Joe Barr 500-Mile World Champion 2017

Team Joe Barr here: we are extremely thrilled and immensely proud to formally announce that the Ultra Marathon Cycling Association (UMCA) World Champion for 2017 in the 500–mile overall championship is our very own, Joe Barr.

This is the first time an Irish endurance cyclist has brought home a World Championship and it’s the first time in his 45 year+ multi-discipline cycling career that Joe has broken through to this level of the sport. Bravo Sir!

Needless to say, Joe is thrilled but more than that, he and we are extremely proud that a small, Irish team has successfully represented Ireland on the World Endurance stage.

Since 2009 Team Joe Barr has raced many different distances on home soil as well as in France, Italy, Portugal and the United States of America.

Endurance cycling is both an art and a science. There is a special connection between rider and crew, a bond, a trust, where knowledge and experience are hard won. There have been extreme highs that come with World Cup wins and bitter lows that come with DNF’s (Did Not Finish). There are endless physical and mental tests; there are moments of extreme suffering and moments of complete freedom.

Endurance demands the absolute maximum effort and dedication. It’s why we love it.

The UMCA championships are calculated based on an accumulation of distance and time. In the 500-mile category riders must have raced a minimum of two UMCA World races on two different continents. One UMCA ratified point-to-point distance record can also be submitted as an additional event

In 2017, Joe definitively won his age category in two 500-mile races, Race Across Italy and The Silverstate 508 (USA). After an unsuccessful record attempt at the Malin Head-Mizen Head-Malin Head in July, a distance of 735 miles, Joe courageously returned to it in November. He broke his own record, which was set in 2015, by 39 minutes. This put him in an unbeatable position for the overall championship. A feat more impressive given his age at 58.

We simply could not be happier for Joe. His commitment to the sport, his team and the endurance community is simply…..who he is.

It goes without saying that we could not race without the generous support of our sponsors.

There have been many over the years, however in 2017 Northern Ireland home builder, Taggart Homes assumed title sponsor position supported by long standing team partners BRL Sports Nutrition, MiM Installations and Powerhouse Clothing.

We are delighted and proud to deliver such a successful season to them.

We often quote the following, “if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together”. We want to say a heartfelt thank you to all of you, our followers, who have travelled this season with us. We feel our ‘togetherness’ day and night. Your comments, your support means a lot.

We wish you and your families a peaceful Holiday Season. Team Joe Barr will see you in 2018!