News » Devicenzi Andrea

My name is Andrea Devicenzi. A the end of July, I have travelled over India covering the 700 km Manali- Leh, India’s higher roadway in Ladakh, during the landslide. The fact that makes this incredible is, that I am a disabled athlete, with a leg amputation, and I am the first disabled man in the world has covered such a distance.

My story begins with a board in our team in Pontetaro, when Daniele Zammicheli announced us that an athlete of our team would have faced a Raid in India, on the higher roadway at world. For a joke, one day the team asked me to be that athlete. To be honest I was amazed and, at the beginning, I thought it was a real performance getting such an outcome –but I didn’t refuse, and I talked with my family. Then, I accepted and I started making preparations for the journey. On July 23, we left from Malpensa (Milan). The following two days have been required to reach Manali, point of departure of our journey. We took two days to settle in, then on July 26, at 8,30 in the morning we left to the first pass, called Rohtang pass. Rain accompanied us during the whole journey; and we were ready to face all kind of difficulties. Five hours later, we reached the first of the passes we later would conquer. Following days have been a panoply of emotions, suffering, unforgettable fears. This journey also gave us the opportunity to get in contact with the locals, and to see in their eyes admiration and wonder for our undertaking. Every day we spent about nine hours by bike. But, at evening, the adventure wasn’t over: we had to find a sleeping accommodation, to eat, to wash. There have been even tears. Then, the first winning post had been reached: we had conquered Kardlung La peak, at an altitude of 5.602. On August 4, at 7,45 in the morning, we got the permission to climb the mountain. We have been concentrating on the road all the time. I saw first mantra –Tibetan prayers-, the peak was near -I videotaped the last 100 meters and, finally, I was the first amputated man at world to be on the top. Indian people are always true on type: the helped me, they held my bike up, they asked me if I were thirsty.... Then, we prepared ourselves to the descent to the town of Leh. The day after this great success, we prepared ourselves to the return –even if it will be more difficult than we expected: a mudslide had devastated part of the city and also the landing strip. On August 8, at 8,00 in the morning, we left to New Delhi to reach Istanbul and then, finally, Milan. I really would like to say that this winning post could never been reached, without persons that have always trusted me: the team manager Daniele Zammicheli, my fellow traveller Stefano Mattioli, very experienced, that helped me in time of need, and my wife, my first supporter. When I went back home and I met my wife in Martignana di Po, I embraced her and I thanked her for supporting me all the time: I’ve got it, because she made this dream come true.

Legs:

1 Manali - Rohtang La Pass (3980 meters) - Koksar
2 Koksar - Keylong - Jispa 3 Jispa - Baralacha La Pass (4926 meters) - Sarchu
4 Sarchu - Nakeela Pass (4920 meters) - Lachalang Pass (5060 meters) - Pang
5 Pang - Tsho Kar Lake
6 Tsho Kar Lake - Polo Kongka Pass (5080 meters) - Namshang Pass (4800 meters) - Mahe - Chamathang
7 Chamathang - Upshi - Leh
8 Leh - KhardongLa Pass (5602 meters) - Leh

link to 7 minutes video : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fleLCIjVLWc