Ascend Armenia

What is Ascend Armenia

Ascend Armenia is a self supported ultra distance bikepacking race that begins August 30th, 2024 in Yerevan, Armenia and ends approximately 8 days later later in Dilijan, Armenia.

How do I register for the race

We are now accepting registrations for Ascend Armenia

What does it cost to register for the race?

The race fee for Ascend Armenia is $300 US per racer. A non refundable deposit of $75 will be required at time of registration. The balance of your registration will be due May 31, 2023. 

What sort of cancellation policy will the race have.

If for any reason the race is unable to proceed on July 4th, 2024 we will offer racers a 50% ($150) refund of their (full) registration fee or a full deferral of their registration to the 2025 edition of the race. The initial non refundable deposit of $75 is non refundable and is intended to cover the most basic expenses that we’ve incurred building the race and developing the route over the last year.

Are you licensed and insured?

Yes. Ascend Armenia is owned, licensed, permitted, and insured locally in Armenia and will operate with local, regional, and national government approval which has already been secured. The profits of the race are expressly intended to support the growth of outdoor related and tourism jobs inside of Armenia itself.

Is Armenia safe for foreigners and travel?

Short answer: Yes!

Our race staff of local Armenians and expats live and work in Armenia and are excited to show off the beauty of Armenia, her people, and her mountains. There have been unfortunate border issues in the southeast of the country in recent years, but we have worked hard to create a route that avoids sensitive areas. Tourism in general is welcome, safe, and thriving in Armenia. We’ve personally ridden almost all of the 2024 course, and what we haven’t ridden we have driven and personally inspected with the help of local outdoorspeople and experts in Armenia.

What type of bike is best for the course?

Both typical mountain bikes and large tire clearance drop bar bikes are suitable for the Ascend Armenia course. The course will feature almost every terrain type that you can imagine so no on bike will be perfectly suited to the entire course. We scouted the course on drop bar bikes with 1x wide range drivetrains, hydraulic disc brakes, 650×2.35 or 700×2.1 tires, and had an absolute blast. We’ve also scouted many sections of the course on a traditional hardtail MTB. A traditional MTB will at many times be more comfortable than a rigid drop bar bike, but at other times a rigid drop bar bike will be faster and more efficient than an MTB. 

E-bikes are not allowed in this race.

Are there prizes for this race 

Ascend Armenia is being conducted in a timed format and winners will be celebrated, but awards will be limited to prizes such as trophies, medals, or mementos to remember achievements by.  Bikepacking racing as a genre isn’t about prizes, it’s about the experience of riding through new and challenging places while exploring your own abilities as a person.

What are the rules of the race?

Ascend Armenia is a race raced in goodwill. We chose not to bog down the race with endless specific rules, instead we appeal to all racers to adhere to a self supported mindset with a high level of integrity. Some racers will come to Armenia to win. Some racers will come to Armenia just to ride the entire course while enjoying the collective esprit de corps of the overall race field. To bend or break the race rules deprives any given rider the satisfaction of a race well run and deprives other riders from the satisfaction of fair competition. Any riders caught breaking the spirit of self supported riding will not have their finish ranked on the final race leaderboard.

• The number one rule of the race is C.S.U. or Common Sense University. If common sense suggests a deviation from the spirit of being self supported, then err on the side of caution.

• Per the categories riding Solo means riding solo and not teaming up with someone where you start to make decisions together. No two riders have the same strategy, riding habits, sleep pattern, bathroom pattern etc. A few hours together seems reasonable but beyond that you are enjoying each other’s company which is ultimately affecting the solo experience. Same goes for duo.

• A rider must follow the provided official route track from start to finish to be considered a finisher. Going off route is fine, just leave and enter the course track in the same (exact!) place. Also, the roads can change a bit from season to season so if you are not 100% on the bread crumb route track but going in the general direction you are probably fine. The route will also be challenging enough and if there is a smooth dirt road next to a washboard road take the smooth road. BUT if there is a paved road next to the dirt road track do NOT use the tarmac.  Remember safety is our biggest concern. Reference CSU…

• All hard goods/equipment must be carried from start to finish. This means no throwing or giving away of sleeping bags, rain gear etc. before you reach the finish. Although after you finish feel free to donate your equipment to a local. 🙂

• The AA Team will discuss any questionable situations and ultimately has the final say in the decision.

Medical insurance / evacuations 

Racers will be required to secure and provide evidence of medical / evacuation / emergency assistance insurance before being allowed to race. Details of requirements are outlined in the race manual.

Covid protocols

The race and racers will be required to abide by Covid protocols that are in-place at the time of the race. Covid protocols shift and evolve constantly so specific requirements (if there are any at all) will be provided to all racers as the race nears. If the race is postponed or cancelled due to Covid (or related factors) our deferment / refund policy will apply.

GPS tracking

Racers will be required to own or rent their own GPS trackers which will report to a central Trackleaders map so that positions / dots can be monitored safely. We will offer trackers for rental via trackleaders.com and will bring them to Armenia for racers that need them.

For more details check the race manual.