It all begins at 5:00 a.m. at the summit of the Les Saisies ski resort. The journey kicks off with a perilous 15 km descent, where nerves and the darkness of night make the start even more daunting. However, as always, the mountain puts everyone in their place. Each of us finds our rhythm, gradually ticking off kilometers and tackling legendary mountain passes that will be remembered for a lifetime. But undoubtedly, the turning point comes at the Grand Saint Bernard Pass, a 34 km ascent with an average gradient of 5.44%, where an incredible wind greeted us that day. The significance of this moment isn’t just about the climb; it marks the midpoint of the challenge, with over 150 km and 4,100m of elevation gain still ahead. Yet, as always, the mind comes into play at this juncture, and the familiar phrase echoes: “Come on, let’s keep going, there’s a descent coming up, and then we’ll see.”