When we first arrived in Verona we absolutely didn't know anyone, including any bike riders. I quickly learned that on Sundays the "Lungadige" (Adige River frontage) road was closed on Sundays to vehicles and lots of clubs would meet there for their Sunday ride starts.
The following Sunday I arrived too late for any of the club rides but I did meet Antonio. He was kind enough to tolerate my terrible Italian and gracious enough to show me the way to Lake Garda.
Antonio is one of those typical "older" Italian guys that has been riding his entire life. He also happens to be very, very passionate about bicycles. Despite being about 65, in the last 4 or 5 months he has purchased 3 new Colnagos: a steel Master, the Ti model, and the carbon Extreme Power. He wanted to compare them. That's on top of the other bikes he already has.
By the way, these "older" Italian guys that have been riding their entire lives never consider themselves "old", and no one else does either. "Old" here means someone in the 80s or 90s (I'll have to get a photo of Armando who is 95 riding his city bike).
I've nicknamed Antonio "Cancer Man" because at every possible opportunity he has a cigarette. I know, it's crazy. He also rides without a helmet, also crazy.
Thanks Antonio for my first ride in Italy and all the laughs. And, all the times you attacked me on Monte Grappa.
addendum: "Le Blaireau" left the following comment:
"Bit worried when I saw the title but by the third photo realized the reason. Hectic!! I've heard though that back in the day the big tour riders would also smoke because they believed it helped increase lung capacity?!?!?"
"Bit worried when I saw the title but by the third photo realized the reason. Hectic!! I've heard though that back in the day the big tour riders would also smoke because they believed it helped increase lung capacity?!?!?"
Yes, it's true, see this photo:
Posts
Wow, that story was amusing. Does he think his bike riding can prolong life by a few years? I doubt...
ReplyDeleteBit worried when I saw the title but by the third photo realized the reason. Hectic!! I've heard though that back in the day the big tour riders would also smoke because they believed it helped increase lung capacity?!?!?
ReplyDeletele blaireau: see the new photo I posted.
ReplyDeleteAnd not quite as far back in the day: Ernesto Colnago tells a story in an interview with cyclingnews about Jose Manuel Fuente smoking a cigarette at the start of a mountain stage of the '74 Giro before attacking Merckx and Co. from the gun. And like Antonio, he was riding a Colnago.
ReplyDeleteWe encountered a similar situation in Provence. We passed a group of riders (in our rental car!) on the climb up to Venasque. Midway through lunch a noisy gang arrived - the riders. They sat at a table nearby and had a couple of quick cigarettes washed down by several cafes and then they were off! Must be a European thing...
ReplyDelete