Italian pro team Liquigas have had a semi-permanent base on the slopes of Mount Etna this year. Etna is an active volcano in Sicily, the large island at the southern tip of the Italian peninsula. It’s black slopes often contrast with a snowy peak and at times, the infernal glow of lava.
Liquigas’s mountain HQ is the Rifugio Giovanni Sapienza, a mountain lodge also the choice of the Astana team. A pumice stone’s throw away lies the Hotel Corsaro, as used by two more teams, Lampre and Katusha.
Fans might flick off the TV after watching a stage race but for the riders there are still struggles to overcome. A weak shower on the team bus followed by a long journey and more often than not, a drab hotel with boring food. Hotel accommodation can vary. Even the Tour de France sees teams … Read more
If you’ve ever wondered what the house of a Belgian champion looks like, now is your chance to find out. Peter Van Petergem and his wife Angelique Segaert have opened a bed and breakfast guesthouse near Sint Maria Horebeke, bang in the middle of the Brussels, Kortrijk and Gent triangle. It’s 10km from Geraardsbergen. The … Read more