Anyone who has ever cycled in Glasgow city centre will be aware some of the gradients can be rather extreme.
Sadly for the amateur enthusiasts out there proof, if any were needed, that we're just mere mortals has emerged in the form of one of the stars of the UCI Cycling World Championships taking on one of the steepest roads in the area.
Dutchman Mathieu van der Poel, who will compete in the men's road race on Sunday, was filmed doing a recon of the route on Friday.
A stage winner at the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France, he's one of the favourites to take the rainbow jersey in George Square.
Mathieu van der Poel knalt Montrose Street op .. 14% .. #Glasgow2023 pic.twitter.com/pGgSYHfoAj
— Han Kock (@Han_Kock) August 4, 2023
The video showed Van der Poel stretching his legs on Montrose Street, which has a gradient of 14%, seemingly without breaking sweat.
The 28-year-old has won some of the sport's most prestigious races, including Liege-Bastogne-Liege, Paris-Roubaix and Milan-San Remo and is a multiple world champion in cyclo-cross.
Van der Poel is currently second favourite to win the men's road race, behind reigning world champion Remco Evenepoel.
The finale to the race is a very technical circuit around Glasgow's city centre, taking in around 50 corners and some steep ramps including Montrose Street and Scott Street, which has a 20% gradient.
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