Taking on the feared Zoncolan with Ryder Hesjedal

Join me as I climb one of the toughest ascents in pro cycling with 2012 Giro d’Italia winner Ryder Hesjedal. I had planned to tackle this epic climb one day myself, but after running into Ryder at the Castelli HQ, after he got back from the Giro d’Italia start in Israel, we decided to ride this monster climb together (May 8th, 2018) - it would be the second time for Ryder and the first time for me.

[@robertdeanwhitehead]

Fair play to Hesjedal for taking the natural look. Always good to see some hair on the legs of riders. Old skool.

[@sapinva]

Understated Canadian while oxygen deprived. Surprised you got 12 words out of him.

[@huxleykylo5711]

dont know if you guys gives a damn but if you are bored like me atm you can stream pretty much all of the new movies on InstaFlixxer. Been streaming with my gf recently =)

[@marleyharper3261]

@Huxley Kylo definitely, I have been using instaflixxer for months myself :)

[@mattfoley6082]

10/10 for special effects that have nothing to do with the story.

[@samac5555]

Happy I've done it on 2018 .. hoping to repeat it again this year both side climbs if possible in 1 ride this time.

[@secretagent86]

FYI, Castelli fits very small. i am a big guy... did not work for me, but on first order they allow returns

[@Fennefar]

Ryder seemed like he did not want to do this commercial 😂

[@mggailitis7231]

As a fellow Canadian, it was interesting to see the reaction when he won the Giro. Media outlets were all over it and covered the race like it was the first time. Come to think of it, mere mention of the Giro in Canada was novel. Comments ranged from semi-educated to silly. That said, one comment always stuck out. One day I ran into a former pro rider (not world tour) who was less than enthused when asked what he thought about Ryder's win. When asked why, the guy said Ryder is all about the bling. I didn't follow up, but I can only assume by what he meant is the guy was doped to the gills.

[@frankpaterson9786]

I've ridden this, talking was a luxury I couldn't afford.

[@bazzaroberts8748]

Oh 😮 did you see how steep it was from the angle on the corner.

[@gunkshunter2519]

I want to ride this so bad!

[@stev6free146]

I don’t 🥵

[@ggorrell5008]

He's Canadian eh'?

[@Uki-17]

Yep

[@gamma_dablam]

4:49 holy !

[@cheungjason3191]

i m wondering if i could do the whole thing with a motor hidden in my bike. probably still wouldnt make it tbh

[@dickmartino9933]

Which one's Ryder?

[@pauli6570]

Richard Martin 0:42 and 0:48 are you blind or what???

[@paulsolon6229]

X hard climb The scenery doesn’t look so beautiful tho

[@lightphoenix1522]

Hairy legs

[@HelgeStrichen]

god, he's awkward

[@CYBERDECIMAL]

Isn't this the same guy who used a motor in competition?

[@johnratcliffe6438]

No. That was supposedly Cancellara.

[@rmevans421]

There’s been suspicion of him too. Plenty of video out there of the incident, but definitely not as compelling as the Cancelllara footage.

[@blackpaint9093]

@@rmevans421 hell no, there's just a video in which ryder's bike after falling keeps going and spins. Why would he use a motor in a descent lol?

[@gretamt-berlincyclingvideo5022]

One could call him a "bike ryder'' heheh

[@cycleSCUBA]

Bike rider Ryder!

[@koDiacc]

gear ratio? 34x32?

[@koDiacc]

34x28 on the zoncolan? I need 34x28 on 7% climbs and I have around 3,8 w/kg. 34x28 on the zoncolan -> KOM is 10,7 km/h => Froomey.. I am pretty sure he had a 32.

[@derekbiggerstaff]

Ryder's back wheel is electric. He could use the big ring.

[@roryblakemore16]

think some 'presenters' use e-bikes on climbs to ask questions without sounding dead.

[@Atari_Vrc]

I ride Alpe d Zwift on 34x28 on 100% trainer difficulty(neo) just under 1hour(3.3w/kg), and the cadence isnt exactly spin to win... In Zwift there is a few hundred meters on 15% towards the Radio Tower and its effing tough! Chapeu!

[@jayshockey5461]

Love Ryder!