By A Thread - Robin Gemperle racing SRMR
30 11月 2025
Robin Gemperle closed the 2025 racing season on a high, winning the Silk Road Mountain Race (SRMR). After a season of great performances, he was still eager to chase the win of one of the toughest ultras out there.
“Silk Road Mountain Race is the chance to complete my deck. After the Transcontinental Race (TCR) and the Tour Divide (TD), I consider this the third major long ultra race and the only win missing. It might not be a big reveal, but I will try my best to change that.” – Robin Gemperle before lining up for the SRMR.
The Silk Road Mountain Race is an unforgiving ultra-distance race stretching through Kyrgyzstan and its vast steppes and rugged mountains. The riders are left exposed to the harsh conditions and unpredictable weather and must rely on their own knowledge and capabilities throughout the route. The race covers around 1,900 kilometers and includes over 30,000 meters of elevation gain, mainly on gravel roads, singletrack and old Soviet roads. The 2025 edition also included a 30-kilometer hike-a-bike through an extremely rocky section, which challenged the riders as well as their equipment.
Ultra-distance races are known to be long, tough and mentally challenging. The riders need to have endurance, the right mindset and the skills to manage unforeseen events. Signing up for a shorter ultra-race doesn’t mean it’s any easier. SRMR is almost half the distance of the Tour Divide, but given the extremes of the SRMR, it is classified as one of the toughest ultras to take on. The route through the Kyrgyzstan mountains is fixed and riders are obliged to follow it. Throughout the route, they have to manage their rest and refueling stops, all while being mindful of time, as the clock never stops. Fighting through snow and wind over big mountain passes requires a lot of endurance, strength and planning. The race has a cut-off time of 14 days; Robin Gemperle managed to finish in 6 days 20 hours and 36 minutes.
Ramping up to the SRMR, Robin placed third at Unbound XL and won the Tour Divide in a stellar time. For Robin, the Tour Divide was the highlight of his season and demanded a lot from him. Afterwards, he had to reset his mind and work hard to get back into racing mode. Having completed the Tour Divide within 11 days and 19 hours, he started to underestimate SRMR, which he expected to finish within 7 days. Understandably, this might feel short if you just compare the time spent on the bike.
Forcing himself back into racing mode, Robin landed in Osh, Kyrgyzstan, and struggled to get settled before the race. It’s not only the body that needs to be physically ready for an ultra; the mind always needs to be focused on reaching the next checkpoint and prepared for a week of riding in solitude.
“It’s funny, I know that the days leading up to the start were not really enjoyable for me. I felt lonely and wasn’t so confident about the race ahead. The first three days of racing then turned out to be quite tough; it’s only after that it became really awesome. But looking back at my three weeks in Kyrgyzstan, the feeling I have is only positive. I somehow love this way of being tricked by your mind. So I’ll be back to this one day.”
During the race, Robin encountered rough weather conditions, including thunderstorms, snow and hail. He eventually had to ask himself: is this getting dangerous or is this just discomfort? He concluded that it was the latter and pushed through to the finish line.
“With everything I do, I try to be honest and transparent. That’s why I allow myself to always state clearly what my sportive ambitions are. And that’s also why I’d like to express my deep gratitude to everybody involved in the “Fragments” and “By a thread” projects. These will be incredible pieces to look back on, whenever memories start to fade.”
Robin wrapped up a fantastic racing season with his Silk Road Mountain Race win, finishing 20 hours ahead of the rider in second place. He won’t slow down either. The 2026 racing season is taking shape and we can’t wait to follow Robin’s dot crushing more races.
Robin’s bike set-up for the 2025 eiditon of Silk Road Mountain Race:
Frameset: SCOTT Spark RC Carbon HMF
Suspension: RockShox Sid Ultimate with TwinLoc
Wheelset: Syncros Silverton SL 26mm
Handlebar: Syncros FRASER 1.0 XC 660mm with Syncros XC 1.5 Stem
Seatpost: Syncros DUNCAN Dropper Post 1.5
Saddle: Syncros Tofino V SL Cut Out
Groupset: SRAM X01 Transmission 34t Chainring, 10-52T Cassette
Tires: Maxxis Aspen 2.0
Head Unit: Garmin Edge 1040 Solar
Packs: Apidura Racing & Backcountry Series
Front Light: Supernova B54 Pro
Photos by: Lloyd Wright, Stephen Shelesky and Milan de Beer
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