a village shop at the bottom for the well-earned ice cream. Gravel or MTB, you'll be grinning all the way down.

📍 Bamford, Peak District
📅 22-23 May 2027
🎟️ Entries open, link in bio
*We strongly advise against carrying a knife between your teeth.

@schwalbetyresuk @tailfincycling @ciovita @beespokewheels_uk @genesisbikesuk by @vale.stuart

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3 days ago

FUNDRAISER UPDATE
I had a big crash on the morning of Day 2 of District16, at the time I thought it was just a sprained thumb and a bad knee bruise. Turns out I'd actually broken my right thumb, and I've been in a splint ever since. Recent x-rays show the bone still hasn't healed, and my knee is still swollen and stiff. I haven't been able to ride outside for two months.
For these reasons I've been pretty quiet about my fundraiser for @medicalaidpal with @ultracyclistsforpalestine

I seriously considered pulling out, but I've decided to go ahead with the Taurus Mountain Race.
Wish me luck!

We are at 38% of the target, please consider donating if you can 🙏
EVERY donation helps and makes a difference for the medical personnel on the ground, as they risk their lives on a daily basis.

👉Link in bio! by @vale.stuart

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5 days ago

CALDER DIVIDE 2026
First time I rode the CDT was 2023, my first 275km ride. On a gravel bike. In one go. Through the night. A lot of first times for me at that event. Hated and loved it.
This time I was back after 2months off the bike, and wanted to take my time and enjoy it. Boy oh boy I was glad I stopped at the campsite, and got to share the evening with others.

The first, not very glamorous pic, is probably the highlight of the event for me.

Thanks @yorkshiredivide for another great event with the kind of no-frills no-bullshit atmosphere that makes people fall in love with bikepacking. by @vale.stuart

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6 days ago

CALDER DIVIDE 2026
The CDT follows old packhorse tracks, and last Saturday a thoroughbred and an old donkey (me) set off on the route covering 250km of West Yorkshire.
First time doing the MTB route on a MTB, first time doing the event as an informal "pair".
Thanks to Adi and the team of volunteers for a brilliant event, with a great bunch of people.

Thanks Dani for the MTB lessons, God knows how much I need them! by @vale.stuart

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9 days ago

2026 PUZZLE...
The first piece is in, now I just need to find out what goes around it.
This is going to be BIG.
1460km
36,346m+
184km-no-resupply-stretch

#tmr2026 by @vale.stuart

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8 months ago

BACK TO MOROCCO… but this time, it wasn’t a race. Or was it?
In November I went back to Morocco solo, loosely following sections of the AMR 2026 route and Kings of the Atlas on a new MTB. The idea was simple: ride slow, stop more, actually see Morocco properly.
Instead I ended up racing a storm and losing, wading through a flooded gorge for hours, hiking Telouet in daylight after first meeting it at 2am in the snow during AMR, and realising that Kings of the Atlas is a bit much for my current tech skills on a loaded bike.

It is a film about trying (and not fully managing) to slow down, riding big days anyway, and letting the mountains set the pace in the end.

🎥 Full film now on YouTube – link in bio.
Race pace or party pace… what are you choosing?

PLEASE HELP @ultracyclistsforpalestine
Please consider donating on JustGiving to support the fundraiser for Doctors Without Borders.

Some of the kit that came with me:
Frame: Santa Cruz Blur CC
Drivetrain: Shimano XT, 32t chainring / 10–51 cassette
Wheels: @beespokewheels_uk custom carbon wheelset
Tyres: @schwalbetyresuk Wicked Will (front) & Racing Ralph (rear)
Bags: @tailfincycling long top tube bag, Tailfin Bar Bag, Tailfin downtube pack
Special mention goes to 1 pair of @ciovita Apex cargo bibs short which survived the whole trip, with some help from @bum_butter

Huge thanks to Andy and @merlincycles for sorting a warranty crankset just days before I flew out and making sure this trip could actually happen.

#bikepacking #morocco #highatlas #atlasmountainrace #kingsoftheatlas by @vale.stuart

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9 months ago

CYCLING HOLIDAY - BIKEPACKING STYLE
When you plan a nice chill spin over some of Morocco highest passes, dreaming of msemmen, big views and sunshine...

Despite the challenges, this was possibly one of the best and most rewarding trips I've done on the bike.

I think this one might deserve a proper video recap.

#Morocco #bikepacking #bikepackingmorocco #kingsoftheatlas by @vale.stuart

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9 months ago

LUV DIVIDE
Credit where it’s due: a huge thank you to my wife—who doesn’t like bikes or (most) people—for putting up with me and still coming along to the event to save me from myself. I think we’re slowly converting her. There’s hope.

Massive thanks to the volunteer team (including Sarah, Milli Grace, Oli and Thea, not in the photo!) for keeping everything running smoothly while I wandered about eating pizza and drinking coffee, pretending to be useful. They’re the real reason the event worked. Simple as that.

And to everyone who came out for the weekend—too many to name—it was brilliant to see so many familiar faces and catch up.

Thank you 🫶

#tordivide by @vale.stuart

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a year ago

LAKELAND 200

Photos and thoughts, in no particular order.

“You need to want to be doing it.”
“Know your why.”
“It looks like your head isn’t in the right place.”

The closer the weekend got, the more I started second-guessing myself and wondering whether this ride made sense.

The forecast was less than ideal: rain and 40 mph winds. With a lot happening at home and at work, I hadn’t really given the ride much thought, and I wasn’t looking forward to it in the way I felt I should have been.

By Friday, I was very close to pulling the plug.

Thanks to a few honest conversations with friends, you know who you are, and with my coach Rich at @advance_cycle_coaching, I eventually decided to give it a go.

Despite a rocky start, I’m so glad I did.

After adding an extra 12 km and several hundred metres of climbing through some questionable navigation, I’m pretty happy to have finished in 26 hours and 30 minutes, especially given the conditions.

This route is tough. If you’re looking for a proper challenge on your mountain bike, look no further.

Thanks also to @peak_bikefitting for getting the new rig dialled in, and to Rick at @slickandslidesuspension for the last-minute dropper post service.

STATS
A LOT of carbs
5 Cokes
7 espressos
1 Puncture
0.5 Crashes
No music 🎶 by @vale.stuart

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3 months ago