The day I ascended Alpe d'Huez

I am happy to say that my personal project of ascending Alpe d'Huez on bicycle was successfully accomplished. There were a couple of last minute changes (including the traditional oversleeping and missing the bus) but nothing serious to stop me saying this:

I CLIMBED UP ALPE D'HUEZ ON BICYCLE!

more pictures here

I have only three advice for those amateurs like myself willing to do it:

1. The first part of the ascending is indeed brutal and you feel it is endless!, so do not waste energies there, keep it cool and just mind to get alive to curve 16. There you've got a chance breathe.

2. Prepare yourself mentally, so you don't get surprised by how hard it is!!

3. Get a personal reason to do it, don't do it for glory, a personal motivation will pull you stronger than just thirst of glory (at least in my opinion)

Personally I did it for my father, who soon will reach 14 years of death. I know Alpe d'Huez meant a lot for him due to the victory of Lucho Herrera in 1984, and I wanted to offer my ascending to his memory. Additionally the constant pain in my legs reminded me the constant pain and hurdles my mother had to overpass to rise my brother and me just by herself. After thinking about her life of struggling without quitting a single day I couldnt allow myself to stop pedaling. Those were my personal reasons.

The experience was awesome, I think climbing is something almost spiritual. I think the hardest part is in the head rather than the pain of the legs. Pedaling and feeling pain becomes mechanical, it actually becomes a background process that is just there and won't leave until you reach the top.

The real struggling happens in your mind, because there is a moment when you unplug yourself form the body and from the physical pain it feels, and then you start a discussion with yourself that actually holds you during the ascending. 

The struggling is between two parts of your mind. One pushes you to quit, to stop, to give up, it reminds you how painful it is, and the other part denies any of those possibilities, it uses your personal motivation to make you push and push and push until the moment that you realized you are at the top of the mountain. 

Here is my Strava information about the ride.

Even though the most important for me was to get there no matter the time, I have to admit that I was pleased to see that my time of ascending the 21 curves (1h29m38s) was few seconds better than my most optimistic timing (1h30m). I know I know, there is practically no difference, nor it is an amazing time but I don't care! it just makes me happy to know I made it.

If you live in France, in Italy or have the possibility to come, don't hesitate it! it is the Mecca of cycling, if you like this sport, you better come and do it at least once!