Hello! My name is Agurtzane and I will try to update this website with first hand information I get from Julián's crew in his 2nd attempt to ride "Santiago's Way" in 24 hours. The countdown has already begun!

April 5th , 2008

10:00h: START (Roncesvalles)

Julián has enthusiastically started at 10:00 in the morning as was to be expected. Some TV reporters (TVE, ETB) have gathered at the start point waiting for him to answer some questions.

Unlike last year, weather conditions seem to be favourable for him this year, especially the wind, which is likely to be behind him. Hopefully it will make things easier for him.

14:00h

Julián has completed 180 kms so far. He has ridden across Pamplona where local Police have been following him trying to help him to make his way through heavy traffic. He arrived in Logroño at 34,2 km/h.

Everything goes as planned. Julian feels good physically as well as mentally. Besides the weather is being very good, around 21 degrees, so everything seems to presage a happy ending, although it is very early to say so.

15:24h

They are exactly at 10 kms from Santo Domingo and his average is 33,7. Come on Julián!!!

17:43h

After being riding for almost 8 hours, Julián has arrived in Burgos 20 minutes earlier than expected. In Burgos, where Julián's parents live, there were so many people gathered to see him pass by that you could almost hear them chreering him up from here. The local Police has interrupted the traffic and they have led him up to the end of the city without incident.

I would also like to thank Julian's crew for their unvaluable help. This year it is made up of 5 people (Berta, Dani, Laña, Javi and Angel). Two more people will be added in a village called Carrión de los Condes, their names are Pedro and Antonio for whom this will be a new experience and it will mean an extra help for the crew to get their strength back and keep on pushing Julián up to the finish line. Thank you all!

21:00h

It has started to get dark and as a consequence there has been a fall in temperature. There are 11 degrees right now and it is predicted to be lower later into the night. Even so, Julián is still in very good form as he is doing an average of 33 kms/h. They are 20 kms. far from Sahagún.

I am sure that the encouragement messages he receives as well as the unexpected visit of another rider who has ridden with him for a short period of time (as you can see in one of the photos) provides him with the energy he needs to keep on rolling and never stop. I am sure Julian deeply appreciate all this support.

24:00h

It's midnight and they have just arrived in Urdiales, halfway between Roncesvalles (Start) and Santiago de Compostela (Finish). 420 kms. altogether where he has managed to ride above average. We hope this fact allows him to face the most mountainous part of the route, after Astorga, with no major problems.

Julián feels very comfortable riding in the night as long as he can control tiredness and lack of sleep.

April 6th , 2008

03:44h

After being 18 hours riding he has started to feel tired and as he was going down a hill near Molina Seca he has had to stop to get a massage in his muscles, but as soon as the problem was solved he was back on his bike again. He is now riding 10 minutes behind the clock. They are close to Ponferrada, another big city where local Police is expected to be waiting for him as it happened in Pamplona, Logroño and Burgos.

06:30h

It has started to get light and, as you may suppose, dawn is one of the worst moments of the day when lack of sleep is likely to take its toll. After a short break to have a nap Julian faces the last part of the route at an average of 25 kms/h., which is not that bad if we take into account the difficult profile of this area.

They have just arrived in Galicia getting close to the finish line.

09:00h

Julian seems to have overcome the lack of sleep and fortunately he is now rinding full speed trying to make it up for the lost time. He has just ridden through Sarria and they are 120 kms. far from Santiago de Compostela where, TV reporters as well as people, will be eagerly waiting for him.

10:00h

It's now 24 hours since Julián left Roncesvalles, but he keeps on making his way to Santiago de Compostela as he can still break the record of 28 hours he set last year. We are sure he will get it!

11:00h

They have still got 65 kms to get to Santiago de Compostela. Julian keeps his spirits up as usual. If he goes on rolling at such a good speed he is expected to arrive in Santiago at 12:30.

13:30h: LLEGADA (Santiago de Compostela)

It has taken Julian 27 hours and 30 minutes to finish but he has finally arrived. It has been impossible to complete the long distance in 24 hours as expected, but he has managed to improve last year's time. CONGRATULATIONS!

We don't know if he will try again next year, but one thing is for sure, he must be thinking about the arrangements for his next challenge: the 24 hours Record Attempt, which will be useful as a training before he leaves for the United States to take part in the Race Across America on June 8th.

I would like to say thanks to his crew and everybody who has been following him and sending support messages, especially his parents, who have accompanied him for a short period of time providing him with some food.

Thank you all!!