A dream Alpine crossing: Tarek Rasouli: “The greatest thing I’ve ever done”

Tarek Rasouli is regarded as Germany’s original freerider. Tarek helped shape the mountain biking scene in the 90s – both as a professional rider and as a photographer for BIKE magazine. He was the sort of person who was simply always there whenever the action was happening somewhere in the mountains. Then life had other plans. An MTB film project, an accident, a new life in a wheelchair, a different perspective on everything – including cycling.

But that was a long time ago. Tarek Rasouli founded the agency Rasoulution and now manages athletes, organises events and advises cycling companies. And he’s riding again – on a Bowhead recumbent bike.

In September, he set off on a journey across the Alps from Munich to Riva with his mate Danny MacAskill. A film was also made during the trip, which is due to be screened as part of the Bike Film Tour 2027.

The premiere will take place on 4 March 2027. We spoke to Tarek shortly after he crossed the Alps.

Interview with Tarek Rasouli: “The biggest thing I’ve ever done”

​BIKE: Tarek, was there a moment during the tour when you thought, ‘Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all’?

Not at all during the tour. It happened two or three weeks beforehand. I’d got another pressure sore on my bottom – a new spot, but the same old problem. I simply didn’t know whether I’d be able to manage sitting for nine days or whether I’d have to pull out at some point. That stressed me out enormously.

Have you managed to sort out the problem?

Yes. It sounds unspectacular, I know. But when you know what lies ahead – 6,000 metres of elevation gain, a day at the bike parks in Sölden and Paganella, 100-kilometre stages – then a spot like that is no joke. So, every evening during the tour, I had to set aside a good hour to give that area some intensive care.

What was your route like?

Munich – Garmisch – through the Leutasch Valley to Area 47. From there, up into the Ötztal Valley to Sölden, where we spent a whole day at the Bike Republic. Then over the Timmelsjoch to Merano, on to Andalo and Molveno in the Paganella – and to round it off, to Riva del Garda, where Uli Stanciu guided us through the vineyards on the final stage. Without him, we’d never have reached Riva via such a varied route.

What was the biggest challenge for you?

Riding the built trails on my adaptive bike. In Sölden, for example. I didn’t know any of the trails and usually just rode straight into them without a second thought. Danny kept telling me to slow down and was even a bit worried about me. At least, that’s what he told me down in the valley. He was genuinely concerned. And then he said that what I do is more extreme to him than what he does. I had to laugh at that.

On the Bowhead, following the trails , Driving it doesn’t sound particularly safe either.

Sure, and I don’t know the trails either. That’s a different kind of extreme.

What was it like being out and about with Danny when the film crew weren’t there? Has your friendship grown closer?

Of course, that sort of thing brings people together. We had a lot of fun. Danny was always up to his old tricks whenever he got the chance – even when the camera wasn’t around.

Was there ever a moment when you thought: ‘He’s getting on my nerves now’?

No. Towards the end, when my arms were really heavy and I had to wait for the drone again – that’s when things got a bit tense for a moment. But not because of Danny.

Your Adaptive Bike runs on two Bosch batteries, each with a capacity of 750 Wh. Was 1,500 Wh enough for each day?

Every day. I completed the toughest one – 100 kilometres, the last third of which was all uphill – with just 10 per cent battery remaining. The new Bosch system made a difference I hadn’t expected. For me, riding uphill is all down to my arms, so the extra watts from ePower are essential just to make any headway at all, as my bike weighs over 45 kg in total.

And what was your favourite driving experience?

It started with a downhill run in Sölden and ended at the Paganella Bike Park in Andalo. That feeling of leaning from bend to bend, guiding the bike out of the turn – not with your shoulders, not with your arms, but from the hips. Almost like slaloming, only without the snow. I hadn’t exactly expected that, and it was really good.

What was your favourite moment in nature?

Molveno, with the Brenta right opposite. I used to take photos there regularly for BIKE magazine in the late 90s. Suddenly, there you are again – on a different bike, with a different body – looking at exactly the same rocks. It’s a strange, but also very lovely feeling.

How long have you been looking forward to this tour?

The dream had been there since the early 2000s – the Lake Garda Bike Festival, Christoph Listmann, Karl Platt, all those Transalp stories. It became a realistic possibility once I had the Bowhead. In short: crossing the Alps has been on my list for ages, but I never had the right bike. Now I have it. But time and again, health issues got in the way – like a pressure sore, for instance. So it’s all the better that it’s worked out this time.

Have you got the bug now and are you already making plans for more adventures?

It’s not set in stone, but I’ve been asked if I’d like to take part in the Gravel Burn in South Africa. That’s at the end of October – so it’s at very short notice. It’s an idea, at least. And Scotland with Danny would certainly be a new dream of sorts.

How did you feel when you arrived in Riva?

That was the greatest thing I’ve ever done. Not the most extreme in the eyes of others, but for me, in my situation, it certainly was.