fox racing bikes

fox racing bikes
are steeper and more increases, but the rise in the chapel of the Madonna del Ghisallo is something special.

During the Giro d'Italia in 1949, the Pope declared that the Madonna del Ghisallo, the patron saint of the racers. Over the years this small chapel, located on the top of a 754m climb, has become a shrine to the sport and his cycling heroes.

The walls are covered with cycling jerseys donated by a who's who of the last 60 years of sport. Bicycles are Merckx, Coppi and Moser, as well as the bicycle Fabio Casartelli was riding when he crashed on the Portet d'Aspet in the Tour de France, the 1995th

There were so many mementos that a separate museum building had to be around it. So it is not only a rise to ridden more a form of pilgrimage.

The climb starts just after a mini-roundabout in Bellagio. The road continually raises to almost 10%. Your legs are fresh at this point and the road is smooth, so you can be in a good rhythm. Then you are on a right hand turn and a sign - 14%. To insult to injury of the road deteriorates too!

This section takes about one kilometer before the return gap helps to just under 10%. Fortunately, the majority of the climb is in the shade of trees, a little recovery from the elements. The road over the mountain, the trees provide welcome shade you also hide the rest of the climb, so you do not completely fix your position on the track, so you soldier on.

Apart from two steep switch-backs, the gradient sticks with 10% to Guello. Here is the slope and actually facilitates increases almost 2km to Civenna, so you can breath before the impending final ramps to the summit.

On the way from Civenna a sign with an ominous message - "" 8 Tornati ". The road is already climbing, and remains at 10% for the next 1.5 km. The trees start to thin and you can see the switch saves about you. As you turn right you will see a hotel by the side of the road, the first sign that you're almost there. Links around to the front of the hotel, and you're on the last ramp. The last 300 meters to 12% is almost too much, but the knowledge that the finish line is in sight spurs you on.

Finally you arrive at the "Santuario della Madonna del Ghisallo" and your pilgrimage is.

Copyright © 2008 Sean C Dowden - All rights reserved

http://www.italiancyclingtours.com/

(A Cycling Tour of Lombardy is a must for any serious cycling enthusiasts. Take the same route as a cycling hero in the Giro di Lombardia for Riding Challenge 2008 in the La Gazzetta dello Sport)