It is ten years since the first edition of the Tour Divide race. To mark the occasion, the documentary film Ride the Divide has been reduced in price to just £2.97 for the duration of this year’s race, which began yesterday.

The Tour Divide is a self-supported mountain bike race which runs the full 2,745 mile length of the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, from Banff in Canada to Antelope Wells in New Mexico. There are no compulsory rest periods and the race clock runs non-stop.

Riders typically adopt a ‘bikepacking’ approach, carrying minimal equipment and enough food and water to get them to the next town.

The late Mike Hall holds the record for covering the route in the fastest time, finishing in a time of 13 days, 22 hours and 51 minutes in 2016.

Speaking to us in 2012 after his first attempt, he said: “Experience counts for a lot on the Tour Divide. You learn a lot the first time and it seems a waste not to go back and use that experience. It’s the type of route that gets under your skin and into your blood.”

Only 18 people took part in 2008 and the start list still isn’t lengthy. 161 people have started this year’s race and you’ll be delighted to learn that their progress can be followed via the obligatory GPS tracker.