Cyclopaat, an alter ego with a twist
All things Giro d’Italia, Bike Rebel style, “Amore Infinito” ❤️♾️
She could tell that C. had not completely recovered from yesterday’s hard hitters, so T. smartly announced that she needed time to prepare the luggage today, for tomorrow’s transfer.
And anyway, she added, if he wanted a fair chance of getting up the Monte Zoncolan in one piece, he’d better take it easy today.
That did not fell on deaf ears, as C. already picked the Fedaia as probably his only climb for the day. So, they went over the Sella by car and in Canazei he started his ride.
While planning today’s trip yesterday evening, C. was wondering if it would be a good idea to include the Kronplatz.
This climb is partly unpaved and is climbing a gravel road with stretches of 20% not just a bit over the top?
While the only way to get there is via the Furcia (Furkelpass), he was looking for alternatives.
He found another, what seemed like a nice, double: the Passo Pennes (Penserjoch) and the Passo Giovo (Jaufenpass).
Both starting in Vipiteno, so getting there would be done in the car.
Twice a year, the ‘Sella Ronda Bike Day’ is open for bicyclists only.
Between 8:30 and 15:30 the roads are all but closed to motor vehicles, and thousands of cyclists go out for their ‘Sella Ronda‘.
The Sella Ronda is a 55 kms long loop of four passes around the Sella group –
Since he was in the area anyway, C. joined them…
Today our self declared cycling hero was out for some serious climbing.
It was not that easy to find a route that would not require (more than one) transfer by car, but he found one.
Unfortunately, the trip to the starting point in La Villa (Badia) took longer than expected.
Why vehicles with a (combined) length of over 10 meters are allowed on the Gardena Pass, is a mystery to C. but he was not amused and they arrived on the spot as late as 11:00…
After a smooth trip from Brunssum to Sankt Peter im Tal, Toerbeest and Cyclopaat arrived around noon at their hotel Albergo Bräuhaus, a very nice place to stay b.t.w.
While C. was anxiously studying maps, T. first sorted out the luggage and around 14:00 they left for C.’s first trip.
He planned ‘an easy ride’ up the Passo Pinei, but once again discovered that a profile may look not that bad, the truth is often less merciful, especially after a 10 hour drive.
