Giro d'Italia 2021

After landing in Rome and driving out to San Donato, I needed to spin the legs. And what a beautiful place it is: castles, views, sheep and gravel.

First day. After the long climb up Forca d’Acero, an amazing gravel decent through the National Park. Then lunch at Pescaseroli followed by a wicked descent down to the agricultural fields of Avezzano. It was hot and windy and a long drag to town, but taking the farm roads made it better than the main highway with traffic.

Avezzano was a cute middle sized town, and intending to stay in Rieti we got as far as Collegiove. The hotels in Rieti were all booked due to religious festivals. Stayed in a lovely b&b just a few km from the Lago di Turano, a more touristy spot.

Our initial plan was to stop in Rieti a further 60 km up the road form where we did stop in Collegiove. But we were lucky we found a super b&b in a lovely little town on the shores of Lago del Terrano. Which was a simply stunning lake. The ride to Spoleto was a bit longer, but was still straightforward… read more

Leaving from our B&B just outside Montepulciano, it was quite fresh. Working uphill the tour took in a couple of small towns including Chiusure, which had a super little bar called Bar Paradiso. The lead after Paradise was also Paradise - it wound down along a ridge with stunning views from both sides… read more

Arriving in Firenze after seeing Siena, and you realize how small a city Siena is. And how dominant Firenze is. The buildings are more numerous and larger. The cathedral more grand. The river more wide. To reach Firenze of course there is climbing but what a fun time to ride through the Chianti region!

A relatively short day today. Leaving Firenze, the climb out of town was long and in parts ridiculously steep. But the reward was a view from Firenze from a far hill top. Beautiful. A descent on a dirt track and gravel road kept it interesting, until the gentle valley of the Mugello. Tomorrow the Appennini are to be crossed!

The day began in Galliano di Mugello at the foot of the Apennines. This meant that the day also began with climbing, climbing , climbing. It was a baking hot sun too, and so winding up to Furta Pass took some time although it wasn’t a difficult time. There was still more climbing to do as the final… read more

What I thought was going to be an easy day of riding on bike paths to the sea was made a lot more challenging by the blazing sun and lack of shade. Once out of Bologna the bike paths were wonderful. But not shade, few trees, as we road through the Po Valley. Just crops and fields and fruit and crops… read more

Riding out of Ravenna and through beach towns all on flat cycle paths. Past the medieval church in Classe., then through an awesome network of MTB traila. Turning inland kept with the bike paths until the tough climb into Vericchio and then a wickedly difficult dirt climb and final hairpin laden road… read more

Plan to stop in Urbino was altered to balance the remaining days a bit. Little did we know of some insane downhill MTB trails which sucked, and a closed Furlo pass which added at least 30 km of roads before the long grind uphill to a beautiful B&B. Some of the road downhills were breathtaking, and I… read more

After a short ride uphill from the B&B we hit a stunning descent between the cliffs of The valley on the old road. This was followed some more rip roaring gravel bombing. Some typical Italian back road climbs, including some more swirling descents. And then A climb up to Camerino, where two years ago… read more

Starting out from Caminerò, it was up into the hills, before a sweet descent through a gorge which was also popular with motorbikes. Swinging off from that the route swept up and through a National Forest on a road which deteriorated but never got that bad, so the descent was wicked- again. With some… read more

A longer day today so that tomorrow, which is going to be hotter, won’t be as tough. Leaving Norcia the first ascent was a long and steep gravel road, which eventually joined the regular road. A tough climb, making you concentrate on line and weight distribution, and swatting flies. There were two more… read more

The last day. After a long day yesterday, today’s stage was a welcome rest. Not much climbing and I was pretty much in the big ring for the entire brief ride. A lot of the ride was on a Strada Statale that was closed to cars - there had been landslides ’frane’ which made part of the road unsafe - but… read more

Last time I rode many of these roads was eight years ago. A nice way to spin the legs on the climb to Picinisco and to ride my old Felt as well.