Coloul Shed Of Berger Paints

Return to the Nebelhorn or how defeat into victory ends

Article published in the magazine BB n.36. Photo Sergi Ros.

I was without hope. Just read the article mythical Angel Morales and Ruben Berasategui in BB (number 30) and knew what awaited me in great detail. They had gone to the Nebelhorn and had failed to upload entire bike, even considering the type of material used, having thoroughly analyzed the maps ... Angel and Ruben, two guys used to the steep slopes, two pioneers, discoverers monsters and also strong as few ...

So I was clearly going to visit us but did not even know if they come up. I have you to say I like steep slopes, although the Nebelhorn beyond imagination. Let's say when he thought occurred to me that no other words were challenging, extreme hardship and danger. Enjoy countryside or cycling are words that leave for other increases.

I had there with the road bike (albeit with a triple crankset) and without specific training to deal with a rise of this caliber. The circumstances were as they were and I had gone to do other types of gains, but being in Oberstdorf, do not try to raise would have been a sacrilege.

The company that had conditioned the rise. Joya Cossials Xavi and Xavi are both inveterate travelers. Two types, especially Cossials, who have traveled with their bikes for a lot of countries, up impossible slopes, always in search of gains included in the BIG challenge. Always with his mountain bike and triple plate, ensuring (almost always) that can reach the top. We asked ourselves a new challenge (challenge?) on the back of our bikes.

Returning from a stage around Oberstdorf, decided to take the good weather in early July in southern Germany to try to get closer to discovering a new myth of modern cycling. After locating the beginning of the ascent (not hard, next to the ski jumping stadium), we reported at the box office Nebelhornbahn (the cable car that climbs to the top of the Nebelhorn, to 2224 meters). The information we received there was all wrong. We were told that a car, though not 4x4, I could upload without problems until Edmund Probst Haus hostel, to 1932 meters. A lot, if one day you want to play life, you can try ... Another option we had was shuffled up and down as we could with the bike on the gondola, but that is not allowed.

The first part of the climb to the Nebelhorn was the only person considered affordable, right up to the gondola station Seealpe to 1280 meters. With more than 20% ramps are about 4 km very hard, but with the triple chainring, because Whip is made.

Once Seealpe Sergio spoke with the photographer, who goes in the car following us, and tells me he has seen the Xavis suffer much on the ramps of 20% and does not think they reach Seealpe. While we're waiting and talking about a guy appears wearing traditional dress and bad manners tells us something we do not understand. Hardly intuit that you can not go drive around and as we caught the cops are going to paper. So we decided to leave the car parked there.

I say, well while I wait for the Xavis I'll see what this is and see if hopefully I see Rampone 42%. You must be scrotumtightening! While I go, I meet a guy in BTT has not sleazy. I wonder if you know the rise and I said to live in Oberstdorf and usually go up very often. I wonder if you have been able to upload a bike to the end without dismounting and I say yes ... Interesting. I have uploaded affordable areas to which I see in the distance a line that impresses. Try it with my road bike and I stay right at kilometer indicating missing 4 kilometers to the summit. There begins the real hell. I thought I would be waiting at the back and I turn and start to descend.

When under Seealp to the Xavis I find climbing with the bike and walk a few meters back Sergi, camera and backpack in hand. Morale is high and the desire to add a new BIG to your collection, too. That is, turn around and try to get as high as possible, although again the infernal straight meets our way. The slope is terrible. We stopped and a sense of defeat is total. Including the picture with the thumbs down ... A few minutes does not know yet how or why or who it was who encouraged the others to continue climbing, but instead of assuming a KO loss to get up and continue the fight, even on foot, so far. During daylight no rush.

try to do a segment on bike, but then I run into the famous left-hander's 42%. Can not explain, you have to do the wall to realize the magnitude of the slope. The rest that is to crown the ramp is there in the distance, far above, is an unreal feeling. I try to upload with the BTT one of my colleagues. Without having raised the previous section from scratch, I do not get even half of the asphalt ... The state does not help, and horizontal cuts in the pavement (so that to facilitate drainage when it rains?) Even less. From the top of the stretch monstrous the asphalt is deteriorating more and more into a gritty track. It is difficult even to walk up. The feet slide down the slope and gravel and I can not imagine driving up sneakers out there ... Luckily I have the mountain to the small cove Shimano unless I go down safe.

A little further down we see a cyclist. This is an Hungarian who lives in Austria and explains what the rest of the climb. Soon we discovered that also forms part of the BIG challenge and, after a while appears a couple of popular Italian, Luigi and Cecilia, downhill walk with the bike on his shoulders and scowl. That stretch back to the ramp hell is undoubtedly the worst face of the whole climb. And yet, far from moderating, remains at levels that do not allow us to get back on the bike. An area of \u200b\u200bzig zag and you see the lodge in the distance. The first traces of snow suddenly appear beside the road and announce that we are already very near the end.

The four kilometers from the first ramp infernal hostel we were endless. Make the climb, even on foot, became a real challenge. Each came up with her gadgets, bikes us and Sergi in his backpack and camera.

Contrary to what you might think after walking up a port part, reaching the top was quite a triumph. Somehow, with the bike on the side, but after hours of walking we had conquered the mountain. We had reached the shelter Edmund Probst Haus at 1932 meters along to the next station of the cable. We came up with the righteous forces of light and ideal for long photo session with Sergi. The sandwich back at the hostel it tasted like heaven.

must say that from there to the top of Nebelhorn there are still some 300 meters of altitude, since it reaches 2224 meters , but except the last mile, that stretch from the lodge to the top really is impracticable on a bicycle.

Falling already intuited that it would not be easy. I almost got on the bike in these 4 km . The risk of going down is evident and completely stopping the bike there are many sections where the bike slides down and you lose control. In a mountain bike with disc brakes is probably something else, but with block brakes the risk is more than evident.

Once you know the field I think it's a frightening rise, bestial, but as they say my friends and Mauro Repetto Carles Nadal in a mountain biking 32-34 behind with the asphalt in good condition, a state of very good and being a biker used to balance the bike stopped (or nearly), is a climb that you can get to do. But if it does not satisfy one of these requirements, I fear that you will put foot to the floor ...

The next morning, from the youth hostel we were staying, just from the window of our Nebelhorn room and saw the station and the Hostel Höfatsblick Edmund Probst Haus. That unmistakable and Valley-sac that encloses one of the most feared monsters of cyclists from across Europe. And the day before it would become part of my curriculum and my memories. Even having done on foot.

But whatever I tell you, the climb to the Nebelhorn is an experience that must be lived. If you can go cycling, chapeau, but if you come up on foot or by cable car, this terrible mountain will have in the bag. Never a defeat was a sweeter taste.