Cycling 1,000km through Rwanda: Ten Dam, Dekker & Bolt take on the insane adventure in an endurance race

"In the summer of 2024, LSRF connected with Simon De Schutter, one of the organizers of the Race Around Rwanda—an ultra-gravel challenge covering more than 1,000 kilometers. This would be a personal challenge for each team member: Laurens aimed to win the race, Stefan wanted to complete an ultra-endurance event solo, and Thomas set out to push himself to his limits. Additionally, it was a fantastic opportunity to experience the country and immerse ourselves in the local culture," they begin in the first part of their blog.

"To acclimate to the altitude of 1,500 meters above sea level, the team arrived in Kigali two days before the race. They made good use of that time, visiting a coffee plantation and enjoying a pasta party on the evening before the event. In total, around 100 cyclists took part," including former pro Ted King, ex-pro Jelle Hanseeuw, and African riders Kenneth Karaya and Vincent Chege.

From the 5:50 AM start, the race was fast-paced. “The first 360 kilometers flew by, with five riders leading the way,” the blog continues. Ten Dam was among them but had to drop back near checkpoint one, along with King and Hanseeuw. At checkpoint two, Ten Dam took a brief rest, while Karaya pushed on without sleep. After 700 kilometers, race officials disqualified the race leader for drafting or even holding onto a motorbike.

This put Ten Dam back in contention for the win, but the following morning, disaster struck. “After an hour of rest, he crashed when transitioning from gravel to asphalt. He went over his handlebars and landed on his jaw, hitting his head hard. His front wheel was destroyed, and after riding a few hundred meters, Laurens decided to withdraw. The wheel needed a complete replacement, which was impossible, and given his head injury, it was a wise decision,” the blog explains.

Meanwhile, Ted King continued and won the 1,000-kilometer race in under 58 hours, while Dekker and Bolt struggled. Dekker faced a charger issue, while Bolt battled back pain and the challenges of high altitude. With a tightly scheduled flight back to the Netherlands on Thursday evening, it was turning into a race against the clock, concluding part one of their blog.

The next morning, Ten Dam woke up a new man, as described in part two of their blog. "The only reminder of his crash was a big blue lump on his jaw, a stiff shoulder, and a broken wheel. But no headache. Now, he turned his focus to supporting his remaining teammates, Dekker and Bolt. Thomas had just emerged from the jungle after 48 grueling hours. 'The checkpoints were his safe haven, and due to his battery issue, he could only rely on his Wahoo. In the end, he finished on Wednesday afternoon, proud and relieved.'"

That morning, Bolt—still racing against the clock to catch his flight—received the news that Ten Dam had withdrawn. His friend was now planning to support him, but the flight situation was becoming more complicated. "It was too much for Laurens, so he decided to check with KLM about rescheduling their flights two days later. Yes, it cost them some money. Yes, their families back home had to adjust their weekend plans. But this journey needed to end on a high note. The smile and relief on Stefan's face when he heard the news were unforgettable. It was still going to be an extreme effort, but now at least he had time to rest and finish what he started. On Thursday evening, he crossed the finish line in 38th place."

And he wasn’t the only one to finish on Thursday, because… Ten Dam got back on his bike, too. "The sudden change of plans he made on Wednesday later made him question his own unfinished race. He calculated the chances of getting a new wheel for his bike, being transported back to the point where he crashed after the gravel race, and completing the remaining 130 kilometers."

"He hadn't had a headache after the crash, so there were no safety concerns," the blog noted. "What started as a funny idea became reality the next morning. Before anyone knew it—except for the race organizers, who had to be informed—Laurens' dot on the tracker was moving again on Thursday morning. He finished the race later that night, around 11:00 PM. His reaction? 'I've never left anything unfinished in my life if I had the chance to complete it, and I wasn’t going to start now.' Respect, gentlemen!"