Tusenmeteren | The Most Rewarding Cycling Road in Norway? 🇳🇴

I’ve compiled my best advice for riding Tusenmeteren below, including the GPS file – copy and save it in a document for your next Norwegian cycling adventure.

// THE ROUTE AT A GLANCE //
Tusenmeteren (English: “The Thousand Meter”) and the adjacent Tunnelvegen (English: “Tunnel Road”) in Øvre Årdal belong to the jewels of Norwegian cycling roads.
Distance: 40 km
Elevation: 1065 meters (all in one go, average gradient 9%)
Surface: Mixed, part tarmac, part gravel

// HOW TO GET THERE // 🛤️
The ride starts in Øvre Årdal on the Norwegian west coast. It’s a 4 hour drive from Oslo via E16 to Tyinkrysset. From there, take the Rv 53 to Øvre Årdal. If you’re further north, like Geiranger or Lom you can also get to Øvre Årdal by driving across Sognefjell and take a left onto the spectacular Tindevegen once you get to Krossbu.

// WHERE TO STAY // 🏕️
While the ride is magnificent, I’d say there are better places to stay than Øvre Årdal. We stayed at one of the many cabins available via AirBnB at Filefjell – 40 km away. Another alternative is to stay at Turtagrø or Sognefjellshytta, 32 and 48 km away, respectively. A fourth option is to stay in Lærdal 56 km away – just be ware that you probably don’t want to ride your bikes in the tunnel between Lærdal or Årdal, so you’ll need a car to get to Øvre Årdal. All of the above offers spectacular surroundings and great riding immediately nearby – so it all depends on what other rides you want to do in the area.

// WHEN TO GO // 📅
We went last week of June, following a winter with heavy snowfall. We had to push our bikes across 2 sections of 20 meters of snow close to the top. So it’s probably safest to go from early July to August. September and October is probably still rideable, but expect lower temperatures and more layers if riding in the fall.

// HOW IS THE ROAD SURFACE? // 🚴🏻‍♂️
Most of the Tusenmeteren climb is relatively fine gravel. It’s typically quite hard packed in the wheel tracks, and somewhat looser in between. The flat part of Tunnelvegen is part gravel and part hard packed dirt, and a little bit bumpier at times. We rode on 40 mm tires, but as long as you’re not on slicks I’d say avid cyclists can get by on anything from 30 mm and upwards. I’ve had a few people ask if it’s doable on 28 mm – I’d say perhaps doable if there is some pattern in your tires, but I doubt it would be very comfortable.

// NEARBY RIDES TO CONSIDER // 🚵🏻‍♂️
There are numerous nearby roads well worth a visit once you’re in the area. My top picks would include Tindevegen, Sognefjell and Juvass to the north. Furthermore, continuing Rv 53 to Tyinkrysset and across Filefjell to Lærdal makes for another spectacular ride. When in Lærdal, you’re only a short drive away from the picturesque scenery at Aurlandsfjellet, Flåmsdalen and Rallarvegen.

You could also combine all of the above in an epic 7-day long bikepacking adventure from Dombås, via Åndalsnes, Geiranger and the above to Haugastøl. This route is plotted here: https://www.strava.com/routes/3241681560310455162

// DOWNLAOD THE GPS FILE FOR THIS RIDE ⬇️
The strava route of our exact ride is located here: https://www.strava.com/activities/11737207183

// GET FIT FOR YOUR BIKE HOLIDAY //
🧑‍⚕️Training science blog: https://www.wattkg.com/blog/
🥇Training plans: https://tribe.wattkg.com/tribe+
⚡️5 W/kg newsletter: https://tribe.wattkg.com/5wkg

// QUESTIONS //
Feel free to ask me any questions about this ride in the comments.

[Music] the best ride I’ve ever had in Norway I’m at L for [Music] words when we set out to do this ride I didn’t really know much about TC me except I’d read in a magazine that it was one of the Hidden gems of gravel riding in Norway and boy did it blow our minds okay n bat where are we and what are we going to do [Music] there what made this ride quite daunting was not only the fact that we were going to climb 1,000 vertical meters with an average gradient of around 9% on gravel no less but also the fact that natal my girlfriend was 24 weeks pregnant at the time so we genuinely had no idea if we were even going to be able to make it but we decided to just give it a go and if it turned out to be too hard we just turn around [Music] the ride sets out fromal this tiny Community remotely located deep within a f on the west coast surrounded by towering mountains the start of the ride follows the main road between ordal and T which means you’re on tarmac and the gradient is around 7% we just brought out ofal 28 ha pins to go oh 5 minutes in how are you feeling I’m uh wondering whether I’ll be able to get to the top it’s kind of a gentle start but then once you turn right off the main road and as the surface turns gravel you immediately get hit by a much steeper gradient and that’s when you start counting how many of the 28 hairpin bents you got left what do you think so far I I can feel the N descent that’s all I can [Music] say after some spectacular climbing a few braks and digging deep into our emergency stores of sneaker bars we made it to the top and what a reward we got the th000 M climb connects to an old gravel road called tunel vagan or The Tunnel Road in English for 11 spectacular kilm it clings to the edge of the mountain with a panoramic view or the valley below and I think my initial reaction during the ride speaks for itself maybe the Euphoria speaking but I do think this is the best ride I’ve ever had in Norway I can’t think I can’t think of anyone being more stunning and especially the flat stretch afterwards going towards te this it was just I’m at loss for words [Music] at the end of the tunnel Road all that remained was enjoying the 13 km descent back into ordol [Music] ah you did it if you want the straa file of the exact route that we rode you’ll find that in the descriptions below and I’m also adding some details on how to get there when to go what equipment to bring where to stay and I’m also sharing some other spectacular rides that you can do in the nearby area so I hope you’re inspired to visit t mean and if you enjoyed this video please consider liking and subscribing apparently it helps my channel thanks for watching and happy riding