The Red Bull TimeLaps Virtual Challenge Is A Great Chance To Cycle With Friends

cycling
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Photographs: Alex Broadway (male rider), Leo Francis (female rider); Red Bull Content Pool

In a normal year, Red Bull TimeLaps is a stand-out cycling event that pits teams of riders against one another to see how far they can go in a 25-hour period. Part of the success of TimeLaps is that everyone is at the same location, cycling through the night and creating a superb atmosphere. However, even more important is the fun of tackling the challenge in a team of four friends.

The event has gone virtual for 2020, which means there’s no special event atmosphere, but on the other hand more riders get to experience that camaraderie than ever before.

The TimeLaps virtual event will take place over 25 hours spanning Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th October. The aim is to log as many miles in the saddle as possible with only one cyclist riding at any time. You can do this outside or in, so if you have a top-notch indoor set-up then maybe pick out the fastest route on Zwift and have at it, jumping on and off the bike as each rider gets tired – once you’ve wiped down the handlebars with antibacterial wipes of course.

Make sure you keep the best rider fresh for the vital 2am-3am slot, because this is a Power Hour where the distance covered counts for double to mark the extra hour available to you as the clocks go back.

You can sign up for TimeLaps for free on Strava for 28 days before the event, and you’ll also need to register on the Red Bull website, where you’ll have to upload proof of your rides to the live leaderboard during the event itself.

There will be prizes for the best teams and individual riders, and those prizes naturally include a lot of Red Bull. The teams finishing first, second and third will all get special jerseys, medals and 24 cans of Red Bull apiece, and the winners naturally also get a trophy. And we hope the individual rider who logs the most distance in the event loves Red Bull, because they’ll be getting a fridge with a year’s supply of the stuff. Don’t drink it all at once.

Register for Red Bull TimeLaps | Free

Nick Harris-Fry
Senior writer

Nick Harris-Fry is a journalist who has been covering health and fitness since 2015. Nick is an avid runner, covering 70-110km a week, which gives him ample opportunity to test a wide range of running shoes and running gear. He is also the chief tester for fitness trackers and running watches, treadmills and exercise bikes, and workout headphones.