As various Australian newspapers such as ABC News as reported by Gunnar Fehlau in his bikepacking blog www.overnighter.de, Mike Hall died tonight at the Indian Pacific Wheel Race in a fatal accident in Australia. The 35-year-old Hall was killed in a car accident during the 5500-kilometre race near Canberra. The race was subsequently cancelled.
Gunnar Fehlau, a passionate bikepacker who has competed in various self-supported races himself, writes about Mike Hall's death in his blog:
"I met Mike in person at The Outdoorsman by Rob Leipheimer in Butte in 2013! What can I write? His manner was very inspiring both athletically and personally. He pushed the boundaries of possibilities before our very eyes! The 35-year-old created the Transcontinental, won the Tour Divide, the Trans Am and the World Cycle Race. You will be missed. One place will now remain empty. Not just on the podium. Also in our hearts. Our condolences go out to his family and closest friends. May his strength, which he showed time and time again on the bike, be an inspiration for us to get over his loss."
Tour Divide record holder and organiser of the Transcontinental Race
At almost 4400 kilometres, the Tour Divide is considered the toughest self-supported race in the world. With 13 days and 22 hours, the British long-distance specialist pulverised Mike Hall the course record in 2016 - by more than twelve hours. Hall also broke the Transcontinental Race a self-supported race thousands of kilometres long through Europe, which this year starts in Geraardsbergen (Belgium) and goes all the way to Meteora (Greece). The cycling scene has lost a legend in Mike Hall.
A donation project has now been set up on the crowdfunding platform Just Giving. The money will be used to help Mike Hall's mother and his family.
