Why YOU MUST Ride Italy’s Oldest Cycling Classic – Gran Fondo Tre Valli Varesine #thrilling #chaos

With my fitness coming back ‘on stream’ after the Haute Route Dolomites and the Porlock Hill Climbs, late on I decided for a final hit out in Italy – taking on the UCI Granfondo Tre Valli Varesine, one of the oldest classics in Europe, with an enticing looking Goldilocks course, not too long and not too short – comprising 125km and 2200m of elevation… on closed roads an in a truly sublime part of Italy (just north of Milan).

The objective was simple – pace it intelligently and give it my max!! Fast & Furious ensued !!

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00:00 Introduction
02:05 CHAOS at the Start
06:30 First Climb – FULL GAS
08:58 Losing Places on the Descent
10:02 Steeling WATTS in the Draft
10:59 Taking Places back on 2nd climb
13:14 Flat, Fast & Beautiful
14:10 Racing by the Lake
16:05 STEEP STEEP CLIMB ! Max Effort
18:03 Cobbled Climb
18:54 Fast to the Final Climb
20:56 CHAOS REIGNS SUPREME !!

Or welcome one and all to bike racy without Mercy in the beautiful city of the racy for the UCI Grand Fondo Trey Valley ver racing 120 km 2,300 M of climbing plus proper serious bike race this there’s Elite cyclists team cars and all that kind of stuff I’m in a 45

To 49 age group really looking forward to it but at the same time proper nervous going to be recording a race on a front camera on the bike that’s all but looking forward to it and what a place to sign on got my number got my chip the level of concern is

Rising and for those who like their bikes he’s a little bit cheeky isn’t he well look what I just stumbled across at my hotel it’s a support for those of talent definitely not for the 45 to 49y Old mammals plenty of support though look at that well yesterday’s wcky of the route

Was a big and burning off 3,000 calories so today Saturday ahead of the race tomorrow recovering large has been on my mind starting with a big old breakfast three eggs loads of carbohydrates the recovery is continuing a pace this afternoon and this evening as you’ll see embracing the Italian lifestyle with the

Fater ra man comp Pomodori I mean look at this and the these Tomatoes I can confirm are succulent and sweet check this out this is the good life tonight’s carbar is flavored Zen from Chris FS Breakaway to win the stage of the jro talion the CER finestra

And ultimately the jro itself I learned that value of rice in the pre-race Cara so rice it is well in tre bik racing without Mercy style chaos range this is the 50 to 54 r pen I can get into that but I can’t get into my pen a 45 to

49 so I’m just going to see what happens see if I can filter in after the 45 to 49 roll out mental note next time get her a little bit earlier check that out you got to admire the persistence there that is one intricate maneuver oh and another one goes through too Literally I love all things Italian but this is she chaos at his absolute fin literally 120 km 2,300 M of climbing on that much water no bars I have good news we formed up I’m in the right P I’m out the b I’m out the B is this us moving I’ve got no idea it was indeed us moving or me nearly moving and whilst 250 mammals aged 45 to 49 completed either the media Fondo or the grand Fondo it felt like many more than 250 lined up in the start pin all like me fighting off our midlife

Crisis proper school boy era starting from the back I mean everybody knows to get in a zift pen early anyway from the h rout dolomites as you’ve seen I’m well practice in moving up from the back and riding around and not through the real life Homo Sapien Avatar drift is after

All only a game please do remember personally I cannot think of a better way to undertake a tour of a city I mean stick your big bus tours where the sun don’t shine high on the carbs the caffeine and the Italian DOL chevita I applied the

Power with intent a lot of moving up was done in a few serous first 20 minutes to the chaos but not the Carnage of the first climb I massively recommend this event stick at a top your cycling bucket list a truly epic display of all that is

Bella in Italia with passion carbon and color played out in a Fantastico undulating and mesmerizing closed Road parkours providing a bounty of speed challenge exhilaration adrenaline and endorphins it’s truly inclusive offering terrain for all tastes the climbers the Diesels the downhill missiles and of course the

Punchers and clocking in at 125 km with 2,200 M of elevation it’s the perfect distance to have A Grand Day Out open up the tabs let it rip potato chip no danger of this turning into an endurance Fest I kept saying to myself just get up

To at least one more group philli but the legs were they felt Diamond so rinse and repeat was the name of the game I found a nice group to draft for the first time [Applause] now sounds as satisfying as a Ferrari accelerating through a tunnel doesn’t it

2246 is dragging me to the next group nice 1 c46 it’s an uphill drag to the Desco the first climb so while the draft felt good the need to press on prevailed because I knew that the flats and the descend that the waiter could be expensive for me TimeWise the eagle has

Landed the first and longest climb about 4 and 1/2 km is incoming merge off to the right here 214 WS average and 249 normalized simply doesn’t do justice to the perceived effort and exhilaration invested to get to the base of the first climb I mean I

Thought I was giving filipo Gana a run for his money I’m going to settle in a threshold about 270 in just a moment and now really time to settle in and find the Rhythm with closed roads and loads of carrots to chase the Rhythm was upbeat this is a lovely miniature Alpine

Climb comprising six hairpins winding up over 4.3 km at 7% gradient all very digestible and a m head CC porlock toll road hill clim event two weeks prior have prepared me well speaking of good energy and lul CH Vita this is the kind of event that

Chris Miller and Jesse Coy they of the Nero show Regular Smash and as you’ll see this race is so so good that I reckon they should make a pilgrimage to Veri one October Hy right a number of these including the guy in the white bibs go back past me on

The Descent but on the next climb I gradually reel them back in wait and see anyway [Applause] in my own mind I felt that I made my way back up towards the top 25% of the 45 to 49 Field by now my delusion knows literally no B B that was proper I

Dispatched a climb in 16 minutes averaging 282 W 16.3 kmh Chia Chow incredible and uplifting support from the locals throughout the entire event start to finish but now it was time for a little bit of payback on The Descent where I got passed by the many and not the

Few definitely my descending improved it’s a lot more fluid but it isn’t Ultra rapid therefore I kept a nice t line on the inside to make it easy for people to passy Cy Mr biano bib shorts showing me who boss I’m losing quite a lot of places on the

Descending Fu me generally the descending was really good and respectful but from the few it was a little bit agricultural at times got it speaking of city tours earlier this is the only way and I do mean the only way to tour the great legs

Of Italy I could do being in the group here but it’s going to ride my race and as if by Magic the diesel engines arrive and now time for the little cyclists aka me to steal a Sly piggy back from the big boys all kinds of energy being [Applause] saved

Will be it not without it risk premium it’s not really theft of what I’m sure you’ll understand it’s simply business cycling business second climb incoming 2.2 km at normal gradi it’s like 6 7% then it shallows off for four I guesstimated that if I rode a consistent threshold power I’d wheel

Back in the diesel engines who just departed hot and likely ATT Tad too hard excepting of course that obviously this little burst was not threshold as Hannibal would say I love it when a plan comes together Senor biano good to see you again cowo chow chow legs and lungs a okay at this

Stage diesel engine alert diesel engine and with a nice little flourish on the pedals vectoring in at the top of the climb 9 minutes 35 275 wats about 18 km hour and after a very brief descent to 4 km shallow gradient climb to follow or bit with a very bad Road surface as

You’ll see I threw caution to the wind and hit this at ramming speed and For Your Entertainment the Trey Valley grand fond ver scene lays on a little bit more Italian chaos it Eed and flowed throughout the whole 4km I was on and off the power it felt very much like a crit

Race including the first 2 km the whole climb took just under 17 minutes 22 km hour about 235 WS all in and then for a luxurious and fast section on good tat moving up a couple of groups on the road in order to get back on track with our Italian sightseeing Adventure see

CIA gra gra is there anything better than smoking through historic Villages and towns with crumbling walls winding roads and passages plus Oodles of intrigue strapo straeto CIA Chow here comes some diesel train time for definitely not stealing other people’s WS it’s definitely not stealing it’s cycling business and a self-preservation society was in full swing this is after all an Italian Job I’m staying on top of the eating and drinking as I say you can keep your big

Bus tours or gentle hikes this is Cy tourism without Mercy speaking of which holy how impressive is that with our man piloting his incredible machine at the fcam of the pelaton it was time to negotiate the next clock not too short not too long [Applause] Goldilocks this is the first time I’d

Ridden in groups of other cyclists since the accident back in May 22 and I was finding my confidence rather enjoying [Applause] it time I thought to get a closer look at this contration come exet Miss nice [Applause] one this was a great group but unfortunately my GoPro battery was on

Fumes and for me personally artistic output favors improvements to the minor minor can they even be seen with the naked eyed placings right a nasty steep climb is incoming so I stopped to invest 90 seconds in a battery swap as an FYI I won’t do this on a move because I don’t

Want to put anyone else at risk as you can see bedro to vasio orz is a delightfully place little brute of an ascent and it was certainly fitting that the UK Hill Climb season across the channel was well underway but for the little people time to make up some

Places and hopefully get back to the diesel engines I just let go earlier come for the middle cheers reeling people back in but not quite yet the Diesels dearly departed they come later the breathing was intense but the legs were good as was the tarmac way way

Better as felt than in the late district with polock let alone the den Sarah climbing I Bea see a previous video for that and this in turn makes a massive difference on the Steep stuff you can stay in the saddle for longer and turn off good Cadence another decent climb for me just

Over 5 minutes on the straa segment but for all of the climbing just under 6 minutes on training Peaks either way 288 watts in about 12 1/2 km an hour time and to boot a wonderful medieval reward on The Descent mey mey oops this is difficult what’s coming

Wo trying to get into a group here put a flat and here I hit your lift to get back with the diesel engines you’ll see the one with the black and white zebra Jersey shortly keep your eye on the guy in the brightest stanner blue because he features for the rest of the

Race for the privilege of hanging with this group on the flat to come I had to stay with them on The Descent but luckily it didn’t get too Larry people kept nice safe lines and therefore all was well [Applause] and my reward for The Descent the swoosh of carbon cutting through the sweet

Sweet air just after here I tried a Bad Bunny harop over a sleeping policeman and lost my only remaining water bottle with anything in it proper parched I was by the end of this I respect our man in Blue on his bmc’s attention to detail color coordination

Supreme he tries to give us a slip here but the carbs in my system remain vigilant and on Stream So I respond and we Bridge across to a Powerhouse this is the final run to the climb that takes us back into the city of aasi and it’s imperative to get a draft or

Alternatively have big AO power and with the powerhouses work done and drained I bid him a very grateful I mean truly grateful farewell remember this isn’t stealing whats it really isn’t stealing promise Scouts honor and now the final climb back back into the city center shallow steep shallow steep apply the

Power accordingly and it gets well shall we say a little bit exhilarating at times nice recovery and here amongst us some the diesel engines including the zebra top that I left to change the battery for the GoPro yep that was a zebra top nearly taken me out so time now to accelerate after and out and find me some Sanctuary things had calmed down and this was a small shallow section so I laid off the power to conserve some energy for the Steep of it luck was with

Me today because once again I do love it when a plan comes together because as you’ll see in a moment I do reel all of these back in for a nice cinematic finish you can just make out our man in Blue on the horizon there it becomes bigger very

Shortly one more shallow and then another steep kicker before we hit the final flat and fast running to the Finish Line in ver scene and Glory well the minor minor can they even be see with a naked eye placings kind of Glory with the endorphins flowing

Profusely I’m now honing back in on our man in blue and I know that all in this group have nice little kicks 7 Minutes 44 average power 251 wat 22 km an hour by my standard the legs lasted well when in Italy from The Spectators

You do hear die die die quite a lot and I thought there must be another meaning but it really does mean perish whoops that was a little bit friendly for my liking and now time to unleash my shotgun or Sprint and yes you may say

This is only adding in just a bit more power but trust me from the Fage point of the spectators this is an impressive Sprint help dear me I massively enjoyed that like so much that was definitely I think the best outing on a bike in terms of the

Fitness and the power the pacing and the eating that I’ve ever had didn’t quite make the whole 125 km 2,200 M of climbing it turned out didn’t quite make it in just under 4 hours about 4 hours 1 minute or so but super happy with that boy oh boy was it chaos at

Times that’s a real high to end the grand Pondo season well sometimes just occasionally life gives you a very pleasant surprise check this out 5 Seconds under 4 hours woo that is proper cool look 31.3 average speed definitely helped by there being no wind and some proper diesel engines

To drag me along on the flats look at that 231 W normalized power over the just under that’s the just under let’s forget the 5 Seconds just under 4 hours oh Deary me oh oh de me what is going on there left 53 right 47 come on it could have made it perfect

Today 50/50 where are you where are you and I now present to you two sides for Sore Eyes Of course Jane but Jane armed with Aga so the climbers and the racers at last is Pike racing without Mercy after all the AGA spoils