Russia: Trans-Siberian CYCLE RACE? Cyclists kickstart 9100km trip from Moscow to Vladivostok

Red Bull’s Trans-Siberian Extreme Ultra Stage bike race, spanning a massive 9100km (5654 miles) from Moscow to Vladivostok, kicked off early on Wednesday morning in Moscow city centre. Contestants geared up ahead of the race, as they prepared to tackle the 9100km (5654 miles) route of the legendary railway all the way to Vladivostok in the east of Russia. The ten competitors from Russia, Austria, Belgium, the UK and Italy make up seven teams with some choosing to go solo as they bid to cover the 15 stages in just 23 days. Each stretch of the journey will differ in length with the individual stages varying from between 300 to 1,400 km (186-870 miles) long, with cyclists battling a total of 58km uphill. The athletes are grouped in seven teams and will travel through major Russian cities including Perm, Yekaterinburg, Omsk, Irkutsk, and Khabarovsk following with the finish in Vladivostok. The event’s conception dates back to 2013 when the “Race across Russia” was staged.