And just like that, in what seems the blink of an eye, my Giro d’Italia 2025 is over.
In hindsight, I should have put more time in preparing myself physically than on planning the whole thing.
Okay, at least I thought I was in pretty good shape until I crashed into a car during my preparations.
But to be honest, I don’t think I was and even before we departed, I could see the problems coming from a mile away…
Right now, I feel that this might have been my last “Grand Tour” in its current format.
Next time I’m going to cycle in the high mountains, I should probably not be planning 15 consecutive days on the bike anymore.
And the stages should not be including 2 or 3 hard climbs either – I’m done destroying myself.
I used to be able to do that, as I would recover overnight. But this is no longer the case.
Anyway, best not linger on this any longer, so here’s the nifty VeloViewer wheel of this year’s Giro:
A Prelude, a Prologue and 13 stages – I scrapped my Epilogue: I was not only exhausted, but it was raining that day too.
In 2020, I cycled for 11 days, 789 kilometers with 26,412 meters of D+ and in 2015, it was 14 days, 1,102 kilometers with 44,836 meters of D+
In 2011 it was 12 stages, but with a 4-day break in between, 587 kilometers with 24,537 meters of D+
(587 kilometers only, but almost all of them uphill – I didn’t do descents back then.)
The downward trend is a clear sign, me thinks…
Both my Prologue at 123 kilometers and the first Dolomites Bike Day (Stage 3) at 118 kilometers were way more than I could handle.
They both had over 3,500 meters of D+ but Stage 11 was even worse mathematically, with 2,648 meters of D+ over only 53 kilometers…
Having developed a nasty cold, I should have known that wearing myself out in the week before Grasshopper Volkan would join us, meant I would not be much of a cycling buddy for him.
That is, he actually did train like a pro before coming to Italy, so even on a (very) good day, I would’ve slowed him down 😂
I was touched by his enthusiasm and him experiencing the awe of the environment, the views, the landscape. Just like I always do, but I recognized much of the younger me in him, the first time I set out to cycle in the Alps.
And obviously, I applaud his triple double on three days in a row: Gavia – Gavia, Stelvio – Stelvio and Foscagno – Foscagno.
Trust me, that is no easy trip – and I was worried beforehand that he might be underestimating the strain of climbing a 20+ kilometers long pass…
We made a deal to come back and / or plan another trip together, either in Italy or France.
Best not to wait too long for that and we should plan visits to thermal baths or ride the Bernina Express in between cycling days.
And on that note, the Giro d’Italia 2025 is officially over.
Once again, Paula deserves a thundering applause for her support during this trip ❤️ ♾️
I recorded (way) less than I intended, as I lost my GoPro 13 battery charger, and the GoPro 11 batteries I had with me, together with the GoPro 11 as a gift for Volkan, are not compatible. So, I recorded some stuff on the 12, but those batteries only last ~35 minutes.
I later bought a new charger in Livigno, but by that time 2/3 of the trip was over…
Anyway, some of those clips are on my YouTube channel and/or on Kinomap.
Hello Master,
I am so happy that the Master found something in the Grasshopper that resembles himself once.
Without your experience the journey would not be this much good and without Paula, it would definitely be a lot more difficult.
She deserves a big applause with her skills both for driving on those narrow roads and more importantly with her photo shooting skills.
Hope to make a good plan for the next year…
Note: I am still missing the Mortirolo climb.
😎
I’ve already assembled the nerves to tell Paula we might be plotting another adventure. I’m still breathing, so there’s a chance…
😂