Ever heard of a little thing called Everesting.... Dave Edwards has.
We're sending Dave to complete five Everesting rides between 17 August and 31 August. This is a tough ask in anyone's book, but to add a bit of spice and push the boundaries just a little more, the five Everests will be in five countries on some of the toughest and unforgiving climbs this planet has to offer.
"Hey Dave, you cool if we send you on a cycling trip, travelling around the world, staying with locals, and riding bikes in sweet places?"
"Yes dude, that would be most cool. You cool if I do an Everesting in each spot?"...
Andy Van Bergen is the creator of the Hells 500 and Everesting phenomenon, and this conversation between him and I is how this whole trip started. Really it was an opportunity to reach out to Hells people around the world, and commit to a challenge harder than what had been seen before.
5 Everestings, 5 countries, 3 continents, 3 weeks. But even then, these aren't any old hills. All are big, some are bloody steep, some have gravel, 1 has a cobbled secteur, and 1 only needs to be climbed twice to be an everesting. If I sit down and think of it, it seems impossible. Maybe it is. But come mid August, we'll all get to find out! Tune in as I take on this enourmous challenge.
THE BIKE
Dave's Instagram feed
DAVES WORDS
THE MOUNTAINS
Mt Fuji Azami Line - Japan - August 17th
This is the same climb made infamous in the Tour of Japan, which I will be riding two days after riding a 'Japanese Three Peaks' event, which involves riding all of the HC climbs around Mt Fuji in a single ride (6000m and 250km)
11km, 1118m of gain per climb, 10.1% average - Mt Fuji Strava segment
176km total everesting with 8 laps
Supported by...
Rocacorba - Spain - August 20th
A very prominent local climb, used as a testing ground by elite pros who live locally in Girona - Ryder Hejsdal narrowly holds the record over Wiggo.
9.9km, 745m of gain, 7.4% average - Rocacorba Strava segment
237 km everesting, 12 reps
Colle Delle Finestre - Italian Alps - August 23rd
Steep as balls, made infamous by it's inclusion in 3 recent Giros d'Italia. 57 hairpins, with the last 8 kilometres on gravel.
17.8km, 1688m of gain, 9.4% - Colle Delle Finestre Strava segment
187km everesting, 5.25 reps
Saint Gotthard Pass - Switzerland - August 26th
A very grand collection of hairpins, with the last 8 km on cobbles, to get to the highest pass in Switzerland.
11.8km, 897m of gain, 7.5% - St Gotthard Pass Strava segment
236km everesting, 10 reps
Mauna Kea - Hawaii - August 31st
The biggest mountain in the world from base to summit, as the base is 6000m below sea level. Rated as the hardest climb in the world, there is an 8km section of gravel that comes after 3000m of altitude. HUGE.
68.6km, 4284m of gain, 6.1% - Mauna Kea Strava segment
284km everesting, a bit over 2 reps.
Getting out and going long, and riding an epic with mates is one of the most enjoyable and memorable parts of cycling. Yeah, good hit outs of a morning, or on the weekend can be great fun, but the big, hard, long days in the saddle, those are the ones we sit and dream about.