Wobble Board Versus Bosu

huts Marcarolo rejected half 'of the work.

Certainly the weather was not very promising. And we also started from Milan in the rain.

Pero 'approach in Novi we had gradually deluded to conclude the tour program. A challenging ride, there's no 'that is, a beautiful combination of distance and difference: from Novi, through the park huts Marcarolo down to Genoa and then climb up the gully and return to Novi. Alessandro weatherman Narici us by Virgil. We are in the streets in Novi 6: Alessandro, Aldo, Conrad, Henry, Renato and me.

are the most 'seasoned group, so worried in the first pedal strokes. The first kilometers Gavi to run quite happily. Time seems to hold and the road between the hills and 'really nice. Sure 'sti rolling hills of Novi are not sweet at all. Every 4-5 kilometers places you a tear of those that puts a strain on the gearbox and legs.

searches into the sky from the top of Mount Lanzone.

Pero 'at the end are nice kilometers, in which every now and then we talk (certainly not the long tear) and reconciled with a soothing bucolic landscape. So far so good, then Alex started with the history of Mangiaebevi. He has his own concept of Mangiaebevi: an irregular slope with an average gradient of less than 10% and 'still a "Mangiaebevi. Clearly, in this Mangiaebevi you always end up very, very thirsty. Well: The attack on the uphill approach to the huts and Marcarolo 'just a typical Mangiaebevi Alexandria. The downhill is always fast and very short and tearing up those last 500-700 m always too many. But in the end we come to attack the climb.

The rise plans Praglia is divided into two parts. The first and 'regular and hard enough: sale of approximately 330 m in little more 'than 4 km. From here, after a quick slight slope, go down for a few miles and then begins a iregolarissimo but deadly "Mangiaebevi" to step.

Corrado, one of the rare times in which 'can be photographed from the front

As was expected from the script and Ale Corrado (who are riding in another league) start at the bottom of the first ascent and they meet again at the top. Renato and I follow, with Henry just behind us. At the top, Aldo tells us that he decided to come and greet us: that we are already counting 'will end over the km40' himself with more 'than 80 km in my legs.

Renato, Henry, Al, Conrad, Aldo

The descent to the bottom of the park and 'beautiful. Heaven and 'black and swollen with rain but the view and' charming. A wild valley, completely deserted, with a stream that runs deep between the spurs of rock excavated from the water. It 's a totally traffic-free street, it seems to ride on a long bike path. Once in the valley and passes under the Gorzente the road starts to climb.

Renato equips himself before the descent into the park

It 's a challenging climb. It proceeds in fits and starts in fact, not 'can take a regular rhythm 'cause the slope is constantly changing and often force bends and curves to skidding.

There 's also a short stretch of pave', near the site that recalls the martyrs of Benedicta, a farmhouse in the center of a cluster of houses in the forest Marcarolo. Here in 1944 the Nazi-Fascists killed 147 supporters and deported after destroying 400 buildings.

Discussing wheels on top of a step

Gradually, however, 'the altimeter marks quite a gain in altitude, but unfortunately, beyond the 700 m start riding within a cloud. The sky ' really black now, and begins to drop a few drops. When we reach the top of the climb it rains with the decision: we watch the descent immersed in fog. It is not worth risking unnecessarily long technical descent with visibility 'and reduced rain. Basically we are not paid for it (for the moment, at least: Ale is waiting for those of you a contract with Liquigas).

The descent towards Campo Ligure and 'really funny: the road winds through the woods with a sinuous curve and' brushing a pleasure (as much care as the damp patch of gravel and a few).

From Campo Ligure mean returning to Gavi and Novi along the Provincial Turchino: in practice we slight slope pedal fast for about twenty kilometers to then hang at the starting point of the climb to the huts. From then on, it's just redo the contrary, "beviemangia" to Novi.

panoramic view of the worrying and meteorologically Park huts Marcarolo

down in the valley and Corrado Ale to shoulder the heavy task of drivers medium worthy of motorcyclists: they earn the big gratitude to Enrico, Renato and myself. A providential level crossing requires us to stop one and luckily I have a moment to draw breath: at every turn or hill they helped a 45 km / h and I like a mule I struggle to remain attached to the hubs of those before me.

At this point the role of Alexander is crucial: we are all a bit 'and then matured our Virgil decides to rattle off little by little all the difficulties' that remain before the finish. Exceeded the tear scratchy Belforte Monferrato Alexander tells us: there are 5 climbs.

From here onwards, 'all our Virgil in a peer waiting for the countdown. Every time the road goes Virgil pronunciation. We eagerly await its verdict in the fateful hope "here, after this ... less than 3". Every time he announces cheerfully instead Virgilio 'And' just a hill ... " or (even worse) 'and' a tear in the interim "feel sad mutterings of disappointment and calls for Alex to go get someone to speak.

Then, just after Gavi, Ale announces seriously do authoritative: "this' a climb, tough."

Urca. And he's right. Short stuff, sure, but 12-13% when you're about 100 miles and more 'than 2 thousand meters in the legs and' really a razor.

And we realize that the beviemangia can 'be even worse than Mangiaebevi. But there is little, two little rise and a short "tear in the interim" and we are back to Novi. At the end

110 km and 2200 m climb milled average of nearly 26kmh.

Rain? We left the hut at the top of Marcarolo, along with the desire to try the descent to Genoa and the passage of the nozzle. But will 'for another time.

The photos here are . While the file for GoogleEarth and ' here