A Word from the Dolomites

[Maria David]

Hi Guys,

Thought I'd drop a quick line from the Dolomites.

I've been in Bolzano since Sunday for the Giro delle Dolomiti.
Basically, it's a cyclosportive that takes place over 7 days (6 stages and a rest day in between).
The stages are anýthing from 55km up to 170km, with a few passes to go up in between.
It's a competition with a difference because rather than being timed over the whole stage, you just get timed over the main climb of the day. The rest of the race is done at your own pace. I's like a King of the Mountains competition based on your accumulated times.

Sunday we did a 107km from Bolzano taking in Passo Palade and Passo di Mendola, which was the main climb of the day - 14km at 7 per cent.

Mondaywe did 178km over Passo Pinei, Passo Gardena, and the main timed climb wad Passo di Erbbe - 14km at 9 per cent on average, but with the last 6 km being at 12 per cent. That did alot of us in with it being the last climb of the day, and already with 25miles of climbing in our legs it was pretty tough.

Yesterday was a short day of just 55km and one pass, however it was a big day - we went up the mighty Passo dello Stelvio - 27.5km uphill at an average 8 per cent with a number of 12 per cent ramps - 1800m of climbing, 48 hairpins, and very thin air at the 2,800m summit. Classic stuff.

Today is the rest day. Tomorrow we've got 107k but with 3,000m climbing over Passo Pordoi and Passo Giau (18 - 20 per cent ramps)
Friday is about 138 k with the main climb being over Passo Gardecchia - a straight up 20 per cent after 100k.

The final stage is meant to be a bit of a social ride to Trento and back - hopefully I will have held out by then.

It's a great atmosphere - the Italians love their sportive rides - loads of Police outriders stopping the traffic and getting us to take over the roads - even during the morning rush hour ! And no body seems to make a fuss - food is good and you are very well looked after. Scenery is spectacular, and loads of people to admire it with (though not many Brits - this is a very well kept secret).

Anyway, that's all for now - will give a proper run down in a few days.

Ciao !

[Gavin]

Say hello to Jesper if you see him!

[Alan M]

Maria, this is impressive stuff. You have been in a lot of big rides this year and you must be feeling very fit by now. The idea of a 7 day sportif is a tad daunting to lesser souls.

[Simon C Izoard]

Absolutely, well done Maria for signing on for this one. You beat me to it, I was unable to get time off work.
On paper it sounds very hardcore, but if you've done some of the climbs then its just plain ridiculous for a week event.
Maria, I'm sorry to pre-empt your write up, just wondering how many participants signed up/ what type of standard it is?

Good luck for Passo Giau, I did it for GF campag. It is relentless!
If all those climbs arent enough then do Monte Bondone while your near Trento (Stage 15 this years Giro) av 10% pedenza, 20km...2300m
I think Basso did it in 40min, although he probably had the advantage of 'spinned' blood!

Buon Gare

Simon

[Maria David]

Cheers Guys - I'm now back in blighty - a bit knackered, but had a great time and made some new friends. A memorable experience !

Will send through a little report shortly.

Gavin - said "hi" to Jesper for you - he says "hi" to you !

[Maria David]

Report : Part 1

I waited nervously in anticipation at the start of the ride. There was alot of fanfare from the organisers, shouting out instructions on the tannoy and gee-ing us all up.
The Fiera at Bolzano was awash with riders of various nationalities, in club/team kit of all types. The italians were easily identifiable by their stylish, well pimped up gear. Even the women (le donne) were in make-up for the occassion !!
I just kept a cool air in my ACC kit and took things easy. That's all I could do as I knew the week would get harder and harder.

800 riders got away for the 7.30am start. There was suprisingly good riding discipline, considering the narrowness of the streets. Lots of police outriders were out and about to stop the traffic. And there was alot of it - all backed up and queueing up aroound, but nobody seemed bothered about being stuck in a traffic jam. Everyone, including the organisers just seemed to be happy to be involved or to witness the event.
For the organisers this was the culmination of 8 months' preparation, and they were just happy that it was coming to fruition.

Stage 1

107km, 2962m climbing
the timed section was Passo Mendola - 14km @ 6.5% - 898m climbing, after 16km. This was just the antipasto.
Top man took 40 mins. Top lady took 54 mins. I took 1hr 4 and finished 23rd out of 80 women.

The route was mainly through woods and gave pretty views over the wine and apple growing regions. The other climb of the day was Passo Palade. Nothing too difficult either. People just jollied along and chatted once we'd done the race up the Mendola.
I managed to get dropped on the way back, as I dithered around taking photos and admiring the view !

[Maria David]

Report Part 2 :

Stage 2

By the next day I'd gotten used to the whole biking around the Dolomites thing. The timed sections would be where people really went for it at full pelt - they were marked by a big gantry at the start and the end of the climb, and you went over a timing mat at each end. Generally you would also see crowds of people at the start just before the carpet, preparing themselves - taking off/putting on the appropriate clothing, stocking up on drinks - having a final wee etc.
Once the timed section was over people would ride at a fast but comfortable pace.

Diversions during stage 2 meant we did 170km instead of the advertised 148km.
There was 3,000m of climbing.
The time section was on Passo di Erbe - 15km - 1077m climbing - 7.5% with 12% ramps in the last 6km.
Top man - 45mins, Top woman 59 mins. I did 1hr 19mins.

This came in at km 84 after we had done 27km up Passo Pinei and Passo Gardena. It was a really pretty area with lush green hills and the jagged peaks of the sella towering over us.
The return to Bolzano via Bressanone was great - we were whisked along at 23mph in the bunch, and it was pretty effortless. Just what we needed at the end of a long day.


Stage 3

Passo dello Stelvio - 27.5km, 1845m climbing - average 7.5% with 12-13% near the top - 48 hairpins
Top guy : 1hr 21 - Top girl - 1hr 44 : Me - 2hr30

Tough day - it was pissing it down at 8.30am. By 9am the rain had stopped, sun was shining and temperature was just right for climbing the beast.
We started in Prato Allo Stelvio, with the villagers looking on at yet more mad cyclists about to take on this challenge. Many people cheered us on, especially when they saw women riding.
This was a fairly steady climb, bu there were no soft points in the middle - I just had to constantly spin my way up to the top, through the crowds, the air getting thinner, the mountains looming over me and the place looking bleaker as I was getting nearer to the ice capped peaks. As I was getting near the top it was a bit demoralising as I saw the faster riders coming down after having done their climb. Many of them shouted "dai, dai" (italian for give it some beans). It's actually pronounced "die", which is what I thought I was doing as I neared the top.
I was so relievedd to see the finish gantry, and have people serve me with hot tea and cake.
Then after the congratulatory hugs and reminiscing with other cyclists, it was back down the 48 hairpins for lunch - just managing to avoid the rain.

[Maria David]

Report Part 3 :


Stage 4 :

Unfortunately a washout - Canazei the previous day had looked so pretty in the warm sun. It's more like an alpine village in Austria than Italy - especially as most people spoke in German.

However, Thursday was just wet wet wet. The day had meant to take in Passo di Fedaia, Giau, Falzarego and Pordoi. But the gendarmerie said "niente" - it's too dangerous - and at 2 degrees C up top with snow, no one was going anyway. Instead we just did a time trial up to passo Fedaia and back. It was an easy climb, but given how cold my muscles were it was a pretty hard task. It was like taking an old car from 0-60mph in winter without the choke on - a nice German bloke paced me up the hill - his eardrums must have been ringing after putting up with my heavy breathing !
I had nervously anticipated the 13 km descent down the hairpins back to hq in the rainy conditions - however the organisers had mercifully brought a coach up to take us down once we'd done our timed sections and plied ourselves with hot drinks. The local paper described the competitors as tadpoles - the locals just thought we were crazy !

13km @ 6.5% - Top man 28mins, Top woman 37mins, Me 48mins


Stage 5 :

The weather was much better - sunny, if not a little cold initially. The route took us into the Val di Fassa - the serious place where people go ski-ing and climbing in the summer.

Gardeccia was the timed climb - the one that everyone really dreaded - an old road that had recently been tarmacced. Extremely steep. It was only 6.5km long, but at an average of 12%, with the last 1.5km being a straight 21%. there was no respite at all on this one - extremmely painful - I wobbled my way all over the narrow road, my quads bursting, as the alpe de siusi loomed over us, proabably laughing at our efforts.
By the time I reached the gantry I thought I was going to max out !
The support from people was great near the top - people shouting in all languages - dai, allez, come on, - dwei hundert meter etc. venga !

The volunteers, who had been helpful all week were even kinder on this occassion - serving us with food and drink, providing newspapers etc to keep warm. I really needed it on this stage.
Once we'd got that out of the way the passo di costa lunga was a piece of cake.

139km - 2230m climbing
Gardeccia - 6.5km - 12% average
Top man - 23mins, Top lady 29mins, me 41mins

[Maria David]

Last Part

Stage 6 :

All the work was done (or at least I thought).
There just remained the timed 3km section from Appiano, a suburb of Bolzano. Basically we had to blast it up a hill. Only 3km, but doing it at full pelt uphill and with just a couple of miles warm up at 8.30am was not easy for me. I just did what I could. My ranking wasn't going to be altered by this last stage.
I finished 14th in my age group (women under 40). there'd been 35 starters in my age group, but only 18 finished. Ok, some of the climbs and conditions were tough. But they were do-able !

Once that was done, the stage was a bit of a jolly along the wine route down to Mezzocorona, near Trento. People reminisced with their new found friends and admired the beautiful scenery, which had many hill-top castles around. There was a last day of school kind of feeling as we snaked our way along the 87km of lanes in the morning sun.
The refreshment stops were not just for making the most of the copious food on offer, but also taking photos etc. I was quite flattered when some Italians photographed me and said I'd be their "October girl" in their calendar !


Overall this was a great event. The timed sections worked well as it was a veritable race where you had to go eyeballs out - then the other sections were done at your own pace. The lead car allowed the fast riders to still ride home pretty quickly, though some of the downhills were neutralised to avoid high speed crashes.
The traffic was stopped by the police as they effected a rolling closure system.

There were food stops along the way, one which would serve a full sit down meal, to facilitate socialising. You also had a support car to carry your extra clothes for the descent.
The organisation did everything to make sure you were comfortable and everyone was welcomed regardless of your level.
The ones at the top were semi-pros, while there were others who were recreational cyclists. It was really international too, with people from all over Europe, and a few from further afield.

I was sad to come home - I'd had a great week - there'd been a strong camaraderie, especially through the difficult moments. Alot of people return to this event year after year, even just to meet up with their oversees cycling mates. I hope to be back there too. Not only for the people, but to "experience" more of the passes !

If you're up for it next year, go to the giro delle dolomiti website and you can find out more. In a couple of months they will publish next year's route.
I have some photos, which I will soon get round to downloading.

[Andrew G]

We are not worthy. Sounds like a great event and congratulations on your result, 14th best amongst what I would imagine was a quality field turning out for a week long stage race.

Great stage reports that bring the horror to life and almost make me want to cycle up a mountain, almost.

Chapeau (don't know the Italian version).