italian clarion: Giro ttt stage 1 Torino

Stivali !

Bella Vita Social Club – Italian Clarion

Wake up and smell the coffee, no the real coffee, the best in the world. In Italy superlatives prevail, - everything. Be it wines, the landscape or food in general (too many to mention). The people are great too, truly social.

We can concur with this, currently enjoying our 4^th year here. Give up your 9 to 5 for a few days or more & come & experience it with us. Whether riding, walking or just chilling at the café or bar enjoying aperitivo, you won’t regret it.

the Alpini

Recent road rides have taken us through our local countryside, the rolling Monferrato hills and the flat plains of the river Po, to the Milan–Sanremo, locally there are lots of options, and also to Isola d’Elba and Garfagnana - Alpi Apuana mountain biking as well as the single track rides through the woods behind our house. Spring is beautiful with all the blossom, wild flowers and vines taking a hold of the landscape once again.

Alpini car - should have been a FIAT

Last Saturday we rode into Turin via Chieri and the colline Torinese to see the stage 1 ttt of the Giro. What an atmosphere, apart from the Giro being in town, the Alpini¹ were also here. Each year they choose a different place to come & party. This year they chose Turin to coincide with the 150^th anniversary of Italy’s unification, when Turin was the first capital city of Italy. It was like being back in Britain, I’ve never seen so many men staggering along Italian streets, there was no trouble though, just a lot of joviality.

Millar

Contador

Pettachi - stripping off

Scarponi

Back to the Giro, after tucking into barbequed steak, sausage & beer we saw the first teams race into Piazza Vittorio Veneto. Though this was no good for meeting the riders, so we went back to the exit point from the circuit, just after the finish line. I missed Adam Blyth but congratulated Russ Downing on his ride, he said thanks but was too hot & sweaty to chat & went straight to the showers. It was difficult to pick out the riders wearing their aero helmets & shades, but Menchov, Sastre, AC, Millar, Pettachi were easily recognisable as they slid past. That’s the great thing about the Giro, it’s a big tour attracting big names, but the atmosphere is relaxed, unlike the Tour de France. You can really get up close. On the way back home we rode to where the team cars were waiting & spoke to Valerio Piva, htc team manager. Then Cav appeared strolling down the main road with his girlfriend and a big bunch of flowers. Nobody around him, no pressure. He was elated. We’ve ridden to see the Giro each year, and in 2011 it’s coming back again on its way to Sestriere on the breathtaking penultimate stage. See our blog at www.italianclarion.com for pictures & further info. Our offer for Clarionettes still stands. Call me on my English number 0161 408 1965 (local rates apply) or email info@italianclarion.com if you fancy coming over. It’s the best riding in Europe.