This ride was more than a climb. It was the proving ground for our AW25 Pro Collection, built to meet the demands of conditions like these. We rolled out in the Aqua Zero Jersey, the drizzle constant and the air holding steady at 8–10°C, exactly the environment it was designed for. Fifteen kilometres from the summit, as the temperature began its inevitable drop, layers came into play. The Pro Insulated Jacket, Pro Insulated Gilet, and Pro Lightweight Gloves offered targeted protection for the final push. The higher we climbed, the more the cold bit back. At the top, the air was raw, unfiltered. Brutal, yet beautiful.
That is the paradox of winter riding: brutality and bliss, coexisting. To ride here is to lean into both, to find joy in the struggle. Wrapped in the right armour, the body can go further, harder, higher. The kit holds the line, leaving only the rider’s resolve to decide the outcome.
