Deep green, then bone dry: Pascal Ramali (left) struggles through the Colombian landscape on his bike. Image: Transcordilleras
Blazing heat, steep climbs, fascinating nature and just a trickle of cold water: Pascal Ramali has mastered one of the toughest gravel races in the world. He has never made it easy for himself.
Pascal Ramali has made peace with the athlete within him, with the top athlete who lets go, gains distance, only to then set off again to achieve new top performances. He only manages to find peace temporarily. Ramali has just returned home from Colombia this week, his skin is tanned, his legs are still a little heavy, his smile is wide as he talks about his special experience. “It was a real adventure,” he says.
The 37-year-old took part in the Transcordilleras cycling race – and more importantly, completed it. Eight days of toil on the gravel bike with your own luggage on the bike and three Andean foothills in front of the handlebars. Up to eight hours a day in the saddle in blazing heat of up to 45 degrees and stages that were up to 175 kilometers long and over 4,000 meters in altitude.