Atlas Mountain Race 2025 | Josh Ibbett and Becky Surridge

The 2025 ultra racing calendar has begun. The fourth edition of the Atlas Mountain Race marks the start of the season – a modern classic of an event, set in the stunning mountains of Morocco.

Dom and Julie travelled out to Marrakesh to see our MASON-supported riders and wave them on their 1,300km way.

Renowned ultra cyclist and MASON rider Josh Ibbett was there, as was Becky Surridge, MASON's newest supported rider. Both Josh and Becky ride the MASON Macro – the bikepacking hardtail Dom designed specifically for moving fast over off-road varied terrain like this – carrying food, water and sleeping gear.

Key to the Macro's design is its configurability, enabling each rider to set it up to suit their terrain and preferences. So before the start, Dom caught up with Josh and Becky to discuss their bike set-ups...

Alongside our supported riders, Dom and Julie met various privateers prepping their MASON bikes for the start of the Atlas – typically ISOs and RAWs – readied for the challenge.

At 6pm on Saturday 7 February, 265 riders roll out of Marrakesh to begin their 1,300km mission, with over 25,000m of climbing to come. The non-stop challenge is huge, but the goal is simple: to reach three checkpoints at Telouet, Aguinane and Aït Baha, before heading to the coastal finish at Essaouira. Vital details like sleeping, eating and resupplying are all in the hands of the racers, who must decide how best to approach the days and nights they'll spend on the trail.

What follows for the huge field is 265 individual stories, playing out over the coming days. For some, progress is solid. For others, it is hard-fought. And for some, the race ends prematurely with mechanical failure, exhaustion or injury.

For ultra veteran Josh Ibbett, this is his third Atlas. He knows his tried-and-tested strategies for when to eat, when to sleep, and when to ride through the darkness. For Becky Surridge, this is her first Atlas, building on her experience of the Silk Road Mountain Race.

Josh Ibbett
Race time: 4 days, 21 hours
Position: 15th
Bike: MASON Macro

Josh Ibbett, in the third AMR of his career, rode a strong race near the front of the pack. Frequently trading places with some of the best riders in the sport, Josh couldn't help but notice how the calibre of competition has grown in recent years.

It was nice to line up for a race confident in what was to come, confident in my bike and equipment and knowing everything was dialled in to take on the race.  I have found every ride in the Atlas Mountain Race a very humbling experience: not only humbled by the magnificent landscapes, surroundings and local people, but also the level of the competition in the race.  

I head home happy with my time in the mountains and desert of Morrocco and motivated to train harder for my races later in the year. Next stop Greece for the second race in the Mountain races series the Hellenic Mountain Race.

Josh is not only a gifted ultra racer, but an excellent commentator in his discipline. So check out Josh's excellent video race report, where he describes his own race experience as well as that of his competitors.

Becky Surridge
Race time: 7 days, 20 hours
Position: 16th woman (127th overall)
Bike: MASON Macro

Becky Surridge may be relatively new to ultra racing, but she brings a wealth of experience of solo adventuring in unfamilar locations. 

The Atlas Mountain Race was an incredible experience for me. It was my second ultra after Silk Road last year and I was eager to try another Nelson Trees mountain race, in another very different and colourful country. 

For me the the race wasn’t just about testing my abilities on two wheels but to soak in the landscape, the culture and meet some awesome likeminded people who come from all over the world, sharing the same buzz from riding bikes. 

As the first British woman to finish this year's Atlas, we're really pleased with Becky's result: a product of her attitude and determination. With her first race as a MASON rider ticked off, we're eagerly looking forward to seeing what she takes on next. Check out Becky's Girl Outdoors YouTube channel to see more of her exploits.

So well done Josh and Becky. We were excited to follow your progress and to see your successful results. And we were proud to see you acheiving all this on the MASON Macro: the bike designed for fast-moving bikepacking in harsh environments like this.