Raitt Ratasepp Begins Ultra Ride Across Europe: 5000 km in 10 Days to Estonia

Estonian ultra-endurance athlete Raitt Ratasepp started his attempt to cross Europe by bicycle in 10 days on June 16, departing from Portugal. The final destination is the port of Räpina on the shore of Lake Peipus in Estonia. Over ten days, he must cover approximately 5000 kilometers, traversing major mountain regions and several countries including Spain, France, Italy, Austria, Germany, Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia.

Ratasepp noted that the starting conditions were favorable in terms of temperature, but he faced strong crosswinds and headwinds in the first hours. He expects intense heat in the coming day, which will be one of the key challenges. He also mentioned that he aims to cover 550–600 kilometers in the first 24 hours, which would provide a strong start and a time buffer for the more difficult mountain stages ahead.

As previously reported by Rus.ERR, the route includes climbs from the Tour de France, Vuelta a España, and Giro d'Italia, and the total elevation gain will exceed even that of the Race Across America (RAAM), one of the toughest ultra-cycling races in the world. Ratasepp's team noted that this project is more flexible logistically compared to previous starts, with support provided by a camper van, allowing more efficient recovery and adaptation to route conditions.

Ratasepp previously placed fourth in the RAAM ultramarathon and sees this ride as a new phase of preparation and development aimed at improving future competition results. His finish is expected in Estonia at the port of Räpina.