Day 6 - Col du Tourmalet

18.4 kilometers of sheer willpower: the legendary Col du Tourmalet. Starting in Luz-Saint-Sauveur, the road rises relentlessly with an average gradient of 7.5%. By the time we rolled up to the foot of the climb, we already had 30 km and 300 m of ascent in our legs. From there, another 1,405 m of climbing lay ahead - up to 2,115 m, the highest paved mountain pass in the French Pyrenees.

The first real struggle came after just 5 km, with many more moments of doubt to follow. The Tourmalet shows no mercy, just as Eddy Merckx once said. With short breaks, encouragement, and even a much-needed Cola at a nearly closed mountain café, we kept pushing higher.

Step by step, switchback by switchback, we finally reached the summit after almost two more hours of climbing. Exhaustion gave way to pride - standing at the top of one of the most iconic climbs in cycling felt unforgettable.