Giro d'ITALIA

Dates: May 19 - 31, 2004

This year we’ve put together what promises to be an awesome tour which combines being in the thick of the action for the decisive final week of the 87th Giro d’Italia with the opportunity to ride in Italy’s largest one-day Grand Fondo event, The Nove Colli.

Our tour will start at our base hotel situated near Cesena in the Apennine foothills. After the airport pickup in Rimini and a short transfer we’ll have time to assemble the bikes and get in a shake-out ride the first evening. Day 2 we’ll do a loop ride from Cesena including the final section of Stage 11 of the Giro d’Italia. We'll then see the preloton arrive in Cesena after a tough day in the Apennines. On day 3 we’ll catch the Stage departure from Cesena and we’ll ride towards Rimini, taking in well known regional climbs along some of Marco Pantani’s favorite training roads.

We’ll be staying for the next three days at one of our favorite Agriturismi where you’ll experience true “Romagnolo” hospitality first hand. Day 4 we’ll do a short recon ride for the Nove Colli or take a rest day to relax by the pool. There will be hundreds of cyclists on the roads preparing for this event…a truly great time to be cycling in Romagna. In the evening we’ll check out the Nove Colli Bike expo in nearby Cesenatico. Sunday we’ll participate (Optional) in the Nove Colli along with 9,000 other avid cyclists. This is an awesome event with 2 different parcours to choose from; a “short” 140 km version with 4 hill passes, or the long 205 km version with 9 hills to climb. Check out the link at the left for more information.

Day 6 we’ll take off the bike to recover and transfer to the dolomites. On Day 7 we will ride part of the route of Giro stage 16 over the Forcella Staulanza and Falzarego Passes where you have the option to wait and see the riders battling it out over these climbs. We’ll be staying the night in Canazei, a beautiful town tucked beneath the picturesque Gruppo Sella. Day 8 is a rest day for the Giro d’Italia and we can take a rest day to prepare for the last week of the trip or for the hardcore there is the opportunity to ride the famous 4 Dolomitic passes loop “I Quattro Passi”: Pordoi, Compolongo, Gardena and Sella. The following day we’ll ride down through the Val di Fassa and over the Passo Costalunga and into Bolzano where we’ll pick up the route of today’s Giro stage over the Passo Mendola. We’ll catch the stage finish in Fondo Sarnonico and transfer to our next two day’s lodging in Ponte di Legno, at the foot of the Gavia Pass.

Day 10 you’ll be able to ride and witness first hand what should prove to be one of the most awesome stages in this Giro. We’ll leave early in the morning and climb the famous Passo di Gavia (16.7 km @ 7.9%) and ienjoy an incredibly long descent into Bormio where we’ll take the finish climb up to Bormio 2000 (9.9 km @ 7.5%) and wait for the riders to come in. Our van will take us back to Ponte di Legno for the night. Day 11 will be the decisive penultimate stage of the Giro and it will take the riders over the Mortirolo, Vivione and the Presolana. We’ll get an early start and ride the Passo del Vivione (a grueling 19.8 km @ 6.9%) and the final climb, the passo della Presolana - where we’ll find out who’ll win the 2004 Giro. The lodging for the night will be in town and hopefully we’ll see a few of the Giro riders out enjoying themselves having pratically arrived in Milano. Our Last day will be a transfer day back to our base Hotel in Cesena to pack up and share one last meal before setting off for home.

Note: Airport Pickup and Dropoff has been shifted to Rimini due to Construction at Bologna International Airport.

Itinerary:
5.18: Depart USA for Italy 5.19: Rimini airport pickup - Transfer to Cesena (optional loop ride) 5.20: Ride Cesena Loop 5.21: Ride Cesena - Bellária 5.22: Ride Bellária loop 5.23: Ride Nove Colli 5.24: Rest Day - Transfer to Longarone 5.25: Ride Longarone - Canazei 5.26: Ride Canazei (4 Passes) loop 5.27: Ride Canazei - Fondo, Transfer to Ponte di Legno 5.28: Ride from Ponte di Legno 5.29: Ride Ponte di Legno - Presolana 5.30: Transfer to Cesena 5.31: Depart Italy from Rimini

Trip Info:
Mileage: Approx 580 mi
Terrain: Varied including High Mountain Passes
Length: 12 riding days / 12 nights
Difficulty: Advanced
Cost: $2695

Includes:
• Airport pickup and drop-off at Rimini International Airport (RMI)
• Twelve (12) nights accommodations (two per room) in friendly Agriturismi or 3 and 4 Star Hotels
• All breakfasts and 10 dinners including wine
• Registration Fees for Nove Colli Grand Fondo
• Guide services of 1 or 2 guides
• Vehicle support at intervals along the stage on town-to-town days
• Travel planning assistance

For additional information or to book a vacation click here.