Scouting the 2009 Road World Championship Course

June 22nd: The big guns in Italian road cycling were in Mendrisio, Switzerland, exploring the 2009 Road World Championship course. Led by DirettoreTecnico Generale Franco Ballerini were Alessandro Ballan, Ivan Basso, Damiano Cunego, Danilo Di Luca, Stefano Garzelli, Filippo Pozzato, Vincenzo Nibali and Giovanni Visconti. The road championship will be held on September 27th.

The course is 13.8 Km in length and will be ridden 19 times for a total of 262.2 Km. Each circuit has a total of 245 m of climbing for a race total of 4,655 m. There are two climbs on the course. The first of Acqua Fresca has a section of 780 meters which has a 10%+ average, sometimes reaching 12%. The second climb of Torrazza di Novazzano, well remembered from the duel between Felice Gimondi and Eddy Merckx during the 1971 World Championship, is 1,750 meters long with a 10% average.

In Danilo Di Luca's opinion, "Here there is only one man to battle: Alejandro Valverde". Franco Ballerini, after declaring the course as being very difficult, expects it to be another Italy vs. Spain duel. Ballerini also thought Samuel Sanchez and Andy Schleck would be challengers for the victory. Ivan Basso named Fabian Cancellara as an adversary to fear.

Photos: the Italians scouting the course, course profile

Stories, including cycling trip stories, for the Italian Cycling Journal welcome; contact veronaman@gmail.com

Red Bull Road Rage: Cortina d'Ampezzo, Part II

The first downhill road race in Italy was held in Italy June 20-21st and was won by ex-professional, and 3 time Giro d'Italia participant, Mauro Bettin from Sicile (PN). He clocked a maximum speed of 98 Km/h (60.9 mph).


In second place was Frenchman Fred Mazieres followed on the podium by Luca Pais Marden. The winner of 2008 Red Bull Road Rage in Switzerland, Guillaume Gualandi, was fourth.


"Best crash" awards went to Guido Cuneo e Davide Sovilla, both who received Briko's new Ceramica Protek® cycling shorts. Briko's Ceramica Protek® side insert have ceramic fibers in the fabric that are resistant to abrasion which are claimed to cut down the risk of road rash.


The format of the race was previously described in:
http://italiancyclingjournal.blogspot.com/2009/06/red-bull-road-rage-cortina-dampezzo.html


Photo: winner Mauro Bettin

Video: the course from Località Rio Gere to the centro storico of Cortina D'Ampezzo.

Stories, including cycling trip stories, for the Italian Cycling Journal welcome; contact veronaman@gmail.com

Gran Fondo Saint-Vincent

Images from the Gran Fondo Saint-Vincent held June 14th in the beautiful Valle d'Aosta.

For more information on cycling in the Valle d'Aosta see:http://italiancyclingjournal.blogspot.com/2008/11/cycling-in-in-valle-daosta.html

Stories, including cycling trip stories, for the Italian Cycling Journal welcome; contact veronaman@gmail.com

Daccordi "Divo"

The few Daccordi bikes I have seen through the years have been nicely built and attractive. The company began in 1937 with Giuseppe Daccordi and a partner. The start of World War II required suspending their business but they were able to re-start after the war ended. During the 1960s son Luigi joined his father in the business.

Today, Daccordi's top of the line frame is the Divo model (above), a 950 gram frame, Made in Italy. A complete bike, as equipped above, has a price of 5,800 euro; the frame, fork, and headset is 3,120 euro. The frame can be ordered to measure, or is available in standard sizes (seat tube center-to-center, slightly sloping top tube) of 43- 46,5 - 48,5 - 50,5 – 53 – and 55 cm. Interestingly, the frame can be had with an integrated mast as pictured or with a traditional seat post configuration.

Details of pictured bike:

Frame: full carbon Divo

Fork: Columbus Carve Mega full carbon

Headset: Silva a-headset of 1 1/8”

Gruppo: SRAM Red (compact 50/34, cassette 12-25)

Handlebars: Dedaelementi Presa full carbon

Stem: Dedaelementi Zero100

Saddle: San Marco Zoncolan

Wheelset: Miche SWR full carbon

Tubulars: Vredestein Fortezza pro Tricomp 700x21

Complete bikes are available with Campagnolo, Shimano or SRAM groups.

For information:

Daccordi Srl

Via Ilaria Alpi, 26/28

56028 S. Miniato Basso (Pi)

Tel. 0571/401447Fax 0571/401512

http://www.daccordi-cicli.com/

Stories, including cycling trip stories, for the Italian Cycling Journal welcome; contact veronaman@gmail.com

Brenner Pass to Capo Passero, Sicily, by Handbike

Congratulations to Gianni Garbin of Recoaro Terme (Vicenza) who completed a 1,671.4 Km (1,038.5 miles) journey by handbike from the Brenner Pass on the Italy-Austria border to Portopalo di Capo Passero at the southern tip of Sicily. Gianni became paralyzed in a 2006 snowboarding accident.

The trip, from 30 May to 20 June, was undertaken in 21 stages.
Passo del Brennero – Bolzano Km. 87
Bolzano - Rovereto Km. 95
Rovereto – Mantova Km. 110
Mantova – Centro Protesi INAIL Budrio Km. 103
Centro Protesi INAIL Budrio – Firenzuola Km. 73
Firenzuola – Firenze Km. 59
Firenze – Siena Km. 69
Siena – Montefiascone Km. 126
Montefiascone – Roma Km. 103
Roma – Latina Km. 90
Latina – Gaeta Km. 88
Gaeta – Napoli Km. 100
Napoli – Salerno Km. 116
Salerno – Paestum Km. 40
Paestum – Palinuro Km. 79
Palinuro – Maratea Km. 68
Maratea – Castrovillari Km. 97
Castrovillari – Crotone Km. 151
Crotone – Roccella Ionica Km. 135
Roccella Ionica – Villa S. G. Km. 115
Messina – Catania Km. 97
Portopalo di Capo Passero Km. 128

The trip was supported by the Italian bike advocacy group FIAB (Federazione Italiana Amici della Bicicletta), numerous other organizations, family and friends.

FIAB has been working on developing the CICLOPISTA DEL SOLE, a bike path from the Brenner Pass to Sicily. The name was chosen as one always faces the sun when traveling southward. The path is has been mostly completed from the Brenner Pass to Verona as it follows the Adige river. South of Verona the path is incomplete. Maps and a book of the Ciclopista del Sole are available from http://www.ediciclo.it/index.php

Bravissimo!

Gianni can be contacted: giansnow AT libero DOT it

Stories, including cycling trip stories, for the Italian Cycling Journal welcome; contact veronaman@gmail.com.

Emma Mackie Races in the Women's Giro d'Italia, Part I

Big news! Australian professional cyclist Emma Mackie of team LOTTO-BELISOL LADIES TEAM has been very gracious in accepting an invitation to write here about her experiences during the women's Giro d'Italia (also known as the GiroDonne). The prologue + nine 9 stage race will begin on July 3rd.

Emma will be writing about her daily experiences in the most important women's stage race in Italy which is being contested by 17 other international squads. Her series will begin with an introduction prior to the race.

This is going to be incredibly interesting! Stay tuned.

The prologue and stages details:
3 July, Scarperia (evening Individual time trial) 2.5 Km

4 July, Stage 1, San Piero a Sieve - Pratolini di Vaglia (FI) 99.9 Km

5 July, Stage 2, Pontedera - S.Maria a Monte (PI) (Individual time trial) 13.5 Km

6 July, Stage 3, Calcinaia (Pi) - Prato A Calci/Monte Serra (Pi) 106.4 Km

7 July, Stage 4, Porto S. Elpidio (AP) - Porto S. Elpidio (AP) 109.2 Km

8 July, Stage 5, Fossacesia (CH) - Cerro al Volturno (IS) 109.2 Km

9 July, Stage 6, Cerro al Volturno (IS) - S. Elena Sannita (IS) 119.3 Km

10 July, Stage 7, Andria - Castel del Monte (BA) 131.2 Km

11 July, Stage 8, S.Marco dei Cavoti (BN) - Pesco Sannita (BN) 115.6 Km

12 July, Stage 9, Grumo Nevano - Grumo Nevano 113.2 Km

Previous story:

http://italiancyclingjournal.blogspot.com/2009/06/girodonne-2009.html

Photos: GiroDonne event logo, Emma training in Livigno, Italy

Stories, including cycling trip stories, for the Italian Cycling Journal welcome; contact veronaman@gmail.com

Ivan Basso Limited Edition ANONIMO Watch

From the Anonimo website:

"The champion from Varese and the renowned Florentine brand launch the first watch branded Ivan Basso.

An exclusive personalised limited edition watch promoted by Ivan Basso for charity. The great champion from Varese, in the event of the hundredth Giro d'Italia, had the Florentine company Anonimo Orologi manufacture a limited 15 timepiece edition of the first Ivan Basso watch. An elegant manual chronograph with a dual clock based on the Slide Rule with a pink dial to celebrate the popular race in stages. The chronograph has a modified and decorated rare 7760 movement, a particular detail that renders the purchase of greater interest to collectors.

This precious timepiece will not be on the market but can be purchased only directly from Firenze Orologi S.r.l. for € 4800.00 (inclusive of VAT). Part of the profits shall be given to the Bianca Garavaglia Association, a charity supported by Ivan Basso. The Association was founded on 13 April 1987 and got its name from Bianca, a child afflicted by a rare form of neoplasia at the age of five. The scope of the association is to promote scientific studies and medical treatments for tumours in children as well as to help and support initiatives directly on a financial and operational level. It involves supplying means and assistance to entities and institutions operating in the sector without having to go through intermediaries or red tape. The achievement of the objectives fixed by the Association involves the financing of projects, some of which, such as basic research, have long waiting periods with the use of both important human and economic resources."

See http://www.anonimo.com/ for contact information.

Stories, including cycling trip stories, for the Italian Cycling Journal welcome; contact veronaman@gmail.com