Rock hard men. With shaved legs.

Last summer I was on a little "cycling holiday". I thought I would gather some impressions for you who might be interested in doing something similar?

The passes around the Dolomites are the hardest of them all. Everyone who rides a bike knows this seriously. These mountain passes are also called "The Toughes Race in The World."

In the form of The Giro d’Italia Cycling Race.

This week we were 12 Swedes who tasted the same slopes for 6 days. The real race lasts a little longer, for about 3 May weeks each year, since 1909.

Before this trip, I trained a lot. Cycled 4300 km to be exact. To prepare further, I also watched some instructional videos on YouTube, which explained exactly how I would manage to cycle up some of these difficult climbs. I especially remember that movie about Stelvio. It was an Englishman who eagerly told, while cycling:

“It starts quite steeply, so dance up standing on your bike. At least the first 1.5 kilometers ”.

The first day of our race we cycled in a cluster from Lago di Seo, (where the Riva boats are manufactured). It went fast when the ground was flat and I felt so happy because I hung with the cluster. Even though it averaged almost 40 km / h.

I have never cycled so fast before.

But then I also did not know that at the front of the group was Danne, who became the Swedish Championship champion in H50 this spring and drove us all forward with full force. Plus some really strong cyclists from the club Rocket in Täby, including Ricky, Andreas and of course Fredrik.

Kudos to you all!

Slowly, the ascent began first 1000 meters towards the Dolomites and then about 1500

meters towards Passo Mortirolo. Both the breathing and the legs became even heavier when the road started to go up and the cluster had long ago split.

The fast ones quickly disappeared into the forest, up into the mountains. I held on convulsively and stared at my romie Johan's rear wheel.

It still went pretty well for me.

Until we reached the exit on the left up for the Mortirolo Pass. Then the climb immediately stepped over 10% and it felt like I got a slap in the face in my legs, after about 70 km on a roll.

I do not remember now how long it took me to get up. But I think it took about 3.5 hours. So about 3 hours longer than for the pros who cycle up here in the world's toughest race ..

It is inconceivable how they can fly up these slopes. Because the roads here in the mountains are so terribly hard and long.

The day ended after 150 km and 7.5 hours in the saddle. My roommate Johan was before me this day, as well as every other day as well. Impressive performance, considering I'm three years younger than him. But cycling does not have much to do with age, as with the power and technology you have in your legs.

The second day we cycled Passo Stelvio. And there was a lot of talk and tanning in the group the night before about riding -not one, -but maybe even have time to cycle the pass, -three times ?!

Lars and Lukas from Gävle were terribly enthusiastic - and both looked really strong.

Johan # 2 strongly advised against them, with:

"No three times - It's too tough".

When I got up on the bike on the first hill, nothing danced in my body. Everything just hurt in the muscles after the first day's 150 km.

Stelvio is "only" 22 km long. But the mountain rises 2843 meters above sea level straight up from Bormio. It goes uphill constantly in streamers and most of it is around 10% "sloping" which cyclists usually joke about tough hills.

That slope took me 2 hours and 57 minutes to take me uphill. I even walked the last kilometer, my legs were so tired. It sounds simple - but riding up for so long takes the power out of most bodies.

And just for the record:

No one in the group rode the Stelvio three times.

That, the the mountain, took out of them right away. But most actually rode twice. I am so impressed with these men that I traveled and cycled with this week, most of them in their 50s, who have this power in their bodies.

It's hard to understand how to get there?

Not to mention the handsome Italian silver fox in his 75s, who snuck up on me on his fine Bianchi without being barely out of breath on the way up. In general, I am overwhelmed by all the 60 kilos of Italians with "inward stomachs" rolling up the mountains here.

It's the weekend fun for cyclists here. Up, coffee, down.

Of course you stay in shape then.

Personally, I contented myself with Stelvio once, and after that, a much-needed siesta, while the others tore so the sweat varnished to also catch up with Stelvio from the other side. The classic.

Danne was the fastest, (of course).

Day three was the Galvia Pass. Another famous climb from the world's toughest race. Me and my bike got picked up by the escort car, waited for the fastest from the group at the top, and then I looked out for a breathtaking descent on a narrow road without railings, with bad asphalt, mileage on the right side and a triathlon race and motorcycles on the way up on the left side.

While we blew down in 70 km / h.

I went down with one of our guides, Björn, but after the next mountain up, Passo Tonale, he was also "missing". So I rode the more than 40 km long downhill slope myself to the hotel.

On the fourth day we started downhill. Then began the climb towards Passo Mendele. I then thought of my cycling friend, Anders, who has been in the area and usually says that "It takes three days, then you get into it".

And in fact, it went well up that pass. Proud and happy, I celebrated with a cappuccino on top. The descent is the most spectacular and beautiful road I have ever driven. And I saw on Strava that I peaked at 86 km / h.

A breathtaking speed on two wheels.

Then there was another session, which was harder that day. It was so hard that I do not remember the name of the Passport. We can call it "Passo After Sandwich". But I clearly remember that the increase was around 10%.

All the way..

Just as I reached the top after several hours of toil, the service car caught up with me. And "Stoffe" who drove probably saw the situation.

He asked if I would like to go with them the last "bit" to the hotel?

I just nodded, got off my bike right away.

Then I had driven 80 km, of which two solid passes uphill. The "piece" left was about 5 miles. Until we would ascend to Passo Pordoi for 20 km with a sharp slope of around 10% again.

When I crawled into the back seat with the bike, it started to rain. The last climb up to Passo Pordoi, where we would sleep was even steeper. And it separated the cyclists from the tourists in our group.

Talk about timing - for a tourist like me.

The cyclists froze like lightly dressed children on a ski slope and the escort car was busy picking them up wet and frozen a bit here and there and was over half the valley. In the end, we were able to enjoy a joint dinner at the top around 8,30 pm.

The fifth day was Passo Sella. The most beautiful part of the Dolomites, where I have also been and hiked before. But my legs begged me to rest.

Instead, I rode only 50 km down from Passo Pordoi 2239 m / above the sea.

Without a single "counter-slap".

I took the 5 miles down alone. Ordered espresso macchiato at sunny teracces and took the opportunity to write this summary, while I ate Italian ice cream, enjoyed my solitude and did not hear my legs scream.

The last day we woke up at 1200 meters and followed small roads along the river Avisio down to Trento and then took the nice bike paths down to Lake Garda which is at 300 meters altitude. It was one of the easiest trips. Most of the ride was down or flat. But 170 km is still 170 km.

So how do you sum up this trip?

I'm hugely impressed with these rock hard men I traveled with. Who get on their bikes like mountain goats. Then you will surely understand how we who cycled here feel reverence for the professionals who ride The Giro d’Italia.

Imagine: Three weeks of hell. The world's toughest competition. 300 km in 30 degrees and scorching sun. Alternate 3 degrees and snowfall.

You just get so humble about these professional cyclists.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Carl-Johan Paulin who of course drove all the tours himself as well.

His company Cycle Adventure, makes a super nice trip here every year. Tip: They also cycle across the Pyrenees (wich I did this summer), in Japan, and have a cycling hotel in Gran Canaria.

Thanks also to Stoffe in the accompanying car, Victor and Björn who guided us all the way. All Italian hotels and all meals have been superb and the food has tasted wonderful.

Not to mention the beer.

But living at the top of Passo Stelvio on Albergo Tibet probably beat everything, even though the air was so thin that it was difficult to sleep.

You will have to look for better bicycle arrangements. You have all done a great job.

Five stars in my book

I have never cycled more beautiful roads than these in Italy. If you want to book next year, just get in touch with C-J on cycle adventure.

Just do not forget to train..

Maybe it sounds like I barely cycled anything?

In comparison with the real cyclists who have been on the trip, I have not come as high or as far. I simply state that I have been the Worst. In Worst form, Worst up the slopes and had Worst speed down the wheels. But there are Worse things in life. Than to be the Worst.

When you get to learn to ride a bike for real.

However, I note the following: As beautiful as the roads have been, as steep are the climbs. I thought I had trained enough, but I was still unprepared for the hard roads I encountered. The best and most beautiful trip was still the one with Victor, Björn and Lars down to Garda, where we slept in a palace-like Airbnb.

The Grand Finale.

The last day I asked some of my fellow travelers something I had been wondering about for a long time: How many years did you cycle before you started shaving your legs?

At first, I only got Mona-Lisa smiles in response.

Before they told me.

I am still satisfied with my efforts. Measured by my own measurements. Just over three years ago, I was on the operating table at the hospital for heart fibrillation.

It created motivation for training.

Now I went around the Dolomites from Lago di Seo to Lago di Garda on my own machine and I finished after six days in the saddle.

I thought that would never be possible there, three years ago.

So what was the answer to that question I asked? Most answered:

-Around 5 years.

That's funny. That's exactly how long I've been cycling now.

-So far, my legs are unshaven.

Ciao Dolomiti.

Thomas Eriksson (Juli 2021)

A hard week:

6 days

517 km

8000 altitude meters.

14,258 calories burned