# Cinque Terre Giro TT recon



## philippec (Jun 16, 2002)

Just because I like the whole lot of you, I took it upon myself last spring to go and recon the Giro Cinque Terre TT route for you. I hope you appreciate the sacrifice I made in order to bring topical content to RBR! Some of you may recall that I have been here before; http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=41790

Just to make sure I went over every centimetre of road, I decided to stay a week. Found a house up above Framura in Chiesa just at the doors of Cinque Terre proper and toughed it out for you -- such hardship!

Anyhoooo, what follows is a collage of early AM rides along the segment from Passo del Bracco to Vernazza.

link to google map: http://maps.google.fr/maps?f=q&sour...229026,9.568899&spn=0.01044,0.019226&t=h&z=16 

Start of my ride starts w/ a few kms of gravel and dirt winding through the countryside around Castagnola heading up to Passo del Bracco (not the TT course)


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## philippec (Jun 16, 2002)

*Cinque Terre #2*

The locals say there is no traffic on this road ... don't believe them!

After clearing the traffic jam, I make my way down to Bonassola -- mostly on the TT course, though I go all the way down to Bonassola which earns me a steady 19% slog back to the Passo del Bracco-Levanto road. Ouch!


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## philippec (Jun 16, 2002)

*Cinque Terre #3*

After climbing back up to the TT course, it's all downhill to Levanto -- but not without first detouring for a few more kms of dirt-road riding!

In Levanto, I stop for some rocket fuel...

I'm pretty sure the pro's riding the TT will not be doing the dirt-road option and will likely be on some other type of rocket fuel!!


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## philippec (Jun 16, 2002)

*Cinque Terre #4*

From Levanto I head up past Chiesa Nuova up into the Cinque Terre national park on my way to Passo del Termine --the views from this road down onto Monterosso al Mare and Vernazza are ..... wow, just.... WOW!

I ride on to Vernazza after detouring down into Monterosso and then head back home.

This TT course is for hard men -- too bad they likely won't be enjoying the countryside! Their loss....


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## philippec (Jun 16, 2002)

*Cinque Terre #5*

.... and it's back to home base!

The good thing about riding early is that you get back early and can spend the rest of the day doing fun things.

My pit crew is exceptional!


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## philippec (Jun 16, 2002)

*Cinque Terre #6*

Of course bike riding is not the only thing to do in Cinque Terre... in fact, it's not even the best thing to do. Other things include walking, eating, taking boats, walking some more and eating. Did I already mention eating?

One thing you do not want to do is drive. Not only does traffic kill, but you can get everywhere via train and boat.

For instance, you can take the boat tfrom Riomaggiore to a lovely little restaurant on the water. I know because I checked this out for you RBR peeps. The food was very good, thank you!

Enough for now... enjoy today's time trial!!

A+

Philippe


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

Wow!

BTW I don't care what MarkS says, you are a good man!


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## philippec (Jun 16, 2002)

*Cinque Terre post scriptum*

2 other things you need to know:

1. It's not a real holiday until you have eaten fresh tripe... srsly!

2. Lerici is a really pretty town.

That is all....


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## AteMrYeats (Apr 15, 2008)

Unbelievable.


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## redcon1 (Jul 22, 2008)

*Wow..*

Lance wasn't kidding... this will be an EPIC day.
Thanks for the preview... Your photography is excellent!


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

_(MB1 edit, save it for the lounge)_

Lucky bastid.

I say that with the greatest love of course.

Then again, you already know that.

:wink:


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## jupiterrn (Sep 22, 2006)

Speechless, Thank you for sharing. One day I hope to get there soon before I am older and fatter.


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## jd3 (Oct 8, 2004)

Very nice of you to post this on the morning of the big day.


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## morryjg (Jan 6, 2008)

Thanks for making such a huge sacrifice for us!

Next time I'm there hopefully I'll have a bike with me! Looks to be absolutely amazing riding.


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## mohair_chair (Oct 3, 2002)

That looks like awesome riding. Many years ago, when I was living in Antibes, I went with some friends to a place between San Remo and Genoa called Finale Ligure. It's one of those places on that amazing coastline where there is a steep mountain, then a small gash in the topography, and then another steep mountain. In the gash is a small beach with a village, in what seems to be an impossible location. Your pictures reminded me of that trip. I wish I had been into cycling back then. I would have ridden all those roads endlessly.


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## commutenow (Sep 26, 2004)

*Just beautiful!!!!*

Beautiful pictures and I love all the colors. Tell me about your bike.


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## dingster1 (Jul 2, 2006)

Wowzers!!!! beautiful!!!


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## Loraura (Jun 30, 2008)

WOW. I'm speechless. Gorgeous.


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## Slim Again Soon (Oct 25, 2005)

Tripe ....


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## tarwheel2 (Jul 7, 2005)

Thanks for taking one for the team. You're a trooper. How can we ever repay you for your sacrifices?


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## philippec (Jun 16, 2002)

Thanks for all your comments -- it's words like those that make me put up with these self-imposed RBR photo shoots!! 

Got a few more of these reports in the pipeline -- soon to be released as soon as work lets up a bit!


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## philippec (Jun 16, 2002)

You can find out all about the cut'n'coupled Concorde in episode 10 (http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=28577).

If you want to see how it packs, there's a photo sequence in episode 11 (http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=30500)

This baby has just been joined by another, lighter, more performance-oriented (read: compact crank!!) travel bike. I just had my defective Litespeed Classic cut'n'coupled. Next month I'm going to put that bike through its paces in Hakodate, Hokkaido. Report to follow.... sometime....


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## il sogno (Jul 15, 2002)

Thanks for your *ahem* recon sacrifice Phillipe.  

I was in the Cinque Terre in 1996. Absolutely beautiful. We stayed in Vernazza and hiked along the cliffside trail to Riomaggiore. The seafood there was unforgettable. As was the schiacchettra - the wine of the region. 

Great pics and video.


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## philippec (Jun 16, 2002)

Finale LIgure is a great place -- I have particularly fond memories of a walnut-basil pesto I had there....


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## rook (Apr 5, 2009)

Wow. That's beautiful. Do you save a lot per flight when you travel with a "cut-in-half" bike?


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## philippec (Jun 16, 2002)

yes, especially since it flies free. and it's a lot less hassle since the case is also a backpack.


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## rkj__ (Mar 21, 2007)

Wow!


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## majura (Apr 21, 2007)

Holey Moley.. Awesome pixxors!


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