No Point. Ride of 70 cols.
Szymon has been part of our story almost since the beginning. A restless spirit on two wheels, a friend we admire for the way he rides and the way he lives. If cycling has its wanderer, its dreamer, its beatnik, it would be him. And if anyone could turn a ride into pure poetry, it’s Szymon.
Words and photos by: Szymon Kotowski.
Hello, I’m Szymon and recently I became unemployed, and after a few days of trying to fix the situation, I decided to stop worrying about it and I booked a flight to the southern end of the Alps – Nice.
I didn’t really need a plan, a route, or anything else. As long as there are mountains ahead, I’m good.
I called it No Point, because for me the beauty and freedom of riding like this come from the fact that there’s no actual goal or finish line.
Doing something just for the result ruins the whole process.
The point is that there is no point.
List of the cols
Eze, Madone, Braus, Turini, Bonette, Vars, Agnel, Izoard, Granon, Lautaret, Galibier, Alpe d’Huez, Sarenne, Glandon, Croix de Fer, Madelaine, Mollard, Cormet de Roselend, Saisies, Aravis, Colombiere, Joux Plane, Ramaz, Encrenaz, Vaudagne, Montets, Emosson, Forclaz, Grand Saint Bernard, Sanetsch, Grosse Scheidegg, Susten, Gotthard, Nufenen, Grimsel, Furka, Oberalp, Klausen, Pragel, San Bernardino, Splügen, Maloja, Julier, Albula, Bernina, Forcola, Eira, Foscagno, Gavia, Stelvio, Umbrail, Ofen, Flüela, Kaunertal, Timmelsjoch, Tiefenbach, Jaufen, Erbe, Gardena, Sella, Fedaia, Giau, Falzarego, Valparola, Melodia, Campolongo, Pordoi, Gardeccia, Iselsberg, Hochtor, Grossglockner
After four weeks, 88,000 meters of climbing, around 70 cols, and 3,600 kilometers, I finally felt like — okay, that’s enough.
