(intense music)
- [Heather] GCN Espanol has very kindly invited
me out to do some filming in Girona, and its been great
to work together with Maya.
But, its reopened an age old debate.
We all know that the long history of
rivalry between cyclists and triathletes,
and it goes deeper than the sock debate.
Sharing an office back home with GCN,
there's always a question as to who is fitter,
stronger, or just cooler.
And it's such a hard one to answer
as we're all pretty biased.
- I think cyclists are way better than tri-athletes
at everything.
And I can prove it.
Like, - Really?
- There's so many tri-athletes and cyclists
around Girona.
We can ask whoever you want.
- Well I think they're all going to be biased,
and first of all I do not agree that cyclists
are better at pretty much anything.
So I think we're going to have to work this one out
ourselves and prove it ourselves.
- Hmm. There's so many mountains around Girona that
maybe we can go try ourselves an up-hill race?
What do you think?
- Oh okay, I mean hills aren't my forte,
but I'm feeling confident that as tri-athletes
we're going to be stronger than you guys as cyclists.
And I am going to of this for G.T.N. and make the boys proud.
- Really up to an uphill challenge?
- Oh yeah!
- I'll see you in the start.
- Okay!
(laughing)
- For this challenge, I chose a climb
from Madremanya, to Els Angels Chapel, because it's
a climb that suits me.
It's a short climb, really near Girona.
We start from the town of Madremanya,
and finish at the top pf the stairs of Els Àngels Chapel,
Where the famous Spanish painter Salvador Dali got married.
It's a six kilometers climb, with an altitude of 485 meters.
With an elevation gain of 310 meters
and an average gradient of 5.2%.
The majority of cyclists love it,
because it's really near Girona.
It's peaceful, with hardly any traffic, and has great views.
(birds chirping)
- Okay I think I might've been a little
over confident there, because the last few months all
I've been doing is swimming,
and then so far this year I've actually run further
than I've cycled.
Plus I know how strong Maya is on the bike.
Recently I did a tandem ride with her,
and she was definitely doing most of the work.
So I've gone away and had a little bit of a think
outside of the box.
I'm not going to do a Dan Lloyd and get on an e-bike,
because that would be cheating.
But the rules are quite loose.
We just said its going to be the first person
to the top of the hill.
And I've got a little plan up my sleeve.
- Where is Heather?
I told her he exact location.
Maybe she got scared.
After all, I'm a cyclist,
I have much more experience than this.
She's only a tri-athlete.
- What was that Maya?
- Oh nothing, nothing!
We're just going to have a lot of fun.
- Yeah I agree I can't wait.
I think its going to be a lot of important pacing,
but I can't wait to see who's fitter and stronger.
- Are you ready?
- I'm ready.
- 3, 2, 1, lets go!
(Hispanic music)
I've no idea what Heather thinks she's doing!
I don't think she saw the course.
It's a really long uphill.
She's doing a time trial.
Oh, maybe she's not a triathlete
and that's the way of racing for her.
- Oh no!
- Heather, what do you think you're doing?
- Oh!
I thought I'd gone further Maya.
You're stronger than I thought.
- it's is a long uphill, you really have to pace it!
- Yeah I'm starting to realize that now.
- This is not a triathlon.
- [Heather] Things seemed to even out for a moment
as we were neck and neck, so Maya thought she
could utilize another tactic, hoping she
could break me with a little bit of intimidation.
- I think tri-athletes are scared of contact
maybe not on the water, but on the bike?
- Are cyclists scared of the water?
- Oh you're not scared?
Oh you're good?
Whoo!
- How about we start with a little swim?
And then we finish with a run.
- I'll take you on to that.
Maybe the running part, not that keen on the swim.
- [Heather] I can't let Maya know, but frustratingly
my legs are really starting to feel the effects
of this hill now.
- Come on Heather!
Just go through!
- I'm enjoying this.
I'm hanging on.
- Well if you're not going to go in front,
I'm tired of pulling you up.
I'm going to let go.
- No! No don't leave me!
(Hispanic music)
Okay, you can stop feeling sorry for me because
to be honest, I'm actually quite chuffed that
I stayed with Maya for as long as did.
And I know she's stronger,
so I had to think outside of the box and
I'm a tri-athlete.
So I've got to play to my strength, and obviously
swimming and running on this occasion
it's going to be running.
So I think its time to put the plan into action.
Maya has underestimated me.
She wrongly thought that I didn't know the course.
Of course I checked it out and noticed some
trails that are to only a shortcut to the top,
but also take out a significant chunk of the climbing.
- Really starting to feel this uphill in my legs.
They're killing me!
But I can not imagine, if my legs are hurting,
how Heather's legs can feel.
I'm going to win this for sure!
- Right I know this is a shorter route,
but I think there's a a lot of work to do.
Because I have a feeling Maya is a long way up the road
so I really need to start digging in.
(footsteps on gravel)
(slow tempo music)
Ahh, my plan has worked, yes
I'm reeling her in and she has no idea!
(music continues)
(bell ringing)
Ahhh
(panting)
(shared sigh of relief)
- Oh my God
- Oh my gosh that was a tough race.
- Oh my god, you were really clever,
I planned all this route for my advantage!
That was a good one!
- I had to do something because I know
that you're way stronger on the bike and I
wouldn't be able to keep up, so technically it
wasn't cheating cause you just said first to the top.
And it was still so close.
- Oh yeah, I didn't like your tactic
but that was really clever.
Good job.
- Well done.
- Well that's it!
It's one-nil to G.T.N, yes!
- But this race is not over.
I bet our GCN boys can beat the GTN.
boys by a long shot.
Bring on the next challenge.
- Well I'm afraid, Maya, that is it for today.
So GTN won on this occasion,
but I'm still pretty confident in Mark and Fraser
for a rematch.
But if you've enjoyed it, give us a thumbs up,
like, and hit the globe to subscribe
to get all of GTN's videos,
and if you want to see a challenge that Mark took on,
on his own, you can see the Norseman video
just down here.