Discover the rest of Camille and Quentin’s cycling adventures. Our cyclist friends, equipped with Ozio, left Annecy at the beginning of April. Direction: the North Cape! After crossing Jura and Alsace, Belgium and the Netherlands, then Scandinavia, their cycling trip ended at the end of August and therefore lasted almost five months. A look back at the end of their journey.
We are in May. In Hamburg, Camille and Quentin took a ferry to cross the Elbe to Brunsbüttel, their last stop in Germany. Then, head for Denmark, the 6th country crossed since the start of this trip, via Eurovélo 1. They will find some great stretches of gravel that move well, and will have to face a sometimes difficult wind... But they will also admire a series of truly picturesque Danish villages. Half-timbered houses with thatched roofs, mills, rapeseed fields… and even Egeskov Castle. They also have to deal with a small technical problem, with no less than 4 punctures in the same day. Good to know: the cycle paths in Denmark other than Copenhagen are not incredible and are sometimes very narrow. In addition, punctures are very common there because of the “flint” rock.
After a few days, arrival in Copenhagen, for a well-deserved day off! On the program, visit to the port, Tivoli Park and greetings to the Little Mermaid. Leaving Copenhagen is easy, the slopes are well laid out, with quite exceptional cyclist traffic! Ramps are even installed at the traffic lights, to avoid setting foot on the ground!
Direction Aarhus in Jutland, via ferry, then arrival in Skæring, a magnificent coastal town. Weather change, also with fog and almost 10 degrees less. In Denmark, Camille and Quentin visit, along Eurovélo 1, the Rubjerg Knude lighthouse, one of the most emblematic monuments in Denmark, but also the astonishing Viking village of Yxengaard and the point of Grenen, the northernmost point of Denmark. Next stop: Sweden, and in particular Gothenburg.
On arrival in Sweden, the meter now displays 4000 kilometers. Getting out of Gothenburg is made easy by a beautiful cycle route where there are even bridges dedicated to cyclists. Then it gets complicated: the roadside route is average and the rain is coming! A first stop is necessary, to cover up and put on ELEMENTS jackets…on the porch of an Ikea! What's more Swedish? Once you leave the main road, you'll be amazed! Ellös, Tanumstrand… Camille and Quentin cross Sweden from south to north, finally reaching Norway and Oslo on May 19, for another day off to discover the capital.
After Oslo, the landscapes and bivouac spots follow one another, all each more magnificent than the other : fjords, beaches, lakes, fir trees, typical red and white chalets... At the end of May, it's already the 5000 km! The stages follow one another: Mølstrevågvegen, Fitjar, then Bergen, where they will be joined for a while by Quentin's parents.
On the program for the month of June in Norway: crossing the famous Lofoten Islands, and a major sporting challenge: riding for 24 hours, non-stop, to enjoy the midnight Sun of the Far North. Successful challenge, with nearly 18h30 in the saddle, 350 km covered and 3300 m of elevation gain. With lasting memories, incredible brightness and breathtaking landscapes.
The route continues through Norway. The days are all more beautiful than the others. After already more than 100 days of travel, the 8000 kilometers are reached after Oksfjordhamn. Camille and Quentin finally head to the real North Cape on July 24. They divide their final route into 4 stages: 90 km to Havoysund (“night” to enjoy the midnight sun one last time!) then a boat to Honningsvag.
Then, we will have to wait in Honningsvag for the family to arrive from Alta, to finish the very last kilometers of this incredible journey with them. These will be done in difficult conditions with strong wind, but Camille and Quentin are more motivated than ever. So many emotions! The reunions are magical. That's it, the North Cape is here, after 8350 km. Meeting point between the Atlantic and the Arctic, it is the point the northernmost in Europe. It is time for our two cyclists to enjoy a few days and take stock of this intense sporting adventure, before starting the return road towards Stockholm. There are around 2000 km left to reach the Swedish capital: it won't be the easiest part! The weather conditions require Camille and Quentin to readjust and the roads are more monotonous (oh the straight lines!)
The end of the trip will be by bus from Stockholm to Berlin then by train to Geneva. They will cross the finish line in Annecy by bike, awaited by family and friends! What an adventure ! 10650 km!
add comment