The 2008 tour had a very different feel to it with a smaller group consisting of 8 cyclists and for the first time two non cyclists.

The crew – Jayson De Senneville , Clive De Senneville, Paul Jackson, Lindy Brand, Tanya Johnstone, Gary and Simona Bell, Matt Gordin, Bill and Tracey Gordin

Also new was the way we transported everyone around the Italian countryside. This year we moved away from the large coach with a bike trailer to a more mobile form of transport being a 9 seat mini van and a similar vehicle without seats for all the suitcases and bikes.

Upon arrival at Melpensa airport in Milan, collecting our luggage and loading the vehicles we set off for Finale Ligure which is situated on the Italian Riviera near Genoa. The first problem we had was getting out of the car park. I think we did 4 or 5 laps before the exit became apparent. Punch in the destination into our portable satellite navigation device and off we go. Sounds easy doesn’t it? Well I can tell you driving on the wrong side of the road down the Auto Strada was quite an experience! Cars, motor bikes and trucks were passing at 150kph plus making it feel like we were standing still. Anyway after a few timid kms we got into the groove and flowed with the other traffic without them thinking we were tourists.

Finale Ligure has some of the best roads for cycling that you could ever wish for despite being very hilly. Did I say hilly? Does climbing for 20kms still count as hilly? The view from the top and the amazing descents were worth every drop of sweat spilled on the way up. We stopped numerous times on the way down so as to take advantage of the view and take some photos so the people at home would be jealous.

We spent 3 days riding the along the beautiful coastline and the hills of Finale before we packed up for the long drive across Italy to Riccione on the East coast some 500kms away. Leaving Finale the heavens opened with the rain staying with us over the next week. Having taken cyclists to Italy in May over the last 3 years we have never encountered rain for more than one morning. Time to get used to it as it was not going away!

Riccione has been a favorite location of mine since my first tour 5 years ago. It provides some great cycling but also some great shopping and of course great bars for the much needed quite consumption of vino rosso.

Our first day in Riccione was spent checking our bikes and making sure we had everything we needed to complete the Nove Colli (nine hills) mass participation (11,000 cyclists) event the next day.  Read event report here.

Monday the day after the Nove Colli we road up to the best bike shop in the area so the group could sort out few issues with the bikes and add a few other things to our already bulging suit cases. On the way back it rained again so that’s two days in a row with wet shoes. Tuesday was a designated day off the bike so we drove down to Passaro to witness the start of a time trial stage of the Giro Italia. Walking amongst the team busses while the riders are warming up and having the chance to speak to a few of the Australian riders was certainly a highlight of the day.

On Wednesday it was time to mount up again and ride out to the steepest climb the riders will go over for the 11th stage of the Giro Italia. Arriving in the village of Carpegna we turned right onto the start of the climb, 5 kilometers at an avg of 16% was tough to say the least. At the summit after the taking of many photos we decided to watch the Giro riders from a vantage point about half way down the climb. That all sounded good in theory, what we didn’t think of was “ what happens if it rains”? Did I say rain? It absolutely bucketed down. I don’t think I have ever been so cold.

With the group spread all over the climb it was difficult to organize what to do next. Some of us elected to ride down to the village and hide in a cafe while waiting for the tour riders to ride past. Some of the others huddled shivering outside a church before the nuns came out and offered shelter inside, hot drinks and blankets to keep warm. With the tour speeding through the village we ran outside to capture as many photos as we could. It was then time for the ride home, fortunately the rain had abated so the ride home wasn’t as horrendous as first thought. It was a day everyone who was there will talk about for a long time.

Our stay in Riccione came to an end on the Saturday with the vans loaded ready for the 2 hour drive north to the beautiful Lago de Garda.

Lake Garda is one of the prettiest places you could ever wish to visit. Cycling around the area is spectacular whether it be along the lake or amongst the many hills that surround it.  

On arriving at Hotel Verenllo we were greeted by Nicola  and his staff who informed us that he had entered us in the Eddy Merckx  Gran Fondo  (read race report) the next day. We had a choice of 99kms or 135km with a 34km climb, without any hesitation everyone decided to try the 99km version. 

After our ride the next day we drove the 20kms to Verona to explore the  town and visit Juliet’s house (Romeo and Juliet fame). The following day some of the group caught the train to Venice for the day while the others chilled out at one of the villages around the lake.

Sadly the tour had to come to an end with the drive to Milan for our last night in Italy. Just enough time to do all the last minute shopping and then out to a restaurant for the last dinner. Excessive amounts of vino rosso and many jokes later the tour group trudged the 500mts back to our accommodation knowing that the end was nigh.

Note: Each year the tour is constructed around the level of fitness of the group with the strongest and weakest cyclist catered for equally.  This year we had a small but very strong group thus the entries into the Nove Colli and The Eddy Merckx Gran Fondo events.