Cycling the Engadine - Part 2

Day one with the Pinarello and I wasn't about to let an average weather forecast get in my way, as the mountain weather was fickle and forecasts not to be trusted.

But halfway down the cobblestones of Zuoz the 6 degree morning suddenly became a wet 6 degree morning, and as I hit the tarmac equipped with enthusiasm but minimal waterproofing or insulation it became clear that I wasn't going to be venturing far. Thankfully the driveway up to our former hotel was nearby promising 2km of zig zagging tarmac up the valley side and I managed to fit in a few hundred metres of vertical before I lost feeling in my fingers and retreated back up the cobbles of Zuoz, chastened.

Part 2 - Zuoz and La Punt Chameus-Ch

Of course, fickle weather works both ways and by early afternoon it was sunny and high teens. So still on an endorphin kick I gingerly donned a wet chamois and waterlogged shoes and set out to conquer the nearest col, The Passo del Albula at 2315m, just out of the little village of La Punt Chameus-Ch.

Alas there is not much I can recount about the next 1.5hrs, but my phone shows that I managed to snap a few pictures during my hypoxic trance, just a dim memory of blurred grey ashphalt, 15%+ gradients on the garmin and a HR dangerously close to defibrillator territory. But I succesfully clocked up 1000m for the day and while far from a Jonas Vingegaard recovery and being restrained on the descent, I'll chalk it up as a win.