"I feel an overwhelming need to challenge myself… Although I’m acutely aware that I’m in no fit state to move in this very moment."

It’s July 2022 and I’m alone in my apartment, where I’ve been for days. Covid has caught up with me. For the foreseeable future, there’s nothing on my calendar. As the days drag by and the sunshine on the other side of this pane of glass continues to mock me, I feel an overwhelming need to challenge myself… Although I’m acutely aware that I’m in no fit state to move in this very moment. 

But, I tell myself, once I’m fit, once I’m back on the bike, who knows what my body be capable of. 

I end up stumbling across an idea – partly by chance and partly through Shimano Gravel Alliance friends – that involves a more unconventional challenge. One against myself. Against an invisible competitor - the clock. I find myself becoming fascinated by FKTs, or Fastest Known Time. It’s a fairly straightforward concept: you pick a route and try to complete it as quickly as you can. Once your time is recorded, you submit it and voila – that could be an FKT provided no one has ridden it faster before you. 

"I’m swept up by the idea of seeing somewhere new, of creating a brand-new FKT route and offering it up as inspiration to other rides"

As I sit in my apartment wondering where to ride, I’m swept up by the idea of seeing somewhere new, of creating a brand-new FKT route and offering it up as inspiration to other rides. Kronplatz, a mountain in the South Tyrol region of northern Italy, which is one of my favourite places for autumn and winter, comes to mind and I am confident I’ll get a good night’s sleep at the Falkensteiner Hotel, which happens to be one of my sponsors. Location, check. Now my thoughts to turn to the route and bike choice. 

As familiar as I am with Bruneck and the Kronplatz, I spend hours poring over maps to create what looks like the perfect route. Once I am free from self-imposed house arrest, I go to recce it. Will it all be rideable with a gravel bike? Will I need to make any route changes? Would the 20% gradients mean I should change from 1x to 2x on my Scott Addict Gravel? After two rehearsal rides, I feel comfortable with the route and know the extra gears will be appreciated in the first 30 km in which I have to climb almost 2,000 metres. In terms of bike setup, I decide to go fast-and-light with just one bottle cage, no spare parts, no nothing. If anything were to go wrong, I’ll just try again another day. 

In parallel to throwing myself into organising the FKT attempt – logistically, strategically and mentally – I also have to think about the physical post-Covid part. Having set a provisional date for my FKT, I only have a few weeks to get fit if I want to pull off this full-gas challenge as well as I hope. I add extra strength training to the schedule and hope I can get away with some moderate distances on the bike. 

"I peer out the window. Nothing. It’s pitch-black and barely above freezing."

Fast forward to 5.00 am on 13th September. I’m at the Falkensteiner Hotel Kronplatz, again, still a little tired but mainly stunned that I’ve woken up before my alarm. I peer out the window. Nothing. It’s pitch-black and barely above freezing. I remind myself that I picked a route in the mountains in autumn. Pfft. I don’t care though - it’s probably better to heat up on the ride anyway. I take a quick breakfast – oats, of course – and a coffee. If I ride to pace, the FKT shouldn’t take more than three hours to ride, so I go minimal for supplies, filling up one bottle with electrolytes and stashing a gel in my jersey pocket. Knowing that the route goes uphill almost immediately, my kit choice is easy - shorts, jersey, arm warmers and a gilet to begin. 

7:13 am. An empty car park at the Kronplatz cable car. Finish my bike check. Tighten up my shoes. Load up the route on my Wahoo. I’m almost ready for my first FKT. 

7:30 am. It’s GO time. I gently remind myself not to go off like a rocket. To take it easy until the climb properly sets in. 

I quickly settle into a pace and ride towards the rising sun. As the road ramps up to double figures, the gilet finds its way into my back pocket. The terrain is smooth, I’m on hard-packed gravel and already in a world of my own. At times like this, I wouldn’t be able to tell you what’s going through my head - I’m at one with the bike. Eyes fixed on the little screen below me even though I know the route off by heart. I spot the altitude numbers in the top right corner of the screen - 1,600 metres of elevation to go. The clock has somehow stood still but is rushing by at the same time as I realise that 60 minutes have passed already. 

I have a short technical descent midway through the climb up to the Kronplatz in which I try to recover as best I can, a brief moment of respite before the bulk of the climb. Once I turn off the main pass road and onto the ski slope gravel, I hang onto whatever remnants of pace I can muster. One pedal stroke after another. I spot the summit ahead of me, rounding the final corner and I know that the descent is about to start. 

"I’ve picked an almost perfect day for this FKT attempt, one with a clear blue sky that leaves me free to focus more on the ride and less on the suffering"

I’ve picked an almost perfect day for this FKT attempt, one with a clear blue sky that leaves me free to focus more on the ride and less on the suffering. I remind myself not to get distracted on the descent—it’s a techy one, starting with a dedicated trail from the bike park that most sane people would do on a full-suss MTB. It’s great fun on a gravel bike though and I love the steep singletrack as much I love the slick tarmac hairpins that take me back to where I started. There’s a brief moment of panic as my back wheel slips out, but I’m still upright. If anything, it jolts me back into the moment. There’s one final climb that really bites in the last part of the FKT, which makes my legs burn but it’s an ordeal that’s over quickly. 

As much as I know I don’t need to think about my time while I’m riding – it’s a virgin FKT, after all, I’m just laying down the FKT foundation for you to tackle it next – I’m pretty stoked as I realise that I’m in the closing minutes of the route. I’ve done it. I’m able to push on. There’s still fight in me, even after Covid. 

Back at the Kronplatz cable car, the clock stops with the time 2h 49’ 06”. I’m shattered. Done and delighted that nothing went wrong. 

"There’s one question that echoes louder than others - what next?"

Once I catch my breath, I wonder if I could have done more? Could I have pushed harder on any sections? Where could I have gone a bit quicker? I spend the rest of the day mulling over these questions, analysing the ride from my hotel room underneath the shadow of the Kronplatz. But there’s one question that echoes louder than others - what next? A new FKT? Beat my time at this one? A longer challenge? Something else completely? We’ll see. But one thing is for certain: FKTs could definitely become my thing. 

You can check out all the details of Flo’s FKT here: https://www.cyclingfkt.com/kronplatz.html

What’s an FKT?  The fastest time on a particular route from point A to point B.

 How to pick an FKT route: It has to be something stand-out that inspires people to see if they can do the fastest known time around it. Either go for a brand-new route like Flo or see if you can challenge an existing FKT.

How to register an FKT: All the information is outlined on www.cyclingfkt.com