Back to Italy, Gran Fondo Dolimiti Stars, The Giro and Snow !

Have to be quick....everything seems to be permamently closed, or about to close here....

We drove from Slovenia into the heart of the Dolomites, Cortina d'Ampezzo. Then across a major pass (Falzarego - 2100m) to Arabba to register for the Gran Fondo Giro d'Italia Dolomiti Stars.

The campsite at Corvara was in a beautiful location....on the route of the famed ski tour the 'Sella Ronda' and we only need to turn left at the campsite entrance to cycle it. But first the Dolimiti Stars.

We got locked into the campsite by the barrier which didn't open until eight officially, but a phone call to the owner at home sorted that out...not sure we were that popular though.

So a little rushed we dropped over the Campalongo pass to join the 1000 or so starters for the race/ride.

The first part involved a descent for alost 20 miles and I was getting worried as my GPS altimeter just kept dropping and dropping height.

Finally at about 600 metres we began the first of four climbs that made up the ride, 83 miles and 3500 metres of climbing. The 3rd was the Passo Giau which was tough...long and steep. Chatted to an Italian couple on the way up before conversation died and it got serious.

Cold at the top, a marshall stuffed all sorts of food into my jersey pockets so I had a lucky dip as I ate on the descent. beautiful scenery, great organistation, lots of spectators and I felt good on the climbs. Didn't trouble the front runners though, the winner took 4 hrs 26, I took 5hrs 45.

Next it was time to watch the second biggest cycle race there is, the Giro d'Italia (Tour of Italy) itself. The pros went over one of the passes we rode and then had the daunting summit finish at Lavaredo to contend with. I rode up and waited in the rain and cold for the riders to finally appear.

I always feel like calling those poor boys mothers when I see them suffering like that.....it almost brings tears to my eyes to see the huge gaps and the lonely riders.......many were being pushed up. Pro cycling is a brutal sport.

Next day we rode the Sella Ronda curcuit in rain and about three degrees temperature. The ride was noted by lots of cheery Americans and Ozzies putting a brave face on it....and Amy taking a wrong turn and heading off to Austria by mistake. Argument still continues as to whose fault it was.....but essentually you can't go wrong when cycling right round a big mountain - keep turning left. Ahem...Amy turned right. Still, it gave me two hours in a mountain restaurant though where I troughed on Strudel. The T-Mobile squad were out training on their rest day...in the freezing rain. Cyclists are mad, especially ones like us who don't get paid. It was very cold on the descents and regular cafe stops were required.

Woke up ths morning wondering why my feet were colder than usual and the tent roof was sagging. Bizarre ???

Amy unzipped the tent door and we discovered that camping at 1500 metres in the Dolomites means that it can snow.... a lot !
This was quite exciting as far as was concerned, gets you out of bed, but we were due to leave and had to check that the passes were open. They were and we packed up a damp tent and headed over the two major passes to Cortina where it warmer, but drizzly. Lots of Pro-team lorries and vans seemed to be driving lost around the mountains, you can't move for Astana or Discovery this and CSC that. I am now in some sort of photocopying shop running out of time.

It's very snowy above 1500 metres and the snow ploughs have been out, but it's pretty wet rain and the roads will be clear for the Giro to come through.

There is more snow now than there was in Austria in January...I thought this was a sunny cycling trip !

Some recent video of the Giro and this morning's snow here : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zS4YAyRKPM