Giro D'Italia 2019 Italian Trip

Weekend Away for the Wine Stage of the Giro d’ italia 2019.

As the start of the Giro D’italia will be around our home town we have decided to have a trip where will be watching the “BIG BOYS” playing with their bikes.

The 2 top attractions of this trip are the ride to admire the boys during the “Wine Stage” arrival in San Marino & a lovely ride to Florence crossing the back spine of Italy which are the “Apennines”.

Photo Credit @ Smart Travel Italy

Photo Credit @ Smart Travel Italy

You will be flying out from London Heathrow to Bologna on Saturday 18th of May 2019 where you will be whisked away on a private transport to Imola for lunch.

Our home base will be a wine farm in the hills of Faenza with a lovely swimming pool overlooking the fields.

We will be riding for 4 days.

  • Day 1 : After arrival we will be riding for 70km Ride;

  • Day 2 : Ride to San Marino to watch the “Wine Stage” 160km Ride;

  • Day 3 : Ride to Florence across the Apennines 110km Ride;

  • Day 4 : Ride to Ravenna for the start of stage 10. 60km Ride;

Photo Credit @ Italian Tribune

Photo Credit @ Italian Tribune

Please see details here:

Price per person:

GBP 440 for cyclist on double occupancy

GBP 350 for non cyclist on double occupancy

GBP 480 for cyclist on single occupancy

The prices above include:

  • Return flights with British Airways from London to Bologna 18/5/2019 return 21/5/2019 ;

  • Economy class including cabin luggage + 1 piece of luggage of 23kg (additional luggage can be added at your own cost). The 1 piece of luggage is your bike bag.

  • Private airport transfer for you and your bike.

  • Private Transfers in town.

  • 3 nights accommodation at Agriturismo La Sabbiona on a bed and breakfast basis.

  • Trip jersey .

  • Daily supported rides with guide and mechanical support if required.

  • Complimentary sport nutrition.

At your own cost:

  • Cooking course at Agriturismo La Sabbiona available at cost of £45 per person (2 and1/2 hours course and eating what cooked);

  • Cycling bibs of the Event kit available at £65;

  • Bicycle hire available please advise if required

  • Bike box hire available at £30, please advise if required;

  • Travel insurance (we recommend Yellow Jersey Insurance. Discount code available)

  • Incidental expenses

For more information please email us store@saddledrunk.com



Italian Trip 2019,Le Cime di Romagna

Ciao everyone is time to plan the 2019 Cycling Trips.We are offering 3 trips to all the SaddleDrunkers worldwide to join the members of the “SaddleDrunk Cycling Friends Club” in their trips.

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We are planning 3 different trips.

The trips details will be published in the next few days.

Trip 1 is to Faenza our annual trip taking part at the beginning of April in the Appennines only 65miles away from Florence & 25 miles away from Bologna. This trip is ideal preparation for any spring classic events.

See details of the trip below & if you like to join us feel free to contact us.

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Day 1 Friday 5th April

  • Flight with British Airways BA540 departing from London Heathrow at 8.00, arriving at Bologna G. Marconi Airport at 11.10.

  • Private transfer from Bologna Airport to Faenza where we’ll have lunch on route.

  • Stop in Imola by the old Formula 1 race track.

  • Arrival at Agriturismo La Sabbiona in Faenza & check in.

  • Bike preparation

  • Afternoon cycling ride including aperitif on the hills. Maps of the routes are available on Strava under SaddleDrunk Stef’s profile.

  • For non cyclist, relax at La Sabbiona, possible walk on the hills or around Faenza.

  • 8.30 pm Dinner at Osteria La Sghisa & night out in Faenza town centre.

DAY 2 Saturday 6th April

  • Relaxed morning start with breakfast 10 am approx. Cycling gentle ride (4/5 hours) with lunch en route. Maps of the routes are available on Strava under Stefano’s profile.

  • For non cyclists possible tour to Ravenna or Forli’.

  • Return and relax at the premises before dinner.

  • 8.30pm dinner in town at Casa Spadoni.

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DAY 3 Sunday 7th April

  • Early wake up 6.30 am breakfast

  • 7.30am – 8.30 am French rolling start of the race

  • Ride to the event start in the town centre (http://www.lecimediromagna.it/)

Three event route option to choose:

  1. Corto: http://www.lecimediromagna.it/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/corto.pdf

  2. Medio: http://www.lecimediromagna.it/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/medio.pdf

  3. Lungo: http://www.lecimediromagna.it/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/lungo.pdf

Please advise which one you would like to do.Along the course there will be Italian style feeding stations.Finish of the event with a nice Pasta Party (included in the event entry) with food and drinks also available for the non racers.For non cyclists option to meet the riders en route while sightseeing through the hills.

Return to La Sabbiona relax and celebration dinner on site.

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DAY 4 Monday 8th April

  • Relaxed morning start with breakfast and checkout, ride for maximum 3 hours.

  • 10.30 cooking course for those interested at cost of Euro 45 per person (2 hours course and eating what you have cooked).

  • Private transfer to Bologna Airport departure at 3.30pm

  • Return with British Airways BA545 departing Bologna at 18.50 and arriving at London Heathrow at 20.10.

In Italy we will be cycling on the other side of the road…

When riding please remember to take care of each others on and off the

bike. We leave together and we come back together on any ride with

exception of the Sunday race for which instructions will be given on site.

Price per person:

GBP 440 for cyclist on double occupancy

GBP 350 for non cyclist on double occupancy

GBP 480 for cyclist on single occupancy

The prices above include:

 Return flights with BA Economy class including 1 piece of luggage of 23kg

(additional luggage can be added at your own cost). The 1 piece of luggage

can be your bike bag.

 Private airport transfer for you and your bike.

 Private Transfers in town.

 Accomodation at Agriturismo La Sabbiona on a bed and breakfast basis.

 Le Cime di Romagna Event entry.

 Event jersey .

 Daily supported rides with guide and mechanical support if required.

 Complimentary sport nutrition.

 Celebration dinner on Sunday night including drinks.

At your own cost:

 All lunches and dinners with the exception of Cime di Romagna Pasta Party

which is included for cyclists and celebration dinner on Sunday which is

included for everyone

 Cooking course at Agriturismo La Sabbiona available at cost of £45 per

person (2 and1/2 hours course and eating what cooked)

 Cycling bibs of the Event kit available at £65

 Bicycle hire available please advise if required

 Bike box hire available at £30, please advise if required

 Travel insurance (we recommend Yellow Jersey Insurance. Discount code available)

 Incidental expenses

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For more information please email us store@saddledrunk.com

The Passionate Italian Weekend

Aprile 2018

Ciao a Tutti,

It has been a long time that I have not written something about Cycling Experiences to share with all our followers.

AYRTON SENNA MEMORIAL

AYRTON SENNA MEMORIAL

I will try not to bore you too much.

Few weekends ago a group of 16 from the SaddleDrunk Cycling Friends Club ( join us on Strava via this link ) went for a long weekend in Faenza, Emilia Romagna, Italy, Europe, Planet Earth.

They flew out early friday morning from the beautiful London to Bologna, capital of the some of the best Italian food…Like Bolognese Sauce the way it is called outside Italy,  Ragu another good one, Cappelletti, Tortellini, Ravioli , Tortelli, la “ “Mortazza” (Mortadella) & much more…not to mention that Bologna host the oldest university in Europe….

Agriturismo La Sabbiona

Agriturismo La Sabbiona

SD staff & I pick them up from the airport and whisked them away to Imola to have an amazing lunch inside the tragically famous Formula 1 race track  where 2 pilots lost their lifes long time ago…RIP Ratzenberg & Senna where we visited their memorials. Really a big touch feeling for me as I saw it with my eyes that tremendous weekend…

OK!!..let’s get a grip and bang on Cycling…We got to the lovely Agriturismo La Sabbiona, after check & prepared out bikes we headed out to the lovely Brisighella a Medieval town.

Local Delicacies

Local Delicacies

After our lovely ride in the hills to get new fresh oxygen in our lungs, plenty of fun during the ride including a lovely crash in the first downhill.

We refreshed ourselves & headed out to Town for a meal in a traditional Osteria.

Osteria la Sghisa as usual made us feeling at home with their friendly staff and the astonishing food where we partied until late to celebrate Laura's Birthday.

Laura's Gluten Free cake

Laura's Gluten Free cake

The Saturday, we woke up gently by the sounds of the "Galletto" in the farm.Followed up by an Italian & Intercontinental breakfast fuelling up for our day on the bike. 

We spent all day on a bike touring around the hills and preparing for the Granfondo Le Cime Di Romagna 2018 the following day organised by the Gruppo Sportivo Ciclistico Avis Faenza.

Local Art

Local Art

In the evening we had another amazing meal at Casa Spadoni where everyone was able to enjoy more culinary delicacies from the area of Emilia Romagna. 

Italian Style Aperitif Time

Italian Style Aperitif Time

A team photo at the feed station!!

A team photo at the feed station!!

The Sunday morning we had an early wake due to the 7:30 start of the event.The 3 various distances were perfect for the different group abilities. The distance covered were Corto, Medio & Lungo. 

Everyone had great fun,and we all enjoyed the “LOCAL’s” attentions, the friendly event’s staff,the well organised event and routes and the well stocked feed stations.

We were awarded 2 trophies due to be the furthest team. The trophies were a really long & thick      “ SALAMI “ and a big ceramic vase from one of the local ceramist in Faenza.

Faenza is very well known in the world thanks to be the home of Ceramics.

Prize Ceremony to be the farthest travelled Team.

Prize Ceremony to be the farthest travelled Team.

The last day of our trip was a realxing day where we had a really slow where we enjoyed our breakfast.

Our local host Serena owner of La Sabbiona, prepared our class room with flour,eggs, rolling pins, chef’s hat & all other items needed to complete the cooking course.

At the end of the course all the “students” were able to eat the food made during the class & well earned after sweating.

As the weekend was more than amazing, we will make this an annual event for the club.Therefore if you like to be part of just join us at ride@saddledrunk.com

I hope you enjoyed the reading and remember to be safe on the road.

Ciao

SD 

Setting new best FTP's while making Pasta.

Setting new best FTP's while making Pasta.