---
title: Francis Cade and double Everesting on Zwift
description: "A double everesting on Zwift: Francis Cade pedaled for twenty-seven and a half hours on rollers at home for charity for the NHS."
---

[The Wilier Journal [EN] - A collection of stories and emotions. ](https://journal.wilier.com/en)

# [Francis Cade and double Everesting on Zwift](https://journal.wilier.com/en/francis-cade-and-the-double-everesting-on-zwift)

 Written by [Wilier](https://journal.wilier.com/en/author/wilier) | Apr 27, 2020 1:51:00 PM

Let’s admit it: What would be self-isolation be **without** **rollers** or **Zwift**? Let’s call it an alternative or an escape route. This spring lock down has established the turbo trainer as a central element in the fitness life of many cycling enthusiasts. Everyone interprets cycling at home in their own way.

In his article “[The bicycle that unites](https://journal.wilier.com/en/the-bicycle-that-unites/)“, Davide **Martinelli** and Omar **Fraile** from **Astana** **Pro** **Team** described a few comforting ways to use the bicycle imposed by the COVID-19 crisis.

But, clearly, these considerations were not enough for **Francis** **Cade**.

The English *YouTuber* wanted something more than the simple ‘supported’ use generally associated with rollers. Instead, he launched a massive, **unforgettable** **undertaking** on his [Wilier 0 SLR](http://wilier.com/global/zero-slr), inside his London apartment.

It was to be expected that the desired epic undertaking would involve Everest: the discovery and first conquest are directly or indirectly British. The first by **George Everest** and the second by **Edmund Hillary**, from New Zealand that was indipendent from UK just from 7 years.

*29 May 1953 Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary after successfully completing the first ascent of Mount Everest at 11.30am.  
© Jamling Tenzing Norgay*

But one ascent to Everest’s peak wasn’t tough enough; he wanted at least two.

And so, Francis christened the feat **Double Everesting**: that is, ascending Everest twice using the Zwift platform, following the route that enthusiasts lovingly call **Alpe du Zwift**, the cybernetic simulation of Alpe d’Huez. It takes seventeen ascents of Alpe du Zwift to complete the **17,700 meters **of the double Everest ascent. Then, as if that weren’t astounding enough, the seventeen climbs had to be completed **uninterruptedly**, with only the twelve-minute breaks allowed by the simulator for each descent.

And that’s what **Francis Cade** set out to achieve.

To get a double everesting, he pedalled on the rollers for **twenty**–**seven** **and a half consecutive hours**, allowing himself only the breaks permitted by the simulator, **two** **hours** **of** **sleep** throughout the entire enterprise (“the worst and toughest awakening of my entire life”) and food breaks as is possible in this type of situation.

*“I actually wasn’t **very** **hungry**, but I had to eat to avoid burning out. However, I couldn’t eat anything solid because it’s hard to digest, so I ate about 20 **isotonic** and **energy** **gels**, a variety of **smoothies** and twenty blended **bananas**. I had also prepared some **real** **food**, some **pasta** with **pesto**, but only managed to nibble at it. I drank **two** **bottles** of** water** every hour, adding a pinch of **salt** to restore my sodium and I also ate **crisps** for this very reason. I have to say that the toughest part was **riding at night**, because your body knows that night **time is for sleeping** and no matter how much **caffeine** you consume, it’s very difficult to fight our natural tendencies.”*

Another critical aspect for the double everesting was possible **muscle and postural complications**.

*“Fortunately. a **bikefitter** friend helped me prepare the best position on my **Wilier** **Triestina**, because rollers are slightly different from the road. This let me **pedal** **continuously** and for such a long time with no particular problems for my **back** and **knee** muscles, and also to maintain a position that avoided discomfort due to **friction**. Everything else was related to **fatigue**, but I think that’s natural after riding Alpe du Zwift for so long.”*

But for his **feat** to be **truly** complete, he needed a purpose that was not exclusively athletic, so Francis combined the double everesting with fund-raising for the **British National Health Service** that has been hit hard by the pandemic. At the end of the long and exhausting twenty-seven and a half hours on rollers, Francis Cade had raised **£17,000,** about **€19,300**, to donate to the **NHS**.

So, not only did his partners benefit from his successful challenge, but perhaps also those who may have never considered how many good things a bicycle can offer.

[View full post](https://journal.wilier.com/en/francis-cade-and-the-double-everesting-on-zwift)

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