“I never made it as far east as Flores when I rode through Indonesia last year, so when I heard of a new ultra race happening there I knew I had to go over and take part. For all of us who take part in ultra cycling there is a desire to explore new places and understand the world we live in through the bike a little bit more. The chance to see eastern Indonesia through a race was something I couldn’t miss.
I also wanted to ride the race because of the initiatives it supports in the local community here. In Indonesia, the further east you go the less populated it becomes and there are signs that not all the people here live with the same basic needs that we take for granted. As I looked into Lintang Flores more, I saw that part of the race entry is donated to the Stunting Prevention Community for Maumere’s Children, a condition of impaired growth from lack of adequate nutrition in children. There can be quite a contrast in ultra races in that often you’re riding very expensive equipment in places where the thought of spending so much money on a bicycle is absurd, as meeting basic necessities takes urgent precedent. I wanted to take part in an ultra race that recognises this and is actively supporting the communities whose roads we are guests on.