GFNY Italia Race Day is Upon Us!

by Chris Geiser

Let’s just say that we will fill in the details later. There is no shortage of stories to tell, challenges to describe, and photos to show. We will tell them alll in the coming days. and weeks.
With spotty internet here at Podere Monti, the writing has not been coming fast and furious — but the riding has! With 10AM starts each day, the GFNY Italia camp has taken us out on to every part of the course. Showing us the biggest challenges, providing a clinic on the art of riding and racing the strade bianche, and taking us up the steep ascents to the beautiful ancient cities of Torrita di Siena, and Montepulciano that will play host to the partenza (departure), and arrivo (arrival) during the race tomorrow.

The top of one of the toughest climbs on the course. Riders will need to save something to get up this climb, and then be ready to face the steep ascent into Montepulciano and the finish line.

Partenza (Departure)

While the riders tomorrow morning will roll out of the city of Montepulciano, the official start of the race will be in the co-host city of Torrita di Siena, just a few kilometers away. Riders will be marshalled down a steep descent (that we will climb at the end of the race, over a few rollers, and then up into the pallazzo area of Torrita di Siena where flag waivers and race fans will cheer 1,200 riders onto the official start of the course.

Il Corso

Venturing out from Torrita di Siena, there is some gradual climbing, and a short descent before facing the first sector of strade bianche, or white roads. These packed gravel roads will reward riders that understand how to stay loose, maintain a proper grip over the tops or the drops, keep their legs spinning, and choose the best lines. The benefit of those who attended the camp, will come in the form of having seen this up close prior to race day, and having gone through a 2-hour practice clinic on how to ride this terrain. With three sectors and a variety of climbing and descending on the strade bianche, those who master the basics and ride within their capability will have a chance to make up time. But let the impatinent beware go too hard too soon anywhere on this course, and you will pay for it (literally) down the road a spell.

Once through the first sector of strade bianche, the course will wind through several towns, and up and down several climbs and fast but technical descents. While the descents allow the riders some recovery, the climbs are challenging and if you attack anyone of them too hard, those burnt matches could come back to haunt you.

Toward the end of one of the long descents, riders will make their way on to the second sector of strade bianche. This sector tilts up in a number of places, but most notably early on. Climbing up to a beautiful ridge, riders will feel as though they can see all of Tuscany from there. The deep blue Italian skys, the mountains, the rolling green terrain of the vineyards and olive trees will be a tempting view. But there is still a lot of work to do. This sector is long, rolling, steep in places, but generally well packed and with good lines.

While the best practice is to maintain a high cadence in the biggest gear you can, some riders may need the spin from a smaller gear choice on this sector. Toward the end, it will start to tilt down some offering a slightly technical descent before rsing to the pavment. Once back on the pavement — riders mustn’t let their guard down, as the third sector will beckon quickly.

Running the reverse direction of the first sector, the third sector will climb through vineyards and (I think) a horse farm. (Hey — We saw horses, and they were spettacolo — so get off us). Climbing back up and then flattening out some, time can potentially be made here, as it’s not very steep, and offers riders a chance to spin well, while generating speed even though they are heading up hill.
Riders exiting this sector with some releif about having completed the strade bianche based challenges of the day, will now have a short climb to a long descent ahead of them. But then the work will begin again soon, and in earnest. This will be a place where it will be tempting to make up some time, and start to hammer a little to get back to Montepulciano. With roughly 2/3 of the climbing complete now, the most difficult of the climbs awaits. Passing back out of the limits of Torrita di Siena, heading to Montepulciano, riders will have a short but not insignificant climb (nicknamed at our house as “the climb before the climb, before the city). Once over, a short and fast descent, where riders will see the “big climb” ahead. Kicking up to 17% in a couple of places it covers about 2KM and “levels off” to 8% in some areas where a rider can revover, breathe, and brace for the next section. If you haven’t saved anything for this, trying to burn a match here will be difficult, and you will need to take it one turn of the cranks at a time.

When you finally reach the top — the climb into the city will begin. Riders will be at the 105KM mark, and will almost be able to smell the pasta and Vino Nobile that awaits them at hte pallazzo at the top of the climb. Rolling up a medium-short drag, and turning left, along a breath taking view, with 500 meters to go, the cheering will become audible, the supporters visible, and the riders going on that last bit of adrenaline will climb through the city and into the town square to the glory of having tackled one of the toughest courses in the GFNY porftolio.

It’s time.

Rispettare il Corso

Our biggest learning, from the camp, from seeing the course, from a glorious week in Toscana — RESPECT THE COURSE. This is not a course to be “beaten”. This is a course, terrain, and a challenge to be taken seriously. Dig deep, but ride within yourself. Be patient with your energy, and know that each challenge on the course is prologue to the next, until you have scaled the city walls!

More from, and about GFNY Italia 2019 coming up in the next few weeks! Look for the Il Secondo title.

Ciao!