The Worst Birthday Ever with Phil Gaimon
Gepostet von Andrew Davidson with Phil Gaimon am February 12, 2026
Laid out on the ground, with a drink nearby - evidence of a good or bad birthday outing?
Phil Gaimon has certainly carved out a niche for himself in the cycling world, being the best at doing the worst. Since retiring from the WorldTour pro road racing peloton at the end of 2016, at the age of 30, he’s built a second career tackling some of the most gruelling climbs the world and Strava have to offer, while successfully documenting it with great humour and insight through his “Worst Retirement Ever” YouTube series. Unlike many retirees, who lean into a life of comfort and calorie consumption, with the odd bit of recreational riding scattered in, you’d be forgiven for thinking the ever-lean climber is staying ready for a last-minute call-up to a mountainous stage race in the pro ranks, as his commitment to crushing training miles and KOMs remains steadfast.
As the big 4-0 milestone approached this year, Phil leaned into the bad ideas and came up with the Worst 40th Birthday Ever… a KOM attempt up the world’s toughest climb, Mt. Mauna Kea. While the birthday celebration may have started on a warm Hawaiian sand, the relaxation was short-lived, as he proceeded to leave the sea level and Waikoloa beach behind to embark on a 55-mile (89km) ascent, through 11 climate zones, and up a leg and lung-busting 14,000ft (4200m) of elevation. With a mix of paved and gravel surfaces, headwinds, dropping temperatures, and a severe lack of oxygen nearing the peak, it was anything but a victory lap to mark the 40 successful ones around the sun. To be fair, Phil had previously taken this KOM crown (twice!) and knew what he was in for, but still had the desire to best his younger self, apply new strategies, and properly document what could be accurately described as one of his best worst ideas.
Read some of Phil’s insights on questions we had about his unforgettable birthday ascent, and find the link to his YouTube video capturing the planned punishment.
In the depths of the effort, putting out steady watts at high altitude, on gravel roads.
How long had you been planning this attempt?
I first heard about it in 2016, just as I had announced my retirement from racing. I took the KOM easily (only eight people had tried it at the time), but Mauna Kea was a major clue that there was plenty of opportunity in cycling outside of the WorldTour. I started my YouTube channel soon after, and over the following year, it turned into my full-time job. It was always on my list to get back to Mauna Kea to make a proper video, which can be found here: The Hardest Climb on Earth
Why this climb/KOM?
It’s the hardest climb in the world. There are a few that have slightly more elevation gain, and I want to explore those, but because Mauna Kea’s altitude gain is so condensed at the end, with that long, steep, unpaved section, it’s hard to imagine anything else comes close to the challenge.
A true sea-to-summit effort, a dip in the Pacific Ocean before rolling upward into barren Volcano landscapes.
Had you done any recon of the climb?
I’ve ridden it twice before, both times for successful KOM attempts, but both times were also learning experiences with mistakes where I already knew I could improve my time.
How long were you building/tapering toward this specific effort? Any specific efforts/intervals you used?
I was doing a lot of endurance and sweet spot. It’s really just an ugly endurance effort.
A POV inside the final 10 miles, where the steepest grades kick in, 13%, and 300W at over 9000ft elevation.
What was your pacing and fueling strategy?
I was basically trying to stay in the sweet spot power zone, knowing that the power goes down as you gain altitude. So my sweet spot at the start was 330-340W. Over 800 ft it was more like 250W.
At what point did you struggle the most?
This was the first time I swapped to a gravel bike for the dirt section; it’s just too loose and steep for a road bike. 45c tires were much better, and I only had to walk once for a couple of minutes, but I’d almost go with MTB tires next time, just to be able to bulldoze through it instead of having to choose lines.
The decision to do the double bike swap from road to gravel, and back to road was a winning strategy.
Do you feel like you executed your plan successfully / anything you would do differently?
I wanted to make a good video to really show what makes that climb special and to put in my best effort for where I’m at now, knowing I don’t have the same fitness I did when I first rode it at 30. I think I accomplished that, enough so that I don’t see myself going faster. I would, however, like to try it from the other side of the island someday.
Are you already planning the year 41 (or 50) KOM?!
I do sort of like the idea as a once-a-decade tradition, but I don’t know what I’m doing next month, let alone next decade.
Phil’s 40th stats and the re-crowning of the KOM holder:
Follow Phil here: @philgaimon
Check out his YouTube channel here: @worstretirementever
Check out the 4iiii power meters that Phil equipped his road and gravel bike with for his successful Mauna Kea attempt here
