steo1971

This morning I left Vercelli, a quiet departure compared to the busy entries of other cities. The countryside was still fresh, the roads almost empty, and soon I reached Crova, where I met my friend Stefano. Riding together after so many solo days felt special, we hadn’t seen each other since October 2024, and suddenly here we were, sharing the last stretch of my long journey. We followed the Canale Cavour, a long, straight ribbon of water running through the plains. Komoot marks it as a bike path, but it looked more like a service road requiring permission. In any case, it was perfectly rideable. Sometimes stony, sometimes smooth and fast, always accompanied by the sight of birds flying up from the water just in front of us. It was peaceful, rural, a different rhythm compared to the busy provincial roads of previous days. Later my brother joined us at Verolengo, and the three of us stopped for lunch together. Sharing a meal before the final push felt symbolic, family and friendship by my side as I closed in on my destination. From there, we picked up the EuroVelo 8, which was rough in places but eventually delivered us to the gates of Torino. The approach to the city couldn’t have been better: one green park after another. First Parco dell’Arrivore, then the meeting of the Stura and the Po in the Parco della Confluenza, followed by the leafy trails of Parco Colletta. From there we rode along the Dora, until finally the path led us into the Giardini Reali, a fitting royal entrance to my hometown. And then suddenly, we were there: Piazza Castello. The square was buzzing with life. Tourists, locals, families, and in the middle of it all, the preparations for the ATP Finals in November, with small tennis courts set up for events. We took photos, laughed, and simply enjoyed the moment. The goal was reached: after two weeks, more than 1’300 km and countless climbs, I had arrived in Torino. But the day wasn’t done. We rolled down via Po for a well-earned gelato, took a view of the Mole Antonelliana, the symbol of Torino, and then settled into Piazza Vittorio for an aperitivo, where Stefano’s wife Lisa joined us. Sitting there, with friends and the city of Torino around me, I felt the weight of the past 14 days lift into satisfaction. Later, I rode across the city, through its endless traffic lights and busy streets, to reach my brother’s home, where I will spend the night. Tomorrow I will reunite with my family before heading back to Switzerland in the evening. The “Giro Sabbatico 2025” has ended, but its memories will keep pedaling with me for a long time. Cumulative total: 1’327 km | 9’920 m

Leaving Bergamo Alta this morning was quick, but once I dropped into the lower city, I hit the morning rush: school traffic, buses, and endless cars. Navigating out of Bergamo wasn’t easy, but eventually I escaped into quieter roads. In just over an hour I reached Monza. My route passed alongside the enormous Parco di Monza, so I decided to ride inside. The park is one of the largest enclosed parks in Europe and home to the Villa Reale, an elegant 18th-century palace. Riding under its wide avenues of trees, I stopped for photos and enjoyed a relaxed second breakfast before continuing. From there, Monza melted straight into Milan’s sprawling hinterland. I avoided the city center, but the traffic in the suburbs was heavy. At one point I lost the right road and almost ended up on the autostrada, a cyclist’s nightmare. After a short backtrack, I got back on track and finally escaped Milan’s influence. To my surprise, the bike paths around Monza and Milan were in better shape than expected, more continuous and practical than in other cities. Still, I rode long stretches on busy provincial roads, cutting through villages one after another. As I got closer to Vercelli, the landscape opened into endless rice fields, for which this region is famous. Golden paddies stretched to the horizon, dotted with irrigation canals. It’s a landscape that has shaped the area’s economy and history for centuries, once worked by the "mondine", the women who planted and harvested rice by hand. I found myself on a perfect secondary road through the fields: smooth asphalt, no traffic, just me and the vast panorama. One of the day’s highlights. Not everything was idyllic though, the rice fields bring mosquitoes, and they’re vicious even in daylight. During a short lunch stop, I was practically eaten alive, so tonight the repellent will be my best friend. Arriving in Vercelli at 17 was a relief. Compared to the chaotic entries into other big cities, this one felt easy and pleasant, with some helpful bike lanes and lighter traffic. After settling in, I already visited a few highlights: the Basilica di Sant’Andrea, Piazza Cavour with the statue of Cavour, and some of the main shopping streets. The city feels lively yet accessible, with a mix of medieval and modern character. It was a long but rewarding day: 133 km, 390 m ascent. My legs are beginning to feel the accumulated fatigue, fine on the flats, heavier on the climbs, but with over 1'000 km already behind me, I can say the tour has gone very well so far. Tomorrow will be different: my friend Stefano will join me for the last 70 km into Torino. He always chooses quiet, scenic routes at a relaxed pace, with a proper lunch stop, more of a cyclotourism day than the endurance rhythm I’ve had until now. Cumulative total: 1'236 km | 9'650 m ascent