This year’s edition of 45-SouthWest began with unusually cool weather—around 20°C in Poland, followed by similar conditions in Slovakia, Hungary, and Slovenia. That’s about 10 to 15 degrees colder than it was two years ago. However, the cool start didn’t last long: riders were soon hit by a heatwave in Italy, where temperatures soared to 35°C with high humidity. The heat intensified in France, reaching up to 38°C. Thankfully, the riders have been spared rain so far.
Seven riders have scratched from the race, most of them while crossing Italy. Common reasons include saddle and back pain, along with difficulty coping with the extreme heat.
Two crashes have also been reported, but fortunately neither had serious consequences. Steven went down on Day 1 after hitting gravel in a turn, and Steffen had a fall while climbing on a wet road surface. Both riders have continued their journey.
The early days of the race saw frequent changes in the lead. Eventually, Christine pulled ahead and steadily increased her gap from the rest of the field. For a while, she was moving at a pace similar to Steffen Streich’s record-setting ride two years ago. But once in Spain, the soaring temperatures took a toll, and Christine had to slow down.
Even now, rider positions continue to shift regularly—this year’s race remains as dynamic and unpredictable as ever.
Follow the riders on the tracking:
https://45southwest.com/tracking-2025/
#45sw #45southwest #endurancecycling #bikepacking #bikepackinglife #ultracycling #adventurebybike #adventurecycling #ciclismo #cyclinglife #rower #bikelife #cycling #ultraendurancecycling #krakow #tarifa #montventoux #verdon #nice #coldetende #tourmalet #picodelveleta #rusjanbag #transbikeadventures