Pre Giro Donne
June 29th, 2010 by Ashleigh Moolman Pasio
Me and my Pinarello waiting for the train to Tirano
The past two weeks, since my racing experience in Spain, I have been in Italy preparing for the Giro Donne which starts this Friday, 2 July. My preparation has included some specific training, such as lots of climbing reps and time trialing on my new Pinarello TT bike, but it has also included pre-viewing some of the critical stages.
Just before I came over to Europe, I read Lance Armstrong’s book “Every Second Counts”. Whilst reading this book, I realized just how precise Lance is in his preparation for the Tour de France. He spends a lot of time rehearsing the critical stages in each edition of the Tour, in order to ensure he knows exactly what to expect when race day arrives. In Lances words: “If I rehearsed the pain, punishing my body enough and did enough work, maybe it wouldn’t hurt so bad during the Tour itself”. Being based in Italy, I decided that I would take Lance’s advise. I also know that I am a person that thrives on visualization and planning ahead. Knowing what to expect allows me to race more confidently and as a result more aggressively.
Giro Donne 2010
First some background on the Giro. The Giro is a 10 day stage race, starting in Muggia, a small Italian commune in the extreme south-east of Trieste lying on the border of Slovenia and ending in Monza some 10km north-northeast of Milan. Monza is best known for its Grand Prix Motor racing circuit, the Autodromo Nazionale Monza, where the final stage of the Giro Donne will start.
The 2010 Giro Donne is said to be the hardest Giro yet, and probably the first women’s tour to resemble the structure of a men’s tour so closely. The tour starts with four flat stages, one being an individual time trial. Stage 5 and 6 introduce some rolling hills to get the climbing legs warmed up for stage 7, 8 and 9 which include tough climbs; finishing off with a flat and fast final stage in Monza. The stages that I have previewed are stage 6, 7 and 9.
Stage 6 – Gallarate-Arcisate – 7 July
Route and profile for stage 6 of Giro Donne 2010
The first stage I previewed is stage 6 from Gallarate to Arcisate. Conveniently, this stage starts 20km from our base in Castronno and practically passes our flat on route to very familiar training grounds. I felt this was an important stage to preview, as it was the first stage with noticeable climbs, two category 3 climbs in close succession. Although on paper the hills appear insignificant, when ridden in reality, they could pose to be a significant factor in race tactics. If caught snoozing, this could be a breakaway day where a time gap could form between potential GC riders.
View of Luino valley from one of the category 3 climbs on route
Stage 7 – Como-Albese – 8 July
Route and profile of stage 7 Giro Donne 2010
Stage 7 is another critical stage, as it includes the first big climbs of the tour, Pian Tivano and Ghisallo. I unfortunately was only able to ride Pian Tivano, as it was too far to ride to Ghisallo from Castronno and Como is not easily accessible by train from Castronno. I am satisfied however, because Pian Tivano is the biggest climb of the day. This will be a decisive climb in the tour, as it is inevitable that the first major GC selection will take place here.
View of Lake Como from Pian Tivano
The climb is 15km long and very steep at times. A real climber’s paradise! We ride along the shores of Lake Como for the first 15km before starting Pian Tivano climb just outside of Nesso. This section is very similar to the ride along the coast from Camps Bay to Hout Bay in South Africa. It is a gradual climb all the way to Nesso. The amazing thing however, is that on the profile above, it does not even appear to be a climb at all. This is an indication of how big and steep Pian Tivano really is. The climbs back home in South Africa just don’t even compare!
Climbing up Pian Tivano, the first big climb in the Giro Donne
Stage 9 – Livigno-Passo Stelvio – 10 July
Route and profile for stage 9 of Giro Donne 2010
Stage 9 was by far the most important stage to preview. It starts in Livigno, in the Italian Alps and finishes on top of Passo dello Stelvio at 2758m above sea level. Stelvio is the highest paved mountain pass in the Eastern Alps, and the second highest in the Alps, slightly below the Col de l’Iseran at 2770 m. Wow, wow, wow, what a climb. I have never before climbed something so awesome and so big! Previewing this stage involved catching a train from Castronno to Tirano and then a bus to Bormio where I we spent two nights. It was a five hour journey both ways, but well worth the effort.
Half way up Stelvio with some of the many switch backs in the background
Stelvio pass is by far the biggest and toughest climb of the Giro. It is 18km long, has 39 switch backs in total and has gradients of up to 14% at times. There is absolutely no doubt that the tour will be won or lost on this climb. It was an invaluable experience riding the pass, getting to know every detail of the climb.
At the top of Stelvio with snow in the background
Riding Stelvio was not only an important part of my preparation for the Giro, but it was also a once in a life time experience. The scenery was breathtaking and the experience unreal! I can’t wait for the race up Stelvio on the 10th July!
