Italy
2015 Giro stage 13
My first two days at the Giro were sweating-in-the-shade hot. Now that I’ve left and returned to the race, it doesn’t look like the heat is going to be a problem anymore. Except perhaps its lack thereof. It was another soggy day for the peloton as the sign on got underway in Montecchio Maggiore … Continue reading
2015 Giro stage 2
Welcome to the seaside town of Albenga, host to the Giro's stage 2 start. I was impressed by the size of the crowd by 9:30 am. The square was packed up to six people deep! There was standard pre sign on entertainment: bike tricks,… …the obligatory group of local school kids,… … Continue reading
2015 Giro stage 1 TTT
After scoping out the course in the morning and realizing that the finish line was well fenced off, I stayed put at my spot a little under 700 meters to go. With this sharp left hand turn, I figured I'd have a great vantage. Lampre was first to roll down the start ramp. They … Continue reading
2015 Giro stage 1 TTT practice
A beautiful morning in Sanremo to get the Giro kicked off. Today's 17.6km team time trial began in San Lorenzo and much of the course was on a narrow bike path. Local cyclists and joggers made use of the bike path this morning ahead of the pros. The finish area, abuzz with activity. … Continue reading
2015 Giro d’Italia team presentation
Here we go! It’s Giro Eve, the first Grand Tour of 2015! Sanremo, which you will already know from Milan-Sanremo, is host to Saturday’s TTT which kicks off the 98th edition of the Giro. While nothing can ever compare to the amazing spectacle that Belfast put on to celebrate the 2014 Giro, Sanremo has pinked … Continue reading
Tour du Mont Blanc day 3
The last day of our trip promised to be the longest and hardest yet. Each morning I’d wake up with stiff calves but after 5 minutes of hiking, my legs relaxed and felt fresh and new again. Morning mountains. In the sun, it was warm but in the shade, it was awfully cold! … Continue reading
World Championships reflection
It’s been a little over three weeks since Rui Costa first pulled on the rainbow jersey and just as long since my last posting. Still, I’d like to return to the World Championships in Florence one last time for a few final thoughts. Coming from a sporting mad family, I’ve been to two different … Continue reading
World Championships: Elite Men’s Road Race
Way back in May when I was in Florence to catch a Giro stage, seeing this ad planted the idea in my head of coming to see the Worlds. I can’t remember exactly when I actually planned my travels to make sure I would be here for the cycling, but today’s race was the … Continue reading
World Championships: Jr Men’s & Elite Women’s Road Races
The Junior Men rode a 140 kilometer road race this morning which included 5 laps on the Florence/Fiesole climbing circuit. On their first lap, who was in the 15 man breakaway but my new favorite junior man, Zeke Mostov of the United States. The gap was over 4 minutes back to the peloton where … Continue reading
World Championships: Jr Women’s & U23 Men’s Road Races
As great as the time trial is, the road race is the heart of cycling since this is what these athletes compete in most often. The Junior Women raced 5 laps, for a total of just under 83 kilometers. About 2 kilometers in, the course featured a slow and steady climb with a couple of … Continue reading