Gran Fondo Laigueglia 08
27.02.2008
von Teamfahrer: Joachim Toelke
The joy of riding an Italian "gran fondo" (ie. open bicycle race or radmarathon) is impossible to describe- motoring through beautiful vineyards, valleys and forests on narrow, challenging roads while surrounded by fast and competent riders- it is the best thing in road cycling.
But gran fondos attract a lot of people- so it is easy to overlook what TWO THOUSAND people at the start of a race really means. If you are not in the first starting block, your race is already over.
On February 10, my buddy Jan and I were on the Italian Riviera near Genova for the Granfondo Laigueglia- one of the season openers for radmarathons and racing in Italy. While the first marathons and road races don't begin in Austria until mid to late April, this was a chance to enjoy some nice weather, Italian culture and test whether winter training has been going well.
At 9 a.m., it was sunny and already almost 15 degrees as we rode the few kilometres from our hotel to the start on the same coastal road that Milan-San Remo uses in March. Approaching Laigueglia, you could see more and more cyclists, a press helicopter, camper-vans and even team cars blocking the road and causing chaos. The talking, joking and smell of heat rub quickly brought back what a race is like, especially after the long winter pause. A load of Italian continental pros and amateur-A riders were also present, looking for some early season training races. This would not be an easy day.
But the downer for us came at the start, where we were promptly directed into start block number five- the last one. I went on my tip-toes and looked ahead-- there were two thousand helmets ahead of us glistening in the sun. You could barely see the start banner because it was so far away...
So the race was over before it had even begun. We would be stuck behind slowpokes in a log-jam of cyclists while the leaders at the front blasted away.
Oh well- you can always make the best of things. The staging area was a stretch of road along the beach, so we waited under palm trees in the sun, admiring the Mediteranean Sea and tens of thousands of euros worth of carbon fibre art (yes, bicycles) around us. Moreno Argentin and Michael Bartoli were the special guests of the race. But whether they were riding, or just present at the start, we will never know- we were too far back to even hear the PA. At some point, I noticed that helmets were moving way up the road. I checked my watch- 10 a.m. After seven minutes, we began to move. After ten minutes, we finally rolled under the start banner. According to the announcers, the leaders were well past the first town along the course.
The race itself was still a joy. There were riders as far into the horizon as you could see, but the pack was loose enough that you could still move up most of the time. The entire road was being used. In Italy the police pull traffic over when a race comes through- so we would be speeding along and then people would yell warnings, and then there would be a small bottle-neck past some stopped cars. But the riders were aware and relaxed, so there was no big swerving or last minute braking- the whole mob just flowed like honey. Beautiful!
After 25km, the route turned north, onto the narrow roads for the first climb. It was as wide as a bikepath, weaving up through vineyards and forest. But it was not very steep, so you had to brake and coast through a lot of the curves. This seemed to go on forever until we reached the top. The descent was then a whole other adventure- steep, also very narrow and full of tight curves following the contures of the hill. Here the Italians were very impressive- we were flying down the hill two abreast (!) into blind corners. I was just following, because not knowing the roads, leading would be suicide. But some people still passed when it was clear and didn't take stupid risks, so despite riding at such high speed and really throwing the bike around through the hairpins, it felt pretty safe.
At the bottom, the route was on flatter farm roads cutting through a valley. It was sunny, warm and one of those days where you are just happy to be out cycling. Eventually we reached the second and final climb, the 17km Passo del Ginestro (600 metres).
Being so far back was a shame for me, as this turned out to be more like threshold training than the intense race-training I had hoped for, but on the other hand the results were irrelevant, so blowing up on the climb would have been no big deal.
This climb also became narrow through forest near the top. When you can't see too far up the road, it is easy psychologically. You just have to think about getting to the next curve in the road- with the hope that the summit is close by. But the odd glance over the guard-rail was amazing. Should have brought a camera...
At the top, the route turned onto wider roads, and the descent was another curvy affair through forests, but this time not as steep. You could put the hammer down without relying so much on kamikaze skills.
We rolling along flat road back to the sea once at the bottom, before a short stint along the "Milan-San Remo" road to Laigueglia. The road is beautiful, but curvy, so you have little time to enjoy the scenery. Riding full out in the pro peloton must be downright terrifying- now I understand better the serious injuries that happen each year in the last kilometers of that race.
But to really appreciate it, you have to ride the road yourself. Keep it in mind for February 2009!
