Bike 'n' hike for advanced bikers: Cerro Mercedario - 6770 metres up & back down again

It's hard enough when the MTB tour throws a pushing or even carrying section at our feet. Curses, requests for a lighter bike, more arm training or complete refusal are not uncommon, even among us hardened bikers. But to climb a mountain completely with the bike in your hand and only then get into the saddle for the downhill is quite an achievement.

Norrona ambassador Andreas Tonelli and his mate Giovanni Mattiello recently organised a Expedition to the Cerro Mercedario (6770 m ! ) in Argentina with precisely this goal in mind. The two professional mountain bikers and guides wanted to ascend from as far down as possible and then descend completely by bike.

Together with the young filmmaker Luca Putzer, they made a video about their adventure, which Norrona is currently being shown in various flagship stores. Small spoiler: Andreas and Giovanni have made it.

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Video: The expedition to Cerro Mercedario

We were at one of the premieres in the Norrona store in Munich together with almost 100 other guests, most of whom are normal "fans" of the Norwegian brand. The popcorn, crisps and drinks were accompanied by an introduction to the video project by the two riders Andreas and Giovanni - with Andreas doing the talking, as a South Tyrolean he speaks German, while Giovanni comes from Veneto.

The film itself lasts half an hour and, together with the Q&A session after the premiere, it will be an extended evening from 19:30 until after 22:00. But Andreas' descriptions of the preparations for the expedition, the subject of altitude sickness and his comments on the Incas, who are said to have sacrificed children on the Cerro Mercedario every year, are almost as entertaining and exciting as the actual film.

The documentary about this MTB project is told in a pleasantly unagitated way. Anyone who often visits the various outdoor film festivals will be familiar with these films that focus on the spectacular effect: a brutal fall - an obviously life-threatening situation - a crazy turning point that can bring everything to a crashing halt.

Andreas and Giovanni don't have any of that. They push and carry their bikes up the mountain, struggle for air at high altitude and freeze. Their film maker Luca actually gets altitude sickness and the two film a lot of the action cam themselves. And they also crash. But above all, the images of the incredibly beautiful peaks of the Andes and the tangible exertion of the protagonists make the film well worth seeing.

Where can I see the film?

Outdoor specialist Norrona is initially only showing the documentary in its stores. The screenings in Stockholm, in the company's own Norrona House in Oslo and in Munich already. There will be a stop in New York on 10 June and in the Swiss flagship store in Chamonix on 11 June.

The team is also applying to various outdoor film festivals - and according to Giovanni, the film is not yet allowed to be shown publicly, for example on YouTube. However, if you follow them on Instagram, you can already get a few exciting insights.

And we'll be talking to Andrea Tonelli soon, before we head to New York. Because there's still so much to say about the film project, his time in Argentina, his bike (Last Cinto), Luca, Giovanni and Julia...