La Randonnèe del Tirreno

La Randonnèe del Tirreno was a 1000Km randonnèe held in June undertaken by the Randonneurs Campania. Featuring 9,500m of climbing it took riders from Sorrento to Tropeo and returned to Sorrento for the finish.


As one finisher said, "There are not 1,000 words to describe Sorrento-Tropea-Sorrento. Only by participating can you have the sensations and emotions which you will never forget."


Photos: Randonneurs Campania

Stories, including cycling trip stories, for the Italian Cycling Journal welcome; contact veronaman@gmail.com. See here for a chance to win a T-shirt for submitting a ride story; contest ends October 31st.

Dave Brinton Illustrations

Dave Brinton, a lifetime cyclist and artist, began illustrating for Velo News in 1989. "I adopted the nom de plume Brintoni from the nickname my riding buddies had given me years before in deference to my love of all things Italian. I work primarily with quill pen and india ink on bristol board, scanning the finished drawing, and coloring it digitally in Adobe Photoshop." To order prints or make any other inquiry visit his website.

Stories, including cycling trip stories, for the Italian Cycling Journal welcome; contact veronaman@gmail.com. See here for a chance to win a T-shirt for submitting a ride story; contest ends October 31st.

2010 Giro d'Italia Returning to Zoncolan

The 2010 Giro d'Italia is to very close to making the final decision to use the Zoncolan climb from Ovaro once again, as in 2007. Race director Angelo Zomegnan is to finalize his decision next week.

This is a very demanding climb, and one of the most difficult in Europe, usually compared to Spain's Alto de El Angliru. Monte Zoncolan has been featured in the men's Giro d'Italia twice so far. The first time was in Stage 12 of the 2003 Giro d'Italia, won by Gilberto Simoni, using the less difficult road from Sutrio. The ascent from Ovaro was featured for the first time in the 2007 Giro d'Italia and which Simoni also won.

The climb starts in Ovaro in the Gorto valley, and is 10.5 kilometres (6.5 mi) long at an average of 11.5% with an elevation gain of 1,210 metres (4,000 ft) and a maximum gradient of 22%. The real climb however starts at Liariis, 8.5 kilometres (5.3 mi) from the summit. Shortly after the village, the road disappears into forest and gains 900 metres (3,000 ft) in the next 6 kilometres (3.7 mi). After this section, the road passes through three short tunnels, before a series of steep switchbacks immediately beneath the summit. The former rough asphalt between Liariis and the tunnels was replaced in 2007; that between the last tunnel and the summit had already been resurfaced by autumn 2005. The tunnels are now lit.

Read the Italian Journal Cycling story here of two mere mortals riding the Zoncolan.

Photos by Sirotti: Di Luca and Cunego on the Zoncolan and tifosi, 2007 Giro d'Italia

Stories, including cycling trip stories, for the Italian Cycling Journal welcome; contact veronaman@gmail.com. See here for a chance to win a T-shirt for submitting a ride story; contest ends October 31st.

Ernesto Colnago's Master 55th Anniversary

Initially reported here, Ernesto Colnago is photographed at Interbike with one of his Master 55th Anniversary bikes. Ninety nine bikes will be made for worldwide distribution with 25 going to the USA and 25 to Japan. Price? $11,699.00.

Additional details of this elegant bike:

The Master 55th Anniversary features gold seatsays, chainstays, head tube lugs and a special Colnago headbadge made of platinum. Also:
-Super Record 11
-Colnago carbon tubular wheels

-Colnago integrated Deda stem/handlebar

-Colnago seatpost
-Colnago Selle San Marco carbon saddle
-Colnago bar tape
-Colnago headset

Video featuring the Master 55th from EICMA Bike Exposition (Milan):

Photo: courtesy PezCyling

Stories, including cycling trip stories, for the Italian Cycling Journal welcome; contact veronaman@gmail.com. See here for a chance to win a T-shirt for submitting a ride story; contest ends October 31st.

De Rosa, 1986 and 2009

Photos: 1986 De Rosa catalog; carbon construction process courtesy of Two Five Fix

Stories, including cycling trip stories, for the Italian Cycling Journal welcome; contact veronaman@gmail.com. See here for a chance to win a T-shirt for submitting a ride story; contest ends October 31st.

2010 Maratona dles Dolomites

The annual cycle of entering the Maratona dles Dolomites is about to commence! The first announcement from the organizers regarding the 2010 Maratona which will be held on July 4th:

PRE-ENTRY from October 15th to November 5th 2009! The pre-entry can be made exclusively online on our site http://www.maratona.it/ The drawing of the starting numbers, half of which will be for Italian participants and the other half for foreign participants, will take place in the second half of November 2009.The list of participants drawn will be published on-line afterwards. Read the conditions of entry 2010 published on our website http://www.maratona.it/info/enrolment/maratona/2009/en/
Please find the details of registration under "How to register at the race"http://www.maratona.it/info/how/register/the/en/

NO LUCK? No luck at the draws for 2008 and 2009? Don't worry, if you will not be extracted at the draw in November you will be readmitted to the race in July 2010. In fact all pre-registered participants not drawn at this year's draw, who were not lucky in the previous two editions (2008 and 2008) and had no starting right will be readmitted in the starting list of the 23rd Maratona dles Dolomites.

Holiday packages with guaranteed registration: As from 22nd October 2009 holiday packages including accommodation and guaranteed registration to the Maratona dles Dolomites will be offered by our official tour operator Holimites. These offers include the registration fee, accommodation in facilities of various categories beginning from a period of 4 days, along with different benefits for participants and their accompanying persons.

If you plan to stay 6 nights or more you will take part to the draw of a special racing bike Pinarello: http://bit.ly/4kPFAP

IMPORTANT APPOINTMENTS:

-15th October to 5th November 2009: Pre-entry opening

-22nd October 2009: Availability of starting packages on-line on http://www.holimites.com/

-Second half of November 2009: draw(the list of participants drawn will be published on-line afterwards);

-25th November 2009: on-line availability of 150 starting numbers which surcharge will be assigned to charitable institutions;

-1st December 2009: first day for confirming the participation;

-25th March 2010: on-line availability of 150 starting numbers which surcharge will be assigned to charitable institutions;

-15th April 2010: last day for confirming the participation to the race in July and for paying

the balance

Committee

Maratona dles Dolomites

http://www.maratona.it/

Ed. note: The Maratona committee also has positions reserved in the Maratona through several bike tour companies; examples: in the USA: Granfondo Cycling Tours, in England: La Fuga

Stories, including cycling trip stories, for the Italian Cycling Journal welcome; contact veronaman@gmail.com. See here for a chance to win a T-shirt for submitting a ride story; contest ends October 31st.

Dario Pegoretti Bikes at INTERBIKE, Las Vegas

A few of Dario's creations on display at INTERBIKE , the largest bike show in the U.S., this past week in Las Vegas.

Stories, including cycling trip stories, for the Italian Cycling Journal welcome; contact veronaman@gmail.com. See here for a chance to win a T-shirt for submitting a ride story; contest ends October 31st.