TRIPLE CROWN

From the rejuvenated village of Andermatt, we tuck into the Gotthard Challenge, a legendary loop of three gruelling mountain passes

- John Whitney

What are we thinking about tomorrow's route? Do you think it will take us four, five hours?" my colleague asked me, over a pre-dinner pint about the following day's ride. It would take in the climbs of the Furka, Nufenen, and Gotthard pass, one on top of the other. Here it's called the 'Gotthard Challenge'. I motioned my head upwards, in the universal signal for ‘more'.

"I'm just checking Strava and there's an E Bernal who's done it in three hours. Have we heard of this guy? Maybe five is doable.”

"That's Egan Bernal," I said, spluttering on my drink at the idea that the winner of the Tour de France and Giro d'Italia had been reduced to E Bernal on Strava. "He rides for Ineos. He's one of the best climbers in the world. He must have done that ride in the Tour de Suisse. If we did it in double his time, we'd have had a strong day."

Three is the magic number

The triple whammy of the Furka Pass, Nufenen Pass and Gotthard Pass has few equals anywhere in Europe: around 100km, three major passes, and descents, elevation gain like it's going out of fashion, and no flat whatsoever. A proper, full-fat day on the bike, but not so long that it's going to bully you into a headlock. You can go to plenty of places in Europe and do a similar trio of climbs, but you'll either not finish where you began, rack up a soul-destroying volume of kilometers or it simply just won't be as pretty as here.