The longest climb • ALBA OPTICS

WORDS and IMAGES: Federico Vandone Dell’Acqua

LOCATION: Mount Teide – Tenerife /Canary Islands

Mount Teide dominates Tenerife.
It is the third highest volcano in the world and still active. The road winding up its slope is the longest continuous ascent in Europe, requiring to ride for more than 60 kilometres to reach its summit.
It has been a favourite training climb of some of the world’s strongest cyclists over the years, and pro teams still visit Teide regularly for warm weather training.
Being a photographer, passionate about the outdoors, and keen cyclist, I have been looking to visit Tenerife and its legendary roads for years. This collection of images is a visual exploration of the landscapes, the roads, the nuances of this otherworldly, challenging and demanding island.
Riding up Mount Teide takes a few hours, through diverse environments, showing how changeable and peculiar the climate is on Tenerife. Perched on the volcano, the road ascends gradually and smoothly from sea level to about 2,400 metres of altitude, where oxygen becomes much thinner.

The summit greets you with a plateau resembling a martian landscape. The road runs fast through lava fields, sand dunes and desert vegetation. Spending a day riding and exploring the volcanic craters was the most fun I’ve had on the bike in months, which made riding up the longest climb in Europe that bit more rewarding.
A fast descent brings you back to the coastline with thrilling speeds, punctuated by brief stops to photograph the stunning views. It’s not common to ride at 60 kph for more than an hour, a true rollercoaster ride through the volcanic fields and forests, and down to the sea again.
My days riding around the island gave me such an appreciation of this odd spectacle — a combination of desert landscapes, sunny and bustling seaside, winding roads, forests and mountains peaks. I cannot wait to go back!

— Federico Vandone Dell’Acqua