20.09.2017

The hardest day


Kristof Allegaert recently told Juliana Buhring (“Life Lessons from the World’s Most Extreme Cyclists” at Outside Online“)

My hardest moment was on the second TCR, trying to reach the checkpoint over Stelvio Pass. I’d had a long day with a lot of climbing. The last stretch was so painful, I almost got off my bike and walked to the top.

while the article is illustrated by an unrelated “dummy” photo. Here is the true arrival at checkpoint Stelvio Pass during TCR no 2.

I remember that day, it was already a long ride where we met Kristof with the press car at Pass Dal Fuorn (2149m) around 5PM.
We wanted to follow his ascent but we missed him at this corner where he probably went into some restaurant while the tracker page wasn’t working.
So we went up the Umbrail when thick clouds approached us  and the temperature fell down to zero degree. The checkpoint was at the Folgore Hotel just a few meter away from the Passo Stelvio.
Kristof arrived as the first rider at the pass  just before 10 PM
Explaining the recent route
Chatting with Mike
Preparing clothes
and leaving immediately after we stamped his brevet card.