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Awesome day today.
'only' 75ks but the longest 75 I have ever ridden.
Strada bianchi totally new to me but we'll be back for more next year...
Now for more beers!
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Just woken in a bed, for the first time since Thursday night......I have put the washing on and am just going to see if BA baggage handlers have smashed my bike.......first off, best wishes and heal fast to Tika.......details are still a bit sketchy, but she was riding incredibly strongly, and definitely going to beat the 12 hour mark and claim a much deserved hamper, when it appears her lace caught in her chain and she had a massive off on a very nasty part of the bianchi strada.....luckily, a really sound Scottish chap, by the name of Alastair, came across her shortly after it had happened, laying face down in a pool of blood, unconscious. He gave first aid and helped as much as he could until a German doctor came past and took over. I went past about half an hour later, when the ambulance had taken her to hospital.....James (rik van luy) managed to contact her by text, and thankfully, it appears to be no more serious than severe road rash and flesh wounds......Tika, if you are reading this, heal fast......you would of smashed the 12 hours :0( .
Kudos also to James and his brother...he tried his hardest to get under the 12 to get the hamper for you......I think he missed it by about 10 minutes or so.
A fantastic weekend, tainted by the crash, but also one of the hardest things I've ever done, and a massive personal achievement......well done to everyone who took part, no matter what the distance.Any hill, that I ever ride up again in this country, will be insignificant after this........and that fucking white, gravelly, cattle grid shite that they call the bianchi strada? You can ram that.
Lovely to meet some nice people in the flesh too.......thanks for the company!
Nt sure about next year yet........... :0)
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Get well soon Tika!! Ouch! Nasty to read this stedlocks...
Despite having visited Gaiole three times before Sunday - proudly wearing my lfgss cap - I only met Rossco13 at the end of the ride which was nice. I hope all you guys had a blast, I certainly did. Will translate the write up I did and post it later today, stuck in the appartment as it's pissing down anyway now in Montaio :-(
This is me at the finish of the 205 grinning tiredly and hiding a Moretti behind my back.
Data: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/230989127
Story to follow....
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long story ;-)
L'Eroica 2012… My alarm clock starts buzzing at 4 AM, it's still pitch black out. Today is the big day, for the second time I'll be trying (not) to kill myself and get all dusty white again in the Chianti region. 9 Minutes after hitting the snooze button, I drag myself out of bed and slowly start eating my breakfast, 4 buns and a bowl of yoghurt and cereals followed by 2 espressos that help to give me the final awakening kick. The bike and all other things needed are already in the car, a little after 5 o'clock my wife Odette waves me goodbye as I drive down the Montaio hill, toward Cavriglia and then Gaiole, about 12 kms south of the little apartment we rented.
It's gotten pretty busy down there already, the friendly assistants point me to a parking space up the hill, just a little past the church. It's on! I put on my old Detto shoes, stuff the spare tubes, bananas etc. I brought in my jersey's back pockets, switch on the lights and slowly descend toward the main street for the start of the 205km route. The air feels nice, warm even compared to last year. Not having to wear full gloves, jacket or leg warmers is a feeling of luxury! Slowly I advance, bike in hand, amidst mostly chattering Italians, some Brits and Germans. I keep looking out for black LFGSS caps but like in the previous days I spot none, alas. I sign the big sheet with my starting number 1159, my card gets stamped at 05.40 and the photographer's flash blinds my eyes as I struggle a bit to get in my toe clips. Slowly I start passing many little blinking red lights on a huge amount of old bikes and their riders on the way out of town.
So, these roads lead to Brolio, the first little strade blanche climb up to Barone Ricasoli's Castle, with the pretty little oil lamps along the sides of the path. Beatiful, but also distinctively uphill so here the zig-zagging starts, carefully manoeuvering in between heroic riders walking due to the use of very old bikes with impossible gears, or as a result of more weight or less training. Downhill it's the same pattern, even though I'm taking it very easy, thinking about last year when I got over courageous and I slid out of a corner, resulting in a 'heroic' bandage around my left arm that I had to wear for most of the route. Passing Siena it is still dark, and after daybreak the sun remains hidden behind the clouds. Even though the Tuscan landscapes are prettier in the sun I don't really mind, the weather is perfect for riding like it is.
After the first checkpoint at Radi (07.35) and Montalcino there is the the first serious bit of sterrata climbing to be done, up to 15% according to the signs. I'm going well, the legs feel like they're up to the task. I wave at a guy walking with a heavy single speed Dürkopp bike, dressed in proper 1930s attire, complete with dust goggles, cap and long socks. Big respect to the guys doing these distances on those pre-war machines! Conquering this long stretch of white roads gets rewarded with a lovely winding and super fast smooth asphalt downhill toward the second checkpoint at Montalcino. I think my speed is about eight times faster than while struggling up the white hills, which gets me there at 09.38.
The white roads don't have a consistent surface at all, they are made up of 5 different surfaces really; washboard, stones, pebbles, fine sand and in places all the aforementioned have weathered away, also clay-like rocky parts are sticking up. One wants to remain on the fine sandy trail, but that takes a lot of concentration and navigation because the trail is never in the same place. Sometimes the most comfortable and safe part to ride is to the left, sometimes to the right or in the middle… Down the very steep hill after checkpoint Lucignano d'Asso (10.58) there is only one sort of surface, harsh and deep washboard! I'm going a bit too fast and my weight is too much to the front, so my front tyre goes 'bang! ….psssssss' flat due to a snakebite. Carefully, I wobble to the right of the road to stop and change my tube. An Italian thundering past me wide-eyed loudly (and appropriately) yells 'Maaaahadohonnahaaa!'
At the Pieve a Salti 11.37 luxury Agriturismo - where I met Tika last year - I am just in time for the Ribolita (Italian bean soup) for lunch and I decide to sit down for a bit. One has to eat, a lot, to compensate for all those calories burned, but I never really have an appetite so it always takes a while to get the food into my system. The Ribolita though tastes good and goes down well. After some bread I have a glass of fruit juice - I'm leaving the Chianti untouched - and I climb onto my old Gazelle again. A bit of a boring stretch this next part, through suburbs and along busy motorways. But then it's sterrata again, which I am taking easy, knowing well what lies ahead of me...
Asciano (12.48) is thé checkpoint and Ristoro just before the infamous 'three stage' mean climb Monte Sante Marie, with horrible bits of 18-20% pebble climbs. After a couple of small bites of Pan Forte and some nuts and dried fruits I fill up my water bottle, mount my bike and cheerfully start to climb the wretched thing. Again zig-zagging, pushing the pedals with my 39x28 gear between a couple of slower climbers and many, many walkers. The last category also very often claims the 'right track', which is a bit unjust in my opinion, but exclaiming 'Scusi!' sometimes in their general direction appears to help, and while my rear tyre is slipping here and there, I manage to get to the top without having to dismount. On it goes to the next checkpoint, another boring stretch of asphalt with luckily a nice and fast downhill bit in the middle, to cool the head after the climbs.
Castelnuovo Berardenga (14.02) now has its checkpoint outside the village, a lot less picturesque and Eroica-like than last year's in the town square. While dismounting the cramps hit my left hamstring hard and I struggle to get out of my left pedal. Ouch! A friendly, tall chap helps me to stretch the muscles a bit and I manage to get out, get a stamp and eat and drink a bit. I send a text to Odette saying there's just over 40km to go to Gaiole, hopefully she'll be there at the finish.
Just out of Castelnuovo I see the tall chap who helped me and I ask him if he'd like to ride the last bit together. I remember passing him on Mte Sante Marie, where he was also going up steadily and strongly. He likes the idea, so we descend smoothly, taking turns drafting each other on the way to the next bit of white roads. His name is Martin, he's Austrian and calls this, his first Eroica, 'anstrengender' than the Ötztaler Radmarathon, which is not really for the weak either, I understand. We ride alike, and chat a bit, moving the focus away from the fatigue that now really starts to manifest itself. The last bits of sterrata in the woods are quite rough an never flat, so that doesn't make for easy going at this stage of the route…
This year there is a mobile checkpoint at Vagliagli (15.24) after which there some strade blanche left, and finally the normally easy climb to Radda, which now hurts my legs a lot! After this beautiful little town, there's a short downhill and the (damn it!) another climb toward the last stretch. Here, I meet Rossco13 from the LFGSS forum and his mate, we chat a bit, leisurely riding uphill. Martin rides on to fix his crank. Then, at last, there's the right turn to Vertine, the ultimate bit of strade blanche of L'Eroica. Here I must have gotten my second puncture of the day, because in the first serious corner of the very last asphalt descent after it, my front tyre almost comes off the rim and I narrowly avoid hitting the road. Whoops! There's only about a mile to go now, so I cannot be bothered changing the tube. Very slowly and carefully cornering I ride downhill. Just before entering town the tyre is completely flat but I don't care anymore, also because I spot a smiling Odette, who says she's proud and proves that by getting me a cold beer! After waiting in line for a while the finish photo is taken and the last stamp hits my card at 16.35. Made it, again, happy, but energy-wise I'm just about as empty as my front tyre! Will I be going next year? I think so…
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Nice to bump into a few of you (hi, Taps n Bath!) – I didn’t realise everyone was staying at the Spaltenna – I probably walked past half of you without saying “hello” at breakfast… Sorry to hear of Tika’s crash – there were a few patched up people, making me question my decision of not wearing a helmet when essentially mountain-biking.
After my bravado of entering for the 205k, I felt a bit under-the-weather (or just plain fat…) and turned left instead of right at Piana and did the 135k. (How much time does the extra loop add?). Disappointed at myself but probably a good decision as it still took me 10 hours, and was beat towards the end. What was really disappointing was that I was refused my wine prize at the end ‘cos I wasn’t judged to be wearing vintage gear (plain retro merino jersey, which qualified last time I did it). Tried not to let it take the shine off it, but I was rather down-heartened especially when those in retro-but-new Brooks/Coq Le Sportive/L’Eroica jerseys got their prizes. Only seemed to be an issue on the 135k – a friend on the 75 got his cheese in a horrible modern top. Email to the organiser, I think…
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^Nice report Peter - I agree the candlelit climb to the Barons castle was mesmerising, and the atmosphere/apprehension in Gaoile at the start was memorable.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/72712370/2012-10-07%2004.17.44.jpg
I was riding with my brother who'd just returned from Siberia and was recovering from food poisoning. He's hard as nails and wouldn't admit it until the Pieva a salti, so we were riding "piano" like a pair of randonneurs. This was actually very enjoyable as it gave me loads of time to enjoy the scenery and socialise at feedstops and an opportunity to enjoy a glass or 2 of Chianti at each feedstation. (I'm pretty sure you got the full value of the entry fee back in food & wine alone) - by the last stop I was onto the Vin Santo and Biscotti, which was rather nice.
I also enjoyed the fountain stops too, with crowds of old school domestiques filling their bidons, like the vintage Tour photos....
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/72712370/2012-10-07%2014.03.25.jpg
To my shame I had to get off and push the first section of the Sante Marie, but the 44x24 was good for the rest of it!
Unbelievably, despite carrying 5 spare tubs between us, Benji and I only had one puncture and that was self sealing with Stans! Benj was riding Schwalbes that survived their second Eroica unscathed, and I had vintage 70's Wolber 290's - Hurrah for age-softened tubs and stans sealant!
Coming into the last check at Vagliagli Benji pronounced his stomach cramps to have subsided so I passed him a kendal mint cake and filled our bottles.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/72712370/2012-10-07%2015.51.35.jpg
2 mins later we arrived on the scene of Tika's crash shortly after Alistair.
She'd put in a fantastic ride - total commitment: 9h30 with 40km to go, and was looking at <11h30 to complete - never seen as messy and bloody a crash and made all the worse for happening to such a lovely lady - so glad she was wearing a helmet.
Once we knew she was in safe hands (doctor on the scene, organisers notified, ambulance on the way), we decided to hammer the final 20km and have a crack at getting her the hamper she deserved, sadly it was not to be and we reached the back of a substantial crowd on the finishing straight waiting for their photos and finally got stamped at 12h15.Text from Tika this morning - she's feeling a lot better, bad gravel rash to face and arms, stitches required too. Her helmet (kask) did a good job and is trashed.
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^ Excuse the gigantic photo's I'll compress them later on this evening.
Graeme - I heard a few story's like yours - I saw guys getting the 205km goody bags on cyclo cross tyres and Time Atacs! I also saw a guy on a brand new titanium de rosa with tractor tyres that he'd added downtube shifters and non-aero brakes......
My mate Fabricio rode the final 20km of the 75km with a Dutch lad on a Bianchi with aero levers who'd broken his rear brake cable on one of the first descents; he was refused his cheese on account of his cable routing so Fabricio gave him his own cheese and said "you're a hero to me"!!!!! -
Just woken in a bed, for the first time since Thursday night......I have put the washing on and am just going to see if BA baggage handlers have smashed my bike.......first off, best wishes and heal fast to Tika.......details are still a bit sketchy, but she was riding incredibly strongly, and definitely going to beat the 12 hour mark and claim a much deserved hamper, when it appears her lace caught in her chain and she had a massive off on a very nasty part of the bianchi strada.....luckily, a really sound Scottish chap, by the name of Alastair, came across her shortly after it had happened, laying face down in a pool of blood, unconscious. He gave first aid and helped as much as he could until a German doctor came past and took over. I went past about half an hour later, when the ambulance had taken her to hospital.....James (rik van luy) managed to contact her by text, and thankfully, it appears to be no more serious than severe road rash and flesh wounds......Tika, if you are reading this, heal fast......you would of smashed the 12 hours :0( .
Kudos also to James and his brother...he tried his hardest to get under the 12 to get the hamper for you......I think he missed it by about 10 minutes or so.
A fantastic weekend, tainted by the crash, but also one of the hardest things I've ever done, and a massive personal achievement......well done to everyone who took part, no matter what the distance.Any hill, that I ever ride up again in this country, will be insignificant after this........and that fucking white, gravelly, cattle grid shite that they call the bianchi strada? You can ram that.
Lovely to meet some nice people in the flesh too.......thanks for the company!
Nt sure about next year yet........... :0)
It was a pleasure meet you. I've never seen a Hetchins being fondled by so many people!
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Hello Benj - Welcome to LFGSS.
Yes - it was very amusing to see Stedlocks the pied piper of gaiole followed everywhere by lug-strokers
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Hi all
I am well sitting in Gaiole waiting for the pizza shop to open
Yesterday I had the spritzers I was dreaming for during l'eroica
I was taken to Sienna's hospital, they were awesome, did all the checks, was stitched by a plastic surgeon and got home at 1am.Today I had a look at my helmet, not a nice view. So glad I had it on, otherwise it would have been a serious matter. I am also glad that I didn't break anything. I was really lucky.
The guy at my hotel told me that another guest of his had broken his hip. At the hospital they were saying another eroica casualty, they weren't very pleased. Two other people entered injured in the same room I was in. An old man with oxygen.
I was wondering how did it happen as I didn't remember trying to handle my bike to avoid crashing. Yesterday when I saw my shoe and the broken lace, it all made sense.
I am really grateful to Alastair, the Scottish man, the german doctor-whom I spoke to- I was awake at that point, to James and his brother - I heard you saying her name is tika- I was awakening at the time. Thanks to all of you that were worried.
I am ok but a bit uglier!
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Glad you are ok......I was worried for you, but also your partner and little Chico. Maybe the wrong time to ask, but did you get your bike back ok? I came around the corner about half an hour or so afterwards, and as I went around that nasty bend, I caught sight of a nice blue bike, leaning against the wall.....I looked closer and saw it was a De Rosa, then stopped in a panic........I didn't know whether you had gone over that edge and someone had just found your bike and propped it against the wall. I started to look over the edge and shout your name.......a few others went past giving me strange looks! I must have looked like a random English bloke, who had gone a bit mental.......but not as mental as the woman on the plane, but that's another story, for another time!
I'm already starting to think about next year though.....so I might be a bit mad!
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Hey Pat, I think that I fell before the bend, the woman from the car said the I had probably missed the bend but I saw it just in front of me, unless it was a zig zag. I can't recall much. Yesterday I went to Gaiole and the bike was in the place where we got our number, everyone was really nice. When I was having a spritzer where we met Saturday the organiser came to speak to me!
Cisco was a brave little man.
I even got my broken glasses back as well as my exposure light.
Tapnsbath I would have loved to meet you!
stedlocks
tapsnbath
Dossco
billundben
lorenzino
peter_v
coppiThat
Northern_Graeme
Rik_Van_Looy
JD
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benjam-
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About
L'eroica 2012
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@tilover
I have a hangover :(