Whirlwind descending
Whirlwind descending
Everyone thinks climbing when they think of the Alps, but descending is another key part of riding mountains, and enjoyable in a totally different way to going uphill.
After you’ve spent a morning slogging your way up a climb, your reward is the descent. And descending in the mountains is fantastic. There are very few places in the world that you can ride downhill for over an hour, but some of the Alpine passes will afford you that luxury.
Whether you want something fast, straight(ish) and long or something technical and full of hairpins you’ll be spoiled for choice. And there’s no better way to improve your descending skills than by getting stuck into 30km of downhill. It’s another part of riding that we just don’t have in the same way in the UK and it’s absolutely incredible fun.
Remember, though, you’re aiming for Paolo Savoldelli when you’re descending, not Andy Schleck. Although, in all seriousness, don’t push past your capabilities because on some descents you can literally be one mistake away from a very serious accident, or worse.