Milan San Remo Gran Fondo - experiences and thoughts?

Questions about bike hire abroad and everything light bike related. No off-topic chat please

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pastronef
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Joined: Fri Mar 11, 2011 11:33 am
Location: Asti, ITALIA

by pastronef

if you don't stop at feed zones, you must have someone handing you feed bags along the way so that you don't loose the main bunch

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ultyguy
Posts: 2332
Joined: Fri Aug 06, 2010 1:35 pm
Location: Geneva

by ultyguy

At a lot of the Italian GFs there's just people standing with open plastic bottles of water (500ml). It helps to either be at the very front or back of your group, expect carnage! Sometimes the traffic motos will have bottles too if you're near the front.

Also, go for 750ml bottles at start and put an extra in your middle back pocket.

Frans
Posts: 546
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2006 8:32 pm
Location: Bow of a Farr 40

by Frans

hatone has it right on a number of points.

Also, as pastronef says, you do NOT wan to stop at any feedstops, keep going and get some loved ones to pass you bottles, food and gels. If you stop you're done for.

Here's my trace from 2011, http://connect.garmin.com/activity/90804733 It was 45-50 kph at the start but the hardest part was to pick my way along the traffic and people having lunch at street cafes. I didn't enjoy that.

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HammerTime2
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Joined: Thu May 04, 2006 4:43 pm
Location: Wherever there's a mountain beckoning to be climbed

by HammerTime2

Frans wrote:Also, as pastronef says, you do NOT wan to stop at any feedstops, keep going and get some loved ones to pass you bottles, food and gels. If you stop you're done for.
What do you do when nature inevitably calls somewhere over the span of 296 km? Perhaps you stop only for output, but not for input? Or do you answer nature's call while riding? I believe the pros generally stop and water the daisies, do they not, with the occasional on-bike relief?

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jipperd
Posts: 1217
Joined: Wed Dec 13, 2006 11:44 am
Location: Holland

by jipperd

Come-on guys it's a cyclo. As long as you don't race for the top 100 or so, you should enjoy the ride, and make it a day you'll never forget. Ofcourse taking the max out of yourself is challenging, yet be realistic.

wineguy
Posts: 73
Joined: Wed Nov 07, 2007 2:17 am
Location: New Zealand
Contact:

by wineguy

Thank you for the information everyone. An extra thank you to Frans for the link to his ride of the course.

I figured it would probably be fast at the start but I thought it would sort its self out fairly quickly not carry on to Tuchino. While the pace isn't really a worry for me, I was looking to .... shall we say "enjoy the course" (take it easy.... be a bit lazy). I might just stick the riding I was intending to do around the Langhe and the Valtellina.

Thanks guys :thumbup:


wineguy
Posts: 73
Joined: Wed Nov 07, 2007 2:17 am
Location: New Zealand
Contact:

by wineguy

worstshotever wrote:With maybe a little Langhe barolo while you're at it!


a little? You sir don't, work in the liquor trade. :) or may be you do :shock: Don't forget Barbresco!

If anyone is doing a bit of riding in that Langhe area and would like an intro to a wine maker or two please PM me i'm happy to help where I can.

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