James Robertson "It's A Race"

The Transcontinental Race is a non-stop bicycle race across Europe. The route – often over 4,000km in length – strings together a series of spectacular mountaintop control points, which participants must navigate between without any outside assistance. With minimal rules and a spirit of self-reliance at its heart, the event harks back to the early days of the Tour de France, contested by everyday people with regular jobs, racing through day and night for two weeks to get to the finish.

It's a Race provides a glimpse of this unique sporting event up close. 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.