Feared by all that visit Gran Canaria, Valley of the Tears leaves little to the imagination with its wickedly steep gradients, hostile landscapes and a seemingly endless road that’ll suck all the moisture from your body as you tackle its unforgiving slopes. Up for the challenge? Of course you are!
Start: La Aldea de San Nicolas
Length: 24.2 km
Summit: 1,360 m
Elevation Gain: 1,580 m
Average Gradient: 6.5%
Max Gradient: 25%
Thanks to Wahoo, Exposure Lights and Free-Motion, our Canary Islands experts, for supporting this video. The Col Collective cycling kit is back online and available to purchase, so if you’re interested in supporting the channel (and looking like a rockstar out on the road) then take a look at https://teamshop.cuore.ch/the-col-collective.
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Thank you for watching, until the next time ride safe and keep smiling 🙂
Mike
Links:
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23 Comments
Great video. Think i'll need an Mtb or E-bike to get up that one😊
8:32. “That’s just ridiculous!” 😜. I want my next bike in THAT color!
This is a beautiful video, as always. I have only one niggle: To me, it would intuitive sense to swap out blue and green for the gradient indicators at around 1:44. The progression blue-green-yellow makes much more sense, no?
It seems to me that you would save some energy by having slick road tires. Same size and pressure just better rolling resistance. Just a thought… Thank you for making great videos!
Now everyone that comes this way will wanna climb this madness of a climb. 😅😅😂😂
Great video!
Going to GC in 3 weeks, and plan to do the vot.
About 93 kg, reasonably fit, renting a bike from Free-Motion with 34/34 gearing and probably 25 or 28 mm tires.
Bad choice?
great video Mike! what dt swiss model are that wheels?
Rode this in December 2017 absolutely amazing route 👍
Always enjoy your videos Mike, but this one takes them to another level, beautifully shot, the drone work particularly good.
I rode GC last year on a family holiday but didn’t get to do VOT, I’m inspired to go back and bag it now!
Gran Canaria such a special place to ride your bike. Some 10/10 climbs on that island. I done the VOT with a 34/30. I literally pulled over at least 3 times from memory and cried. The mixture of feeling so remote, breathtaking beauty but more importantly the suffering. I've on done it once and have zero desire to repeat. This was before funky gravel gears though so a 30/33….. hmmm might have to go again.
Hi Mike, if you leave some numbers on that handlebar would be appropriate!
Looks great and practical for a climb but be honest hard to find a practical size and shape on handlebars because of bike clubs usually marketing for their own sponsored brands which doesn't come with varieties.
Merci Mike. Toujours aussi merveilleux
I rode this last week…brutal!!! Steepest grade I’ve ever ridden, only for the crazy people 😂😂😂
Although we ran into a herd of goats near the top which was amazing!
Superb filming, music that blends and interest holding character. A typical Col Collective video !
The worst thing about this climb is the quality of the asphalt.
Hi Mike, I did it today! And I agree 100% it's a biggest challange I have done on bycicle. I did all the way from Arguineguín to Soria to Aldea del San Nicolás the whole walley of tears to Ayacata and back to Arguineguín =brutal. Thanks for inspire me throw your video
Best regards
Congrats Mike, best info/docu/video about VOTT ever!!!
Amazing video! Thanks, this goes directly to my bucket list
Hi Mike.
Can you just briefly tell me why you like speed play pedals so much?
Thanks.
Madly inpirational!! 🤩🫶 Thank you!
Sensational landscape, great narration als always. Road must be really awful in some places when you opt to climb it on 40-mm gravel tyres. Could it still be done with 28 mms?
Congrats mike amazing video, Indonesia
you rode that whole thing in 14 minutes….awesome!