Madonna dei Cyclisti watches over us

The GF Felice Gimondi Bianchi will be held around Bergamo in May. The grande campione of yesteryear has given its name to a beautiful Granfondo. The participants are guided over the Colle del Gallo and the Selvino, among others. After Granfondo's in France and Belgium, CYCLOsportive really had to take a look in Italy. It doesn't get much more atmospheric (we think).

We plunge into the descent to the Selvino. A truly beautiful climb.

Fratelli d'Italia, l'Italia s'e desta. Brothers of Italy, Italy has risen. These are the first lines of the national anthem of Italy. These are the sounds that blare through the speakers just before the start of GF Felice Gimondi Bianchi. Everything here revolves around passion. The riders stand proudly next to their motorcycle. Is 'just' a Granfondo really starting here? It looks like a Giro stage is about to start!

GF Felice Gimondi

The 4,000 participants can choose from three different distances (89, 128 and 162 kilometers). We have decided to enjoy the Italian roads for as long as possible and are registered for the 'lungo' route of 162 kilometers. That's going to be quite a climb! We are successively presented with Colle dei Pasta, Colle del Gallo, Selvino, Costa d'Olda, Forcella di Bura, Forcella di Berbenno and Costa Valla Imagna. No climbs that everyone knows from the Giro, but it is beautiful cycling in Lombardy.

Make way for 'ciclisti'

We cycle out of the city in one large column. Well-groomed and tanned Italians pass us left and right. Our Dutch milky white legs stand out in stark contrast. We pass a huge traffic jam just outside the city. Italians simply close a section of the ring road to avoid the 'ciclisti' to give ample scope. No Italian would be surprised by that. Broadly across the road we set a course towards Colle dei Pasta. In all the hustle and bustle I quickly lost my traveling companions John and Lothar. No idea where they went.

Madonna dei Cyclisti

On the second climb of the day, I catch up with John again. I was completely convinced that he was cycling behind me... At the top of Colle del Gallo we pass the church of Madonna dei Cyclisti. The patron saint of cyclists watches over us during this ride. We plunge into the descent to the Selvino. A truly beautiful climb. The many hairpin bends provide a fabulous view. Beautiful to see the ribbon of cyclists coming up through the various bends here!

Costa d'Olda

John rushes into the descent of the Selvino. We reach speeds of more than 70 km/h. John, originally a mountain biker, navigates skillfully between the other participants. I have to make every effort to follow his trail. After the Selvino, a climb of 10 kilometers, the field of participants was shattered into pieces. No more large groups from here. On the way to Costa d'Olda we are presented with perhaps the most beautiful part of the route. We cycle through a beautiful valley to San Giovanni Bianco. Mountains left and right. And behind those mountains, in the distance, snow-capped peaks of the Italian Alps. It could be worse. At San Giovanni Bianco, the road starts to climb slightly. We drive through a narrow gorge with overhanging rocks. Just below the summit, in Sottochiesa, we can refill our water bottles in the natural spring in the village. At 26 degrees it is just a bit too warm for us Dutch.

Dead birds

The road to Costa Valla Imagna (final climb) is steep and in full sun. The distance, the mountains and the heat are starting to take their toll! We agree to wait for each other upstairs. I overtake a number of cyclists and encourage them. “Another 5 kilometers to the top!” I shout to them. “Another 4 kilometers!” I get blank looks back. Dead birds cycle here. Their legs move at a slow pace. Their gaze focused on a few centimeters of asphalt just in front of them. Then it is 4 kilometers far!

Hunger knock!

Upstairs, in Costa Valla Imagna, I wait for John. Together with John I descend to Bergamo. After the descent there is a stretch of false flat to Bergamo. With John on my wheel, I cycle against the wind here. I feel my legs getting heavier… picking up a few more dead birds that nestle gratefully in my wheel. Taking over is not an option. I continue to stomp, but I feel the hunger rising. A motorcycle from the organization rides 20 meters in front of us for the last 5 kilometers and leads us to the finish. I want to go to the motorcycle to get out of the wind for a while. When I accelerate, the engine speeds up too. Damn! With three dead birds on my wheel, I turn into the finish street. Finally! The finish arch! We roll across the finish line. The Italians who were on my wheel shook my hand gratefully.