FanPost

The bucket list



Today at work was a normal day that started slow, like a normal day we started talking about cycling and how much we miss it... Then we were talking what we knew was 'new' and I showed Holms a few news around my cycling web pages and he related to some point in his inmense history with cycling...

All this gave me the idea of creating a list of routes climbs and events that I would like to do at some point in life if I could, or at least try...

Researching in the internet can be too much info at times, but this time I got lucky..! I run into this "Strava Classics" segments (this time has nothing to do with the site itself, the post) and this is a great selection of routes going up and I mean seriously up..!!

Using this page and the general knowledge from PdC that I collected over the last 3 seasons of cycling I decided to created a temporary Bucket List of routes I want to ride....

Lets face it I would love to ride them all but I would take on the South American ones just because they are closer to my place of birth (sort of)

Lets start in Brazil, the land of the samba and soccer (futbol) carnaval and great beaches.. Less known for their climbs but the do have some to enjoy..

1- Serra do Rio Rastro: 15.5 km at 6.4% avrg incline.. 989 mteres of elevation gained by the end of it..

An arrestingly beautiful climb in the beautiful mountains of Brazil, Serra do Rio do Rastro is the most popular ascent in the country. Used in the Tour of Santa Catarina, this tranquil and safe pass provides remarkable landscapes from all angles. Many famed Brazilian pros have won on this demanding climb and a certain strength is undoubtedly required to make it to the top of this steep road cut through deep crags and lush vegetation.

2- Campos Do Jordao- Serra Nova: 18.2 km at 5.3% arvg with 976 meters of elevation gained by the end...

Campos do Jordao is the highest city in Brazil, which makes it the perfect place to ride bikes. This quaint city with European style architecture is vastly different from the nearby and ever-lively Sao Paulo. Here, riders can expect little traffic, cool temperatures, and an unforgettable climb up the beautiful Campos do Jordao - Serra Nova segment. Get into a consistent rhythm as you climb through the peaceful Brazilian forest

Now lets go to Chile for # 3 in my list.

3- YPF- Curva 41- Farellones: 30.8 km at 4.9% with 1508 meters of elevation gained by the end...!! (you earned a couple of liters of good Chilean wine by then)

35% of the Chilean population live in Santiago, a gorgeous city at the base of the Andes. A popular ski destination during the winter months, Farellones provides athletes with fresh mountain air and high altitude. Part of the Vuelta de Chile, this incredibly long climb has outstanding views of the Andes along with plenty of switchbacks. After thirty kilometers of climbing, no doubt you'll be craving an empanada or two.

For #4 I will cross the Atlantic for a few minutes to find a climb that I knew nothing about it but as I started reading founded out is in the same area where my family is from in Portugal..

4-Seia- Torre PM Ce Volta a Portugal: 28.5 km at 5.1% avrg incline to complete 1443 meters of climbing.

Guarda is the highest city in Portugal at 1,056m so it shouldn't come as a surprise that the city is home to a grandiose climb. Seia-Torre is considered to be the hardest climb in Portugal and one of the toughest in Europe. A lesser known European cycling destination, Portugal is home to beautiful landscapes and some serious climbs. This particular segment requires endurance as it is almost 30km in length with an average gradient of 5%. A decisive stage each year in the Tour of Portugal, riders are in for a challenge all the way up to the torre, or tower, at the top.

For # 5 I will come back to South America and head to the home of some of the best climbers in the world..Colombia..! Yes people Colombia is known for his climbers and no wonder they do so well...

5- Old version- Paso de Letras desde Mariquita: Hold your pants people and clean your glasses the numbers you are about to read are real.. Ready?

Length: 80.8 km - 4.0% incline- To finish with 3208 meters of climbing...!!!!

The roads leading to Alto de Letras are extremely quiet and one can ride for miles without seeing another person, vehicle, or bike. This sets the tone for what lies ahead: man (or woman) vs. mountain. Be prepared for a long day in the saddle as you set out to tackle the mountain pass with the biggest altitude gain in the world. A mental and physical battle, only extremely fit cyclists should attempt this incredibly long climb at high altitude. You'll soon see why the Colombians are some of the best climbers in the world.

This is my short list of climbs/places that I want to visit or try to ride with my bike..

What are yours?

Here is the link where I picked those routes up and there is some very nice and interesting comment from people that did them..: http://www.strava.com/classic-segments

Hope you enjoyed the post and looking forward to see your picks..