What a year. As we power down the trainers and swap the electrolyte mix for mulled wine, it’s time to look back. 2025 wasn’t just another lap around the sun; it was the year we grew from a loose group of cycling nuts into a proper global league.

We battled glitches, gradients, and gravity. We implemented the “3 Rules” (Love ‘em or hate ‘em, they made the racing fair), and we finally proved that online friends make for the best real-life riding buddies.

Here is the month-by-month breakdown of a massive year.

The Winter Grind (Jan – Mar)

• January: We called this the “Foundation” month. While most people were quitting their New Year’s resolutions, ErlendSundstrom was already putting on a clinic in efficiency, winning sprints without burning a match unnecessarily. We also had to get tough on tech—establishing the “Glitch Policy” meant no more changing results for dropped connections. Harsh? Maybe. Necessary? Absolutely.
• February: The “Col Conqueror” phase hit us hard. We took on Attersee West in Austria, and the new rule enforcement was brutal—we saw a near 32% disqualification rate as we tightened up the ship.
• March: The “Ballast” system kicked in to level the playing field. Did it stop karel_sousek? Not a chance. He led the standings despite carrying a heavy 5.75% weight penalty. That is pure strength.

The Spring Sufferfest (Apr – May)

• April: We headed to the Col de Joux Plane. This wasn’t a sprint; it was a slog. Alieno79 put in a masterclass performance, holding 4.34 w/kg for over an hour to take the win.
• May: The weather warmed up, but the die-hards stayed indoors. Riders like MikeHagen kept the data flowing on the Col du Feu, proving that for the 50+ category, age is just a number.

Summer of Muckers (June – Aug)

• June (The Black Forest): This was the big one. 24 Muckers descended on Kirchzarten, Germany, organized by the legend Denny44 (Daniel). We battled rain, wind, and the mighty Kandel mountain. It was wet, it was cold, and it was absolutely brilliant.
• July: We kept the Tour de France vibes alive with routes like Caen, proving that even in peak summer, over 130 of you will still show up to race.
• August: The month of the “Impromptu Alpine Adventure.” Sharky, Denny, and Mads (Grochang) realized they were close by in Italy and turned a solo ride into a group attack on the Passo Mendola and Gampenpass.

The Run-In (Sept – Nov)

• September (3 Peaks of Bolton): While the virtual world heated up with La Vuelta stages, the real drama was in the UK. Kyle and Neil hosted Thomas (Switzerland) plus Ard and Arno (Netherlands) for a tour of Bolton’s monuments. We had cobbles, climbs, and a snapped derailleur that forced a mid-ride bike swap!.
• October: A shoutout to the legends. On the Ironman Marbella course, Wytze1 took the win, but the real story was bigbadbern1945—at 80 years old—finishing 14th overall. Incredible.
• November: The intensity ramped up. We saw registration spikes and the leaderboard tightening as everyone eyed the end-of-year prizes.

The Grand Finale (December)

We ended the year in style.

• The Race: We took to the Wild Atlantic Way in Kinsale, Ireland.
• The Drama: It was the tightest finish we’ve ever seen. A record 397 sign-ups, and the Elite podium was separated by just 0.2 seconds! ErlendSundstrom just edged out breers33 and BareRemi.
• The Champ: przemokrk navigated the ballast handicaps to take the monthly crown.

More Than Just Watts

This year wasn’t just about the leaderboard. When Mike Hagen had a serious accident in the Netherlands, our Dutch Muckers dropped everything to visit him in the hospital. That right there? That is what this club is actually about.

2026: What’s Next?

We aren’t slowing down. Here is the alpha on 2026:

• The Italian Job: We are going to the Dolomites! Manuel Lamber (Squalo_delle_Alpi) is hosting us in Trentino. Get your climbing legs ready.
• Wednesday Night Speed: We are adding to the calendar. Welcome to the Wednesday 19:30 Non-Draft—pure power, no hiding in the wheels.
• Sunday Climbs: The Sunday series is evolving into an Elevation GC. It’s not about how fast you get to the top, but how much vertical you can eat over the year.

Thank you to every single one of you who pinned on a virtual number, joined a Discord chat, or traveled across borders to ride in the rain.

Merry Christmas, stay safe, and we’ll see you on the start line in 2026.

— The Muckers Worldwide Team