Stelvio -- A powerful brand for a bicycle, not so sure about an automobile.

The Stelvio Pass -- one of the iconic climbs of cycling. At La Folle Journee in Tokyo International Forum this weekend, I saw that Alfa Romeo, one of the sponsors, was displaying its "Stelvio" model of Diesel SUV?

Not the vehicle I would choose to climb the Stelvio Pass.

The below "Col Collective" video is a nice summary of the climb by road bike from Prato (which I am proud to remind readers that I have done 3 times, twice on Transalp, 2009 and 2011, and again once on Giro del Dolomiti in 2015). I hope I will get the chance again.

Giro Delle Dolomiti Days 4 (Stelvio) and 5 (Val d'Ultimo)

Stage 4 was a climb of the Stelvio Pass -- not much explanation needed there; plenty of reference material is available -- even on this blog from 2009 and 2011.  A few pictures were posted previously.  A few more are here.

We climb on the right hand side looking out at the glaciers.

Apparently Angela Merkel was in Sulden on vacation the same week as we were at Stelvio.

Descending the front side again - back was closed after MOB went through due to a (bicycle) crash.

I think Silvia took this one!

I wish I had remembered to get my photo here -- the "customary" spot for Stelvio-top selfies

Imposing to look up at as you climb!

And a few more.

A perfect lunch spot at the base!

"Igor" the Russian at the start.

A quick stop in the town square area at Naturns for some Transalp memories and Apfel Strudel!

Day 5, the "Val d'Ultimo" - valley of Ultimo I think (Ultimo being the name of a town we passed on the route of the valley).  A beautiful valley, and not an easy climb by any means to the lake at its head. But not quite as dramatic as the Stelvio.

The men of the PE/Bremen team

My last day so I asked for a commemorative photo with the ladies.
I wanted a "podium shot" with kisses on both cheeks, but it was declined politely.
(Something about the smell of my jersey after 5 hours of cycling on a warm day)

The peleton climbs out of the Bolzano - Merano valley and into the mouth of Val d'Ultimo!

Jochen takes in the view on our return/descent.

Thanks for a great week, MOB.  No, no, thank YOU David.  No MOB, you handled everything.  No, no David ...

Stelvio Conquered

Today we climbed the "mythic Stelvio Pass".  Elevation 2760 meters.  We enjoyed perfect conditions, and it was a lot more fun than the other times I have done it. I was very happy with my time and the overall experience. It helps a lot to start the event with this climb instead of 40kms and 500m elevation lower down the valley.

MOB aced it and crested 10 minutes ahead of me. Revenge for 2011.

Ignoring the GIro

I had been ignoring this year's Giro d'Italia through its first 12 stages.  I have nothing particular against the Giro.  Indeed, I like it.  It is always seems bigger, sexier, wilder, more fun.  And pink.  Very pink.

But I have done my very best to take an extended vacation from anything to do with professional road cycling.

To me, ignoring the entire sport seemed like the only possible response to the Lance Armstrong brouhaha -- the final year or two of denials, followed by the weak confession on Oprah, the inevitable renewed lawsuits, accusations against the UCI, etc., etc.  It made me want to just ride my own bike and not pay any attention to professionals racing.

My office is across the street and down the block from the Trek Bicycles concept store at the back of Roppongi Hills in Tokyo, and every time I walk by it, my blood pressure rises.  I look at Trek as one of Lance's major enablers.  Maybe they were duped?  Who knows.  In any event, I am glad I never bought a Trek bicycle.  Maybe Trek will bring back the LeMond brand, which they allegedly shut down bowing to pressure from Lance after Greg LeMond dared speak the truth about Lance and his friend Dr. Ferrari?  LeMond now again seems to be the face of U.S. cycling, and if he were again associated with Trek, then I might feel like setting foot inside the shop, at least to take a look.

Anyway, even with Lance gone, too much doubt remains.  What about Wiggins' remarkable 2012? Can we trust the results, knowing what we now know?  Sure, the sport seems to be much cleaner than it was ... but the same could have been said 5 years ago.  There are still deeply suspect (to me) riders like Contador and, until his retirement after winning at last year's Olympic Road Race, Vinokourov.

Then, I happened to turn on my PC last night and watch a little bit of streaming broadcast via steephill.tv -- there was a 9 person breakaway trying to hold off the peleton, only 10 or 20 seconds back as the race entered its last 10 kilometers.  I watched all the way through to the sprint finish, in which Mark Cavendish held off all comers (including Elia Viviani) to take a 4th stage victory.

I happened to check cyclingnews.com -- still in my browser's bookmarks, despite my extended vacation -- and peak at the upcoming stages.  Wow.  They will go over the 2000+ meter elevation Sestriere on Stage 14.  Then Stage 15 takes them into France, along part of the route I rode in the 2011 Etape -- from Modane down a valley, then up onto the climb over Col du Telegraphe, through Valloire and then to the 2600+ meter Col du Galibier, a real monster of a climb.

And then there is Stage 19, on Wednesday.  They start at Pont di Legno, the South Tyrolian ski resort where we enjoyed a tribute to Marco Pantani after climbing the Mortirolo during Transalp 2011.  They climb the Gavia (2600+ elev), then the Stelvio (2750+ meters elev), then a third 22km climb to Val Martello (2050+ meter elev).  Over 4300 meters of climbing in a 138km stage, after nearly 3 weeks of racing.  Ouch.

No matter how much I know that I should ... I cannot stay away any longer.  At least until the next doping scandal.

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Postscript:  A few hours after writing the note above, the weather caused a major route change.

No Sestriere today.  And very likely no Galibier tomorrow.

That is another feature of the Giro -- by racing in May and trying to go over the highest passes in the Alps, inevitably the race's reach exceeds its grasp!

Second Postscript:  They made it onto the Galibier ... moved the finish down 4 kilometers.  But the Gavia and Stelvio are now removed from Stage 19 ...  Still, the last 2 stages look very good, even without the highest passes.  I might even watch a bit.

Stelvio Dreams

Some great photography of cycling on the Stelvio in early winter.  See

http://www.cyclingtips.com.au/2012/11/early-winter-on-the-passo-dello-stelvio/

And for a recent 1 minute video of cycling the Stelvio in winter (hat tip to www.mamil.cc ).

http://vimeo.com/61475278

Playing on the Stelvio from Jered Gruber on Vimeo.

The electronica music in the video starts the heart pumping, makes me want to get on the bike and find a climb!


Some great photography of cycling on the Stelvio in early winter, by the same photographer ... same trip, presumably.  See

http://www.cyclingtips.com.au/2012/11/early-winter-on-the-passo-dello-stelvio/

Then there is cycling the Stelvio via fixed gear ... how many tires were consumed in this descent?


SEABASE vs STELVIO from YUHZIMI Ltd. on Vimeo.

Or for a set of instagram effect-style photos of the Stelvio, see:

http://elcyclista.com/stelvio/

Almost as good as this photo of Juliane and David J. climbing the Stelvio end of June 2009.

I won't get back there this summer.  ...   Maybe 2014?