Live tracking for a race where riders choose their own route between checkpoints

That format is usually called an adventure race or self-supported race with route choice. For live tracking, Geo.Racing is built for adventure racing: spectators can follow riders and compare route choices and checkpoint progress. (geo.racing)

If you meant a particular race or tracking service, tell me what you remember about it—sport, location, or event name.

If you're running or following a race where riders pick their own line between checkpoints, the usual setup is a satellite tracker on each rider, plus a map platform and checkpoint validation.

Hardware and map platforms

• Trackleaders is the most common option in the bikepacking scene. It is SPOT-based and specializes in combining multiple trackers onto one map for group event tracking. It also fully supports Garmin InReach and Zoleo devices. Its maps show leaderboard coverage, race flow, replay and links to individual track history pages.
• Racemap streams live GPS data to the web and phones. Riders can use their own GPS devices or rent from RACEMAP. It also calculated the timestamps at geofences for the ranks at one event, which removes the need for separate checkpoint decoders.
• Follow My Challenge provides devices, mapping and support for a simple per unit price. Its organiser tools include device monitoring, automated alerts, status updates, tracker swaps.
• MAProgress is another option for satellite tracking of outdoor events, with a catalogue of self-supported rides.

Update intervals
Tracker reporting frequency is the main tradeoff. Trackleaders notes that trackers send out signals at intervals, ranging from every 2.5 minutes to every 10 minutes. Shorter intervals give smoother maps but drain batteries faster. Some events set a floor. The 2026 Trans Am Bike Checkpoint Edition specifies satellite tracker (Spot/Garmin) with 10-minute minimum updates.

Handling free routes
Because riders choose their own roads, the live map shows position, not route compliance. Checkpoints do the validating. The Trans Am Checkpoint Edition works this way: riders must navigate through a series of mandatory virtual checkpoints. ARC400 in Germany withholds the exact checkpoint coordinates until shortly before the start, so every rider plans on equal terms. Its checkpoint coordinates are released shortly before the event. Organisers should also decide how to handle gaps. Tracker outages in remote areas are common, so the map should show the last known position with a timestamp, as Trackleaders does.

Practical suggestions

• Use an existing platform rather than building your own unless you have a strong reason to.
• Require a backup device, such as a spare tracker, for remote sections.
• Set a clear rule for checkpoint validation: staffed stamps, geofence timestamps, or photos.
• Tell riders their tracker must be registered before the start.

If you tell me whether you're organising an event, riding one, or following one, and roughly how many riders and what budget you have, I can narrow this to one option.

Races where riders choose their own routes between mandatory checkpoints are commonly known as self-supported ultra-endurance races or unsupported bikepacking races. In the cycling community, the popular practice of following these riders online via live GPS tracking is called "dot watching".

Key Characteristics of These Races

• Self-Navigation: Unlike traditional races with a fixed course, participants are responsible for planning and navigating their own routes between specific "control points" or checkpoints.
• Self-Supported: Riders must be entirely self-reliant. They carry their own equipment and food and must arrange their own accommodation (or sleep outdoors) without external assistance.
• The "Dot": Each participant is equipped with a GPS tracker that beams their location to a central server. On the race's live map, each rider appears as a moving point (a "dot"), which spectators track in real-time.

How Dot Watching Works

Dot watching has evolved into a dedicated culture where fans act as "detectives". Because the riders choose their own paths, spectators use the tracking maps to:

• Analyze Route Choices: Fans compare which roads or trails different riders choose to reach the next checkpoint, often debating which strategies are faster.
• Monitor Progress: Enthusiasts watch to see when riders stop for rest or food—often "drilling down" into satellite map views to guess where a rider is sleeping or eating.
• Engage with the "Drama": Because these races can last for days or weeks, the tracking map provides a long-term, unfolding narrative of endurance, mechanical issues, and tactical brilliance.

Common Tracking Platforms

If you are organizing or looking to follow such a race, several platforms specialize in this type of live GPS tracking:

• DotWatcher.cc: A central hub and community site that provides coverage, analysis, and links to tracking maps for many of the world's most famous ultra-distance cycling races.
• Tracking Providers: Specialized services like Open Tracking, Tracktherace, Racemap, Poltrax, and LiveTrail provide the hardware (GPS trackers) and software interfaces used by organizers to host live maps and leaderboards.

Events like the Transcontinental Race (TCR) are the most famous examples of this format, setting the standard for how this technology is used to connect remote riders with a global audience of "dotwatchers".

If you mean what this type of race is called, it’s often described as a self-supported bikepacking race with route choice: riders must reach checkpoints, but choose their own route between them. The Unknown Race is one example; riders plan their preferred route between checkpoints and race unsupported ¹.

For live tracking, the event’s own tracking link is usually the best place to follow riders. Geo.Racing offers a live map for adventure races, with real-time positions and checkpoint progress ². MAProgress also lists live tracking for bikepacking events, using riders’ devices or satellite trackers ³.

If you’re looking for a specific race, tell me its name or location and I can help identify its live tracker.