TGS take the Dolomites (Part II)

The Dolomites continued......

Day 3

After a long day the day before (both in terms of distance cycled and time spent in the van!) the general consensus was for a slightly easier day. Given the closed pass debacle of the previous day the view also was that an out-and-back ride might be sensible. It was also the day of the Grand Fondo so everyone was keen to avoid the Stelvio (and the Mortirolo, obviously) too.

With all of the above in mind it was agreed that we would head out of Bormio and straight up the side of the Gavia which we had been unable to descend the day before. Roly and I were hoping that it was still impassable at the top to avoid any questions (accusations?) about our decision to turn back the day before.

Being a shorter day, the start time for both pelotons was pushed back an hour to allow for a little more time in bed and for breakfast (an opportunity to stuff your face to cram in all the calories you can).

Again we headed off as two separate groups; this time around 40mins apart. The second peloton this time was just Roly, Paddy and me and after the previous day’s black spots it was a bit more of a social ride as the road rose.

This side of the Gavia proved much easier, but no less cold

It was actually a very pleasant climb and certainly felt a lot easier than the climb the previous day. Soon the three of us were catching and passing the first peloton as we closed in on the snow line.

As soon as we did hit the snow line the weather, however, noticeably changed. It naturally became far colder but the wind also picked up as we turned a corner and found ourselves on a more exposed part of the mountain. The roads became rougher and the snow began to creep onto the sides.

Into the snow....

... in the snow!

Eventually we were pedalling through snow. Back wheels spinning. As we got within 1km of the top, Beard and Durden (the second peloton riders that wimped out and fancied an easy day) passed us on the way back down, having decided that the blizzard that was coming in and snow that covered now the entire road meant that the pass was impassible. We cycled on a bit to confirm what we already knew, layered up and then started a freezing cold descent.

Riding in the snow; 500m from the summit.

Once below the snow line the roads straightened out a little and allowed us to fully open up and fly down the mountain, hitting speeds of close to 80km/h. If we hadn’t been cycling directly into a headwind we would have been going scarily fast.

A quick change (pulling a pair of jeans over the bib shorts) and a huge pizza lunch awaited us all in Bormio’s main square. The stragglers of the Grand Fondo were passing through just within the time cut with an ascent of the Stelvio still to go. We were all glad to be eating rather then heading up even higher than the top of the Gavia.

After lunch it was only Roly, Paddy and me (a pattern forming here?) that fancied burning off some of the calories inhaled at lunch, so we headed out again to Lake Cancano with the intention this time of actually seeing the lake itself.

Whether it was the pizza sitting in the stomach or the fact that we had already burned up this climb a few days previously I am not sure, but it was climbed at a much more leisurely pace than the time previously.

On reaching the top we rounded the corner and negotiated the dirt/gravel track up to the lake which was totally deserted except for a large café. I am not sure if the café owner was expecting anyone, the place was completely empty, but it was the perfect place to stop for a quick espresso and a bar of chocolate before heading back down the awesome hairpinned descent into Bormio.

Nothing like a mountaintop espresso

The day was rounded off with a quick visit to the hotel’s sauna and another huge meal (and plenty of wine).

Day 4

The bike set up at the hotel was fabulous. A dedicated bike storage room with bike hangers and all the necessary tools, pumps and workstands. Given the Grand Fondo over the weekend the bike racks were pretty full.

Getting ready in the morning we started chatting to some guys that were clearly very pleased with themselves, having finished the Grand Fondo the day before. Their responses and general attitude managed to encapsulate what is wrong with too many cyclists… arrogance and a burning need for upmanship. I’ve said it before, but you’d have thought they had just won the Elite Men’s World Road Race Championships not competed in an averagely difficult sportive with a bunch of weekend warriors. Roly, Paddy and I couldn’t keep speaking to them for long.

The route for the day was a loop. We had checked that the passes were open. We felt confident that we wouldn’t need to turn around and head back the way we came. We were nearly wrong again.

The 125km loop would take us over Passo Bernina/Forcola di Livigno, involving a 34km climb out of Tirano, into Switzerland and then back into Italy before a traverse across to Livigno before a rapid descent back into Bormio.

As was the norm by now, Paddy, Roly and I set off in the second peloton around 45mins after the first and flew down the 40km valley descent to Tirano in no time. We rolled through the town and then turn right up the valley to the beginning of climb. It was getting hot.

34kms and 1,850m of vertical ascent away!

Pretty soon we were baking in the valley heat as we climbed at a decent tempo. Paddy was struggling in the heat and dropped off the back a little, later to pass Roly and I as we stopped to take photos of Lago di Poschiavo. We stopped right on a train track and I almost lost my front wheel as a train sped by.

Soon we had caught the first peloton, who were riding as a group – Emily haven fallen off after getting her front wheel caught in a tram line running along the road – and had Paddy in our sights again. Williams was just behind Paddy, having put in another of his often ill-advised ‘attacks’ in an attempt to break him. Roly and I pushed on at a punishing pace on what was seemingly an interminable (but beautiful in parts) climb.

One of the better views on the climb. Switzerland in the background.

We caught Durden (W), blearing out heavy metal from his iPhone, as we approached the snow line and the signposted turning to St Moritz and were told that Beard ‘wasn’t too far ahead’. Hoping to catch Beard we again pushed on as the road began to really kick up for a steep final 4kms. We were never to catch Beard.

The final push to the top

On arriving at the summit Roly and I quickly discovered a large mountaintop café and restaurant that was perfect for a regroup and refuel. There was no sign of Beard anywhere; for some, still not fully explained reason, he had decided to push on and had cycled straight past the meeting point.

It was at this point that two skinny, down jacketed Italian guys told us that the road was closed and that there had been an avalanche. Not quite sure whether to believe them, we ignored them for a bit. The rest of the group were beginning to arrive as we were coming to the realisation (based on the traffic jam forming) that the pass was in fact blocked. No one wanted to turn around and head back the way we had just come (again)!

Our two Italian friends wondering how to get their car out of the middle of the avalanche....

Not wanting to make any rash decisions we all settled in to the restaurant and had a big lunch and coffees in the hope that the roads would soon be cleared. With lunch finished I volunteered to head down the road to the avalanche itself to see whether it was likely to be cleared or it we could get through. It didn’t look promising, snow was still slowly trickling down the mountain face and the avalanche tunnel was still 75% blocked. A JCB was however clearing the snow. I was confident that we would be able to get through soon and relayed this news to the group on my return. Roly, as someone with far more mountain experience than me, also had a look and delivered exactly the opposite news to me. I was quickly overruled (and berated). 15 minutes later the road was completely cleared.

Despite the road being cleared some slush remained and the descent through the tunnels was pretty sketchy. Not a particularly enjoyable experience.

The traverse across to Livigno involved a couple of smaller ascents and descents and I struck out on my own. Paddy was not to far behind and kept getting glimpses of me a I dropped down into the next valley.

The final descent into Bormio was fast, winding and exhilarating and was finished with an ITT along the valley floor and home

We found Beard at the hotel having had 4 hours of time to kill alone. I suspect he rather enjoyed it.

 

Day 5

The final day, the day of our departure and finally the big one, the Passo dello Stelvio.

The Stelvio is the highest paved road in Italy (the second highest in Europe) and is legendary for its switchbacks, carved into the mountainside, a feat of engineering.

Endless hairpins!

We would be climbing the less famous of the two sides (the eastern side is legendary for its switchbacks, 48 in total, but unfortunately was still shut), but the climb from Bormio offers a very similar experience.

Needing to get back to Bormio for lunch and then our transfer back to the hotel, the route was a simple out and back. The climb facing us was 22km at an average gradient of 7.1% - a long, challenging climb.

Legendary!

We all headed off in our own time and Paddy and I set out together at the head of the field. We headed up at a leisurely pace, chatting as we climbed. The climb from the Bormio side has almost as many switchbacks as the eastern side, but also has a number of tunnels to negotiate – thankfully these were well lit, is being as narrow as they were they would have been a little scary in the dark. Truly an impressive and scenic climb.

At 5km from the top there was a brief flat section, flat enough to slam it into the big ring (climbing the Stelvio, in the big ring!) and power along before the last 2km really pitched up to 12% and the banks of snow on the side of the roads got higher and higher. Cross-country skiers whizzed past at head height.

At 4km from the top we spotted Roly closing in on us as he powered up the mountain (we had initially thought it was Durden, but couldn’t figure out how he had caught us), and I decided to push on rather the face the ignominy of being caught… I went past a lot of Italians weaving across the road, eyes dead, as I climbed.

2758!

At the top, after a quick photo (and watching Roly, unsuccessfully, try to outsprint Paddy) we tucked into a couple of beers and some apple strudel before heading back down for another awesome descent into Bormio.

Mountains, sunshine, beer, pizza... perfect!

Once back in Bormio we all packed up and headed out for a final pizza on the main square. The sun was out and everyone was please with a great weekend’s riding. A great way to end the trip.

All that remained was the transfer back to the airport and several near death experiences!

Summary

What a great first experience of the Dolomites!

A weekend amongst awesome company and a great group of likeminded people. Some great climbing and no shortage of drama and experiences.

I can’t wait for the next TGS cycle holiday.