The new cycling year still lies open like an unwritten road book. Just the right time to look back on a week that had it all: legendary climbs, bad weather, heroism, gelato and the kind of fatigue that secretly makes you happy. Rose and Thomas trekked through northern Italy last season, from the Madonna del Ghisallo to the flanks of the Gavia, via the Mortirolo and the Bernina Pass. They rode not only through the landscape, but also through the soul of cycling. We start today with stages one and two of their wonderful story (Stages three, four, five and six will follow soon)
photos and text: Thomas Bogaard
Starting at Lake Lugano - on to Como
The trip starts in Porlezza, a small town on Lake Lugano. Here we leave our car behind and meet the group we will be travelling with all week. Together we look forward to a week of: eating breakfast, changing clothes, cycling and enjoying, showering and eating again. Eat, Sleep, Bike, Repeat. To do it again the next day. Wonderfully well-organised! Everything is taken care of, all we have to do is fill the water bottles and hand over the luggage and off we go for another day on the road. A week of celebration on the bike!
Insider tip: if you are here again, you can do the Sighignola climb from Porlezza to the Balcone d'Italia. A must do and for many a very unknown climb!
Stage 1: Grande Partenza
Our grande Partenza is as mentioned in Porlezza, from there we drive to the ferry. This will take us from Griante to Bellagio, a quiet start to the trip. Although quiet, that first day it's always a matter of seeing who you're travelling with. Fortunately, everyone is looking forward to a week of good cycling.
But as soon as we hit shore, the rest is over, we are going to climb! And not just any climb, we are going on a pilgrimage to the Madonna del Ghisallo. This climb and the chapel at the top of the mountain can only be described in one word: Iconic.
Upstairs, we take in the atmosphere and I have time to watch the endless stream of cyclists. From juniors with big dreams to seniors who may be here for the last time. The bikes among the cyclists are also very diverse: old rusty barrels to the latest carbon racing monsters. It is truly enjoyable! So if you have the time here, sit back and enjoy.
Continuing our journey, we descend towards the coast and drive fairly flat to San Pellegrino Terme. Known for its sparkling water and soft drinks. A small Italian village on the Fiume Brembo. We're back in time for another little walk to the Spa with a big gelato.
Stage 2: The mountain train
We continue the pilgrimage theme for another day. The next day begins with the Passo di Zambla, topped by the Madonna dei Ciclisti. The climb is truly stunning. We start with overhanging rocks above a narrow road and a small waterfall here and there. Then the climb winds slowly up to the church. Unfortunately, it turns out to be closed, but the views on the descent are no less.
We descend for a long time with percentage where you can do some nice pedalling. The descent starts with lots of U-turns before turning into longer stretches of straight road. We finish the climbing that day with the Passo Collo del Gallo, not super long at 10 kilometres. But we start with false flat and every kilometre the mountain gets steeper and we finish with kilometres of 7 and 8% average. With this climb, we cross over to Lake Iseo. The winding road to Lovere is a great reward after a wonderful day. We top that off with a big gelato on the promenade. This is the life you hear!
Want to read more about this adventure? Part two to follow soon!
