Cynthia Carson was already wondering what lay beyond the race course. After years dominating criteriums and gravel events across the US, the woman known as “Watt Wagon” kept finding herself riding longer, thinking about what it would be like to ride somewhere and not return home that night.
“I am a racer at heart and wanted to see what was possible and how far I could go,” Carson explains. “So I combined them both. I’m still on the quest to find out how far I can go.”
That quest has taken her from a first-place finish at Unbound XL in 2021 to becoming the first woman to finish in the top 10 overall at Badlands in 2023, completing the brutal Spanish course in just 45.5 hours. This year alone, she conquered the Atlas Mountain Race in Morocco despite getting trench foot from a river crossing, navigated personal upheaval including a significant breakup, and still managed to film her journey for her YouTube channel and run the Gravista gravel race in Virginia’s Blue Ridge.
The Art of Going Farther
For Carson, the transition from racing to bikepacking wasn’t just about distance; it was about discovery. “After years of racing road and criterium I landed in the gravel scene early on. Traveling around the US and experiencing so many fun events but I always wondered what was past the race course and how I could see more,” she reflects. “I found myself riding longer and longer thinking what it would be like to ride somewhere and not return back to my house.”
This curiosity is what’s driving her biggest challenge yet: the 2025 Transcontinental Race. Starting in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, and ending in Constanza, Romania, the route spans over 4,500 kilometers of self-navigated terrain, including legendary climbs like Col du Tourmalet and Strada dell’Assietta.
Navigation as Freedom
For an event like the Transcontinental, where riders must find their own way between checkpoints, navigation becomes as crucial as fitness. Carson has found the ELEMNT ACE’s extensive mapping features to be a game-changer for her style of exploration.
“The extensive mapping features that the [Wahoo ELEMNT ACE] has been great for long distance adventures and exploration,” she says. “I’ve used the back on track while riding big loops. It will also be helpful for the free navigation sections on the Transcontinental. If I decide to go to a location off of my planned route, the back on track will get me to my route without having to use my phone while riding.”
This technology isn’t just about efficiency; it’s about maintaining the flow state that ultra-endurance athletes cherish. Being able to explore spontaneously while knowing you can return to your route without stopping to fumble with a phone preserves both momentum and battery life, crucial factors when you’re racing across a continent.
Starting Your Own Adventure
Despite her impressive palmares, Carson is refreshingly approachable when it comes to helping others discover bikepacking. Her advice? “Start small! Bikepacking can be as adventurous as riding across a continent or as making a loop and ending up at the park down the street from your house. Practice makes prepared!”
This philosophy extends to her work as race director of Gravista and co-host of the Detours podcast, where she’s dedicated to making ultra-cycling more accessible, especially for women entering the sport.
Cynthia’s Essential Bikepacking Wisdom
Never forget a toothbrush: “If you’re headed out for your first or hundredth bikepacking trip, don’t forget to bring a toothbrush!!! It’s my biggest and most important suggestion! You will thank me later for that one.”
Pack a second set of bibs: “I also urge you to bring a second set of bibs.” Because comfort is everything when you’re riding for days.
Bring proper lighting: “Make sure you have a proper light for riding and for the campsite. Folks forget a headlamp and it’s a struggle to navigate your campsite after dark!”
Beyond the Horizon
What sets Carson apart in the ultra-endurance world isn’t just her results; it’s her approach. She races with the intensity of someone who spent years in criteriums but explores with the wonder of someone discovering cycling for the first time. Her film “Same Same But Different” captures this duality, showing both the suffering of racing Badlands and the personal journey that cycling represents.
“It means freedom to experience all that the landscape has to offer,” she says about ultra racing.
As she prepares for the Transcontinental, Carson embodies the evolution many cyclists experience: from chasing finish lines to chasing horizons. With races like Gravelanche, Midsouth, Traka 560, and Arkansas High Country also on her 2025 calendar, she’s proving that you don’t have to choose between racing and exploring. Sometimes the best adventures happen when you do both.
For those inspired to follow in her tire tracks, Carson’s journey shows that bikepacking isn’t about having all the answers before you start. It’s about being curious enough to see what’s beyond the next hill, prepared enough to handle what you find, and wise enough to pack a toothbrush.
After all, whether you’re racing across Europe or exploring the park down the street, the adventure begins the moment you decide not to turn back home.
Ready to explore beyond the race course? Discover how the ELEMNT ACE can guide your next adventure, whether it’s across continents or across town.
