The second annual Golden Horseshoe Race took off this weekend, with nearly 20 riders taking on a 1,650-kilometer bikepacking route through Ontario’s backcountry. In this report, organizer Theo Verdecchia shares a mid-race update on the riders and how the event is unfolding. Find that and photos from the route here…

Words by Theo Kelsey-Verdecchia, photos by Glen Quinn and Ethan Mitchell

We’re just over four days into the second edition of The Golden Horseshoe Race. The leaders have passed the 1,200-kilometer mark and are expected to finish sometime on Thursday. The spread on the field is massive, with over 600 kilometers separating first and last place at the moment. On such a huge course, many riders haven’t seen anyone for days. That level of solitude is likely exactly what many of them came here for. For some, however, being alone for so long can lead to negative thoughts. It’s a battle against the self out here, no question about it.

At the front of the race, Cory Ostertag maintains the lead he’s held since the first night. Hot on his heels is Riley Alvarez, who currently sits just a few hours behind. It’s a classic battle of strategies: Cory sleeping very little and relying on continuous movement to keep ahead, and Riley prioritizing long rests to maintain a higher overall pace. By skipping sleep on night one, Cory built a lead of around 100 kilometers, which has since shrunk to about 60. He’s often sleeping for only a few hours at a time, nearly always outside. Riley has slept at least 4.5 hours each night, with most nights closer to 6. He’s also stopped for more proper meals than Cory, whose only “real” food was in Whitney after 900 kilometers of riding. With a little over 400 kilometers to go, there is still plenty of time for the lead to change hands. Now, through most of the technical riding, it will likely be a battle of attrition and time management to decide the winner.

A little further back, first-place woman Julie Toole is currently fourth overall and has covered over 1,000 kilometers at the time of writing. After scratching last year, Julie has returned with a different bike setup, a fresh mindset, and lots more experience. She has now passed the point where she scratched last year and is showing no signs of slowing down. Every time we’ve managed to catch her, she’s been in a great mood, happy to chat and always finding the positives in every situation.

Most of the field has now completed the transfer stage into the eastern portion of the loop. Here, the fall colors are in full swing, and the course gets much more remote. They’ll have to navigate a vast maze of ATV trails that wind their way through the endless network of lakes and rivers and plan their resupplies carefully. Sections can be as long as 260 kilometers, and that’s assuming you manage to arrive in town while things are still open. This wasn’t the case for Cory, who had to carry enough food to get from Eganville to Apsley, nearly 300 kilometers, with plenty of slow technical riding.

So far, six riders have scratched, citing injuries, sickness, and simply being “over it.” There’s no question the route is extremely challenging, and many have admitted they underestimated it. No matter how far anyone makes it, it’s a huge achievement to show up at the start line, let alone ride even a few hundred kilometers of this rugged course.

Head over to the event page to follow the riders’ progress live, and keep an eye on The Golden Horseshoe Race Instagram page for more updates.

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