The Transcontinental Race is a non-stop bicycle race across Europe with a route that varies each year and is often over 4,000 kilometers in length, connecting a series of scenic mountaintop control points, which participants must navigate between without any outside support. Founded by the late Mike Hall, the event is built around minimal rules and a spirit of self-reliance.

Photographer James Robertson has been documenting the race for years and just released a new book, It’s a Race, which provides a glimpse of this unique event up close. From the press release: “Combining dramatic landscapes, intimate portraits and emotive reportage, James Robertson’s photography is sampled from his five consecutive years following the race, often from start to finish (2015-2019). The images are accompanied by a series of written pieces, which offer perspectives on a range of themes and experiences from previous participants, as well as from the photographer.”

More from contributing writer, Josh Cunningham: “Combining the journey of the riders as they make their way across the continent, with the journey of the artist as the body of work develops, and the maturation of the event itself, the book is divided into three parts: Beginnings, Middles and New Beginnings. Following the adventure over the high passes of the Alps, across the great plains of Central Europe, and between the dramatic river gorges of the Balkan peninsula, the narrative traces the contours of a continent alongside the personal, sometimes life-changing experiences of its participants and documentarians.”