Mike Mills' Gran Fondo Campagnolo 2003
We arrived in Treviso, Italy on a basic, but acceptable Ryanair flight and were welcomed by hot and sunny weather. After loading our bike boxes and luggage onto the coach we set off for the hotel which was 8km up in the mountains at a resort called Croce D'Aune.
We were treated to some typical Italian driving with horns blaring and lots of hand waving with the driver on his mobile phone and then trying to learn English from his girlfriend. All too soon we were at the start of the climb to our hotel and I began to wonder what I had let myself in for! Around every hairpin bend was another steep climb and I mean steep! The driver obviously new what he was doing as he swung the coach round bends that looked too tight, but were not and at last we were at the hotel! After checking in we put our bikes back together and then had dinner. It was wall to wall pasta with as much wine or water as you could drink!
This is for all you Campagnolo lovers, It is a monument to Tulio Campagnolo at the summit of Croce D'Aune in the Dolomites
On Saturday morning we all met at the front of the hotel for the ride down into Feltre to have a look round the trade show of Campagnolo equipment, some clothing and a few other exhibitors. We decided to return that afternoon, by local bus as it turned out, for a longer look. Kevin, the rep for LPG, led us back towards the climb to the hotel and with every turn of the pedals I became more sure that I was not going to be able to get up this climb! Kevin said to just get into bottom gear and take it at our own speed and not to try to race each other! He must have been joking! As it turned out the climb was easier than I thought and we arrived back at the hotel with a stop. I even managed a little sprint up the last 100m., just in case anyone was watching and to make sure that I was not last! We spent a couple of hours at the trade show and walking round Feltre soaking up the atmosphere.With our Grand Fondo shirts safely in the bag we returned to the hotel and sat around drinking lots of bottled water. After a large dinner of pasta and the odd glass of the local red wine, it was early to bed for a 6am breakfast. We managed to eat our way through a bowl of, yes you guessed it, pasta!! We hastily got into our riding gear and slapped on plenty of sunblock, then began a fast descent into Feltre. It was easy to reach 40mph and the rims were almost glowing by the time we got to the bottom! After what seemed like ages we finally turned the last corner into the start/finish road. There was well in excess of three thousand riders waiting for the start!
As the flag dropped everyone surged forward as if it was a sprint rather than an endurance event! As we raced over a short section of pave one of my riding group decide to give everyone a head start and dropped his chain, twice! With much cursing and greasy hands we set off again towards the mountains. Everyone in the event had to ride the first climb and what a climb! With what seemed like endless hairpin bends we began the 19km.climb. As I looked up into the distance I could see riders way above us and thought to myself that we had to do just the same! The temperature was in excess of 30 Deg C and water bottles seemed to empty on their own! Before long Nick, Rob and I were grinding away in a good rythym and started passing people. On our numbers was an age group letter and I enjoyed passing the younger riders. Finally we reached the summit and began the fast drop towards the valley and the turn off point for the medium and short distances. At this point we stopped and filled our bottles with some much need water. Before the next climb we had another descent and due to my cautious descending I was soon dropped by my braver friends! I also had to stop and check on a rider who passed me only to fail to get round the next bend! Fortunately for him his bike stopped him going over the barrier and taking the quick way down! Thanks to this stop and also having to stop to ask if I had to turn right or left at the split of the two distances, I was well and truly behind. All the people I had passed at least twice had got past me again! I started on my task of regaining my riding partners and was soon passing people who must have wondered why I kept going past them and then stopping.
Taken outside our Hotel on the Saturday morning just before a trip down into Feltre. The other riders are Rob Lind from Swan Velo and Jaqui Warrinton from Middlesex RC
The end of the final climb which was right by our Hotel but not the end of the event. There was still 8km of fast downhill to go!
I put on my trying really hard expression for the last of the photographers round the course and headed towards the last part of the climb. I thought that a group of spectators ahead was a water stop, but they were not! After a sachet of gel and a good push I got going on the final kilometre to the top.
When the road levelled out I saw the 3km. board and I clicked into top gear and put on what passed for a final sprint. I could sense someone behind, but did not realise that I was towing four riders. Needless to say they shot past as we entered the finishing straight. Nick had beaten me by a minute or two and the others came in shortly after. Nick and I clocked 5hrs.50mins. or there abouts. We then went to where the mini bus was waiting to take us back to hotel only to find that it would take two trips. Luigi,the driver, must have been a frustrated racing driver, as he drove like a madman up the mountain to our hotel! All that remained was to sit back and drink a few beers and some wine to wash down the pasta!
All that remained was the final drop of 8km. to the finish. Half way down Nick shot past and, as he is a better descender than me, I let him go.
Well into the second climb I looked up a couple of bends and saw Nick and Rob not too far in front. I quickened my pace slightly and gave chase. A few minutes later, or so it seemed, I rode up behind them and said hello! Nick looked round and said that I must have been going well to have caught them up. This was made even better by the fact that they were all 15 or more years younger than me! At the next water stop the five of us regroupped and started off for the remainder of the second climb. Little did we know that the hardest part of the climb lay ahead! There was 4km.at 13% and it certainly felt like it! At the top of the climb the tarmac stopped and we had to ride through the forest like MTB riders! Not much fun! We descended into a town square for more food and water, plus the chance to rest for a short while. All too soon we were on the third and final climb which started off nice and gently, but not for long. When we had passed through the last but one time check we heard the police escort for the leaders of the race, who had done 60 miles more than us, but flew past on the big ring, as if we were standing still! Shortly afterwards the gradient steepened noticably and our tired legs groaned as we rounded more bends to be faced with yet another sharp incline! As I looked back to see if my friends were alright I found,to my amazment, that I had ridden away from them and was two or three hundred yards in front!
Two very tired but happy cyclists, Mike Mills with Nick Silva of the Swan Velo
The return journey home to the UK was a very hot nightmare, with the flight taking less time than it took getting through Stansted Airport!!
Michael Mills.
P.S. Roll on next year's Gran Fondo -- the full distance of course!