The Spin: Giro Stage 14

Profile Stage 14

We’re two weeks into the race and if there’s a criticism of things so far it’s that the race has lacked rivalry and contest because the main riders have been waiting for the final week. The overall lead has changed but without a great duel so far. There’s not been much of a “fight for pink” so far. Yes we’ve seen some good racing but at times things have resembled a series of one day races, we’ve lacked a shared story to define this year’s race.

This should all change as the race heads right into the Alps and finishes below the mighty Matterhorn, or Monte Cervino in Italian. The Matterhorn was one of the last great peaks to be scaled and for decades climbers could not find a way to the top until British ace Edward Whymper made it to the top and even then five members of his team died during the attempt in 1865. Thankfully today’s stage is tame but the race shifts from modest uphill finishes to full on Alpine ascending, at least in terms of road cycling.

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The Steeper The Climb, The Easier The Race?

With the Giro d’Italia and Tour of California approaching the mountains, a moment to look at the subject of climbing.

There are names that stand out. Zoncolan. Angliru. Perhaps after the summer the Grand Colombier could join the club after the Tour de France climbs it for the first time. These are all steep climbs that are considered so hard that they are used sparingly in the big races, appearing only once every few years.

Of course there are other climbs that appear from time to time too. For example Mont Ventoux in France or the unpaved Colle delle Finestre in Italy but the climbs I’m talking about are famed for their pitch, with double-digit gradients. A ramp to the heavens, a “spaceship for the poor man” as Italian journalist Gianni Brera once wrote.

The names of these are used in whispered tones, as if some are fearful of upsetting the mountain gods. Certainly there is plenty for the riders to get angry about with relentless gradients, often well into double-digit percentages meaning these climbs are the place where three weeks of racing can be decided. They can be so steep cars are not used, instead race officials and mechanics hop onto motorbikes.

But if they are steep they are not hard. Their vertiginous gradients can be tamed by low gearing. Indeed the steepest of climbs can be the most predictable. Here’s a look at why the steepest climbs are not always the best.

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The Spin: Giro Stage 13

A strange stage, this is the just 121km and a sprint looks likely. There will be two races on today, the first to ride as fast as possible to win the stage and the second to go as slow as possible to save energy ahead of tomorrow and the Alps.

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Thanks to Selle Italia

Selle Italia factory

It’s not often Pippo Pozzato and I have something in common but you might have noticed the advert on the right meaning we’re both sponsored by Selle Italia. The Italian manufacturer is here for May and this is a note to say thanks in public for their support.

Although founded outside Milan in 1897, today the company is based in the Treviso area of Italy in a modern factor pictured above. I wrote about the concentration of cycling shoe makers in the region before (“Italy’s backwards shoemakers“) and Selle Italia is only a short walk from the Sidi and Gaerne factories as well as others. It makes sense when you think about it as early saddles and cycling shoes shared the same manufacturing tradition, namely leather goods that needed skill to shape and stitch the final product together.

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The Spin: Giro Stage 12

If a picture paints a thousand words then today could fill a book with words if the TV production crew get it right. The sun is shining, the race heads near the shimmering Mediterranean coast and through the Cinque Terre or “Five Lands” park.

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The Original Rapha

St Raphael jersey

Say “Rapha” and many cyclists will associate this with a London-based company producing semi-retro styled cycle clothing. But this start-up has appropriated a slice of history as it tries to evoke tales of epic rides and hardened riders for its brand. Here’s an explanation of where the name comes from.

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The Spin: Giro Stage 11

A stage for the sprinters, yes. But somehow this is still a unique stage. First it is literally the halfway stage of the three weeks and the mezzogiro or half-Giro point is reached. Next this is the longest stage in the race. It’s also a trip past the homes of many Italian riders, past and present. And there’s also some climbing right at the end to frustrate the sprinters.

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Cycling with the Ape

Piaggio Ape

You might have heard of Piaggio, the Italian scooter manufacturer and its “Vespa” model. Two wheeled transport is very popular in Italy, especially with smaller 50 and 125cc engines. The countryside is often hilly, towns and villages are never far away, and frequent good weather all combine to make this mode of transport very practical and suitable.

If vespa is Italian for wasp, then note ape means bee, you say “ah-pay”. It’s this that gives its name to the Piaggio Ape, a three wheeled scooter with a flatbed at the back that’s part utility vehicle, part tuk-tuk. These are quintessentially Italian and should you ride in Italy you’ll see one of these buzzing along the roads.

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The Spin: Giro Stage 10

Assisi Giro

Today looks to be all about the finish in Assisi. The graphic above shows 15% sections, medieval archways and cobbles. Even if the riders rode up one by won this would look good on TV. But if there’s a bunch heading for the final ramps then expect a fierce battle.

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The Victory Salute

The victory salute is universal. The rider crosses the line and lifts their arms in triumph. But what lies behind this movement, is it something we do in imitation of others or is it a primal form of expression? Why punch the air or wave your hands?

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