Cyclist Climbs Switchback Near Kathmandu Summit Cairn

Pale morning light pierces thick white mist to illuminate a lone cyclist straining up a winding mountain pass. The rider leans forward in a crouched position, muscles taut against the steep incline of the paved road. Beside the curve stands a small stone cairn, its rough gray rocks stacked high against the treeless slope. Early spring air hangs heavy in the fog, softening the distant ridges while catching the red and white hues of the cyclist's jersey. Mud splatters the lower spokes, and breathless exertion is visible in the hunched shoulders. The stone markers of the cairn cast faint, soft shadows that blend into the damp, gray asphalt underfoot.