NORTHCAPE - TARIFA - PH Apparel

Being a #pusharder does not only mean cycling, but unique adventures, which help us to grow thanks to what we love to do: ride a bike!
Roberto had an incredible experience: from the North Cape to Tarifa - from the northest point to the southerst point of Europe.
In few words? A race that is worth a lifetime!

Here below the story of the hero Roberto De Osti.

Nicolò
"The hardest thing about my adventure was being away from my little Nicolò.
I know, that's not what you'd expect from such a breathtaking tale, but it's the truth: I always used to having him close to me and 30 days away was a long time.
But now I have so many more things to tell him and then, as we promised, the day when we will go to Australia with our bikes to see the kangaroos will come: that will be my greatest adventure, together.”

The numbers
"Let's satisfy this curiosity immediately and talk about numbers.
This cycling madness ended with:
- 7347.64km
- 30D1h21min
- 15 states.
All this going from 5ºC in Norway to 46ºC in Spain: in short, I didn't miss anything! And it seemed I almost didn't have to make it after a trivial mechanical problem and 2 full days of stop.”

The angels of the road
"In our world of unsupported ultra-distances we call them "the angels of the road".
Ordinary people, strangers met by chance mostly in our worst moments. They give us the most precious gift, their attention, their time, their help.
At my #northcapetarifa I met many of them, they were able to give me the strength to complete this race thanks to their smile or a pat on the back in my moment of desperation. But not only that, they helped me by offering food for dinner and even their own hotel room: incredible, sincere and spontaneous gestures of love.

The world is beautiful!"

The climbs
"I will not remember #northcapetarifa just for its 7400km but also for its climbs. I had the good fortune to be able to pedal legendary climbs and others less legendary, or at least for me! I didn’t know them but they will remain inside me, especially in the legs!

On the big climbs you can't hide and, when you arrive with so many miles on your legs and the bike overloaded, you have to let out all the character if you want to conquer the summit, pedal after pedal.
You just have to listen to the breath, heart, knees and muscles (those scream!). Most of all, you need to find the optimal thrust at all times, but always continuing to pedal, to advance forward: here, letting go the pedal, means foot on the ground - it means let the effort winning!
You don’t have to give up until the top and at each top a scream of victory, one less: LET’S GO!!"

Pico del Veleta
"After 7000km you will find SHE, our #cimacoppi of the #northcapetarifa: the Pico del Veleta. The highest asphalted climb in Europe with its almost 45km with the nose up and the summit at 3384km.”

“Whoever climbs higher, the farther he sees. The farther he sees, the longer he dreams."
Walter Bonatti

Roberto
"My biggest fear was going to Alta by plane: from then on, whatever the road would put me in front of, it would only be a success.
The day they gave me the cap #cap11 at the registration was the second day of my life when I was so happy and proud of me (the first was when my son Nicolò was born).”

“After having overcome the initial problems, having made it to get to # cap1, the new friends I met, having overcome the physical problems, my eyes .. now I feel stronger, but above all "full". And then there were the friends who for a few kilometers came on the road looking for me, for two words, a pat on the back, a lunch break with friends: they are a strength.”

“Then there are Nice, the Côte d'Azur, the thought of ending the race and going home.
But this is where the right thrusts arrive! My group from home that felt this thought of mine and more than the other days made themselves heard so that I did not give up my great dream for Tarifa. My boss wrote to me “YOU HAVE TO ARRIVE TO TARIFA !! Here everything is ok! You are doing an enterprise "… and then, what do you want to do? Do you want to take a train and come home? NO! Grit your teeth and set the best time on the Nice-Andorra section, which is not needed for the ranking but is a gift for me and for those who love me and a signal for those who did not even believe that I would ever start.”

“And then ... everything is over, I arrived in Tarifa in the night, hotel, I have almost nothing slept because of the adrenaline. I get up, I dressed with the only "non-bike" things I have, that is the finisher shirt, pants and sock PH and I am ready to return.
I see myself beautiful, but better go for shopping!”

“See you at the next adventure !!”

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