Training Camps Begin

The women's professional team ALÉ-Cipollini-Galassia has decided to use Peschiera del Garda, on Lake Garda, as its first training camp to prepare for the 2014 season. The camp is 10 days in length with time divided between cycling, swimming and the gym. Sun, a microclimate, good roads, the scenic lake with charming town dotting its shores and a strong cycling culture make it a perfect location. On Sunday 200 fans rode behind the team (above).

Why does Lake Garda have a Mediterranean microclimate? Lake Garda was formed by a huge glacier coming down from the Alps 1.5 million years ago. So why is Lake Garda so fertile? Well, the as the glacier moved through the valley, it ground up loose magnesium-rich limestone into a paste, which placed itself along the sides of the ice. When the glacier melted, the moraine resulted in the rich fertile soil found along the shores of Lake Garda enabling things like lemon trees, orange trees, olive trees and many exotic flowers to grow. July is the hottest month of the year at the average of 29 degrees! The temperature is the coldest in January at the average of 6 degrees, but it never gets very cold because: in the summer when it's really hot the lake warms up. Through the cold months it keeps its heat, and the heat floats up and warms the air. Also the mountains above it keep it sheltered from wind.

Team Lampre-Merida is preparing for the early season races of Tour Down Under and Tour de San Luis. Ulissi, Wackermann, Mori and Bono (above) are in Los Cristianos, Tenerife, Canary Islands, enjoying beautiful weather and great roads. "The temperature is really good, more or less 23°, and the courses are perfect for our aims," Ulissi explained. "I'm sure these sessions of trainings will be very useful in order to improve our fitness".

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