Nicole van Batenburg – netherlands
Planning, grit, and the power of not quitting.
Planning, grit, and the power of not quitting.
Just four days after completing the full Marmotte (195 km with 5185 m elevation gain), Nicole van Batenburg set her sights on an Everesting. With a detailed schedule taped to her bike, every climb, rest stop, and bottle swap was carefully calculated to finish under 15 hours.
But as the day unfolded, things didn’t go exactly to plan: traffic slowed her descents, her legs felt heavier than expected, and she quickly realized she’d need to cut rest and push harder if she wanted to stay on track.
After five climbs, her mind said stop, but something deeper refused to quit. Looping the same playlist for 15 hours, leaning on the support of friends Berrol and Petra, and fueled by sheer determination, she kept climbing.
On the final ascent, a family cheered her on, having pieced together her challenge from the note at the coolbox. Celebrating with them at the summit made the finish even more special. One of their sons, already a young cyclist, told her he’d one day take on the challenge himself.
Nicole proved that with focus, grit, and heart, even the hardest day on the bike can end in triumph. 🚵♀️✨
On the final ascent, a family cheered her on, having pieced together her challenge from the note at the coolbox. Celebrating with them at the summit made the finish even more special. One of their sons, already a young cyclist, told her he’d one day take on the challenge himself.
– Nicole van Batenburg- Netherlands –