Between the 14th and 18th of June 2026, the cycling club Randonneurs Laponia hosted the fifth edition of Midnight Sun Randonnée. Written reports, photos and videos from cyclists who participated in the event will be added to this page during the year. [Last update 2026-08-07]

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Are Mossefinn Sandvik

Is that a hare? I mean, I know what a hare looks like, and this is one. The problem is that I don’t know if I am awake or dreaming. A second hare. Wait, let me just rest against my handlebars and nod off for a second. – Almost falling. A third hare, this one definitely real. Now definitely awake. Time to get moving again.

For the second time I found myself I Umeå getting ready for the Midnight Sun Randonée. Last year I had to abandon the ride in Arjeplog with sore ankles (and a slightly bruised ego). This time the goal again was to complete the full 1215 kms within the time limit of 91:08 hours.  For me a tough goal, which would mean completing the longest ride of my life, my record so far being the 865 kms to Arjeplog last year.

As last year I was anxious to know if I had trained and prepared well enough. I had managed to squeeze in 4500 kms on my bike since New Year, including about 1600 Zwift kms. The 2900 road kms were split between commute rides, often towing a kid in a trailer to or from kindergarten and some training rides of varying length and intensity. Longest ones being about 150 kms. Not a lot, I know, compared to many others on the starting line, but these are my numbers. Might be interesting if you are reading this report considering if MSR is something for you. I would love to write that I also went to the gym twice a week, but that would be something between an exaggeration and a blunt lie.

As last year, I opted to arrive in Umeå on the Saturday, giving only one night at the hotel and missing the Saturday coffee ride and dinner. I just hate that wait before the event even starts. SAS were kind enough to rebook my flight giving me an extra layover in Oslo, in addition to the original route via Stockholm. I was also delayed to a later flight to Umeå but arrived only one hour late with bike intact, so all good. 

The Sunday was spent relaxing in my room until the late check-out at 16:00. I tried to nap but was far too excited/anxious to manage. Annoying, since I am usually quite good at napping. After checking out, I spent some time chatting to other riders in the lobby about ride strategy and the compulsory Norway/Sweden World Cup chances. 

Soon enough I headed out to Brännland for sign-up, dinner and eventually the 23:02 start. I met fellow Norwegian riders Andreas and Tor and the time passed surprisingly fast chatting to them. Andreas had a goal of finishing below 70 hours (which he did, by a good margin at 65:08). I had been playing with a schedule for finishing below 80 hours but had also the 91:08 schedule in mind as back-up.

I secured a place in the first starting group with a plan of catching a ride with a group towards Granö. Last year a quite strong group of maybe twenty riders held together all the way to Lycksele and I was hoping for something of the same this year. I quickly found out that the front group had a pace I could not follow for long and let them go. After that I was mostly riding solo all the way to Granö. A quick stop there for the energy ball and some coffee and further towards Lycksele, partly in a pair with a polish rider, but after some time I realized also his speed was too high for me, given the long distance ahead. 

I arrived in Lycksele at 03:43, on time with my schedule, had two sandwiches, some apple juice and coffee and headed on towards the secret checkpoint. Another rider asked if I was tired, which I confirmed. Looking at myself in the mirror, I understood his question; I looked really, really tired already. Not a good sign. 

Due to road maintenance, the leg from Lycksele this year had a detour of about 12 kms, putting the total length to about 1230 kms. Not long after leaving Lycksele, the first wave of tiredness set in. I was not expecting to be this tired so early on the ride, but what can you do? I made it to the secret checkpoint, had a sandwich, a cookie and some coffee and rode further on, mostly slightly downhill towards Vilhelmina.

Arriving in Vilhelmina at 10:42 was already an hour behind last year’s scheme and I also realized I needed a nap. I allowed myself half an hour of sleep before moving on. The sleep helped on the tiredness, which did not come back until after Kittelfjäll, but my speed soon dropped to a sluggish pace. Rider after rider passed by and I was now starting to count hours backwards from the finishing limit at 18:00 on Thursday to count how many hours of rest I could allow myself. Anything below 91:08 was now my plan.

On the long flats along lake Malgomaj, I was passed by a Swedish rider I had talked to in the lobby before start. I could inform him about Sweden’s 5-1 victory over Tunisia. He already knew. 

After leaving road 1067 at Stalon, the first real climb began. The landscape changed from forests to more arctic highlands, which was a relief. The road then descended towards Dikanäs and then Kittelfjäll, where I arrived at 19:36. Now well behind last year’s schedule. Had a bit too much of the pasta carbonara but managed to get myself back on the bike and on towards my booked hotel room in Hattfjelldal. On this leg the tiredness returned, and I had to stop several times not to fall asleep on my bike. After seeing (or not) the three hares I took a power nap resting on my bike and woke up enough to make my way to Hattfjelldal, arriving at 02:26. Dead tired, I skipped the soup to maximize time in bed. 

I had planned to spend at most four hours in Hattfjelldal, but realized more sleep was needed, so I allowed myself a good five hours of sleep, had some breakfast and was rolling again at 08:46. I now felt quite good, awake and with fairly fresh legs. The leg from Hattfjelldal to Mo i Rana is a hilly one, and I think this was the one that killed my Achilles’ tendons last year. I was conscious about gearing down and taking as many of the small hills on a low gear, sitting on my saddle as possible and I think it worked. The speed was still on the sluggish side, but I was making progress. I stopped at the gas station in Korgen for a hamburger, soda and chocolate and moved on to the at this time of day heavily trafficked E6 making my way to Mo.

Arriving Scandic Meyergaarden in Mo at 15:42, the checkpoint was now officially closed (this does not mean you are out of the race, only the finishing time in Umeå counts for completing). I did not get a stamp in my brevet card, only a signature, but more importantly, there was still food in the fridge. I ate the meal and moved on, feeling I could now finally start to make up time compared to last year. 

On the way out of Mo I stopped to resupply some energy bars and sweets at a gas station, knowing I would probably not reach the checkpoint at the Arctic Circle Centre in time. I was not worried about getting the stamp but knew there would be few chances to eat between Mo and Vouggatjålme. On my way up the Dunderland Valley, leading up to the Saltfjellet mountain plateau I was happy when I saw a sign saying, “buffet dinner open” and went in at a camping place with a restaurant. The place was open, but the buffet was closed. However, the place was quite crowded with camping guests and locals gearing up for the Norway-Iraq World Cup game. Not fancying a beer (or honestly, I fancied more than one, but that would definitely cost me any hopes of finishing below 91:08, better wait until the finish line), I carried on towards the Arctic Circle checkpoint now knowing for sure I would miss the 20:28 checkpoint closing time and more importantly the 21:30 kitchen closing time. To my great relief, the center was still open when I arrived at 21:59. Not only did I get my brevet card stamped, but they also still had wraps for MSR contestants, an open kiosk and I was allowed to stay for half an hour. As I rolled out at 22:32 the girl in the kiosk was still trying to close as other MSR riders rode in. Poor girl, she was way too kind, allowing also them to come in for a wrap and some rest.

The leg between the Arctic Circle and Vouggatjålme is scenic but without any towns or stores. At night it felt long and I knew there was a long climb towards the Swedish border. I rode for some time in a group with two or three other riders, but after exiting the E6 I was mostly on my own. On the way up the seemingly endless climb towards Sweden, I remembered the World Cup game and used that as an excuse to stop. Norway was up 2-1 after two Haaland goals. Phew. I rode on uphill and after about twenty minutes I made a new stop. 3-1, this time Østigård. Another rider saw me stopping and gave me a sweet; I must have looked quite worn-out. The sweet and the game result filled me with enough energy to climb the rest of the hill, and I made it to Vuoggatjålme at 04:28, eight minutes before the checkpoint was closing. I got a bed in one of the cabins reserved for contestants and slept until about 08:00. After waking up I remembered to check the final score. Norway had beaten Iraq 4-1 and were off to a good start. Wohoo!

Checking out from Vuoggatjålme at 08:28, I was now finally one hour ahead of last year’s schedule, although at this time last year, I had basically given up and was only going to Arjeplog to get a better bus connection. About 200 metres from Vuoggatjålme I had a flat tire. How typical. I threw in a spare tube and continued to the ICA in Jäkkvik, a surprisingly large and well-equipped grocery store. Resupplied with snacks and had a hot dog and a coffee before continuing to Arjeplog. Realizing also my spare tube was leaking, I made several stops to fill up with air and arrived Arjeplog at 14:39. Now I had only one tube left before I had to resort to patches. I asked at the hotel which stores in Arjeplog had bike parts and got some suggestions, but after checking both the gas station and a hardware store with negative outcome, I skipped checking the flower store, which also sort of doubled as a bike store. Presto valves were not a thing in Arjeplog, it seemed. The tube and patches would have to hold. 

Another uneventful leg followed and I arrived at Sorsele at 20:52. I had counted hours as best as I could and allowed myself to rest until 00:30. I left at 00:20 knowing I now had to ride all the 260 kms to Umeå without sleeping. 

Riding along the Vindel river was cold at this time of night. I put on all the cothes I had but was still cold. This was a bit strange, as the weather forecast said the temperature was around 7-8 degrees, normally not a problem. I guess I was low on my reserves, and my body could not really spare any energy for heating, or the forecast was wrong. 

This leg was the most challenging mentally. The long stretches of forest went on forever, but I finally made it to the secret checkpoint. I threw in a quick hotdog and moved on before I was eaten alive by mosquitoes. Now tiredness was a real problem. I had problems focusing and several times almost nodded off while riding. Deciding this was not any longer safe, I stopped at a rest area and lay down on a bench, only to be woken up by some children shouting “Mommy, there is a man sleeping here!” Not eager to explain the situation, I moved on but was still almost as tired. Realising I needed more sleep I then stopped at a lay-by, put my bike as sort of a barrier between myself and the road, used my luggage bag as a pillow and lay down on the asphalt. This time heavy sleep hit me instantly and I “strayed out of thought and time”, to quote a famous, white-bearded wizard. I woke up hearing music completely lost of my own whereabouts. A car had stopped next to me to check if I was ok and loud music came out from the rolled-down window. I confirmed that I was ok with a quick thumbs-up and quickly got onto my bike. My watch revealed I had slept for about 45 minutes, and I now felt completely rested.

My head was now clear; my focus was back but my speed was still sluggish. Checking my pulse data afterwards, I had problems pushing my pulse above 120 the last two days, somehow explaining my problems going at my normal riding speed.

A rather quick stop for some palt in Åmsele and I was finally on the last leg to Umeå. I now had some slack on getting to the finish line in time, so I just rode on quite relaxed. 

On the outskirts of Umeå I met Andreas and Tor again. They had finished long before me, rested and were now on their way back to Brännland to pick up their car before driving back home to Trondheim. I stopped for a photo before riding the last few kms to the finish line. I arrived at Scandic Plaza at 16:50 giving me a finishing time of 89:48, well in time for the cut-off. After some beers in the lobby, I went to bed. I had made it!

For those planning to ride and maybe aiming at the 91:08 cut-off, my ride details on eBrevet may be of interest. Also see Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/18972366861.

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Heinrich Neumann

Prolog
Die gesundheitlichen und sonstigen Lebensumstände lassen auch für 2026 eine lange, weite Sommerradtour allein (d.h. ohne meine liebe Frau) zu. 

Im Herbst 2025 gab es im Velomobilforum einen regelrechten Hype um das Midnight Sun Randonnée (14.- 18. Juni) sodass ich beschloss, dies zum Zentrum meiner Tour zu machen (und dafür auf den Versuch, North Cape Tarifa abzuschließen zu verzichten).1

Die Idee, auf eigener Achse zum Start und vom Ziel zu radeln hatte ich nicht alleine. Manche Velonauten planten, alleine gar bis aus Bayern und der Schweiz anzureisen, es bildeten sich mehrere Gruppen und auch eine Fahrgemeinschaft mit Ford Transit und Anhänger.

Konkret plante ich, mit meinem bewährten Langstreckenpartner Norfiets und ChristianW in zwei Tagen von Nordhorn nach Travemünde zu radeln, mit der Fähre nach Helsinki überzusetzen, und in 2½ weiteren Tagen nach Waasa zu kommen. Von dort gibt es eine weitere Fähre fast direkt nach Umeå. Zwischenzeitlich ergab es sich, dass Norfiets und ich ChristianW erst am Ende des ersten Tages in Soltau am Hotel treffen würden.

Anreise
Norbert brach bei kühlem Wetter in Nottuln auf und kam nassgeregnet in Nordhorn an. Es war so kurz vor dem Ziel und gerade so wenig Regen, dass er zwar die Regenjacke anzog aber der Schaumdeckel verstaut blieb.

Tag 1
Die direkte BRouter Strecke hatte ich am Anfang modifiziert um meinen Freunden etwas zu bieten 😉 Nach spätem Frühstück, um dem Regengebiet Zeit zum Abziehen zu lassen, ging es los. Nach dem Wellenritt über den Moorweg bei Füchtenfeld querten wir die Ems auf der neuen, Radfahrern und Fußgängern vorbehaltenen, Fährbrücke südlich von Meppen und nahmen uns für die erste Pause die Hüvener Mühle vor. Diese wird gerade renoviert, die Galerie ist abgenommen und die neuen Windflügel noch nicht montiert, sodass sie etwas traurig und gerupft aussah. Kaffee und Kuchen nur nach Voranmeldung. Aber ein Eis konnten wir bekommen und mit dem alten Ex-Berliner Menschen an der Aufsicht ein bisschen quatschen. Bei dem fast trockenen, relativ kühlen Wetter ließ es sich gut fahren. Mittagspause in Löningen, Treffen mit ChristianW am Hotel gegen 20:45, Duschen, noch etwas zu Essen finden. Ein Guter Tag! 

Montag das Hotelfrühstück mitgenommen und um 8:30 aufgebrochen. Rauschende Abfahrt in die Elbmarsch. Erste richtige Pause in Lauenburg bei einer Bäckerei. Am steilen Stück des Radwegs (direkt senkrecht die Gestkante hoch natürlich) sprang die Kette im 1. Gang auf dem kleinen KB, gut zu wissen und auf dem Rest der Reise zu vermeiden. Also die Hände schmutzig gemacht und ein Stück geschoben. Hinter Mölln auf Lübeck zu leitete uns brouter am Kanal entlang auf meist gut fahrbaren Radrouten mit sehr wenig Verkehr. 

Am Holstentor waren wir mit Tilmann von der Radelbande verabredet, der uns mit Kaffee und Franzbrötchen erwartete. Es entstanden bei sehr schönem Wetter etliche schöne Bilder vor historischer Kulisse und dann brachen wir auf, mit einem Schlenker durch die Altstadt über Dassow und den Priwall nach Travemünde zur Fähre zu kommen. Dabei verbog ich mir in der Königstraße beim Versuch auf den Bürgersteig zu kommen, um einen Bus zu überholen, noch den Querlenker, das ließ sich aber mit den vereinigten Werkzeugen schnell wieder geradebiegen.

Eine Eispause dann noch im Outpost, Fotoshooting an der Passat (die anderen beiden, mein Handy war grad leer), Abendessen draußen im Restaurant in der Vorderreihe (die Möwe hat zu Glück nur den leeren Teller getroffen ;-D.) und dann etwas kreuz und quer zum Fährterminal. Immer wieder interessant, wen man auf dem Fahrradstreifen an der Fähre so trifft. Den extremen Solisten, das Pärchen auf dem Pino, den Briten aus Helsinki auf dem historischen Motorroller …

Ruhetag
In der kleinen Kabine arrangieren wir uns schnell, alle Akkus werden geladen, die Vollpension ist unser Unterhaltungsprogramm. Außen auf Deck ist es für längere Aufenthalte definitiv zu ungemütlich. Die Stimmung im Restaurant kippt beim letzten Frühstück vor der Ankunft: Die Bedienungen passen mit Argusaugen auf, dass niemand etwas von Buffet einsteckt. (Es braucht tatsächlich 3 (drei!) Anläufe, bis etwas in meine Brotdose gelangt.

Tag 4
ChristianW hatte sich von Claude eine sight seeing Route durch Helsinki vorschlagen lassen, die uns an vielen Sehenswürdigkeiten vorbei ganz gut fahren ließ. Höhepunkt war der Berg mit der Kathedrale, Ende bei einem alten Ruderclub an der Ostsee.

Bei ziemlich sonnigem Wetter kostete das aber doch Kraft und Zeit. So machten wir uns erst gegen Mittag ernsthaft auf den Weg, schnell auf der Fahrradroute nach Norden, sehr ähnlich der, auf der ich vor 2 Jahren in die Stadt hineingekommen war. An einer Baustelle verloren wir uns und schon dort war in der Sonne stehen und warten einmal eher unangenehm warm. Außerhalb der großen Stadt kamen zunächst breite Hauptstraßen mit schnellem Autoverkehr. Die Lang-LKW mit 5- oder 6 achsigen Anhängern waren zunächst gewöhnungsbedürftig. Die Autofahrer waren aber fast alle ziemlich rücksichtsvoll. Einkäufe und Erfrischung an einem Supermarkt am Straßenrand, gegen 20 Uhr dann Pizza in einem Imbiss (bevor auf einmal alles geschlossen hat). Dort dann nach Biwakmöglichkeiten geschaut (Shelter sind in der Gegend scheinbar nicht dicht gesät) und auf Google Maps einen Vogelbeobachtungsturm gefunden, der auf den Bildern geeignet zu sein schien. Zu seinen Füßen gab es dann auch noch ein Infohäuschen, das wir bevorzugten.

Tag 5
Der Wetterbericht kündigte für den Abend in Westfinnland ein ordentliches Regengebiet an, also beschlossen wir bis Waasa durchzufahren und reservierten schon einmal ein Hotel in Hafennähe. Abfahrt um kurz nach 6, zunächst gehörten die Straßen uns allein, zwischen 7 und 8 waren dann ziemlich viele Leute zur Arbeit unterwegs.

Mittagspause auf der Terasse eines Seerestaurants und 60km vor Waasa unbedingt noch ein Pizzastop, um das letzte Stück auch noch zu packen. Hier kam auch noch einmal ein Anstieg auf den Kraterrand: in der Gegend liegt der Söderfarsbacken, der Krater nach einem Meteoriteneinschlag vor langer Zeit. Dessen topfebener Grund wird intensiv belandwirtschaftet. Am anderen Ende war es nicht ganz so hoch und steil und ging dann in die Außenbezirke von Waasa über. Im Trockenen im Hotel angekommen, rechtzeitig, um noch eine Runde in der Sauna zu entspannen. Und Nachts kam tatsächlich der Regen.

Tag 6
Und am nächsten Vormittag regnete es stundenlang weiter. Daher hatte keiner Lust auf eine Stadtrundfahrt. Wir schlugen die Zeit bis mittags tot und fuhren dann das kurze Stück bis zum Fährhafen. Dort war das Warten noch langweiliger. Wir fragten 3 Leute, wie wir es anstellen sollten, aufs Schiff zu fahren und erhielten 5 Anweisungen, schlussendlich ging es aber auf der Autospur ins Gelände und dann wurden wir eingewiesen, easy peasy. Auf der Fähre wieder das Buffet, mit einem Tisch am Fenster in Fahrtrichtung auf Schären, Inseln, Schiffe, Himmel und Meer- sehr sehr schön! Vom Hafen nach Umeå haben wir uns ein paar Mal verfahren, zuerst musste ich aber meinen Hinterreifen aufpumpen. Falscher Abzweig im Industriehafen. Dann war es schwer die Radroute zu finden und wir fuhren ein großes Stück auf der vierspurigen Hauptstraße. Schließlich das Hotel gefunden, dann auch die Einfahrt zur Tiefgarage. Eintauchen in die Blase der Randonneure und Velonauten. Sehr gute Stimmung.

Vor dem Start
Samstagvormittag nahm ich mit den meisten am Coffee Ride teil. Toll organisiert in kleinen Gruppen mit je einem Ortskundigen am Anfang und Ende. So lernten wir die Strecke zum Startort und die letzten Kilometer des Brevets im Stadtbereich kennen. Mittagspause in einem süßen alten Haus am See mit wirklich leckerem Essen und Kuchen. Da ich zu faul war, mir den Track herunterzuladen und ich mich auf die Gruppe verließ, bekam ich auf der Rückfahrt zum Brännland Inn Probleme, als ich den Abzweig verpasste. Als mir schwante, dass etwas nicht stimmte traf ich auf andere Randonneure, die den See ganz umrundet hatten. Die Franzosen mit dem Tandem (Madame fuhr aber während des Brevets das Wohnmobil), dann Sarah Kekus aus Schottland, mit der ich beim Frühstück schon geplaudert hatte. Bergab war ich dann doch wieder zu schnell -und schon wieder falsch abgebogen. Der Hinterreifen brauchte schon wieder Luft, Frust und Hitze… Schließlich doch auf der richtigen parallelen Straße nach Brännland gelangt und dann gab es auch bald das Dinner Büffet.

Das Brevet
Spät viel frühstücken. Irgendwann aus dem Hotel auschecken. Vorher aussondern, welche Klamotten ich nicht mitnehmen, sondern nach dem Brevet wieder abholen wollte. Da fiel mir fast nichts ein, das Rad blieb also so schwer. Umziehen nach Brännland, vor dem Start Dichtmilch nachgefüllt. Damit war meine Reserve verbraucht. Unterwegs beim Fahrradladen noch Dichtmilch und einen weiteren Schlauch fürs Hinterrad gekauft. Der sog. Kaiserschmarrn als Lunch war das schwächste, was wir an Verpflegung angeboten bekamen. Dann versucht zu ruhen und zu schlafen, mit mäßigem Erfolg. Die ersten Gruppen auf die Reise geschickt, dann Startaufstellung der Velomobile und los gings!

Tag 1 
Es ging gleich in steilen Haken über den Fluss- deutlich anders, als der Coffee Ride. Ich habe versucht nach Leistungsmesser ruhig zu fahren und habe einige andere VM ziehen lassen. Bald kamen aber Rennradler in Sicht. Es lief gut und fast trocken bis zur ersten Kontrolle. Die Schokokugel war ja lecker, aber als ernst zu nehmendes Futter viel zu wenig. Gut, wenn man was eigenes dabei hat. Rasch weiter. 

Die zweite Etappe lief ebenfalls gut, im Hotell Lappland sollte es ein Sandwichbuffet geben. Tatsächlich gab es belegte Brötchen und etwas Obst. Dass die Brötchen abgezählt waren erfuhren wir rel. frühen Ankömmlinge nicht. Immerhin hatte ich mir nicht noch eins in die Brotdose gepackt. Auf der dritten Etappe gab es eine Baustelle, sodass eine alternative Route bekannt gegeben worden war. Manche der schnellen VMs hatten dies nicht beachtet und mussten in der Baustelle wieder umkehren. Die Umleitung lief ansteigend auf einer schmalen Straße durch den Wald, ziemlich hübsch und wohl in den zukünftigen Ausgaben des MSR der neue Standard. Auf der originalen Strecke angekommen ging es auf einer rößeren Straße stetig bergauf. Am höchsten Punkt befand sich dann die Geheimkontrolle mit einem lustigen Brot, etwas Süßen, Kaffee. Sehr willkommen!

Von dort ging es noch eine ganze Weile mit wenigen Gegenanstiegen bergab nach Vilhelmina (nur das Hotel mit der Kontrolle schreibt sich mit „W“). Ich war schon die ganze Zeit, jetzt aber wirklich, sehr müde. Die Ruhepausen am Sonntag waren nicht wirklich erfolgreich. Nach dem (reichlichen, guten!) Essen habe ich also ein Bett ergattert und erst einmal etwas geschlafen. Vor dem Aufbruch an der Rezeption noch einen Kaffee und ein Eis gekauft.

Zähne geputzt. Dann noch irgendetwas vergessen. Ich weiß nicht, wie oft ich zur Tür raus bin und dachte, jetzt ginge es los. Schließlich war ich bereit (immer noch ziemlich müde) und hatte alles beisammen. Das Wahoo ging beim Laden des nächsten Tracks aus und brauchte Ewigkeiten, bis es wieder hoch gelaufen war. Um in dieser Zeit keine Abzweigung zu verpassen, stellte ich mich erst noch einmal in eine Einfahrt- zur Verwunderung von @Madeba, der inzwischen an mir vorbeifuhr. Auf der 4. Etappe ging es erst weiter rel. flach flussaufwärts durch die Wälder. Dann kamen aber teils noch schneebedeckte Berge in Sicht und es waren einige Anstiege zu bewältigen. Auf einer der Zwischenabfahrten erreichte ich meine Maximalgeschwindigkeit von 106km/h, der Schnitt auf diese Etappe lag trotzdem nur bei 23,7. Als ich die Gaststube in Kittelfjäll erreichte, war die Schließung, also das Zeitlimit schon erreicht. Auf ein Bett verzichtete ich, aber pustetete meine Luftmatratze auf und versuchte auf dem Boden etwas zu schlafen.

Um 22:30 startete ich die Uhr wieder. Jetzt gings auf dem Fjäll hinüber nach Norwegen. In der Tendenz angeblich bergab, aber wellig, zäh und immer wieder steil bergan, oft auf dem kleine Blatt. Hier hatte ich (den) einen Kettenabwurf, zu dem ich anhalten und Aussteigen musste. So, wie die Kette blockierte tippte ich darauf, dass sie auch hinten abgefallen und links der Cassette eingeklemmt war. @HurriChristoph, der gerade vorbeizog und Hilfe anbot, fand aber heraus, dass sich vorne vor dem Leertrumrohr zwei Krangel gebildet hatten. Also ging es bald weiter. Schöne Aussichten übers Fjäll! Ein Birkhuhn auf der Straße! Aber ermüdend.

Tag 2
Gegen 2:45 treffe ich in Hattfjelldal ein, wieder todmüde. Essen. Versuchen zu schlafen. Dann „Frühstück nur für Menschen, die ein Zimmer genommen haben. Also weiter, Start fast genau um 6:00 Uhr. Ein ordentlicher Anstieg aufs Fjell, danach 400 m runter zum Fjord und dann flach schien das Konzept der Etappe zu sein. Es gab aber viele, steile! Gegenanstiege und Zwischenabfahrten. Teils auch mit Schotterstücken. Dazu eine Warnung an die nachfolgenden abgesetzt. 

Kleine Wanderung über die alte Brücke über den reißenden Fluss und Biopause im Gebüsch. Unten auf der Hauptstraße mit viel und Schwerverkehr. Ankunft in Mo 2 Stunden vor dem Zeitlimit. OTL ist auch ein ehrenhaftes Ergebnis. Ich brauchte wirklich Ruhe. Also ein Zimmer genommen, das günstigste lag im historischen Teil des Hotels mit Bad, das über den Flur zu erreichen war. Egal. Duschen. Herrlich!. Alle Akkus an die Ladegeräte. Schlafen! Zeitlimit? In der Erwartung, dass die Strecke so anspruchsvoll bliebe. Egal. Die frischen Klamotten anziehen, alles wieder einsammeln. 

Lebensmittel einkaufen. Nach einem Supermarkt gefragt, unmittelbar vor dem Einkaufszentrum. Der Coop ist aber im Nachbargebäude… .‘

Um 15:30 Aufbruch. Unmittelbar am Anfang des Tracks wäre auch ein kleiner Supermarkt gewesen, da wo es gleich steil aufwärts geht- natürlich. 

Ich hatte zu Hause beschlossen, die langen Anstiege seien alle nicht steil und müssten also gut und gleichmäßig zu bewältigen sein. Vor dem Start unterhielten sich aber Fritz (?) und ein, zwei andere über „7-10% durchgehend“, was ich auf den Anstieg zum Arctic Circle Center bezog und was mir jetzt große Sorgen machte. Denn so richtig fit war ich trotz Ruhepause im Hotel natürlich nicht (Stamina nach der Pause immerhin wieder 25!). Nun gut. Am Fuße dess Anstiegs gab es noch einmal eine Rastmöglichkeit, Touri Wrap mit Rentier und Beeren und ein Kaffee kann auch kaum jemals schaden. Und dann fuhr sich das Ding gut! Meist auf dem großen Blatt und mit Spaß.

Ankunft am Artic Circle Center 21:15 nur noch 45 min nach Zeitlimit. Tür offen, Laden und Cafeteria geschlossen, aber den Wrap und die Waffel und Kaffee satt gab es noch. Mit einem Pärchen geplascht die ich erst für Randonneure hielt, die mich aber mit dem Auto überholt hatten. Der übliche VM Plausch: klein und niedrig; ja das Licht sieht man gut … Mit Schließung des Center ging es weiter, flach auf dem Fjäll lief es schon sehr gut, dann die rauschende Abfahrt mit dem goldenen Licht der Mitternachtssonne im Dunst, der das Tal ausfüllte- magisch.

Unten Tunnelbaustelle, Umleitung des Radwegs auf der alten Straße ins Junkerdal. DAS war der gleichmäßige, steile Anstieg. Und er ließ sich in einem Rutsch meist im 2. (dem kleinsten nutzbaren) Gang durchfahren. Super gut fühlte sich das an. Der nächste Anstieg zur schwedischen Grenze war wieder von der gemäßigten Sorte. #Norfiets stand irgendwo am Rand und machte ein Schläfchen. War ich alter Sack doch noch nicht so abgeschlagen. Schließlich lief es in Schweden wieder abwärts und letztendlich kam der Campingplatz in Vuoggatjålme in Sicht. Nur die Rumpelpiste dahin war noch zu überwinden. Essen und Einweisung gab es von einer sehr netten Französin. Als ich bei der Hütte ankam, die @ChristianW vorgebucht hatte, waren er und @HurriChristoph gerade dabei aufzuwachen und aufzubrechen. Bis ich im Bett lag, war @Norfiets glaub ich auch schon da. Das Waschhaus habe ich ihm jedenfalls irgendwann gezeigt. Duschen fand ich nicht nötig.

Tag 3
Gemeinsam mit @Norfiets bereitete ich mich auf die Abfahrt vor. Ich erschlich noch ein Frühstück mit Rührei, weil ich das Foto des Frühstücks von Christian und Christoph zusammen mit der Aussage der Französin, morgen könne man ein Frühstück kaufen so verstanden hatte. Der Chef war sehr unglücklich damit, bereitete das bei sich zu Hause zu- und wir sollten es dann nicht einmal bezahlen.

Also los! Nein, erst einmal hinten nachpumpen… Es lief gut auf dem flachen Stück. Das Wetter war sonnig und warm, aber nicht zu heiß. Bevor die Pyramide im Höhenprofil anfing machten wir am Flussufer eine Kaffeepause. Wofür hatte ich den Gaskocher denn mitgenommen, oder? Und bei Ankunft in Arjeplog war das Zeitlimit wieder greifbar! Welch ein Festmahl dort, Kartoffelsalat und Roastbeef satt! Zum Nachtisch am Supermarkt noch ein Eis. Dann vor der Weiterfahrt Sonnenschutz aufgelegt. Dazu die Uhr abgelegt. Und erst einmal vergessen. Also nach einem knappen km wieder umgedreht, Norbert fuhr weiter. Nun, den holte ich irgendwann auch wieder ein.

Auf dem wirklich flachen schnellen nächsten Stück fühlte ich mich wieder ziemlich gut. Highlight war die Rentierherde, die die Straße überquerte, als wir gerade vorbeikamen. Mit Glöckchengebimmel und süßen Kälbern. Ankunft in Sorsele um 19:00Uhr fast 3 Stunden VOR dem Zeitlimit, yeah! @Norfiets musste dort etwas schlafen, ich fühlte mich (noch) nicht danach. Wieder alleine im Wald musste der Hinterreifen schon wieder nachgepumpt werden. Den Gangschaltungshebel habe ich auch etwas festgezogen. Und beim Versuch die C- Schraube etwas weiter reinzudrehen um die Kette nachzuspannen brach mir der kleine Inbus am Multitool ab. Pech. Schönes goldenes Licht mit langen,langen Schatten. Und irgendwann kam die Geheimkontrolle am Fluss. Die mussten mich richtig nötigen, zur Hütte ans Wasser runterzugehen, ich war drauf und dran auf der Suche nach einem Biwakplatz weiterzufahren. Biwakieren durfte ich dann in der Hütte am Wasser auf der Bank. Einmal hatte ich das Gefühl, ich stürze gleich ab, aber es ist doch nichts passiert.

Tag 4
Etwas erholt (Stamina 15%) breche ich knapp 2 Stunden später wieder auf. @Madeba und @Norfiets sind laut Tracker und Threemagruppe eine Stunde hinter mir. Dort zu warten macht keinen Sinn, denn sie werden die Pause wieder brauchen. Also rolle ich weiter. Dass kleine große Ego sagt: jetzt durchziehen und etliche Stunden früher im Ziel sein. Aber ich bin ja sowieso bei den Langsamen. Da kann ich auch bei der letzten Kontrolle in Amsele so lange warten, bis sie angekommen und abfahrbereit sind. Es sind noch gut 150 km und fast 18 Stunden. Alle Zeit der Welt also. Milangeschwader heißt jetzt der Plan! 

Also liege ich in Åmsele an der Grillhütte auf einer Bank in der Sonne, lade Wahoo und Handy nach, unterhalte mich nett mit dem Liechtensteiner Kontrolleur und den anderen Randonneuren und endlich kommen sie. Klar erst einmal etwas Schlafen, kein Problem. Dann haben wir noch einen Supermarktstop für Kaffee und Eis gemacht. Ich hatte erst gedacht,@Madeba sei am erschöpftesten, aber der fuhr munter und zügig. Nein @Norfiets war echt groggy aber wir kamen gegen 15:00 Uhr in Umeå am Hotel an und hatten somit über 3 Stunden Zeitreserve. Vor lauter Willkommen von den schon erholten Vorankömmlingen mit Zielbier und Geschichten dauerte es etwas, bis wir die Formalitäten mit der Brevetkarte erledigten und unsere Medaille abholten. Dann die Räder versorgen und aufs Zimmer. Duschen, Ruhen, gemeinsames Abendessen im Hotel.

Midsomar und Heimreise
Beim Abendessen fühlte ich mich ziemlich schäbig, weil ich aus familiären Gründen die Rückreise im Velomobil durch Schweden absagte. Es wurde also hin und her diskutiert, wer jetzt mit wem wie zusammen fahren könnte. Schließlich fand sich für jeden eine Lösung, so dass mein Gewissen wieder etwas entlastet war.

Am Freitag war Midsomar, und Florian Kynman hatte als letzten Programmpunkt den Besuch eines traditionellen Midsomarfestes ins Programm genommen. Mit „Maibaum“, live Musik und großen Rundtanz, hinterher Angelspiel für die Kinder… . Sehr sehr süß! Die Randonneure wurde von Florian mit einem handfesten Picknick versorgt.

Für die 20 km kurze Radfahrt dorthin musste ich meinen Hinterreifen schon zweimal aufpumpen. Wenn ich nicht mit Fritz und seinem Sohn Moritz verabredet hätte, dass die beiden mich dort mit dem Auto abholten, hätte ich mich langsam ernsthaft um den Reifen kümmern müssen.

So brachen wir gegen 18:00Uhr zu dritt mit zwei VM auf dem Dach auf Richtung Willebadessen. Mit drei Fahrern konnten wir, abgesehen von Tankstops, durchfahren und waren Samstag abend schon angekommen. @Stokerin erwartete uns mit Zielbier und Grillfest, eine geruhsame Nacht im Hexenhaus, ein langes Gespräch beim ausgdehnten Frühstück und gegen Mittag machte ich mich auf die letzte Etappe. Zuvor hatte ich mit Fritz den Hinterreifen mit mehr DocBlue und einigen Baumwollflocken versehen- und nun hält er wieder gut dicht!

Den Anstieg von Willebadessen nach Altenbeken bin ich nach dem Flèche Allemagne 2019 (?) mit Norbert zusammen gefahren und erinnere mich gut, wie schwer mir das damals fiel. Bei meinen Hexen bin ich vielleicht nie so weit gekommen? Es war, trotz Wärme und Mittagssonne jedenfalls diesmal kein Problem. Im Anschluss hatte der Hexenmeister mir exquisite Nebenstraßen und Wirtschaftswege in den Track gezaubert- Danke dafür!

Heinrich Neumann – English

Prologue
My health and other circumstances mean that, in 2026 too, I’ll be able to go on a long, far-reaching summer cycling tour on my own (i.e. without my dear wife).

In autumn 2025, there was a real buzz on the Velomobilforum about the Midnight Sun Randonnée (14–18 June), so I decided to make this the centrepiece of my tour (and to forego my attempt to complete the North Cape–Tarifa route).1

I wasn’t the only one who had the idea of cycling to the start and from the finish under my own steam. Some velonauts were planning to travel alone all the way from Bavaria and Switzerland; several groups formed, as well as a carpool using a Ford Transit and trailer.

Specifically, I planned to cycle from Nordhorn to Travemünde in two days with my tried-and-tested long-distance partner Norfiets and ChristianW, take the ferry to Helsinki, and reach Vaasa in a further 2½ days. From there, there’s another ferry that goes almost straight to Umeå. In the meantime, it turned out that Norfiets and I wouldn’t meet up with ChristianW until the end of the first day at the hotel in Soltau.

Day 1
I’d tweaked the direct BRouter route at the start to give my friends something to look forward to 😉 After a late breakfast – to give the rain a chance to clear – we set off. After a bumpy ride along the moorland path near Füchtenfeld, we crossed the Ems on the new ferry bridge south of Meppen – reserved for cyclists and pedestrians – and headed for the Hüvener Mühle for our first break. It’s currently being renovated; the gallery has been taken down and the new sails haven’t been fitted yet, so it looked a bit forlorn and stripped back. Coffee and cake were available by prior arrangement only. But we managed to get an ice cream and have a bit of a natter with the elderly former Berliner working at the ticket office. The almost dry, relatively cool weather made for a pleasant ride. Lunch break in Löningen, met up with ChristianW at the hotel around 8.45 pm, had a shower, and found something else to eat. A good day!

On Monday, we took the hotel breakfast to go and set off at 8.30. A thrilling descent into the Elbmarsch. First proper break in Lauenburg at a bakery. On the steep section of the cycle path (rising almost vertically up the bank, of course), the chain jumped off in first gear on the small chainring – good to know, and something to avoid for the rest of the trip. So we got our hands dirty and pushed the bike for a bit. Beyond Mölln, heading towards Lübeck, BRouter guided us along the canal on cycle routes that were mostly easy to ride with very little traffic.

We’d arranged to meet Tilmann from the Radelbande at the Holstentor, where he was waiting for us with coffee and Franzbrötchen. In lovely weather, we took plenty of lovely photos against the historic backdrop, and then we set off, taking a detour through the old town via Dassow and the Priwall to reach the ferry at Travemünde. On the way, whilst trying to get onto the pavement on Königstraße to overtake a bus, I managed to bend the wishbone, but we were able to straighten it out quickly using all our tools.

We then stopped for an ice cream at the Outpost, had a photo shoot by the Passat (the other two – my mobile was out of battery at the time), had dinner al fresco at the restaurant in the front row (luckily, the seagull only hit the empty plate ;-D) and then meandered our way to the ferry terminal. It’s always interesting to see who you bump into on the cycle lane by the ferry. The extreme solo rider, the couple on the Pino, the Brit from Helsinki on his vintage scooter …

Rest Day
We quickly settle into the small cabin; all the batteries are charged, and the full-board meals provide our entertainment. Out on deck, it’s definitely too uncomfortable to stay for any length of time. The atmosphere in the restaurant takes a turn for the worse during the last breakfast before we arrive: the waiting staff keep a watchful eye to ensure no one helps themselves to anything from the buffet. (It actually took me three (3!) attempts before I managed to get anything into my lunchbox.

Day 4
ChristianW had asked Claude to suggest a sightseeing route through Helsinki, which took us past many attractions quite nicely. The highlight was the hill with the cathedral, ending at an old rowing club on the Baltic Sea.

In fairly sunny weather, however, it still took quite a bit of effort and time. So we didn’t really set off until around midday, cycling quickly northwards along the cycle route – very similar to the one I’d taken to get into the city two years ago. We got lost near a building site, and even there, standing in the sun and waiting was already rather uncomfortably warm. Once outside the city, we initially came across wide main roads with fast-moving traffic. The long lorries with 5- or 6-axle trailers took some getting used to at first. However, almost all the motorists were quite considerate. We did some shopping and grabbed a bite to eat at a roadside supermarket, then had pizza at a takeaway around 8 pm (before everything suddenly closed). We then looked for somewhere to camp (shelters don’t seem to be very common in the area) and found a birdwatching tower on Google Maps that looked suitable in the photos. There was also an information kiosk at its base, which we preferred.

Day 5
The weather forecast predicted a substantial rain front over western Finland that evening, so we decided to ride straight through to Vaasa and booked a hotel near the harbour in advance. We set off just after 6; at first, we had the roads to ourselves, but between 7 and 8 there were quite a lot of people on their way to work.

We stopped for lunch on the terrace of a lakeside restaurant and, 60 km before Vaasa, made a quick stop for pizza to give us the energy to tackle the final stretch. Here, we also faced another climb up to the crater rim: the area is home to Söderfarsbacken, a crater formed by a meteorite impact long ago. Its perfectly flat floor is intensively farmed. At the other end, it wasn’t quite as high or steep, and the route then led into the outskirts of Vaasa. We arrived at the hotel dry, just in time to relax with a session in the sauna. And sure enough, the rain came during the night.

Day 6
And the next morning, it carried on raining for hours. So nobody fancied a city tour. We killed time until midday and then drove the short distance to the ferry terminal. Waiting there was even more boring. We asked three people how to get onto the ferry and were given five different sets of instructions, but in the end we simply followed the car lane onto the ferry and were then guided the rest of the way – easy peasy. Back on the ferry, we had the buffet again, with a table by the window facing the direction of travel, looking out over the archipelago, islands, ships, sky and sea – absolutely lovely! On the way from the harbour to Umeå, we got lost a couple of times, though first I had to pump up my rear tyre. We took the wrong turn in the industrial harbour. Then it was difficult to find the cycle route and we ended up cycling a long way along the four-lane main road. We finally found the hotel, then the entrance to the underground car park. We were immersed in the world of randonneurs and velonauts. A great atmosphere.

Before the start
On Saturday morning, I joined most of the group for the Coffee Ride. It was brilliantly organised in small groups, each with a local guide at the front and back. That way, we got to know the route to the starting point and the final few kilometres of the brevet through the town. We had lunch in a charming old house by the lake, with really delicious food and cake. As I’d been too lazy to download the track and had relied on the group, I ran into trouble on the way back to the Brännland Inn when I missed the turn-off. Just as I began to suspect something was amiss, I came across other randonneurs who’d cycled all the way round the lake. The French couple on the tandem (though Madame was driving the camper van during the brevet), then Sarah Kekus from Scotland, whom I’d already had a chat with at breakfast. Going downhill, I was going too fast again – and took the wrong turn yet again. The rear tyre needed pumping up again; frustration and the heat… I finally made it onto the correct parallel road to Brännland, and soon after that came the dinner buffet.

The Brevet 
A late, hearty breakfast. Checked out of the hotel at some point. Before that, I sorted out which clothes I didn’t want to take with me, but would collect again after the Brevet. I could hardly think of anything, so the bike remained just as heavy. Headed over to Brännland; topped up the puncture sealant before the start. That used up my reserve. On the way, I bought some more sealant and an extra inner tube for the rear wheel at the bike shop. The so-called ‘Kaiserschmarrn’ for lunch was the worst of the food on offer. Then I tried to rest and sleep, with limited success. The first groups were sent on their way, then the velomobiles lined up at the start and off we went!

Day 1 
We immediately set off on steep, winding sections across the river – quite different from the Coffee Ride. I tried to ride at a steady pace according to my power meter and let a few other velomobiles pull ahead. Soon, however, road cyclists came into view. Things went well and it was almost dry until the first checkpoint. The chocolate ball was tasty, but far too little to be considered a proper meal. It’s good to have something of your own with you. Quickly on we went. 

The second stage also went well; there was supposed to be a sandwich buffet at the Hotel Lappland. In fact, there were filled rolls and some fruit. As we’d arrived relatively early, we didn’t realise that the rolls had been counted out. At least I hadn’t packed another one in my lunchbox. On the third stage, there were roadworks, so an alternative route had been announced. Some of the faster riders hadn’t taken note of this and had to turn back at the roadworks. The diversion was an uphill stretch along a narrow road through the woods – quite lovely, and likely to become the new standard in future editions of the MSR. Once back on the original route, the road continued steadily uphill along a wider road. At the highest point was the secret checkpoint, with a funny-looking bread roll, something sweet and coffee. Very welcome!

From there, it was downhill for quite a while, with a few minor climbs, to Vilhelmina (only the hotel with the checkpoint is spelled with a ‘W’). I’d been very tired the whole time, but now I really was. The rest breaks on Sunday hadn’t really helped. So, after the (plentiful, delicious!) meal, I managed to get a bed and had a bit of a sleep. Before setting off, I bought a coffee and an ice cream at reception.

Brushed my teeth. Then realised I’d forgotten something. I don’t know how many times I walked out the door thinking, ‘Right, here we go.’ Finally, I was ready (still pretty tired) and had everything sorted. The Wahoo switched off whilst loading the next track and took ages to boot up again. To make sure I didn’t miss a turn-off whilst it was booting up, I stopped once more in a driveway – much to the amazement of @Madeba, who had overtaken me in the meantime. On the fourth stage, the route continued relatively flat, heading upstream through the woods. But then mountains, some still covered in snow, came into view and there were a few climbs to tackle. On one of the descents, I reached my top speed of 106 km/h, though my average speed for this stage was still only 23.7. By the time I reached the inn in Kittelfjäll, closing time – i.e. the time limit – had already been reached. I decided against a bed, but inflated my air mattress and tried to get some sleep on the floor.

At 10.30 pm, I started the stopwatch again. Now I was heading across the fjäll towards Norway. Supposedly mostly downhill, but undulating, gruelling and with repeated steep climbs, often in the small chainring. Here I had a chain drop, which forced me to stop and get off the bike. Given the way the chain was jammed, I assumed it had also come off at the back and got stuck to the left of the cassette. @HurriChristoph, who was just passing by and offered to help, discovered, however, that two kinks had formed at the front, in front of the chainstay. So I was soon on my way again. Lovely views across the fjäll! A black grouse on the road! But exhausting.

Day 2
I arrived in Hattfjelldal at around 2.45, utterly exhausted once again. Dinner. Tried to sleep. Then ‘breakfast only for people who’ve booked a room’. So on I went, setting off at almost exactly 6.00. A proper climb up the fjäll, then 400 metres down to the fjord, followed by flat terrain – that seemed to be the plan for the stage. But there were plenty of steep! counter-climbs and intermediate descents. Some of them on gravel sections too. I’ve sent out a warning to those following behind. 

A short walk across the old bridge over the raging river and a toilet break in the bushes. Down on the main road with lots of heavy traffic. Arrived in Mo two hours before the time limit. OTL is also a respectable result. I really needed some rest. So I booked a room; the cheapest one was in the historic part of the hotel with a bathroom accessible via the corridor. Never mind. A shower. Marvellous! Plugged all the batteries into the chargers. Sleep! Time limit? Hoping the route would remain just as challenging. Never mind. Put on some fresh clothes, gathered everything up again. Bought some food. Asked where the supermarket was, right in front of the shopping centre. But the Coop is in the neighbouring building… .’ Set off at 3.30 pm. There would have been a small supermarket right at the start of the track, just where it goes steeply uphill – naturally. 

Back at home, I’d decided that the long climbs weren’t steep at all and should therefore be manageable at a steady pace. Before the start, however, Fritz (?) and one or two others were talking about ‘7–10 per cent throughout’, which I took to mean the climb to the Arctic Circle Centre – and that now had me really worried. After all, despite the rest break at the hotel, I wasn’t really in top form (my stamina was back up to 25 after the break, at least!). Oh well. At the foot of the climb, there was another chance to take a break; a tourist wrap with reindeer and berries and a coffee can hardly ever do any harm. And then the ride went really well! Mostly in the big chainring and great fun.

Arrived at the Arctic Circle Centre at 21:15, just 45 minutes before the time limit. The door was open, the shop and café were closed, but there were still wraps, waffles and plenty of coffee to go round. I chatted to a couple whom I’d initially taken for randonneurs, but who’d actually overtaken me in their car. The usual VM chat: small and low-profile; yes, you can see the light clearly… Once the centre closed, I set off again; it went very well on the flat sections of the fjäll, then came the exhilarating descent with the golden light of the midnight sun in the haze filling the valley – magical.

Down below was the tunnel construction site, with the cycle path diverted along the old road into Junkerdal. THAT was the steady, steep climb. And you could usually ride it in one go in 2nd gear (the lowest usable gear). It felt absolutely brilliant. The next climb up to the Swedish border was of the more moderate sort again. #Norfiets was standing somewhere by the side of the road, having a nap. I, old fart that I am, wasn’t quite that knackered yet. Eventually, the route headed downhill again in Sweden and, at last, the campsite in Vuoggatjålme came into view. All that remained was to tackle the bumpy track leading there. A very nice French woman provided us with food and a briefing. When I arrived at the cabin that @ChristianW had booked in advance, he and @HurriChristoph were just waking up and getting ready to set off. By the time I was in bed, I think @Norfiets was already there too. In any case, I showed him the washhouse at some point. I didn’t feel the need to have a shower.

Day 3
Together with @Norfiets, I got ready for the descent. I managed to scrounge a breakfast of scrambled eggs, because I’d misinterpreted the photo of Christian and Christoph’s breakfast, combined with the French lady’s comment that you could buy breakfast the next day. The owner was very unhappy about it, prepared it at his own home – and we weren’t even supposed to pay for it.

Right, let’s go! No, first I need to top up the rear tyre… It went well on the flat stretch. The weather was sunny and warm, but not too hot. Before the climb up the ‘pyramid’ on the elevation profile began, we stopped for a coffee break by the riverbank. Why else would I have brought the gas stove along, right? And by the time we arrived in Arjeplog, the time limit was looming again! What a feast there was – potato salad and roast beef galore! An ice cream from the supermarket for dessert. Then, before setting off again, I put on some sun cream. I took my watch off too. And completely forgot about it. So, after barely a kilometre, I turned back; Norbert carried on. Well, I’d catch up with him again at some point.

On the next stretch, which was really flat and fast, I felt pretty good again. The highlight was the herd of reindeer crossing the road just as we were passing by. With the jingle of bells and cute calves. We arrived in Sorsele at 7.00 pm, almost 3 hours BEFORE the time limit – yeah! @Norfiets had to get some sleep there; I didn’t feel like it (yet). Back alone in the woods, I had to pump up the rear tyre again. I also tightened the gear lever a bit. And whilst trying to screw the C-screw in a bit further to tighten the chain, the small Allen key on my multi-tool snapped off. Bad luck. Beautiful golden light with long, long shadows. And at some point, the secret checkpoint by the river appeared. They really had to urge me to go down to the hut by the water; I was on the verge of carrying on in search of a place to bivouac. I was then allowed to bivouac on the bench in the hut by the water. At one point, I felt as though I was about to fall off, but nothing actually happened.

Day 4
Having recovered a little (stamina 15%), I set off again just under two hours later. According to the tracker and the Three group, @Madeba and @Norfiets are an hour behind me. There’s no point in waiting for them there, as they’ll need another break. So I carry on. That little big ego of mine says: push on now and reach the finish line several hours earlier. But I’m with the slow ones anyway. So I might as well wait at the final checkpoint in Amsele until they’ve arrived and are ready to set off. There are still a good 150 km to go and nearly 18 hours left. So I’ve got all the time in the world. ‘Milan Squadron’ is the plan now! 

So here I am in Åmsele, lying on a bench in the sun by the barbecue hut, charging my Wahoo and mobile, having a nice chat with the Liechtenstein checkpoint official and the other randonneurs, and finally they arrive. Naturally, a bit of a nap first – no problem. Then we popped into a supermarket for coffee and ice cream. At first I’d thought @Madeba was the most exhausted, but he cycled briskly and energetically. No, @Norfiets was really groggy, but we arrived at the hotel in Umeå around 3.00 pm and thus had over three hours to spare. With all the warm welcomes from the riders who’d arrived earlier – already well rested, with celebratory beers and stories to share – it took a while before we sorted out the formalities with the brevet card and collected our medals. Then we stowed the bikes away and headed to our rooms. A shower, a rest, and dinner together at the hotel.

Midsummer and the journey home
At dinner, I felt rather guilty because, for family reasons, I’d had to cancel my return journey through Sweden in the velomobile. So there was a lot of back-and-forth discussion about who could travel with whom and how. Eventually, a solution was found for everyone, which eased my conscience a little.

Friday was Midsummer, and Florian Kynman had included a visit to a traditional Midsummer festival as the final item on the programme. With a ‘Maypole’, live music and a big circle dance, followed by a fishing game for the children… Very, very sweet! Florian provided the randonneurs with a hearty picnic.

For the short 20-kilometre cycle ride there, I’d already had to pump up my rear tyre twice. If I hadn’t arranged with Fritz and his son Moritz for the two of them to pick me up by car, I would have had to start taking the tyre seriously.

So, at around 6.00 pm, the three of us set off for Willebadessen with two VM bikes on the roof. With three riders, we were able to ride non-stop – apart from refuelling stops – and had already arrived by Saturday evening. @Stokerin was waiting for us with a celebratory beer and a barbecue; we enjoyed a peaceful night in the Hexenhaus, a long chat over a leisurely breakfast, and around midday I set off on the final leg of the journey. Beforehand, Fritz and I had treated the rear tyre with more DocBlue and some cotton flakes – and now it’s holding air properly again!

I rode the climb from Willebadessen to Altenbeken with Norbert after the 2019 (?) Flèche Allemagne, and I remember well how hard I found it back then. I don’t think I’ve ever got that far with my ‘Hexen’ group? In any case, despite the heat and the midday sun, it wasn’t a problem this time. Afterwards, the ‘Hexenmeister’ had conjured up some exquisite back roads and farm tracks for me in the route – thanks for that!

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Thibault Daudonnet

The French cyclist, photographer and journalist Thibault Daudonnet completed the ride and has published an article about his experience in the 62nd issue of the French cycling magazine Cyclist, of which he is the editor. Follow this link to buy a digital version of the magazine. The magazine article will be available for free here later in November. In the meantime, here are some images from his ride! You can also follow Thibault on his Instagram @thibault_dt.

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Florian Kynman

I was ill last year and abandoned the ride with cardiac arrhythmia after the control in Kittelfjäll. That was my first DNF ever, and so this year my main goal was to finish the ride. 

However, this time I fell asleep on my bike and hit a crash barrier on the E6. Doing a somersault over the barrier and seeing my bike land down amongst the trees at the bottom of the road embankment, this seemed certain to be my second DNF.

2026 turned out to be a record year for the MSR. The event was fully booked with participants from twenty countries. On the last Sunday before Midsummer, 128 cyclists from fifteen countries gathered at the start location outside Umeå. 130, counting the two who whose luggage and bikes didn’t make it to Umeå.

The ride started at sunset with riders in groups of twelve departing from Brännland Inn, in seven minute intervals. I was in starting group C with the start time: 23:16. 

Socialising with participants at the start location during the day, I left Brännland Inn in the evening to pack my bike bags and prepare for the ride. The bike I normally ride on the ultra-distance rides has aerobars and a gear ratio to accommodate the extra weight of bike bags. But, not having used the bike for a while, air had seeped into the hydraulic brake system. To save time, I made the last minute decision to switch to a training bike. A decent carbon road bike, but it had a higher gear ratio, and my aerobars didn’t fit on it.

I packed my bike bags and replied to the last few event emails before heading back up to Brännland Inn. The weather forecast for this year promised a mixture of rain and sun with prevailing winds from north-northwest. This would give us a head wind to the Arctic Circle, and a tailwind back.

Arriving back at the start location half an hour before the first start, ABBA’s ”Does Your Mother Know” was playing on the loud speakers on the terrace outside. The atmosphere inside was filled with tense anticipation. A queue of nervous cyclists began to form for the toilets, as others gathered in the parking area to cheer on the first starting group.

Soon, also my starting group lined up in the parking area, and with reassuring words from the starter – ”Ride safe, Have fun!” – we set off towards the Arctic Circle.

My group kept a moderate pace on the country roads to the first village Vännäsby and then onto the E12. After doing my first turn at the front I had left the group behind and so let up a little, but instead of my group catching up a different set of riders caught me, and so I tagged along with them to the first control, Granö. The sky was now overcast, with rain in the air.

After a quick turnaround at the control in Granö I rode solo on the first half of the stage to Lycksele, but I arrived to Hotel Lappland with a new constellation of riders for an early breakfast sandwich and a coffee.

After another short break I left Lycksele alone on the 12 km  extension to the route, due to roadworks. A dense mist now hung over the landscape, which turned into drizzle. Following the Ume River for 39 km to the village Medelås, the detour then turned off the E12 onto a one-lane road, towards Vilhelmina.

Going through what I was carrying in my bike bags in my head, I suddenly realised that I didn’t have a pump with me. Normally, I have a pump fitted to the frame of my ultra-distance bike, but on my training bike I carry one in my back pocket. I looked at my watch: 05:31. Thinking it was too early to make a call I texted the volunteer in Vilhelmina, Kerstin, and explained my situation. She replied ten minutes later: ”I’ll bring one.” The rain intensified. Two riders from Germany, Markus and Raoul, caught up with me and I decided to keep them company. Wouldn’t it be ironic if I got a puncture on the MSR for the first time in five years? 

Back on the original course again, and sure enough, I got a puncture in my front tyre. Both of my fellow riders me offered their pumps. Also the groups of riders who now passed by enquired if I needed assistance. I stepped off the road to change inner tubes. In the rain and without reading glasses it was impossible to examine the tyre. And so after searching with my fingers for something sharp without finding anything, I installed a new inner tube. Two riders in velomobiles, Martin and Wolfgang, stopped to assist. I upgraded the pump I had borrowed from Markus to Wolfgang’s miniature foot pump. If ever I needed tools during a ride I should ask riders in velomobiles, he said. These machines apparently need a lot of maintenance. 

Back on the road again I hoped to make it to the secret control where I could inspect the tyre properly, but before I reached the control the front tyre was flat again and I ended up walking the final stretch. 

At the secret control I stamped my brevet card, then borrowed a full-sized foot pump, found a warm and dry place to sit down and patched the two punctured inner tubes. Asking Monika, a keen-eyed volunteer for assistance, I stretched and bent the tyre while she examined it carefully and eventually we found a small piece of wire in the tyre tread, which the volunteer removed with her fingernails. 

After coffee and a sandwich I set off to Vilhelmina on the next stage. The rain had now stopped and it was getting warmer. Once again I was riding solo, but kept a fair pace on the long downhills of this stage.

I arrived to Hotel Wilhelmina just as the breakfast buffet switched to a lunch buffet. Feeling unexpectedly tired after the meal I took a short nap before leaving the hotel with the borrowed mini pump and a hand full of sweets from the volunteers huge bowl of sweets by the entrance. 

Normally the first sudden urge to sleep hits me on the Marsfjället climbs between Stalon and Dikanäs, but I now I was dealing with sleep deprivation as soon as Vilhelmina; not a good sign. 

In the village Stalon, its iconic petrol station, located at the foot of Marsfjället, was open for business. This is the last stop for food and drinks before the first major climbs on the MSR course begin.

Coming down from Marsfjället and feeling a little dizzy and wind torn I found a bench to lay down on for a few minutes in the village Dikanäs, before continuing on to the small ski resort Kittelfjäll. 

The stage between Vilhelmina and Kittelfjäll is one of the longest and toughest, but after a plate of pasta carbonara and a coffee at the C&R Restaurant in Kittelfjäll, I was ready to go again. This year, Christer and Iza had installed a couple of spare beds in a corner of their restaurant, in addition to the five rooms at the STF hostel where riders could take short naps.

On the next stage to Hattfjelldal, a narrow winding road through the Vojmån river valley before crossing a mountain plateau, covered in lakes, wetlands and birch forests, then descending into the Skalmodal valley to the Norwegian border. Travelling alone at night on this stage, one certainly finds solitude in nature.

Arriving to Hotel Hattfjelldal late in the evening I stopped to chat with the proprietor, Even, had a bowl of his famous fish soup, took a short nap on a sofa and then headed back out on the road again. 

The first quarter of the stage to Mo i Rana follows the shores of Røssvatnet, Norways second-largest lake, but it starts with a considerable climb. Having put on layers of cloths for the night, I had to stop to take them off again at the top of the climb. 

On winding roads and small climbs of the Villmarksveien I managed to keep warm quite well and to fight the urge to sleep, but a few kilometres before the village Bleikvassli, in the early hours of the morning, I had to take refuge in a bus shelter for power nap. 

After the village Korgen on the E6 I was now on the final stretch the Mo i Rana stage. This whole stage had become one big battle against sleep. I was nodding off from time to time but waking up just in time to retake control of my bike. After falling a sleep on a downhill however, I woke up just as my bike veered off the road and down the road embankment. Fighting to take control of the bike and gently applying the brakes so as not to lose traction in the loose gravel, I managed to bring the bike to a stop without hitting any large objects. This was not good. Climbing up the road embankment it was clear that I now needed more than a short nap to recover, but where could I sleep? I rode on as slow as I could thinking that if I nodded off again I’d have more time to react before veering off the road. And of course, I fell asleep again and veered off the road again, although riding slower this time and expecting this to happen I had better control; and fortunately there was no traffic yet on the E6.

Trying to keep my eyes wide open my sleep deprivation was now getting out of hand. I was desperate to find a bus shelter. But, seemingly with my eyes still open I nodded off yet again. Although this time I swerved hard right across a lay-by and hit a crash barrier, somersaulting over the front wheel and – being clipped into the pedals – catapulting the bike over myself and down the road embankment. I landed on my back, in some disbelief over what just happened, was I dreaming? Unfortunately not. I climbed down the embankment to inspect my bike. With prior experiences of crash barriers I was expecting the worse, but to my amazement – like in the movie Pulp Fiction where a drug dealer empties his Magnum revolver at Samuel Jacksons character and all shots miss – my bike had survived, and also my helmet. I continued on to Mo i Rana with a sore collarbone, a bruised thigh and a torn shoe cover. In Mo i Rana I took a long hot shower, slept for three hours and left the Hotel Scandic Meyergården a new person.

Following the Rana River up into the Dunderland valley and then onwards to the Saltfjellet mountain plateau and the Arctic Circle Centre, I now had a tailwind to help push me along. Cycling on the E6 north of Mo i Rana around lunchtime is certainly a contrast to all previous stages. Not only is the speed limit high, most of the traffic at this hour consists of trucks and camper vans. But the road itself is good, and most drivers keep their distance when overtaking.

Reaching the mountain plateau where the road and railway crosses over Saltfjellet, the tailwind turned into a steady cross-headwind. I took a short break at the Arctic Circle Centre for a tasty wrap containing reindeer souvas (lightly smoked reindeer meat) with some waffles and a coffee for dessert. After taking a photo of the Arctic Circle monument I set off into the wind again, which I noticed slowed me down considerably on the long downhill to Junkerdal. 

Junkerdal is where the MSR course leaves the E6 and heads back to Sweden on a road closed for traffic that winds its way up along the edge of a narrow gorge leading into the Junker valley.

With gradients of 9 – 11 per cent, the gearing on my training bike wasn’t helping on this climb and so I did most of it standing on the pedals. Fortunately, I now had a tailwind again. After the initial climb followed two more substantial climbs before the Swedish border, with lesser gradients of 5 – 6 per cent.

At the border control post another climb started, this time leading up to the highest point on the course. From here I had a panoramic view of the Miergenisvágge valley and Lake Guoledisávrre, which some years is still covered with ice in June. 

From here the course trends towards a downhill incline most the way to Umeå, and now with a considerable tailwind I set off down the valley to Camp Vuoggatjålme, sometimes hitting speeds upwards of 60 km/h. At last the gear ratio on my bike was to my advantage.

Not wanting to lose the tailwind I made a brief stop at Camp Vuoggatjålme for a chicken pasta salad and some warm blueberry soup. Back on the road again I continued to keep a good pace to the next control in Arjeplog, where I arrived at 03:00. 

I was alone here, apart from two other riders, and so I asked the night porter at Hotel Hornavan to check eBrevet to see where the rest of the starting field were. Riders were by now spread out on the course, but concentration of around 40 cyclists were inbound to Vuoggatjålme.

Not wanting to risk another incident on the road I decided to take a longer nap in Arjeplog after my meal, which I needed and I was in no hurry. Leaving the hotel I noticed it had been raining during my nap. The roads were still wet, but the wind was still blowing in the right direction. 

With half the stage to Sorsele behind me, an old acquaintance from the first year of MSR joined up with me, seemingly out of nowhere. Tobias and I arrived to Sorsele late in the morning where we eat a plate of lasagne and chatted with the volunteer Leopold for a while.

It looked to be a sunny day, and with the tailwind it promised to be a leisurely ride along the Vindel River. No longer was I battling sleep deprivation, but instead enjoying the ride och chatting with my friend. We stopped at a food store in Blattnicksele for sweets and drinks, and made a second stop for hot dogs and a sandwich at the secret control on the Vindel River around lunchtime.

Later, Tobias  stopped for a nap at the rest stop Enebacken and I continued on to the food store in Rusksele to resupply. We met up again in Åmsele for the long awaited palt fried over an open fire and served with butter and lingonberries. 

In Åmsele we parted company again and I finished the ride alone in a perfect conditions for cycling: partly cloudy with a strong tailwind. Perfect, until the sun set, the air cooled and became saturated, making 11°C still feel really chilly all of a sudden. I made a final stop to my insulated gilet on and continued on to hotel Scandic Plaza where I arrived at 23:00. 

Even though I hadn’t cycled in rain since the Mo i Rana stage I was still wearing my rain jacket under the gilet. I handed in my brevet card to the night porter for the final stamp. She kept the card and gave me a paper bag in return, containing a finish line meal to take home with me. Outside the hotel congratulations and beers were passed round.

Not the best of finishing times for my part but my aim this year was first and foremost to finish the ride. Although now I have a new concern for the dangers of sleep deprivation on these rides. A fellow rider suggested to me that I should play the lottery with the luck I had. But, thinking about what could have happened, I may have used all my luck for 2026 already.