Gimondi 2010

Who is Felice Gimondi? If you are not Italian, Felice Gimondi can be an ice cream or a pizza chef or anyone with a italian name. Felice Gimondi is one of the "Miti del Ciclismo Italiano".. He is part of the talented Italian Cyclist than managed to win Tour de France 1965, Giro D'Italia 1967, 1969, 1976, Vuelta a España 1968, World Road Cycling Champion (1973), Milan-Sanremo (1974), Paris-Roubaix (1966), Giro di Lombardia (1966, 1973), Tour de Romandie (1969), Grand Prix des Nations (1967, 1968).. . So the Granfondo Gimondi is even a more special event for the Ranch. Like every year an inconsistent bunch of Ranchers packs the bikes and flies down to Milan for the first of the GF of the summer. This year like every year a solid group of untrained ranchers was again down there.. Unfit as usual but happy to be there and happy to keep the tradition going.. RiderCali (or RiderShouldIDoThisOrThatOrMaybeIWillWaitTillNextYear, RiderZinni (..)flew from London.. NoShow (or RiderFlashy) flew down from Paris and RiderChiche (RiderPreciso) and RiderZeke (or RiderYouOweMeCash) drove down from Zurich... The drive from the Airport to Bergamo was not as smooth as usual as RiderZinni thought that the race was going to start from Venice instead of Bergamo so the usual 25 mnutes rider from Linate to Bergamo became 45'... Anyway.. My fault for thinking that RiderCali could read a map and my fault for not checking the signs... Anyhow we got to our usual 4 start accommodation.. or the Best Hostel in Europe!! (nothing less for the ranchers).... And we tried to sort out our bikes when Tito appeared.. Who's Tito? Tito is the team mechanic from Pesaro.. Old school guy who looks at these bunch of unfit riders from a foreign country and start thinking... what the hell is going on here.. In less than two minutes he sorted out RiderFlashy bike, then he tells RiderCali to change half of his bike and tell RiderZinni then his set up his wrong and he needs to ajust the handlebar straight away... So after this lesson the ranch decides than it's time to get an haircut and a shave (well RiderZinni decides that) and RiderFlashy sorts out the lunch...

Back to Citta' Alta and RiderPrecise and RiderYouOwemyalotofmoney showed up from Zurich..

and the Ranch goes for a shopping spree... So we are all set for tomorrow's race.. Well that's what we all thought.. Well 4000 people were ready apart from RiderPollo who decided that it was time to get his number, well he decided that it was time to get into the race I mean put his name down... Lucky boy managed to get his number so we all ready... Dinner and bed time as we need to be up early... Zeke manage to start snoring two seconds after he started sleeping and some I managed to get 2 hours sleep all night.. Anyway lesson learnt no more sharing rooms with Pollo not even in PolloLand.. The Ranch is now ready here we go Gimondi 2010 here we go...

We go to the starting line and we start chatting with fellow riders.. great atmosphere.. Amazing place.. Four thousand riders at the starting line all wanting to enjoy another GranFondo... The morning is chilly but who cares we are all there to enjoy... Pollo's belly is very very obvious and is still thinking about the Money from Nice... Dude where is the money? Don't worry I will give you the money tomorrow if I remember.. RiderPrecise starts calculating the amount of energy needed for the race and he starts laughing at Zeke idea that he should drive him back to Zurich... RiderZinni all happy to me in the motherland and happy that people can understand him when he talks.. The race as usual start s at 7:00 riders all over the place.. We ride thru wonderful hills, valleys and wonderful villages..
This race is the essence of the Ranch.. Great race great bunch of people....
Dude where is the money?