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mountains. epic cycling climbs. michael blann thames & hudson hardback. 256pp illus. £35

gotthard_pass

though i claim that there's a garmin affixed to my handlebars purely for reasons of time-keeping (i don't wear a watch while cycling), that's not entirely true. yes, it's much simpler to look down to check if i've strayed over my exercise quota for the day, and yes, there's always the accidental danger of noting one's average speed, but it's the second number at the top of the display that often equates to bragging rights.

sa calobra

those of you who may have recently acquired a cycle-computer or bar-mount gps device, will have noted that the majority enquire as to whether your grovelling will be measured in miles, or kilometres. with the uk and north america firmly entrenched in the imperial system of measurements, the default setting to choose would be that of miles. however, if i might stretch my assumption to expect the majority of you to be aboard drop-bar road bikes, and thus even slightly in thrall to the competitive milieu, i would suggest kilometres to be a better option.

my reasoning is entirely based on the fact that our world tour heroes race only in kilometres, and, in order to compare our meagre efforts, it is incumbent on the aspirational roadie to do likewise. and should you choose so to do, i can offer you a free gift by return; the bragging rights mentioned above. it's so much more impressive to converse with non-cycling colleagues in the office, stating the number of kilometres ridden at the weekend, a number that will be larger entirely due to its metricity. for instance, if you managed a mere 36 miles last weekend, stating that as 60 kilometres will gain far more brownie points. a similar happenstance will accompany any speeds you may wish to quote in kph.

col d'aubisque

but, to paraphrase 'jiminy cricket', "there's more". for, if you rummage through the endless settings available, you may well discover that it's possible to have the device inform you as to the percentage of the gradient on which you only just managed to grovel to the top. unfortunately, nobody's impressed by this number, mostly due to a lack of comparable information on which to base their potential approbation. however, once again, when carlton kirby points out that bernal is riding a 12% gradient with ease, you'll have something on which to hang your shame.

col de la bonette

we are, almost to a man and woman, obsessed with the mountains, particularly the iconic climbs that feature in the three grand tours. alpe d'huez, mont ventoux, the col de l'iseran, the stelvio pass, the mortirolo, are all names that should be spoken in hushed tones. unless, that is, if you happen to have won a stage atop any of them. every bit as obsessed with ruddy great hills, is photographer, michael blann, whose 'mountains: epic cycling climbs' has recently been given a revised lease of life in this updated and expanded version of the original.

lacets de montvernier

make no mistake, though a certain dedication to one's velocipedinal craft will make this a celebratory publication to own and peruse, such is the power of mr blann's photography, that you should hardly be surprised if you find the rest of the family continually borrowing it from your (strengthened) bookshelf.

the majority of dramatic content is at the behest of some of the finest photography i have witnessed in many a long year. the drama, however, is also made concrete via the words of several who have conquered their twists, turns, cambers and, ultimately their height and gradient. witness this from philippa yorke (robert millar) from the col de tourmalet.

"As we get nearer the climb, I can see people and their belongings silhouetted against the dramatic backdrop, like a scene from a Western. In this particular movie they are the bandits, and we are the travelling convoy about to be attacked. Spaghetti was one of the choices at breakfast this morning, but now I'm glad I declined the pasta. If shots are going to be fired, even metaphorical ones, I'd like to believe I've done all I can to have luck on my side."

mont ventoux

philippa is not the only one with a palmares to offer the reader the benefit of her mountain perspective. there are some excellent essays from bernard thevenet, stephen roche, andy hampsten, the late paul sherwen and sean kelly, to name but a few. conveniently, in the contents, the mountains have been placed in an orderly fashion, as indeed have the contributors' words, should you wish to browse first and read later. the northern and southern french alps, the pyrenees, spain, spanish islands and portugal, the dolomites and italian alps, and finally, the austrian and swiss alps. i recall as a teenager finding that i could only listen to one-side of a joni mitchell lp at a single sitting, otherwise it all became too overwhelming. i think a similar situation pertains to 'mountains'.

col du tourmalet

blann's imagery combines race footage with empty roads and empty hills, each every bit as stunning as the last. i struggled to take this all in in a single sitting, finding it easier to choose a few chapters each day, often with a cup of tea and a biscuit in between. if you're still in lockdown, this is the very book you'll need. in fact, when resting your eyes and vertigo, read a chapter of herbie sykes' 'balmamion' before returning for a second, third or fourth helping. however, it's not only you and i who are in danger of being separated from our breath, as romain bardet is keen to point out.

colle delle finestre

"It's impossible to appreciate the true value of the mountains when you're riding the Tour. Their breadth, the harmony and tranquillity of the place, panoramas so full of riches that don't register when the stakes are high. In a race, the supreme happiness that comes from climbing is always trumped by the need to win."

hopefully, some of the images accompanying this review will give a better idea of the drama contained within. author and photographer, michael blann has previously worked in design and with creative teams; the skills acquired in so doing have arguably informed his eye (and lens) creating, as the press-release states "...a volume that will inspire awe and wonder in anyone who wishes to confront the power of the mountains." with all three grand tours taking place in a later timeframe this year, here's your chance to acquaint yourself in advance of many of the bumpy bits that will feature.

grandiose, in a very, very good way.

friday 15 may 2020

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