This type of racing is (in every sense) beyond me but still fascinating to read about. I particularly liked the description of a typical day! The Cycle Life: 10 Questions with a Tour Divide Favorite via The Outside Blog by The Cycle Life on 6/7/11 A gaunt Refsnider at the finish of the 2009 Tour Divide in Antelope Wells, New Mexico. If you think the Tour de France is the hardest bike race on earth, consider the Tour Divide . On this annual race from Banff, Canada, to Antelope Wells, New Mexico, racers roughly follow the Continental Divide for 2,780 miles. Mileage and terrain are only part of the challenge, as participants must follow a strict code of self support by carrying everything they need and accepting no outside aid except for what they can purchase along the route. At 9 a.m. this Friday (June 10), 74 cyclists will take up the challenge. Because of record snowpack, the pervasive threat of wildfires, and the largest field in the race's history, 15 riders will set o...