For CyclingDestination, Kees Langeveld is on the road in his own Giro. The idea? To ride all the stages of the Giro d’Italia. But to do that, you also have to have a bit of wind on your side, which is sometimes literally true. Stages 1 and 2 were scrapped. Not because of bad weather, but because of ‘no bike’. Those were waiting in a van at the border with Montenegro in anticipation of being rescued. That was followed by paper and valuables. Because a number of small payments in local currency make problems disappear like snow in the sun. Read Kees’ story below. And let yourself be inspired to create your own ‘Giro d’Italia’.
Italy? No, Albania!
This year the Giro d’Italia starts in Albania. Not exactly a country you think of when looking for a nice destination as a cycling tourist. But now that I’m going to ride the Giro with a group, one day before the pros, we’re going to embark on the adventure. What can you expect? Using the map of the 3rd stage, I search for Qafa e Llogarasë (Llogara pass) in Google Maps. The first photos and videos show a beautiful mountain pass with excellent asphalt. Where the pros blast through the 10.7 km at 7.2%, we, the over-50s, will take it a lot more calmly; my recovery capacity is estimated to be lower, but who knows?
The following day is, after all, a day off, on which we sail by boat to Puglia, for the first leg on Italian territory.
What else do I read on the internet?
It is beautiful and worn out, friendly and poor. When I read the first part of the sentence, I think of an old, unrestored Alfa Romeo as a car enthusiast, but when I read “friendly and poor,” our street newspaper vendor in The Hague pops up. Strange combination… 😀.
I also read on the internet flattering words about the coastline of Albania. That makes for a lot of pictures for ourselves and the home front. On this trip we are doing well. We stop along the roadside for coffee and snacks, which are served from the buses of the guide. The lunch is prepared by a real chef, who already gave us a sneak peek of his dishes in advance. Of course, everything is high in carbohydrates and in Italian style there could just as well be pasta included.
Relatively flat start
It’s nice that we start the Giro relatively flat; this stage has about 2,800 meters of elevation gain and 160 km in store for us. We are with 15 riders, and that gives us the opportunity to ride well with the best riders as leaders, and enjoy the pristine nature behind us while the lesser gods enjoy it.
Will it be a day to build memories again? And how will everyone experience it? I'm looking forward to it with curiosity!
Want to learn more about cycling in Albania? Then take a look at these articles we already have on CyclingDestination:
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