Road cycling in the mountains: What you need to ride over mountain passes

The tarmac shimmers in the valley, the sun burns, the ascent drags on. Your legs crank evenly, your breathing is audible. At the top, behind the last hairpin bend, you stop to enjoy the view, not forgetting the obligatory photo of the pass. Your jersey is soaked with sweat, the wind is icy. You won't be staying here for long. You quickly throw on your windbreaker and get ready for the descent.

6 essentials for mountain passes

Windbreaker or rain jacket

It's colder at the top. Always. Even in the height of summer, a lightweight jacket that can be rolled up to the size of a pocket belongs in your jersey pocket. Then you can put it on quickly before the descent. Freezing downhill is no fun. You can also add arm warmers to the jacket. Leg warmers are also recommended on cool days.

Tip for bikepacking tours: The rain jacket does two jobs at once and you save one item on your packing list.

Full drinking bottles

At the pass there is sometimes a spring, sometimes a refugio, sometimes nothing. Two bottles are obligatory, on longer climbs without a supply it is advisable to put a third bottle in your jersey pocket.

Sufficient catering

Plan your provisions with a reserve. The climb may take longer than planned because you have a headwind, because you need to repair a fault or because you are making slower progress than you thought. Also remember not to wait until you're hungry to eat.

Sun cream

Sounds trivial, but it's not. The higher the altitude, the stronger the UV radiation - and on a long climb you are often in the blazing sun for hours. Your neck, forearms, calves and the bridge of your nose are fully exposed. So that you're not as red as a boiled lobster at the end of the day - and to protect your skin and therefore your health.

Breakdown material - and knowing how to use it

You should check your bike before the start of every tour. Is the tyre pressure correct? Are the brakes working? How much brake pad is left? If you get a puncture on the road, you need to be prepared. Where you stow your puncture kit is up to you: Jersey bag, storage compartment in the down tube, saddle bag, ... You should take a pump, patches for inner tubes or tubeless, a tube, tyre levers and a mini-tool with you. It would be annoying if you realised somewhere in the middle of a climb that your tube has the wrong valve length or that you still have the broken tube from the last ride with you.

Cap

My colleague swears by a classic cycling cap with a visor, which keeps the sweat away from his glasses. For the descent, a cap, perhaps in combination with a tube scarf (Buff), keeps his neck, head and ears warm.

What you need to know