Alone with my thoughts

I ride pretty much every day, all year. In 2022 I more than 20,000 kilometers and more than 330,000 elevation meters. It is all about freedom for me.

I like the highest mountains the most. ​It’s a challenge with and to myself, especially as the years go by. The beauty of the scenery and the peace of mind you feel when you get to the top reward the effort you make.

​I have never had any goals in climbing time. Since I started biking, the only goal I have ever had was to climb as many alpine passes as possible. For the past few years, my challenge has been to climb at least 300,000 meters of elevation gain per year. My hidden dream is to do “Les 7 Majeurs” – 7 Deux Mille cols in one stretch. From Jausiers to Jouster over Vars, Izoard, Agnel, Sampeyre, Fauniera, Lombarde, Bonette in one day.

Cycling long alpine climbs and, more generally, riding cols over 2000m, is different every time, but it always gives me unique sensations. Although I like to ride with friends climbing mountains alone, with my thoughts and effort, it’s what I prefer: it is as if the wonder surrounding me is mine and mine alone. I will never get tired of riding cols!

– Vale Boss

DEUX MILLE NEWS AND COMMUNITY STORIES

Conquering and utilizing the highest mountains in Europe is a way to soul search, exercise life balance and find purpose. When you follow your natural desires you will ultimately live a happier life.

In the highest mountains, we find solitude and tranquility, but we also find new friends and share stories with other mountaineers. Nothing less matters.

Read more stories from community ambassadors.

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Frezzato’s impressive HAWC ride

Frezzato’s impressive HAWC ride

When Francesco Frezzato won the inaugural High Altitude World Championships in Arabba, he not only beat the competition by 2 hours and 20 minutes but also delivered an impressive performance on the route segments. He claimed the daily KOM on Strava for all eight...

Rees and Frezzato become first ever High Altitude World Champions

Rees and Frezzato become first ever High Altitude World Champions

On 13 July 2024, Arabba hosted the inaugural High Altitude World Championships, a self-supported event where riders climbed more than 5,500 meters across eight cols, each over 2,000 meters. Only the climb times counted towards the total time, and each rider had twelve...

I’m not in a hurry

I’m not in a hurry

My fascination with Deux Mille cols in one word: - Freedom! Being in the mountains, especially the small and empty roads, makes me feel very small and humble, but it also gives me a 'king of the world' feeling. My overall target is to be as much in the mountains as...

Back to my true self

Back to my true self

Living in the Netherlands, the mountains always have had a majestic attraction. As soon as I felt the gradient and saw the views when I did my first climb, I knew this was going to be something I would be doing the rest of my life and I needed a new and bigger...

Col-hunting is freedom

Col-hunting is freedom

We knew each other from Instagram, but by coincidence we met at the top of Col d'Izoard. What are the chances? Our Deux Mille ambassador, Paolo Stroppiana, had taken on a massive ride from Turin. Our group had only started 90 mins earlier from Briancon. Paolo is an...

The journey is the reward

The journey is the reward

No one knows the Swiss Alps quite like Bruno Reis. The Deux Mille ambassador lives near Luzern with easy access to some of the greatest cols in Europe. - My mother grew up a few kilometers from a Deux Mille climb. Maybe this is why I always loved to ride in the...