Arden2Eifel

Arden2Eifel is a non-stop, GPS-tracked bikepacking challenge that runs off-road from point to point, leaving the historic town of Namur and finishing in the historic city of Trier in Germany. Riders are fully self-supported, buying what they need along the way, with two staffed checkpoints and a cut-off as the only structure. The organisers are clear that it is not a race: finishing within the time limit earns the brevet stamp.

The line is drawn as a mountain bike course. It rolls out over open farmland, drops into the steep river valleys of the French and Belgian Ardennes, crosses Luxembourg and then climbs through the dense, hilly forests of the Eifel. Broad gravel tracks alternate with rocky singletrack and hiking paths beside the rivers, and some sections are technical enough that walking is part of the deal, especially in the dark.

The event is run by Djoeke Donkers and Jefte de Bruin, two riders who moved from road racing to mountain biking and then to hike-a-bike bikepacking. After riding events such as the Atlas Mountain Race, French Divide and Seven Serpents, they built a route of their own to share, and they are reworking parts of it after the 2026 edition and further recon rides.