Pininfarina & quick loop

Stivali !

Had a great time at Pininfarina today speaking with the Director who deals with Ferrari. His babies are the 348 Italia and the new FF. Incredible cars and there in their foyer to oggle over, along with another of my favourites, the Maserati GranCabrio, an incredibly beautiful car.
The man also told me last year one of his clients was Eric Clapton who wanted a 438 but with his own body style on it, fantastic.
You know, some people have great jobs, and his is almost as good as mine !-)

Nice ride after, see link above.

Speroni !

Gorengo

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Just back from another fantastic ride, you can't beat it.
Great punchy climbs that suit Philippe Gilbert. Well he's won the Giro del Piemonte for the last 2 years and he seems to like the Cauberg.
Todays ride also included 2 stretches of strada bianchi on this route:

1 - between Cerreto & Marmorito (uphill but rideable) 1.8km

2 - after 300m past Gonengo until reaching the Strada Provinciale near Berzano (mainly uphill with one tricky/steep section) 1.4km

sorry, this is either camera shake from the gravel or sweat on the lens - or both

Speroni !

Aramengo ride

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Another Sunday, a different route took us to Aramengo,
however, the route back on Saturday was too good not to be repeated.
We'd heard about the landslide between Campolungo and Albugnano, but thought we'd risk it (it'd be ok for bikes wouldn't it?).

Motovelodromo di Corso Casale

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Last Thursday I had my first session on the recently re-opened track. It was great to finally get on the track bike again. It's been in its box for nearly four years since arriving here.

The track is open from 9am to 6pm Monday to Friday and 8.30pm on Thursdays.

To ride it costs just €105 for the year, even though the surface is not as smooth as the boards at Manchester, it's better than I remember at Newcastle. So great value. The photos below are from a visit I made when we first arrived in Turin. Will have to take the camera to next Thursday's session.

Blossom ride

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We had a great ride on Saturday, choosing some particularly quiet roads with fantastic scenery.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=304047&id=575257629&l=d53cb5a41f

Speroni !

a sunday in hell

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Look at these beautiful bikes & the Gios super record




Humble superstars on their lovely steel framed bikes


Speroni !

Motovelodromo

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How cool is this - The Fausto Coppi Motovelodromo is open again.
Last nights opening finished at 8.30pm & I unfortunately missed it, but I hope to be there on Monday.
Photos here on facebook & video here

Speroni !

Today's Route: Capriglio, Gallereto, Montafia. Savi, Serra

Stivali !

a bit of a scorcher today, and it's getting warmer, 22 today 29 on Sunday
Nice riding weather, the tan is coming on again

Speroni !

Molini di Triora

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A great weekend of riding was had in this fantastic area of Liguria.

On Friday we investigated Goina on the MTB's. Our 29er's were well suited to cross country terrain chosen. A steady climb on narrow tarmac road took us upto Triora, clinging to the edge of the valley with great view of the snowy mountains (monte saccarello and monte di pietravecchia) to the north and the valle argentina south, a nice gravel track led us to Goina where we had a fantastic view down the Argentina valley. That was a great descent.

On Saturday we went out on the road bikes down the Argentina valley from Molini into a strong breeze up the valley from the sea. The snaking road led us through Badalucco (where they make the fantastic ROI olive oil), if you are riding this way take the old road which bears to the right just after Agaggio. It rejoins the strada provinciale at Desteglio. You pass under the autostrada high above with its 15 arches replicating the roman bridge of 15 arches which you pass on your left a short while after.Passing through Taggia, we then turned right along the coast to San Remo, via a trip up the Poggio. It's an easy climb (but not after 300km of racing I'm sure). The descent is fantastic. Having to keep your concentration away from the fantastic views and on the tight twisting road with high stone walls to one side & open drops to the other.

 

The coast road is great, the scenery really helps to keep the tempo high. But at Vallecrosia we turned inland up valle nervia, through

  Dolceacqua, and up to Pigna, a thermal village. At this point the climbing really started with Pigna at 250m & the colla di longan at 1130m a 15% climb.

This early in the year it was a steady ride in a low gear, just taking in the views as more and more valleys appeared on the horizon as we rose out of ours. A tough climb but good surface and really quiet, except for a couple of cars practising for the San Remo vintage rally the following weekend.

The descent from the top was fast, but taken with caution. This side is mainly in the shade during the winter months a so is badly eroded in places due to frost action.
Our hosts for the weekend were Mark & Julie of Molini Freeride. Their B & B was a great base for our riding and recommended, we'll be back.

Speroni !

Flanders

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I've watched this clip a few times now.
Must be the best Tour of Flanders for some years.
Real hard core.

Speroni !