View of the Karnische Alps from our first hotel. |
Day 1
SAT May 22 › Welcome to Italy....and Austria!
Our
trip starts at Venice Marco Polo airport where our staff will be there
to welcome you before the transfer to our hotel in the beautiful Lesachtal valley in Austria.
After lunch, we'll have our orientation meeting, build up the bikes then have a short warm-up ride to loosen the legs before tomorrows ride up the Zoncolan. Our hotel is perfectly situated for quick access to tomorrows key stage, just 45km from the bottom of the Zoncolan.
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ALL GROUPS: |
25 miles |
2,100 ft elev. gain |
|
Today's Major Climbs: |
|
Group
|
Climb
|
Elev. Gain (feet)
|
Average Grade |
Length
(miles) |
Profile
(m/km)
|
Difficulty
Index |
|
No major climbs today |
|
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|
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Our vantage point on the Zoncolan in the 2007 Giro d'Italia. |
Day 2
SUN May 23 › GIRO d'ITALIA: The Zoncolan!
Today's stage will splt the peloton apart as the riders confront the incredibly tough Monte Zoncolan. 6.5 miles at an average grade of over 11.5% makes the Zoncolan the toughest climb in the European pro scene.
From our hotel in Austria we'll ride the 14km to the Italian border over the Plocken Pass. From the border it's just under 30km down to Ovaro and the start of the climb to the Zoncolan.
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ALL GROUPS: |
65 miles |
9,850 ft elev. gain |
|
Today's Major Climbs: |
|
Group
|
Climb
|
Elev. Gain (feet)
|
Average Grade |
Length
(miles) |
Profile
(m/km)
|
Difficulty
Index |
ALL |
Plocken Pass |
2,159 ft |
5.3% |
7.6 miles |
|
90
|
ALL |
Monte Zoncolan |
3,970 ft |
11.5% |
6.5 miles |
|
221
|
ALL |
Passo Croce Carnico |
2,487 ft |
4.5% |
10.4 miles |
|
64
|
|
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The spectacular Passo Giau in May 2008. |
Day 3
MON May 24 › Into Italy...and the Passo Giau
Todays ride features one of the most spectacular climbs in the Dolomites; the Passo Giau. From our hotel we have a long gradual climb through the magnificent Lesachtal valley to Kartitsch. From Kartitsch it's downhill to Dobbiaco just over the Italian border. Next up is Cortina d'Ampezzo, the cosmopolitan ski resort where the 1956 Winter Olympics were held.
Our main climb of the day, the Passo Giau, starts immediately on leaving Cortina. Don't forget to admire the stunning views of the surrounding mountain ranges as you're climbing.
|
|
|
90 miles
|
9,000 ft elev. gain |
Group B: |
45 miles |
5,375 ft elev. gain |
|
Today's Major Climbs: |
|
Group
|
Climb
|
Elev. Gain (feet)
|
Average Grade |
Length
(miles) |
Profile
(m/km)
|
Difficulty
Index |
A Only |
Kartitscher Sattel
|
2,700 ft |
1.9% |
26.4 miles |
|
80 |
ALL |
Passo Giau |
2,349 ft |
8.3% |
5.3 miles |
|
97 |
|
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Alberto Contador on his way to victory at Plan de Corones in 2008.
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Day 4
TUE May 25 › GIRO d'ITALIA: Plan de Corones!
With an average grade of over 10% and the maximum grade topping out at 24%, the final 5km gravel-road climb to Plan de Corones will no doubt be one of the highlights of the 2010 race season.
We'll be there on the final stretch to watch how the riders fare on this brutal time trial that should blow the general classification apart.
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ALL GROUPS: |
60 miles |
6,325 ft elev. gain |
|
Today's Major Climbs: |
|
Group
|
Climb
|
Elev. Gain (feet)
|
Average Grade |
Length
(miles) |
Profile
(m/km)
|
Difficulty
Index |
ALL |
Passo Campolongo (S) |
968 ft |
7.4% |
2.5 miles |
|
51 |
ALL |
Passo Furcia |
2,415 ft |
8.1% |
5.6 miles |
|
98 |
|
| |
The Passo Gardena
|
Day 5
WED May 26 › Ronde Sella
The classic loop around the Gruppo di Sella mountain range has to be one of the most spectacular bike rides in Europe.
From our hotel in Alleghe, Group A riders will tackle the longer route over the Passo Pordoi, Passo Sella, Passo Gardena and the Passo Valparola. A total of 70 miles and over 7,500 ft of climbing!
Group B riders will take the shorter route home over the Passo Campolongo for a total of 60 miles and 5,750ft of climbing.
|
|
|
65 miles
|
9,350 ft elev. gain |
Group B: |
60 miles |
8,300 ft elev. gain |
|
Today's Major Climbs: |
|
Group
|
Climb
|
Elev. Gain (feet)
|
Average Grade |
Length
(miles) |
Profile
(m/km)
|
Difficulty
Index |
ALL |
Passo Fedaia
|
3,474 ft |
7.5% |
8.8 miles |
|
133 |
ALL |
Passo Sella
|
1,310 ft |
7.3% |
3.4 miles |
|
61 |
ALL |
Passo Gardena
|
820 ft |
4.2% |
3.7 miles |
|
36 |
A Only |
Passo Valparola
|
2,630 ft |
5.8% |
8.6 miles |
|
88 |
B Only |
Passo Campolongo
|
1,010 ft |
5.0% |
3.8 miles |
|
44 |
|
| |
The Passo Stelvio. |
Day 6
THU May 27 › The Passo Stelvio
Our vans will have checked out the Stelvio the day before and hopefully this spectacular pass will be cleared of winter snow and ready to ride.
After a leisurely breakfast we'll take the vans over to Merano where we start the short ride up the valley to Prato Allo Stelvio. The summit of the Stelvio lies 15 miles and 6,000 ft ahead.
If the Stelvio is still closed we'll ride the Passo Gavia from the Ponte di Legno side instead.
|
ALL GROUPS: |
60 miles |
9,200 ft elev. gain |
|
Today's Major Climbs: |
|
Group
|
Climb
|
Elev. Gain (feet)
|
Average Grade |
Length
(miles) |
Profile
(m/km)
|
Difficulty
Index |
ALL |
Passo Stelvio |
5,932 ft |
7.4% |
15.1 miles |
|
172 |
|
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The leading group climb the Mortirolo in 2008. |
Day 7
FRI May 28 › GIRO d'ITALIA: The Mortirolo
The GIRO enters it's grand finale with 2 mighty stages: today's stage features the legendary climb up the Passo Mortirolo, tomorrows pen-ultimate stage features the Passo Gavia.
Our vantage point teams will have staked out a top spot close to the summit of the Mortirolo so we can enjoy an exciting afternoon of racing including LIVE satellite TV coverage in English.
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ALL GROUPS: |
55 miles |
7,100 ft elev. gain |
|
Today's Major Climbs: |
|
Group
|
Climb
|
Elev. Gain (feet)
|
Average Grade |
Length
(miles) |
Profile
(m/km)
|
Difficulty
Index |
ALL |
Passo Mortirolo |
4,265 ft |
10.5% |
7.7 miles |
|
186 |
|
| |
Eric & Stefan on the Passo Gavia |
Day 8
SAT May 29 › GIRO d'ITALIA: The Gavia
We finish the trip with another Giro d'Italia Classic Climb: the Passo Gavia! Our hotel is ideally situated at the bottom of the Gavia, in Bormio, where todays stage actually starts.
For the strongest riders we can get out on the road early and ride the exact same route as todays stage, from Bormio over the Forcola di Livigno, Passo Eira and Passo Foscagno before dropping back down to Bormio and the climb to the Passo Gavia.
Those looking for a somewhat less challenging day can ride direct from the hotel up the Passo Gavia. Watch out for the blue & white Orbea tents that signal our vantage point some 15 miles later, close to the summit!
|
|
|
105 miles
|
12,750 ft elev. gain |
Group B: |
35 miles |
4,575 ft elev. gain |
|
Today's Major Climbs: |
|
Group
|
Climb
|
Elev. Gain (feet)
|
Average Grade |
Length
(miles) |
Profile
(m/km)
|
Difficulty
Index |
A Only |
Passo Bernina (14km)
|
3,278 ft |
7.1% |
8.7 miles |
|
120 |
A Only |
Forcola di Livigno
|
863 ft |
6.7% |
2.5 miles |
|
57 |
A Only |
Passo d'Eira
|
1,293 ft |
5.9% |
4.1 miles |
|
51 |
A Only |
Passo Foscagno
|
886 ft |
5.9% |
2.9 miles |
|
44 |
ALL |
Passo Gavia |
4,606 ft |
5.5% |
15.9 miles |
|
126 |
|
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Day 9
SUN May 30 › Arrivederci
End of our trip and final transfer to Milan Malpensa
airport. |
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