Taurus Mountain Race: Meaghan’s Bike and Live Tracker

The inaugural Taurus Mountain Race is shaping up to be one of the most adventurous races on the 2026 calendar. Starting in Antalya, Türkiye, the 907-mile (1,460-km) route packs in an incredible 114,334 feet (34,849 m) of climbing as it winds east through the increasingly wild and remote Bolkar and Aladağlar mountains, before looping back to finish on the Mediterranean coast in Erdemli. With a roughly 70/30 gravel-to-pavement split, some winter weather in the mix, plus more than a few unknowns, this is going to be a first edition to remember. Here is Meaghan Hackinen’s pre-race bike check, plus the live tracker for the race:

I’m especially excited to be lining up alongside such a formidable women’s field, including Leanne Bentley, Svenja Betz, Cynthia Carson, and Marei Moldenhauer, to name a few. The women’s field comes in at around 22% of the overall field, a bit higher than usual. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a bit intimidated, but on the other hand, if I weren’t on the startline, the FOMO would kill me. Follow our race on the tracker (below).

Preparing for Taurus has been very different from preparing for the Tour Divide earlier this year, an event I’d raced before and knew what to expect (as much as you can in ultra-racing). Taurus, on the other hand, is brand new. We only received the route a couple of days before the start, leaving very little time to study what we’re actually getting into. One of the coolest features is a series of POI-identifying five-star bivy locations with names like “The Four Seasons, “Hilton,” and “White Lotus.” 

I’ve done my best to prepare for a wide range of conditions, but there’s only so much planning you can do when you don’t know exactly what’s coming. I’m excited, nervous, and increasingly eager to get going.

For Taurus, I’m racing on my 2026 Salsa Cutthroat C Rival GX AXS Transmission SUS, the same bike that helped me set a new women’s record on the Tour Divide in June. I’ve made a few changes to better suit the unknown terrain, starting with a smaller 32T chainring paired with my 10–52T cassette to help ease the climbing—though I’m starting to wonder whether I shouldn’t have dropped down even lower to a 28T or 30T.

I’ve also swapped my drop bars for flat bars, fitted with SQlab grips and Innerbarends for additional hand positions. I wanted more control and confidence on the bike. I’ll be grateful for the Cutthroat’s 100 mm suspension fork once the fatigue starts to accumulate.

My wheels are Light Bicycle WG44 carbon rims, laced to a SON dynamo hub up front and a Hope Pro 5 rear hub. The dynamo powers my trusty kLite system, providing reliable lighting through the night while keeping my electronics charged on the move.

For tires, I’m sticking with 29 × 2.2-inch René Herse Fleecer Ridge tires with Endurance casing, set up tubeless with Rene Herse Supple Sealant. I raced these tires on the Tour Divide and have put thousands of touring miles on the same set during this summer’s Golden Gravel Trail—I swapped to a fresh pair for the race. The Fleecer Ridge tires strike a great balance between traction, speed, and durability. On such a varied route, versatility is key, and I feel confident in this choice will serve me well.

My Apidura Backcountry bag system is centred around a prototype bolt-on frame pack, which carries my hydration bladder and smaller layers. A long top-tube pack holds electronics and hygiene items, while a saddlebag stores my sleeping bag and warmer clothing. I’m using a stem pack for spare tubes and snacks. I’m also carrying an ultralight musette, which expands for the longer stretches between resupply points.

For sleep, I’m bringing a compact Rab Bivi, strapped to my handlebars, paired with my ultralight Rab Mythic 180 down sleeping bag (rated to 0°C/32°F) and homemade sleeping pad. For navigation, I’m relying on my COROS DURA solar bike computer.

One of the biggest improvements on this year’s Tour Divide centered around being more intentional with my time off the bike. I’m hoping to bring that into Taurus as well, and aim to balance efficiency, self care, and making smart decisions as the race unfolds.

Whatever happens, I’m sure every rider will come out of the inaugural edition of Taurus Mountain Race with a story to tell!

LIVE TRACKING

THE BIKE

• Frame: 2026 Salsa Cutthroat C
• Fork: RockShox SID Select 3P 100 mm travel
• Crankset: SRAM Force 32T
• Derailleur: SRAM X0 Eagle AXS Transmission
• Shifter: SRAM Force AXS
• Cassette: SRAM XS-1275, 10–52t, 12-speed
• Front Wheel: Custom Light Bicycle WG44 with a SON Dynamo hub
• Rear Wheel: Custom Light Bicycle WG44 with a Hope Pro 5 Hub
• Front Tire: Rene Herse Fleecer Ridge 29 x 2.2” Endurance
• Rear Tire: Rene Herse Fleecer Ridge 29 x 2.2” Endurance
• Sealant: Rene Herse Supple Sealant
• Handlebar: Teravail Radia 24 Carbon 
• Saddle: Specialized Oura

HANDLEBAR

• Rab Bivi strapped to handlebars
• 7mesh Guardian Air jacket strapped to handlebars

COCKPIT

• Apidura Expedition Stem Pack (1.3L)
• 29 x 2.2” Rene Herse TPU tube x2
• 29 x 2.2” butyl tube
• Godfather’s Garage lube
• Garmin inReach
• Snack storage 
• Apidura Backcountry Long Top Tube Pack (1.8L)
• KLite Micro-D electronics 
• Electronics bag: cables, wall plug, backup computer, AXS batteries x2 and charger, CR2032 batteries x2
• 6000 mAh battery pack x2
• Petzl Headlamp
• Quad Lock mount 
• Multitool
• Tire plugs
• Hygiene kit

FRAME

• Apidura Prototype Backcountry 5.8L Full Frame Bag
• Apidura 3L Hydration Bag
• 7mesh Desperado Arm Warmers 
• 7mesh neck buff
• Waterproof socks
• Dissent 133 thermal gloves 
• Dissent 133 waterproof gloves
• Dishwashing gloves (backup)
• Katadyn BeFree .6L water filter
• Soft flask .5L 
• Spare spokes
• Zipties x10
• Passport
• Little Hotties hand warmers x2
• Repair kit

REAR

• Apidura Backcountry Saddle Pack (6L)
• Apidura Packable Musette
• 7mesh Guardian Apex Pants
• 7mesh Hollyburn leggings
• 7mesh Desperado Merino Hoodie 
• Montbell 1000 fill down jacket 
• Wool socks
• Pyjama shorts
• Emergency blanket 
• First Aid Kit
• Repair Lit

Photo credits: Cameron H. Russell (Photo 1); Meaghan Hackinen (all others)