Secrets of the mountain GOATs

What does it take to excel as a climber? We asked a selection of mountain GOATs – greatest of all time in their respective uphill specialism, from one minute to two full days

- David Bradford & Chris Marshall-Bell

Stripped down to bare physics, climbing success is a simple formula: produce the maximum possible number of watts for every kilo you’re carrying. But that tells us nothing about the texture and particulars of the human stories behind the stats and palmares of those men and women who have carved out their place as some of the greatest climbers in cycling. From them, we can learn, if not how to become a mountain G.O.A.T. ourselves, then at least how to work on and improve that part of our riding.

CW caught up with a selection of exceptional climbers, from a one-minute specialist to the 48-hour record holder, to find out how defying gravity uphill is far more than an exercise in pie-dodging and masochism. Consider this a cornucopia – literally, a goat’s horn overflowing with blessings – of climbing wisdom!

THE ULTRA CLIMBER

Alan Colville Team JMC

Mountain biker turned ultra-climber Alan Colville, 50, turned his attention to Everesting as lockdown took hold last year. Realising he had a talent for epic-duration climbing, he took it one step further and in September last year set a new world record for elevation gained in 48 hours.

Starting late need not hold you back: Where I grew up in Tipperary, in Ireland, there was no grassroots cycling, so I came to it late. I didn’t start until 2007 [aged 36], while in New Zealand, when a friend put me on a mountain bike, threw me onto a descent, and I absolutely loved it. By 2010 I was finishing inside the top 20 in the UK national XC series.