Do you like mountain bikes? Would you like to visit Iceland? Then check this out: Iceland’s Lauf Cycles and The Rift MTB series race have partnered to offer several registration package deals, the top tier of which includes two Lauf Elja Ultimate mountain bikes.
The Rift MTB is a mountain bike race starting and ending in Akureyri, Iceland, Aug. 27 to 31. The five-day stage race sees teams of two riding in northern Iceland through birch forests, highland plateaus, bike parks and Arctic fjords for up to 60 miles a day with between 3,000 and 7,500 feet of climbing per stage.
Riding through the Icelandic Highlands.Courtesy The RiftMTB
Perhaps more of a bike tour than a bike race, the Rift MTB provides riders/racers with an intimate tour of northern Iceland, a remote area not nearly as visited as Reykjavik and the southern part of the country.
Racers won’t be roughing it with all-inclusive packages that take care of pretty much everything except for international travel into Reykjavik.
For US$5,500 a 2-person team gets:
A seven-night stay (team partners sharing a room) at the historic boutique Hotel Akureyri.
Shuttle to a remote race starts.
Daily breakfasts and buffet-style dinners at the hotel’s restaurant.
Transportation for teams and their bikes between Reykjavik and the international airport, as well as domestic flights between Reykjavík and Akureyri, departing from Reykjavík Airport on August 25 and returning on September 1, 2025.
All local transportation including daily transfers between Hotel Akureyri and the race venue.
After-race drinks and a barbecue before heading back to the hotel.
($5,000 without the domestic flight and airport pick-up if you’d like to drive their yourselves.)
For $12,790, teams get all of the above plus two Lauf Elja Ultimate mountain bikes (or one bike for $8,290).
The Lauf Elja Ultimate.Courtesy Lauf Cycles
Want to handle details yourself? For $3,500 a team gets entry and daily transportation between Hotel Akureyri and race starts, as well as drinks and barbecue after.
Race details include:
Two-person teams only; no solo teams.
Both riders must be 18 or older, and teams will be assigned age categories based on combined ages.
A team must start and finish together with no more than 2 minutes separating them during the race.
Cut-off times will be set at each checkpoint.
No e-bikes will be permitted.
For more information and/or to register visit www.theriftmtb.bike.