Swiss Alps
Words and photos: Michael Pryde
After the tranquil and easy tempo riding the day before around Lake Como accompanied by sunshine, long lunches and a relaxing ferry rides across the lake, we woke up somewhat apprehensive of what lay ahead of us for day 2.
Day 2
Based at 1,400 m above sea level, Andermatt is better known as a ski resort than a cycling destination although in recent years many of my friends had dramatic stories of the alpine passes that surround the valley that Andermatt rests in. Andermatt is situated at the cross roads of 3 major alpine passes, the Oberalp (2,044 m), the St. Gotthard Pass (2,106 m) and the Furka Pass (2,436 m). Our route for the day would take in the St. Gotthard Pass, Furka Pass and the Nufenen Pass thrown in between the two.
The overall distance was 102.5 km with around 3,100 m of climbing and despite the warm September weather, there was still snow on top of each pass and we were prepared for both warm conditions on the climbs as well as the effects of windchill on the fast descents.
Rolling out of the Hotel Drei Könige in Andermatt at 9:00am with the morning chill still lingering, we rode tempo to the base of St. Gotthard Pass at Hospental before starting the 11 km climb. We started the climb as a group of 3 but Jan Skovgaard quickly showed his strength and began pulling away up ahead. With an estimated 6-8 hours in the saddle, the sensible thing to do was ride at my own pace in order to finish the day on the bike rather than in the back of a car. By the time I reached the top, Jan was already well rested and hiding behind a rock to shield himself from the elements. Mike Ho who was further down the road reached the top 15 minutes later looking rather worst for wear and conceded that doing another two long climbs didn’t really make sense and wisely headed for home, with plans to meet us at the top of the last climb by car.
After a short rest we geared up with windbreakers and headed down the 14 km descent with speeds touching 85+ km/h. With only a small barrier to stop us from careening off the edge of the road and bridges that traversed the hillside, 100% concentration was needed all the way down to Ariolo. When we reached Ariolo we received an SMS from Mike Ho, “You have the car keys, right”? Tucked safely away in my saddle bag, there was no way I was turning back to deliver the keys and he could either spend the afternoon relaxing in Andermatt (my choice) or head up on his bike to our intended rendezvous point on the Furka Pass.
After being momentarily lost in Ariolo we were once again on our way up, riding through the valley to Nufenen Pass. With the valley getting narrower and steeper on both sides there was only one way out of the valley- up and over! This was to be the longest and most difficult climb of the day, at 2,478 m and around 15 km long, it felt like we were in a time warp, especially with Jan once again pulling away and disappearing up the road. Since it was a Saturday there were many other cyclists on the road, unfortunately they were all headed in the opposite direction down the valley. This was a clear sign that we probably should have ridden the loop counterclockwise as the climb continued relentlessly up.
By the time I reached the top, Jan was already sitting in the restaurant staring deliriously out the window, probably imagining that he was on the moon. With two more descents and one more climb to go, it was time to refuel and a large plate of Bolognaise was quickly served up in front of me, which I was almost too tired to eat. Lunch was either going to weigh me down enough to push me backwards down the Furka, or it was going to give me some much needed energy and plug the hunger knock I had been feeling for some hours.
After giving ourselves a much-needed rest it was full gas down the other side of the Nufenen with plenty a hairpin to keep the adrenalin pumping. The Furka Pass resembles a cliff face more than a casual Saturday afternoon ride and having reached Gletsch one year ago from Grimsel Pass (2,165 m) I was at least mentally prepared for the 12 hairpins (I was counting) that lay ahead. With tired legs and the sight of the Furka Pass clear in view we started our climb from Gletsch to Furka. With the pedals turning over slowly and the steep cliffs under the Belvedere Hotel looming, the historic steam train from Gletsch was looking like a more hopeful option.
Since Jan was once again up the road, the option of bailing out in favour of the train would cause some logistical concerns, never mind the idea of having to live with the knowledge of not finishing the ride. So with my head dipped down and shoulders swaying I continued up the road with the Rhone Glacier shimmering under the afternoon sun. The view down from the Belvedere Hotel to where I had just ridden from was incredible and from there I knew I only had 2.8 km to go with the steep gradient giving way to a more gentle rise to the pass. Lying on the grass near the last remaining summer snow at the top, I felt relieved that I did not have to resort to the train or hailing down a car to complete the ride. Like clockwork, Mike Ho reached the top from the other side just after Jan arrived, with me arriving some 20 minutes later.
A couple of hotdogs and photo opportunities later we headed for home. The descent down to Andermatt was technical and bumpy, with parts of it reduced to only single lane but with the euphoria of completing all three climbs still present we descended very quickly, overtaking most of the motorcycles that were also en route to Andermatt. The rugged and often broken road required some good handling skills and we were fortunate to have traffic ahead most of the way which helped us visualize the breaking distances needed on each turn.
The whole ride took over 7 hours to complete and should be on the radar of any cyclist looking for a big challenge and plenty of stunning scenery keep the ride interesting. Just be sure to leave early and bring your camera.