Saturday, December 27, 2014

L'Eroica California, Register Your Email

You can now register your email at:
http://www.eroicacalifornia.com

Preliminary information about the event posted here in ICJ.

By registering your email address there you will receive the latest info as the organizer gets ready to launch the official registration website.

Dates: April 10th, 11th and 12th. (The ride is on Sunday, the 12th),

Location: Paso Robles, California (San Luis Obispo County)

Content for the Italian Cycling Journal is now based upon contributions from readers. Please contribute. Stories about rides, granfondos, touring, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, racing, etc. are always welcome. Contact me at veronaman@gmail.com. 



Wednesday, December 17, 2014

L'Eroica California, April 10-12 2015


It is Official. L'Eroica is coming to California in 2015. L'Eroica has already expanded to England and Japan; this will be the pilot event in the USA. Preliminary information:

Dates: April 10th, 11th and 12th. (The ride is on Sunday, the 12th),

Location: Paso Robles, California (San Luis Obispo County)

Routes: Three routes will be offered for the first year event. 35 miles, 50 miles and 107 miles (tentative and the actual distances may change without notice).

Rider Limit: 1000 (aiming to have between 500 to 1000 riders for this pilot event).

Bicycles: Same eligibility rules will apply from the Italian L’Eroica.

The three day event will offer:
- Vintage Bicycle Concours d' Elegance with judging
- Screening of a classic cycling film at the city theater located just a few steps from the event venue.
- Vintage Bicycle Fair/Swapmeet
- Wine Tasting Tours
- Preride Dinner/Award ceremony for the Concours winners.
- The ride (Sunday, April,12th)
- After ride Pasta Party

Registration will be handled via central website and it will launch in February 2015.

Negotiations with the local hotels to secure the best possible room rates for the participants are underway.

This L'Eroica is partly hosted by and will benefit Hospice of San Luis Obispo County (non profit, 100% volunteer based Hospice) http://www.hospiceslo.org 



Content for the Italian Cycling Journal is now based upon contributions from readers. Please contribute. Stories about rides, granfondos, touring, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, racing, etc. are always welcome. Contact me at veronaman@gmail.com.

Monday, December 15, 2014

Registration Opens for Gran Fondo Giro d'Italia

Registrations to enter the Gran Fondo Giro d’Italia, organized by the Giro d'Italia, have been officially opened today.


The Gran Fondo Giro d’Italia will be held on Sunday May 17th 2015 over the route of the Corsa Rosa’s Queen Stage – from Pinzolo to Aprica – and will feature the same climbs, the same descents, the same hairpins and the same distance that will test the pro riders just a few days later, in what is one of the most keenly awaited stages of the 2015 Giro d’Italia.

The Gran Fondo Giro d’Italia offers two route options: the Gran Fondo long route of 175km, and the medium route of 102km which finishes after the first arrival at Aprica.

To participate, non-Italian resident riders must either be registered to a national cycling federation, or have a registration recognised by the Union Cycliste Internationale, or hold a medical certification for the race.

The link to complete your registration for the Gran Fondo Giro d’Italia is: https://www.mysdam.net/store/data-entry_30641.do

General Info
The costs for non-Italian residents to register for the event are:

Christmas Promotion: from December 15th until December 31st 2014 – €70 + €20 for transport (optional)
From January 1st until April 30th 2015 – €90 + €20 for transport (optional)

Registrations will be closed on April 30th 2015.

Due to the start and finish being in different locations, the organizers offer a number of different transport options for riders and/or their bicycles. A secure area for bikes will be provided in Pinzolo.

For those who wish to sleep in Pinzolo (at the start): at the end of the race you have the option to return on a coach service leaving from Aprica either at 17:00 or after the broom wagon’s arrival at the finish.

For those who wish to sleep in Aprica (at the finish): a coach service with bicycle transport will leave at 05:00, taking you to the start location.

For those who wish to leave the car in Aprica (finish) and sleep in Pinzolo (start): a coach service with bicycle transport will leave on Saturday 16th May at two different times: 15:00 and 18:00. Baggage will be delivered back from Pinzolo to Aprica with a dedicated van service, to be delivered to the start no later than 07:30.

All riders will have the opportunity to take up some of the hotel offers created specifically for the Gran Fondo, which are available both in Pinzolo and Aprica.

At registration, please indicate your preference for the hotel option, in order for the offers to be prepared.

Further details of the specific hotel offers will be communicated before January 31st 2015.

All other details and information are available on the website www.granfondogiroditalia.com – if you will need further clarification please email: gf.giroditalia@gmail.com

Content for the Italian Cycling Journal is now based upon contributions from readers. Please contribute. Stories about rides, granfondos, touring, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, racing, etc. are always welcome. Contact me at veronaman@gmail.com.

Saturday, December 13, 2014

Campagnolo to Open Webstore, Corkscrew to be Featured

Campagnolo is soon going to be opening the Campagnolo Webstore, a new section of the official website. The first product to be featured is the sale of the famous Campagnolo BIG corkscrew, a product designed 60 years ago by the founder Tullio Campagnolo and still an iconic symbol of the Made in Italy.

What Campagnolo has to say about their Cavatappi (corkscrew):


Aside from the quick release skewer, the Campagnolo Cavatappi (Corkscrew) is quite possibly the Campagnolo product that has lasted the longest without any need for improvements to its original design. A testament to just how functional, precise and groundbreaking this piece was and continues to be, the Campagnolo Cavatappi is identical in almost every way to its original version.

The Campagnolo company takes pride in producing the most innovative and performance oriented cycling components available the world over. For over 80 years the company has produced elegant and extremely functional components and wheels that have won the most prestigious races at the highest level. The name of the company comes from Tullio Campagnolo whose passion for cycling was only superseded by his desire to innovate unique and functional products to improve the cycling experience. From the very first quick release to the cycling transmission, Tullio Campagnolo was able to invent and improve upon products that would forever change the world of cycling. Producing cycling components, transmissions and wheels that were considered to be not only functionally marvelous but were regarded as works of art, often times being compared to the intricate beauty put forth by the best timepieces.

However, his clinical mind and desire to find mechanical solutions to common problems led him to innovate in other areas outside of cycling. Just as cycling is deeply imbedded into the Italian culture, so is the production (and consumption) of wine.

Tullio on several occasions noticed the less than efficient manner in which wine bottle openers would remove corks, often times breaking them or leaving residue.

As legend tells it...

the last straw came about while Tullio was entertaining a group of important friends. With a bottle of some of the finest wine in his collection in hand, he proceeded to open only to find that the dated cork left a great deal of residue inside the bottle… making a poor impression out of a gesture meant to make a positive one. Surely there was a mechanical solution to this problem and with the same clinical analysis and inventor’s spirit, Tullio set out to produce what did not exist; the perfect “Cavatappi” .

While he wasn’t seeking to win the Tour de France or give Eddy Merkcx a technological advantage over his adversaries, Tullio held his Cavatappi design to the same scrutiny and standards as any other Campagnolo product destined for the racing steeds of the world’s best athletes. So true was his desire to produce a solution worthy of the Campagnolo name that not only were countless hours spent designing and developing prototypes, but parts from the most prestigious cycling products of the time were incorporated into its final design. While it wasn’t to change the world of cycling, it did change the way wine was opened in northern Italy… and beyond.

A trip to the area surrounding Vicenza serves as proof to not only how popular the Cavatappi has become but also to its solid and flawless construction. One need only enter into any restaurant or trattoria to find a Campagnolo Cavatappi from more than 30 years ago still performing its task as elegantly and perfectly as when it opened its first bottle. In part its diffusion is certainly due to the famous name Campagnolo but more importantly, the cavatappi became omnipresent in the Veneto region because of its own personal fame for being the most functional and long-lasting wine opener ever seen.

The Cavatappi is not simply a fine product that happens to come from the Campagnolo factory. It has earned its name. The materials were painstakingly selected and meticulously crafted into a fine tool that, just like its cycling componentry counterparts, is both functionally perfect and elegant. It passes through the same quality controls and is held to the exact standards as every Campagnolo product, meant to wear in as opposed to wear out.

Even at first glance the particular nature of this fine tool is apparent. It’s extremely large size was intentionally incorporated into its design to ensure that flawless cork removal was guaranteed no matter the size or shape of any bottle. To aid in this respect a telescopic “bell” was added to ensure that the cavatappi was “intelligent” enough to conform to any bottle and compensate for any need for more grip during the pulling phase of its movement. The beautiful wings, in addition to giving a somewhat angelic appearance when opened, allow for a completely symmetric movement that concentrates its pulling force directly above the cork. These features all centered around a painstakingly crafted corkscrew come together to remove perfectly even the oldest corks from the most prized bottles of wine.


As a point of information, Campagnolo has made a version of this is in gold:


There is also a rare "Record" version (see here). And, for Campagnolo's 75th anniversary there were numbered Cavatappi made (see here).

Content for the Italian Cycling Journal is now based upon contributions from readers. Please contribute. Stories about rides, granfondos, touring, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, racing, etc. are always welcome. Contact me at veronaman@gmail.com.

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Following in the Tire Tracks of Gino Bartali

My thanks to Michael for sharing his story of following in the tire tracks of Gino Bartali; Michael is to the right in photo below (with Mark).

INTRODUCTION
Back in October of 1943, champion Italian cyclist Gino Bartali was recruited by a close family friend and Cardinal of Florence, Elia Della Costa, to ferry secret documents between Florence and Assisi in order to save Jews and other fleeing refugees from being deported to the Nazi death camps.

The Assisi Underground, as it became known, had saved hundreds during the war years, and Gino Bartali played his part in their elaborate system by hiding refugee photographs in his seat tube for the ride down to Assisi, where a printer was faking Italian identity papers to go with the photographs. Gino risked his life, and the lives of his family, in order to help others. You can read more about what Gino did to earn him the title of “Righteous Among Nations” by the Yad Vashem holocaust museum here: http://www.yadvashem.org/yv/en/exhibitions/righteous-sportsmen/bartali.asp

In honor of Gino’s heroic deeds of over 70 years ago, my friend Mark and I had decided to re-trace his route, by bike, from Florence to Assisi and back. Along the way, we tried to pass the many points of interest that related to Gino and his life during the war years. The following is a re-cap of our experience.


ARRIVAL IN ITALY – MEETING MY NEW VINTAGE BIKE
My wife, youngest daughter and I arrived in Pisa airport a couple of days before The Ride and headed to Campiglia Marittima, where my old Brooklyn friend, Mark lives. Mark married Donatella, an Italian doctor, about 25 years ago and has carved out a beautiful life for himself with his wife and teenage daughter, Daria. Mark would be my only ride companion for the Bartali route and we had planned this together quite a while back, since we were both admirers of Gino and his war exploits.
The idea was for us to follow Gino’s route from his home in 1943, into the center of the old town of Florence, where he picked up his documents and then out to Assisi and back. Bartali did this in one day, but we decided to stay over in Assisi and return the following day, since we are mere mortals and not campionissimi. It would still mean two difficult, back-to-back rides of over 110 miles each way, over hill and dale.

Another dear, old Brooklyn friend, Johnny P, happened to be in Italy during my stay and was intrigued enough about our ride, and the places and people of interest that we had lined up, to want to join us. He would follow behind us in my rental car and provide on-the-road support for the entire ride. It’s a good thing he decided to join Mark and me because our trip would have turned out to be impossible without his help and resourcefulness.

The bike I was to use for the ride was a fully-restored, early-mid 1960’s Gino Bartali that I bought in Italy over the winter from a British dentist. (Yeah, I know Bartali was riding for the Legnano team in 1943, but the Bartali was what I had in Italy, so that’s what I’m riding. Got a problem with that?). Mark was nice enough to pick up the Bartali from the seller and store it for me until my arrival. This gave me only 1½ days to sort out the position and make any repairs/adjustments needed. We discovered that the seatpost was too short for me and had to hustle over to Cicli Sumin, where Luciano managed to dig up the right seatpost diameter (26.0mm). The new post, although longer than the original, was still a little short for comfort, but we made it work. I replaced the existing bars, stem, pedals, saddle, brake levers and tires with parts I brought from NYC and the bike was ready for action.

All I could manage was a brief test-ride as all of the roads in Campiglia Marittima went either sharply up, or sharply down. At least that short trip made me sure of the brakes and shifting. 

WE LEAVE FOR THE RIDE START IN FLORENCE
Early on Friday morning we all piled into the rental car, a Fiat Cinquecento 4-door, (me, my wife, daughter, Mark and John) and headed for Florence.After spending the day visiting points of interest related to Gino Bartali, like his museum, the piazza that bears his name and his family grave site (see installment #1 of this story) we all met back up for dinner.

It was a quick meal and early bedtime for me because tomorrow was the start of the first long ride. Mark went to his friend, Gofreddo, to spend the evening and would meet us before sunrise back at our hotel for the send-off.



THE OUTBOUND LEG: FLORENCE TO ASSISI
Early Saturday morning, Mark walked over from Gofreddo’s house to the Hotel David and we rolled out of the driveway around 7:30am. John had another coffee and would drive to meet us at the first rendezvous point later that morning.

Our first destination was the official ride start on Via Del Bandino, Gino’s home during the war. There’s no longer a #23 address there, but we found the oldest looking building on the block and took a quick photo anyway. Across from the street’s entrance is Piazza Cardinal Elia Della Costa, the cardinal who recruited Gino during WW2. Gino Bartali’s son, Luigi, still makes his home on that Piazza. Practically around the corner from Gino’s house was a 2-year old, modern (and ugly) piazza that was recently named after Gino Bartali.

Mark and I rode along the Arno River and over the Ponte Vecchio's wet flagstones, with the top of Brunelleschi’s amazing dome visible in the distance. My Garmin immediately got confused in the small, medieval, alleys and we never made it to the Eugenian College chapel, where Bartali met with don Giacomo Menghello, Cardinal Della Costa’s secretary. That’s where the priest would have the dangerous task of passing refugee photos to Bartali for concealment in his seat tube during the trip to Assisi.

We also had to forego a stop at Piazza dei Ciompi, where Gino’s cousin, Armando Sizzi had a bike shop and concealed a gypsy boy in his cellar during the war. Armando helped Gino to take care of the Jewish family that Gino had hidden in an apartment nearby. Since the Garmin was useless in the narrow alleys of the old city, we felt our own way back over the Arno and down past piazza Gino Bartali for the second time, gradually pedaling uphill towards San Donato.

Garmin once again got confused when we reached the peak of the first test – the San Donato climb, and we ended up down a very steep dead end street.

Mark, being an experienced bike guide,  took matters into his own hands and asked directions (he is an exception to the rule that men don’t ask directions!), and then led us through a series of small towns, down a steep descent through Rignano, and over a narrow, bumpy, one lane bridge over the Arno River.

From there it was a long, uphill, switch-backed climb among fragrant foliage to one of the high points, altitude-wise, of our ride, Reggello. Bartali used to ride through Reggello because the man who made his racing shoes, Gennaro Cellai, had critical information about the current fascist roadblocks and checkpoints. Gino would try to avoid as many checkpoints as possible, but even when he encountered one he was recognized and treated as a celebrity. To avoid the discovery of his secret payload, Gino would always request of the guards that no one touch his bike, as it was adjusted to generate maximum speed. In Reggello, Mark spotted a public fountain near the main piazza and we re-filled our bottles for the first time.

Where was John? There was no answer on his phone and his emails/texts were not helping us find each other. Eventually, John drove to meet us at the originally-agreed meeting spot and we encountered him when we gave up on meeting him in town. A quick, enthusiastic reunion ensued. Almost immediately, Mark and I were off again, heading south, along Via Sette Ponti towards Arezzo, with John following in the Fiat. It was about 11am on a slightly rolling road when Marks legs started to fail him. Mark is an extraordinary cycling guide, and a ride like this should have been child’s play to him, if he had his normally high level of fitness. Unfortunately, the phlebitis he was recovering from, the powerful blood thinners, along with the forced rest of a month and a half, were taking their toll on his body. He reluctantly climbed into the car, not wanting to slow my pace, or hurt my chances to finish the ride before nightfall. He would pay for his 4-hour effort, over two hard climbs, with painful leg cramps for the rest of the day.

Now solo, I picked up the pace, worried about getting to Assisi before dark. Just north of Arezzo I noticed three riders sitting on my back wheel. Armando, Lucca and Mauro were also on their way to Arezzo, to toast Lucca’s new bike acquisition. It was his new carbon Specialized's maiden voyage and Armando cordially invited me to join their drinking party. They were following an old Italian saying that I once heard, something along the lines of: “A good purchase should be wet with wine”. It was nice having company for the 10k we were together, but we parted ways once we got closer to Arezzo. I was heading toward Terontola, the train station, and a rendezvous with Ivo Faltoni. Ivo is the organizer of the annual Ciclopelegrinaggio ride and passionate Bartali devotee.

JOHNNY SAVES THE DAY
Right after John and Mark roared away in the car to Terontola, I started hearing the clanking of my left crankarm on the chainstay. I had noticed a chip on the chainstay paint when I first saw the bike but had no idea that the previous owner had experienced the same issue I was now having on the road to Terontola. The bottom bracket’s (BB) fixed cup had come loose and was unwinding itself, pulling the BB’s spindle towards the right, causing the left crankarm to whack the chainstay with every pedal revolution. Crap!

I stopped to hand-tighten it, but it came loose again after less than 1km. I did this 4 more times and then tried forcing it tight with the stub of a mini tool Allen key, with nary a rock in sight to add extra force. I thought my adventure was over. It was Saturday afternoon around 12:30 pm and there wasn’t a bike shop open in all of Italy. Even if I found an open bike shop, it would involve removing the drive-side, cottered crankarm and using a special BB tool as this fixed cup had slots around the edge instead of two large flats for a wrench. Most modern shops would not know what to do, or have the right tools for the job.


A quick call to Mark's cell phone went unanswered, but they doubled back for me when they saw the missed call. As they pulled up in the car, I sadly explained that the fixed cup was loose and John simply said: “I’ll fix it”. Mark and I raised our collective eyebrows with skepticism and faint hope. We had no tools other than a small adjustable crescent wrench and my mini tool. John immediately goes to the trunk of the rented Fiat and pulls out the meager remnants of the emergency road-side kit. The only items left in the bag were a scissor-style car jack and the stub of a reversible screwdriver. That's it. I leaned the bike over as John put the flat-end of the screwdriver stub onto the BB cup slot and pounded away on the top of the screwdriver with the heavy jack. The fixed cup looked tighter than before and John joked that the next person to rent this car would have no idea what use the jack was put to by its previous driver.



BACK ON THE ROAD TO ASSISI
Problem solved, I motored along to Terontola, and our meeting with Ivo Faltoni. Rumors had it that, as a child, he was present when Bartali used to roll into the train station's cafe to distract the fascist guards. In all the fuss, the refugees could sneak onto the train to Genoa and be smuggled out of Italy. Ivo also claims that he grew up to be a mechanic for Bartali. We could not independently confirm either claim during our trip.


The boys were already parking at the Terontola train station when I arrived and we hunted for the Bartali plaque, which Mark soon found on the station platform. Ivo arrived a few minutes later, and as it was getting late, I took a quick photo with Ivo and headed out of Terontola to our next meeting place in Maggiore. Mark and John spent more time with Ivo as he regaled them with his energetic stories and much gesticulating.

Garmin’s directions out of Terontola got very confusing and it ended up taking me close to an hour to find the right road out of this small town. It had me heading 6k out of the way toward the highway entrance, which I was tempted to take - but for the complete lack of a shoulder, fast-moving cars and a narrow, single lane.

Once back on course, I suffered through one more Garmin detour which took me down a steep road toward Lago Trasimeno, which turned out to be another highway entrance. I grunted back up the climb out of the saddle, to the secondary road, which I stuck to and ignored Garmin for the rest of the ride. Boy, was that incessant beeping irritating!
The boys now had the task of keeping me in their sights as we navigated straight through the heart of Perugia. The center of a big town like Perugia sure had some busy roads! Mark, knowing the area well, had suggested that we head along a more rolling, southern route to skirt around the worst of it, but it was getting late and I opted for the most direct route to Assisi. I figured that if I got close enough to Assisi at dusk, they could follow me with their headlights on up the final climb to town.


With one short break for a navigation meeting, we were soon on the long straight bumpy road to Assisi, as the late-day sun turned the religious city, rising in front of us, a brilliant sunset orange.

ASSISI
The Assisi Memory Museum was already closed when we arrived, so we did not get to see Luigi Brizzi's printing press (where all of the false documents were printed during the war) or the exhibit about the heroic Assisi Underground of World War II.

We made it to the Hotel Hermitage and checked in for a quick shower and a dinner rendezvous with Mark’s sister, Kathy. She lives in Perugia and drove up to see her beloved brother and his two wise cracking friends from Brooklyn. Dinner was a lot of laughs. I had a small appetite in spite of the number of calories burned, although I did consume a recovery drink before we left for the pizzeria. Maybe that killed the appetite?

I can’t imagine what a daily chore it would be for a Grand Tour pro rider to consume the calories he would need to continue onto the next stage. You kind of have to force yourself to eat.


Unfortunately, it was too late to pick up a St Francis relic for my friend back home, Frank, and I was too tired to climb the endless stairs of this beautiful city to visit the Piazza del Comune, and Cafe Minerva, where Father Nicacci, head of local underground network, and Luigi Brizzi used to play checkers. 

There was no air conditioning in the hot room and opening the window, like the sarcastic desk clerk suggested, brought in all of the flying insects of Assisi to buzz around the lights for the rest of my stay. Why are there no window screens in Italy?


THE RIDE BACK TO FLORENCE
I slept heavily and woke to my alarm at 6am for a pre-ride breakfast of hot oatmeal and fruit. The car was loaded and we were ready for the trip’s next leg at around 7:30, when it was just light enough to ride. John and Mark played the role of soigniers extraordinaire, by filling my borraccias and tires before I began the return trip to Florence. I descended out of Assisi and down the gently sloping road to the first turn to the north near Santa Maria dei Angeli.
The climb up to St Egidio was gentle enough to warm up my legs without an early strain.

Once I passed through town I was treated to mainly flat roads for the first few hours. The seatpost of the Bartali had slipped from the previous day and, after raising it, it slipped yet again. Once again, John came to the rescue with an instant solution.

After the third seat post stop in Umbertide, John pulled the post and then reached down to the ground with a wet finger. The dirt he picked up was introduced into the seat tube to provide additional friction for the post. It worked like a charm! The seatpost stayed put for the rest of the day.

As I re-mounted my bike I was overtaken by a couple of riders and had the pleasure of their company for another few kilometers, until I turned off towards Nuvole, population: 45. Bartali moved his family there to live with his friend, Nello Capaccioni, after a harrowing interrogation by the fascists at Villa Triste in Florence. The fascists suspected that Bartali was up to something with his trips to Assisi and beyond, but they couldn’t prove anything and released him after a few days of hell in one of their cold, damp cells.

The flat roads I enjoyed earlier in the day were forgotten, as the climbing over the mountain range began with a steep road up to Anghiari. Other cyclists on the road up included a rider with a prosthetic leg (he took the mountain prize, as first over the top), a cyclist in period garb on a vintage road bike (a man of the same mind as me, I would imagine) and a woman in long skirt, on a bike with a basket up front.

I was out of Anghiari and onto the main, wooded climb before descending back to the Via Sette Ponti for the northward trip back to Reggello. It’s interesting how the scenery looks completely different when you travel the same, familiar road in the opposite direction. What’s in front was what’s behind before and you take in the other part of the 180 degree panorama that is the view from a bicycle seat.


Up and over Reggello, I passed the sharp curve on the descent from San Donato, near Osteria Nuova, where there is a memorial plaque to Gino's brother, Giulio. Giulio Bartali died tragically in a bike crash while racing there in his youth. Gino often stopped here while training to offer a silent prayer for his beloved brother.


I had stopped to refill my water bottles, as the temperature climbed above 80 degrees Fahrenheit that day. It was time for the surprise I had planned for Mark. I asked John to man the camera while I pulled a wrench from my seat bag to loosen my seat binder bolt. For the entire ride, I had been carrying within my seat tube a copy of a false identity document that was forged by Luigi Brizzi for the Assisi Underground. It was the type of document that Gino would have carried back to Florence inside his own seat tube. Superimposed on the photograph was Mark’s head shot, proclaiming him a resident of Lecce, with the name of “Emidio Vitelli”. These false documents had to claim to originate south of the front line, within the allied territory, so that the fascists could not verify their accuracy.
Now Mark understood why I was calling him “Signore Vitelli” all day long! 


MISSION ACCOMPLISHED
The final 20 miles of the return trip included a series of long, steep, leg-burning climbs until I got close to the center of Florence. The flat roads to Viale Europa and a short jaunt along the Arno brought me back to our starting point, Hotel David. John went straight up to his room for a well-deserved nap. All that driving must have been very draining for him. Mark headed back to his friend’s house for the night. I imagine he also turned in early so that he could catch a morning train back to his home, and his family responsibilities, in Campiglia Marittima.



Content for the Italian Cycling Journal is now based upon contributions from readers. Please contribute. Stories about rides, granfondos, touring, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, racing, etc. are always welcome. Contact me at veronaman@gmail.com.


















Tuesday, December 2, 2014

SILCA T-Shirt

SILCA has a nice T-shirt for Christmas, a limited edition 1973 "throwback":

More details here.

We know that SILCA became an American company in 2013. Their new SuperPista Ultimate Floor Pump really got people talking about SILCA once gain. The pump won the 2014 Interbike "Best In Show" award.  

If you are looking for more T-shirts take a look at www.velo-retro.com, they have a large collection of T-shirts based on vintage images.

Content for the Italian Cycling Journal is now based upon contributions from readers. Please contribute. Stories about rides, granfondos, touring, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, racing, etc. are always welcome. Contact me at veronaman@gmail.com.


Friday, November 28, 2014

2015 Milan-San Remo Finish Moves Back to Via Roma

The Milan–San Remo goes back to its traditions to set up a spectacular finale on the classic Via Roma finish line, which has played a key role in the history of this "monument" race.

Also known as “La Primavera”, the Milan–San Remo is organized by RCS Sport/La Gazzetta dello Sport and will be held on March 22. It will run a very similar course as the 2014 edition – with the key points on Passo del Turchino, Capo Mele, Capo Cervo, Capo Berta, Cipressa and Poggio di Sanremo – but has a substantial change for the finale.

Compared to the Piazzale Calvino finish, which had 3km from the Poggio descent to the finish line and has been used for the last few editions, the Via Roma finish line will shortens this distance to “only” 2km.

This change will make the race even more open and unpredictable – until the final moments – with the attackers having more chances to anticipate the fast wheels of the peloton. The total distance will therefore go from 294km to 293km from 2015.

The last winner on the Via Roma was the Spanish rider Oscar Freire, in 2007.

Eddy Merckx is the record holder, with 7 victories in this “Classicissima di Primavera”, winning the race in 1966, 1967, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1975 and 1976, with each of these on the Via Roma finish line – showing how the finale of this race can be open to many solutions.

HISTORY OF SAN REMO FINISH LINE

from 1907 to 1948 finish in Corso Cavallotti
from 1949 to 1985 finish in Via Roma
from 1986 to 1993 finish in Corso Cavallotti
from 1994 to 2007 finish in Via Roma
from 2008 to 2014 finish in Piazzale Italo Calvino

Content for the Italian Cycling Journal is now based upon contributions from readers. Please contribute. Stories about rides, granfondos, touring, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, racing, etc. are always welcome. Contact me at veronaman@gmail.com.



Wednesday, November 26, 2014

I Miti del Ciclismo: Fausto Coppi


Content for the Italian Cycling Journal is now based upon contributions from readers. Please contribute. Stories about rides, granfondos, touring, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, racing, etc. are always welcome. Contact me at veronaman@gmail.com.

Thursday, November 20, 2014

Marco Bertoletti, LEGEND, Rides Bergamo's Città Alta

Long time framebuilder, Marco Bertoletti, who more recently created the LEGEND brand is featured in this video of riding one of his bikes to the upper part of Bergamo ("Città alta").


Content for the Italian Cycling Journal is now based upon contributions from readers. Please contribute. Stories about rides, granfondos, touring, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, racing, etc. are always welcome. Contact me at veronaman@gmail.com.

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

L'Eroica Britannia

L'Eroica has already expanded beyond Italy to Japan and England, and now also plans events for California and Spain.

Here is a look at the 2014 L'Eroica Britannia:

L'Eroica Britannia 2014 - Official film from L'Eroica Britannia on Vimeo.

For 2015 the Britannia event will be held June 19th to June 21st.

Content for the Italian Cycling Journal is now based upon contributions from readers. Please contribute. Stories about rides, granfondos, touring, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, racing, etc. are always welcome. Contact me at veronaman@gmail.com.






Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Gran Fondo Giro d'Italia: May 17, 2015

The Giro d’Italia is preparing a present for cycling fans, to put under the Christmas tree, with registrations to enter the Gran Fondo Giro d’Italia opening in December.

The ride will be held on Sunday the 17th May.

The Gran Fondo Giro d’Italia will be held on the route of the Corsa Rosa’s Queen Stage – from Pinzolo to Aprica – and will run over the same climbs, the same descents, the same hairpins and the same distance that will test the pro riders days later, in what is one of the most keenly awaited days of the 2015 Giro d’Italia.

Gran Fondo Giro d’Italia will have two courses: a long route that will cover entirely the whole 175 km of the Pinzolo to Aprica stage, facing the climbs of Campo Carlo Magno, Passo del Tonale, Aprica, Mortirolo before the final climb towards Aprica; and a medium route, which will end after 102 km on the first passage in Aprica.


Content for the Italian Cycling Journal is now based upon contributions from readers. Please contribute. Stories about rides, granfondos, touring, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, racing, etc. are always welcome. Contact me at veronaman@gmail.com.


Sunday, November 16, 2014

Tour Tuscany with "STAI A ROUTA" Cycling Tours


We received a note from Mauro Raspanti, one of the founders of "STAI A ROUTA", a new cycling tour company based in Firenze (Florence). "Stai a routa" in cycling parlance means "follow me".

"STAI A RUOTA" was born in 2013 from the idea of three friends, all Tuscany natives, united by their passion for cycling and love for their land of origin. STAI A RUOTA offers innovative cycling tours in one of the most beautiful areas of the world.





You can learn more about STAI A ROUTA at www.staiaruota.it

Content for the Italian Cycling Journal is now based upon contributions from readers. Please contribute. Stories about rides, granfondos, touring, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, racing, etc. are always welcome. Contact me at veronaman@gmail.com.






Monday, November 3, 2014

Mister GHIBLI




Content for the Italian Cycling Journal is now based upon contributions from readers. Please contribute. Stories about rides, granfondos, touring, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, racing, etc. are always welcome. Contact me at veronaman@gmail.com.

Thursday, October 30, 2014

2015 L'Eroica News

In May, 2015, the L'Eroica organization will launch "Eroica Primavera" to promote the southern part of the permanent route which normally only the participants doing the 135 and 205km L'Eroica routes ride.

The organizing committee is also working on taking the event to Spain and California, possibly in 2015. The existing events in Japan and Great Britain will also be further developed.

New procedures to register for L’Eroica 2015 in Gaiole are being defined now and the committee has decided to ask participants to be involved in the process. You can help by providing your ideas and suggestions by taking a survey; those who participate in the survey will have advantages in registering for L’Eroica 2015. Click here to take the SURVEY.

Content for the Italian Cycling Journal is now based upon contributions from readers. Please contribute. Stories about rides, granfondos, touring, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, racing, etc. are always welcome. Contact me at veronaman@gmail.com.  





Monday, October 27, 2014

Lino Messori, At the Speed of the Heart

Back in 2010 I wrote a short piece, here, about a Messori frame; a framebuilder I was unfamiliar with. That piece featured this unusual bike:

So, the other day my friend Buzz sends me a link to a video about Lino Messori and now we know his story, at least part of it; and, that of the red bike:


Lino Messori - Alla velocità del cuore [at the speed of heart] from lucacampanale on Vimeo.

Content for the Italian Cycling Journal is now based upon contributions from readers. Please contribute. Stories about rides, granfondos, touring, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, racing, etc. are always welcome. Contact me at veronaman@gmail.com.









Sunday, October 26, 2014

"Race Against Time", New York Times L'Eroica Story

"Of all the things a cyclist could list as essentials for riding, the road is not likely to be the first to jump to mind; it is a given. But in the vineyards and rolling hills of the Chianti area of Tuscany, preserving the heritage of the white gravel roads inspired a vintage-bicycle race that has grown to more than 5,000 participants."

Read the rest and see the slideshow here.

Content for the Italian Cycling Journal is now based upon contributions from readers. Please contribute. Stories about rides, granfondos, touring, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, racing, etc. are always welcome. Contact me at veronaman@gmail.com.   



Monday, October 20, 2014

2015 Fausto Coppi Calendar now available



The 4th edition of the official Fausto Coppi calendar is now available at www.calendariocoppi.it; shipping is available worldwide. If you wish to order 10 or more copies contact  info@calendariocoppi.it for pricing and shipping information.

Contributions to the calendar made by Franco Bocca, Beppe Conti, Carlo Delfino, Marco Albino Ferrari, Claudio Gregori, Marco Pastonesi, Giampiero Petrucci, Vittorio Pessini, Gianni Rossi and Filippo Timo.

Sales are part of a fund raising effort for ONLUS Enrico Cucchi,  www.associazionecucchi.it

Content for the Italian Cycling Journal is now based upon contributions from readers. Please contribute. Stories about rides, granfondos, touring, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, racing, etc. are always welcome. Contact me at veronaman@gmail.com.  
 










Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Giro d'Italia and Veneto, a 100 Year Relationship


Announced today at the Veneto Region headquarters are the stages of the 2015 Giro d’Italia that will be raced in the Veneto region. The relationship between the Corsa Rosa and Veneto,  the area famous for its champions and cycling aficionados, has been going strong for more than 100 years: since 1912 when Giovanni Micheletto won the first stage of the fourth edition of the Giro d’Italia, which ended in Padua. In the 2015 Giro there will be two stages raced entirely on Veneto soil, while another stage will end in Veneto – Vicenza – and one more will start from the region: Marostica.

Thursday 21st May – Imola – Vicenza 190km (mountain finish)
This is a stage with two very different characteristics. The first 130km are perfectly flat, crossing the Pianura Padana to reach the Colli Euganei (Castelnuovo) and the Monti Berici. From here it’s up the Crosara climb from Mossano – 1500m long and with a gradient between 12 and 15% (max 18%) – and the Fimon-Perarolo climb will take the group towards the Monte Berico Sanctuary, at the top of the final climb which is slightly longer than 1km and with peak gradient of 10%.

Friday 22nd May – Montecchio Maggiore – Jesolo 153km (for sprinters)
This stage is perfectly suited to sprinters. It’s short, fast and entirely flat until the finale where a bunch sprint is almost assured.

Saturday 23rd May – Treviso – Valdobbiadene 59,2km (Individual Time Trial)
The time trial is divided clearly in two parts: the first 30km is entirely flat, whilst the second half – of almost the same length – is characterized by continuous technical climbs and descents. Some of them are demanding, and KOM classification points will be awarded for the first climb after Conegliano. This long and unusual time trial will test the riders’ energy management.

Sunday 24th May – Marostica – Madonna di Campiglio 165km (mountain finish)
Starting from the City of Chess, the first 50km of this stage is in Veneto territory, up until Lastebasse. It’s a mountain stage with a total of around 4000m of climbing, all in three ascents: the Fricca in the first part of the stage, then the Passo Daone (max gradient 14%) and the Madonna di Campiglio one after the other, in the second part.

Giro d’Italia Director Mauro Vegni said, "The relationship between the Giro d’Italia and Veneto has a story that goes back more than 100 years. This is a land that gave cycling great champions and whose people has an incomparable passion for cycling. We are sure that the four Veneto stages will be, from the media, technical and participation perspectives, a great success – as is historically the case when the “Corsa Rosa” arrives in this wonderful region."

Content for the Italian Cycling Journal is now based upon contributions from readers. Please contribute. Stories about rides, granfondos, touring, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, racing, etc. are always welcome. Contact me at veronaman@gmail.com.