Ten days before the start, I stumbled across an extraordinary initiative: the Glorious Glacier Ride. A group of passionate athletes cycling from Munich to Monaco, 1,600 km and 35,000 meters of climbing, all in just two weeks. Their mission? To raise awareness for our rapidly melting glaciers and funds for carbon-sinking projects like soil regeneration and sustainable construction.
A Leap into the Unknown
At the time, I still had a few vacation days left and, working at ICLEI (a global city network supporting sustainable action), I was lucky to get the green light to join. Two days before the ride, with almost no preparation and no recent experience on a racing bike, I contacted the team and they welcomed me in.
I began this adventure with passion and decent fitness, but as a long-distance cyclist? Not even close. Honestly, it had been 15 years since I sat on a racing bike. It was a leap into the unknown; a challenge that mirrored the climate crisis itself: steep, daunting, and impossible to conquer alone. Like the climate transition, this was something just out of reach, demanding resilience, teamwork, and trust. I promised myself I’d pull out the moment I became a burden to the group. Secretly, I set my personal finish line at Chamonix, at the foot of Mont Blanc.
Struggle and Euphoria in the Mountains
What followed was a whirlwind of struggle and joy. The euphoric rush of conquering mountain passes was quickly shadowed by the sobering sight of glaciers that had already lost 40–70% of their mass. These “eternal” ice reserves are nature’s cooling system and Europe’s water towers, and they are disappearing before our eyes. Yet on the peaks, I found little acknowledgement of this reality. Gift shops selling Swiss teddybears made in China felt surreal against the backdrop of vanishing ice.
So much to do in so little time. Still, like the race on itself I learned to approach this from a different point of view, grateful, humble and privileged for the solidarity and patience of the entire team to drag me over each pass and peak. Clapping, cheering and fistbumps instead of sobbing because I lagged behind. Their spirit reminded me of what’s needed for the energy transition: collective courage, empathy, and persistence. Also everyone that gave me a financial push in the back and helped capture carbon through nature restoration project was a win.
Lessons from the Alps: Step by Step
The ride taught me something simple yet profound: you don’t tackle a crisis all at once. Just as you climb the Alps pass by pass, or reduce carbon ton by ton, we must take on the climate challenge piece by piece. It’s not about complacency, but about steady progress with our eyes fixed on the bigger picture.
I started the ride as an outsider with a crazy idea. I finished it humbled, grateful, and more determined than ever. If we approach the climate challenge the way this team approached every mountain, together, resilient, and with joy, there is nothing we cannot overcome.
Yet we must never mistake progress for completion. The €25,000 our group raised for nature-based carbon sinking projects is only a pebble compared to the mountain we are trying to move. But even a pebble matters when every hand is pushing in the same direction.
Support Bob’s ride
Like Pepijn, Bob was riding for solutions (certified through ONCRA) that don’t only remove carbon, but also regenerate ecosystems, communities, and economies:
Oceans: Oceanus International, sinking seaweed to store CO₂ and protect marine ecosystems.
Forests: LEUKER, restoring ecosystems and food systems.
Minerals: Greensand, accelerating olivine weathering to capture carbon.
Biobased Buildings: Finti, locking carbon in durable timber.
You can still support Bob’s ride: click here to contribute