Val di Sole 2010
After the rousing drive through Milano to Val di Sole we were warmly greeted by the folks at the Bella di Bosco (pretty lady of the woods?) Hotel. They, being Italian, immediately offered to feed us. Normally, I can be a bit suspect of being fed at a hotel, or at least prefer to seek local cuisine. Fortunately, in Italy, every hotel offering half-board is also employing a local chef or two whom’s entire existence is creating delicious food for the guests. This was no exception. We sat down and were immediately delivered a starter of my favorite meat dish, Carpaccio. Nothing like some cured cold beef to set the salivary glands about their work. From this point on I knew it would be a good week. Each night we were presented with a couple options for main and side and each was delectable, obviously. Dessert was rich and glorious but never over-portioned. Just a taste… Thursday was the special night, when you don’t get to choose anything, leaving the meal to the chef’s interpretation of whatever was available at the market that day and struck his fancy. A classic carbonnara, some seared lamb and tiramisu for dessert. Mmm.
With all this food, it’s a good thing the weather was perfect all week and we got to do some sweet training rides. Riding the Passo Tonale on Tuesday with the U23 boys and Nicoletta (who chased us down, upping the pace a bit too much for Henk-Jaap…) gave me a chance to help them with their “up pavement, down trail” snooping skills. More of the same but from a bit higher on the Passo Carlo Campos the next day and we had earned our dinner and climbing legs. A lap of the (fairly basic, but STEEP) course at the end of each ride made sure we appeared to be preparing for the race, although I’m already thinking about the Worlds…
There was only one mud puddle on the track but riding through it with 217 of your best friends on the first lap creates quite a roost. Enough to do my sweet matching Giro Havik glasses. Dang.
Speaking of the race, it was a good one for me. The course was kind of perpetually uphill, short steep climbs gave way to quick descents, necessitating a quick shift (thanks, new XTR 2x10) and immediate resumption of suffering. I preferred the rolling radness of champerey but reckoned if I put my nose to the grindstone (or is that the stem?) and pedaled hard I could do OK. That was about it, starting solid from my #54 spot before settling in the 40’s and riding past five guys or so per lap to end up knocking on the top 20 and still feeling strong starting the last lap. I noticed Todd Wells up the track and a fairly fast Spainish guy, Sergio Montecon-Guiterrez gaining on me so reckoned upping the pace a bit to catch instead of being caught would be prudent. Turns out in addition to catching the US Champ I also found the Dutch Champ and made a sweet inside pass with two turns to go (much to the amusement of Joe and Felice in the feed zone) and out-sprinted him for 17th. Cool. Nino Schurter won a nail-biter over Julien Absalon. I wonder if I can find the 5:01 that they were ahead of me this month? I’ll try for sure… Hard.
Rabobank/Giant Offroad Team media magnate Marcel Slagmann put together this interview and highlight reel from the weekend. check it out on the Rabosport website-
http://www.rabosport.nl/wielrennen/Doorgewinterde+mtb%27er+Adam+Craig?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=socialmedia&utm_campaign=rabowielrennen_videofeed
Fortunately, Felice got the Havik's all cleaned up and I was ready for some dust busting on lap two.
Rabobank/Giant Offroad Team media magnate Marcel Slagmann put together this interview and highlight reel from the weekend. check it out on the Rabosport website-
http://www.rabosport.nl/wielrennen/Doorgewinterde+mtb%27er+Adam+Craig?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=socialmedia&utm_campaign=rabowielrennen_videofeed
Fortunately, Felice got the Havik's all cleaned up and I was ready for some dust busting on lap two.
A quick pack-job and I was getting the full euro team experience, on the road to the Munich Airport with Emil and Leo in the Rabobank van two hours after the race finished. Fortunately, Leo had the foresight to order Pizza from the hotelier’s son’s Pizzeria down the street so we were enjoying the Quattro Stagione and Frutti di Mare as we dropped down to the Brenner Pass. Not a bad weekend.
Rabobank Team manager Leo Van Zeeland and I trying to decide what kind of pizza to order...
The 12 hours at home, 26 hours later, was just enough time to kick the tires on my new house (thanks for closing that deal in my absence, Josh), do laundry, lift weights and catch a flight to Utah for The Link, Giant’s 2011 product presentation for it’s Dealers. Let the high country shredding commence…
Oh yeah, while I was flying south over NorCal from London Carl was driving north from the Rally Race at X-Games. He totally beat me home. And Pastrana to the “keep your car running” line to sneak into Super Rally competition from the First Alternate spot he’d occupied until three minutes prior to the race… Nice work Carl, glad you weren’t scared of the jump, in fact hitting it twice (instead of the required once) with two-wheel drive. Carl looks pretty good and has rad shocks now too. They’ll be saying our name.
