Giro pics from 1998

Treviso TT finish

The late great Marco Pantani

Blown

RIP Wouter Weylandts

We lost a great rider today, how things can change in a year.

Giro d' Italia, Stage 3, 2010

Lets get this party started!

Now we're talking

Time Warp

Twenty two years ago Andy Hampsten road up the Passo di Gavia in a blizzard. He didn't win the day but it solidified his quest for the maglia rosa.

Rumor is, the weather is changing in the Italian alps. Enough so there's a contingency plan in place.

Man I love this race.

After watching Basso's inability to descend the Mortirolo today, imagine how much time he could lose on the 18km descent of the Gavia if the weather goes south. His 50 second lead over Arroyo could evaporate.

Charly Gaul on the Gavia

Image lifted from La Gazzetta Della Bici

The Final Countdown

It's almost bacon ride time everybody. Sunday to be precise. Rafal, Sean, Anne and I will be rolling out from Wohlners (67th & Center) at 6:30, come earlier if you want coffee or food or something, I think they're open. We'll be riding gravel for the majority of the day. The breakfast buffet will run you about 8 bucks so bring a card or cashese.

I'll probably be riding Saturday morning too but I don't know exactly when or where. I might look into that later today. And...I'll be riding Monday too, I'm leaving that one up to Bryan and I'll see if it fits in the schedule.

F1 is in Turkey, caught a bit of morning practice on Speed this morning. Guess I'll miss the race Sunday morning though. The things I'll do for a quality bacon ride.

But...more importantly, it's the final throwdown at the Giro. Two ga-narly stages in the mountains. The top two favorites separated by 45 seconds. A quality guy in the lead by two and half minutes. And one of the worlds best climbers 4:45 back. Yep, I'm talking about Basso, Evans, Arroyo, and Sastre. This has been the best grand tour I'd say in over 20 years. Thanks RCS for putting together a giro that has kept us, and the riders on our toes. So today it's the Mortirolo with a finish ascent to Aprica. Saturday is the big daddy Cima Coppi, over the Gavia with a finish ascent up the Passo Tonale. And Sunday it all gets capped off with a ITT in Verona with a 200m climb in the middle of it. Do Evans and Basso have what it takes to finally deliver at grand tour? Basso has done it before, I think he'll do it again.

Gran Fondo Gourmet d'Capo: Day 2

Day two greeted us with damp roads but we were optimistic that the skies would eventually clear. We started off with a great breakfast at Ella's, just across the street from the hotel. From there it was in the van and off to Half Moon Bay. The plan was to get a head start on the peloton in hopes of beating them to Bonny Doon on our way to Santa Cruz. We would blast down the coast, climb Tunitas Creek, skip the backside and head straight down to the short 2nd climb, then to the coast and PCH and grind up Bonnie, before descending back into SC.

We started, like I said, with overcast skies and damp roads. Today we were all kitted up in the limited edition Giro kit, looking way too pro for our talent level. Love the maglia rosa pink on the sleeve. As we rolled out PCH was littered with riders on the same program as us. Our hope of sunny skies would come crashing down as we hit the first climb of the day.

Photo Credit: Forrest Arakawa

About three miles up the 8 mile forrested climb the rain began to fall, and then it fell heavier, from the sky first, and then from the trees. I really enjoyed the climb up Tunitas Creek. It starts at a very rideable 6-8%, then ramps up to 11-12%, and then back down to 4-8%. You can really fly over the summit.

Our group split as we suffered our first flat of the day, and a handful of us rode on as we didn't want to get too cold before the descent. We'd regroup at the bottom before the next climb at Pescadero. We ended up waiting quite a while as one flat turned into two for the guys behind. Eventually we rolled on and as we arrived outside Pescadero we linked up with Kelly and the lunch spread.

Gary and boys know how to put on a ride as the days lunch totally hit the spot. Pasta, sandi's, fruit, cola, peroni, brownie cupcakes, the works. We were pretty behind schedule and after a quick check-in on someone's iPhone we realized we were only about 10 miles in front of the race. So we settled in for and extended lunch and waited for the peloton to arrive.

The pre-arrival is kind of funny as it's an ever increasing wave of vehicles. The race announcers vehicle came zooming up asking us why he can't get Capo in Detroit. I refrained from the "you can order it from velogear.com" comment. He sped off giving the race situation over the loud speaker.

Within a few minutes the break arrived and then the peloton in full. It was cool seeing the TV helicopter getting closer and closer as it drifted down the valley.

Popo blowing kisses with LA on his wheel

Double jersey, double stage winner Peter Sagan

Hulsmans and Boonen

After the Peloton blew by it was time to hit the road. We had a date with the sous chefs from Incanto that were meeting us at the Casa di Sconi in Santa Cruz. The lunch stop was just enough time to dry our rain soaked clothes as we rolled on in search of sunny skies and a tailwind on the Pacific Coast Highway.

Photo Credit: Forrest Arakawa

Finally the sun came out and it wasn't long until the tempo ratcheted skyward and Matt and I were driving the train trying to pull in Kent, Matt and Kam. Forrest did his best to make us feel like pros as we sped along at 28 mph, 3 feet from a truck with a camera lens in our face. We regrouped at the base of Boony Doon and prepared ourselves for the 3 mile 11-13% climb. I was now cursing the sun as within minutes I was dripping with sweat and looking for any hint of shade. As we crested the summit it was on with the wind vest as we took the long way home after the climb and rolled through Santa Cruz to the occasional cheer as people thought we were with the ToC.

We closed out the day with 92 miles and 6500 some feet of climbing, through 50 degree rain and 70 degree sunshine. Enough to proclaim the day my Century of the Month for May. We were welcomed with open Peroni's and a great spread of food, again, thanks to the lads from Incanto. We soon transitioned to Vino and then onto the Branca Menta. Stories were told and new friendships were solidified late into the night and morning. Breakfast  burrito's from the Chill Out Cafe were the call in the AM as was the view at pleasure point. A fine end to a fine couple of days.

I have to throw out a huge thank you to all the guys at Capo for inviting us out. Including the 70 miles I got in pre-trip, I ended with 275 miles with 13,000 feet of climbing in four days and I got to do it in some of the best riding clothes on the market. Thanks for the opportunity fellas.

He's Back

MOD 2.0: 1 - Jack Russell Terrier: 0

I'm taking the W on this one. Let me explain.

I'm no stranger to country dogs giving chase. You usually hear them coming and see them bolt. Sometimes they get the jump on you, sometimes it's easy to ride away. Yesterday was not one of those days. By the time I caught glimpse of this Jack Russell terrier I had about enough time to think, holy $h!t, he's not slowing down. BAM! T-boned him square in the rib cage at about 20 miles an hour. He took my front wheel out and I hit the deck. I jumped up shouting obscenities at the dog and the farm house from which came, hoping the owners would come out so I could give them a piece of mind. Jack's two cohorts, a hunting dog and a golden were smart and kept their distance. After the impact, Jack took off never to be seen again. Wouldn't be surprised if the little bastard has a couple busted rips or a broken back. Dumb ass.

Me? I came away pretty clean. Couple scuffs on the bike, I shredded pair of Castelli Unico gloves, a small tear in my shorts, an apple sized strawberry on my hip and about 10 minutes of on the spot chain re-mounting that required loosening the pulley cage on my rear derailleur to free the jammed link. Thank you Crank Bros. Multi 17 too.

So why do I get the W today and Jack takes the L. Because he ran home like a little bitch and I got up and finished my ride taping out multiple climbs with no-hands on the bars, working on my power. Suck it Jack Russell!

I began thinking it just wasn't my day on the bike when on the way home on the Keystone I had to abort the trail when some dumas in a screaming yellow jacket was riding two abreast with his head down. A couple shouts barely got him back on his side of the trail but I was on the grass regardless.

Anyway, enough of me bitchin' about dogs and screaming yellow wearing bike path heros. My boy Vincenzo Nibali took the maglia rosa in the Giro today. Have I mentioned how much I love this bike race? Four stages, four leaders, gravel stage on Saturday and mountain top finish on Sunday. Compare this to the TdF, no contest, the Giro is way more exciting.

And for you beer connesuir's, check the fresh duds we just got in at VG.

The Duvel SE & The Original, I love my job.

The most beautiful bicycle race in the world

Spring is for the classics. Where the hard men of Peloton, after months of cold miles on the Belgian cobbles, do battle on some of the harshest terrain of the year. Summer though is for the Grand Tours. And none other is as grand a spectacle as the Giro d'Italia, which begins tomorrow.

It was on the road in Italy that I fell in love with European road cycling. The roads of Giro are narrow and dangerous. The climbs steep and often strewn with our beloved gravel. The cuisine is the best in the world. and the culture is one that loves it's history and cherishes the finer things in life.

I was lucky enough to have crossed paths with the Giro and see Marco Pantani time trial through the streets of Treviso and climb through the mountains of the Dolomites in the Maglia Rosa. A time I'll never forget and long to duplicate. They are calling this years Giro as a battle between Cadel Evans, Carlos Sastre and Ivan Basso. I'm always drawn to the outsider, the one that will take down the giants of the race. Vincenzo Nibali is an outsider. Just 25 years old, brought in to help Ivan Basso win. Back in 2004 a young Damiano Cunego bested team leader Gilberto Simoni. With Italian eyes watching Basso, 2010 might be a year for Nibali.

Universal Sports has daily coverage. Tune in.

Il Campionissimo

Que your own soundtrack and hit play...

Movie Night V2.0

James has another plan in the works. Keeps your eyes peeled for the details.

The Giro goes L'Eroica

The thing I like most about the Giro is it's often use of gravel roads over the high mountain passes. The rumor mill says next year it will be taking it to lower elevations. Read more.