The TransAtlanticWay 2018: In Pictures

TransAtlantic Way official race photographers Rich Marshall and Adrian Crapciu have taken the time to pick out some of their favourite images from this year's race. In no particular order, here is a taste of the TransAtlantic Way 2018...

Rich Marshall

richmarshallphotography.com

"Mamore Gap is an incredibly long, brutal road. I waited perched high on a rock. Persistence paid off when a rider emphasised the difficulty by zig-zagging from side to side. The race has many photogenic view points of dramatic roads, but this one stretches out to the Atlantic on an unforgettable hill climb."

"I had been chatting to Chris Herbert before he went inside this restroom to freshen up, change some clothes and fill his water bottles. I knew I'd have a good composition in a shot once he reappeared. As a photographer, you are constantly seeking moments where a rider is actually off the bike to reveal other aspects of the race. Chris was swiftly reorganising his kit, knowing the clock never stops ticking. Some riders set alarms to time their stops."

"David Tomlinson arrived at the ferry crossing more visibly exhausted than anyone else I saw at any stage in the race. Capturing a rider's suffering reveals the extremes of endurance."

"Slea Head contains a stunning stretch of road that hugs the cliff edge. It was a calm, warm evening with a sunset approaching and the rider had a slight tail wind."

"Isobel Filor was climbing the Ballaghbeama Gap in the torrential rain of Storm Hector. She saw our car, stopped beside us and simply laughed. It was a great moment to see her defiance in what could have been demoralising conditions for any rider."

Adrian Crapciu

adriancrapciu.com

"What images can tell the story of an ultra-endurance self-supported bicycle race? The key is to find images that provide a glimpse into the rider's experience. In many ways riding is the easy part of the race - whereas finding food or shelter, fixing mechanical problems seems to be the hardest part, but such pivotal moments are unpredictable and hard to find. It is relatively easy to find an interesting section of road or a particularly steep climb, but much more difficult to be there when the rider is fixing his bike or takes a power nap."