Cycling – Colombia’s second love

Cyclists taking a break at Mirador de Las Palmas while (top right) amateur cyclists bike in the open streets of Medellín, Colombia.— ©2023 The New York Times Company

THE route up Las Palmas in Colombia starts near the valley floor, but it doesn’t stay there for long. It is 16km up to the summit, an arduous climb of roughly 1,000 vertical metres, a journey of long rises and sharp turns, of straining muscles and heaving lungs.

Some riders stop at the lookout point halfway up for the views of the city and don’t continue. A few take extended breaks. The reward comes at the top, where restaurants, bike stores and coffee shops await.