The Unknown & The Traditions , China & Italy

Ciao SaddleDrunkers,

We are pleased to announce the collaboration between Emilia Romagna Region & the Granfondo Yunnan aimed to promote cycling tourism and non professional cycling towards the two regions and scout a brand new tourist market such as China.

The project has succeeded thanks to a teamwork among APT Servizi - the Emilia Romagna Tourist Board , Terrabici - the Emilia Romagna consortium of bike hotels and incoming tour operators (www.terrabici.com) - and the two cycling companies SaddleDrunk & Nordic Ways, where everyone aim to promote cycling tourism in respective destination using the Granfondo events .

Colourful Yunnan Granfondo Cycling Festival (better known as Granfondo Yunnan) reputation has grown year after year around the world from the first edition in 2014, making this one of the most favourites cycling events in Asia, hosting now 1,000 cyclists, from 35 different countries, running six stages in a gorgeous setting.

By the partnership with Granfondo Yunnan, Emilia Romagna Tourist Board & Terrabici Consortium will have the opportunity to introduce and promote the Granfondos which make up the "Romagna Challenge" Cycling Marathons Circuit (http://www.romagnachallenge.com/), enabling the Granfondo Yunnan's participants and non participants to discover a challenging art of tourism in Italy, and enabling the Italian’s participants to discover China.

Some more information about the Cycling Experience in Emilia Romagna - Cycling in Emilia Romagna is definitely a wealth of opportunities for “bike enthusiasts”! This Italian Region is worldwide renowned for history, art, traditions, food and wine treasures, as well as fascinating itineraries between the Adriatic Sea and Apennines and - not to be forgotten - the several great cycling champions of past and present. Carefully planned routes allow cycling tourists to discover nature parks and reserves of great beauty, sightseeing fortified medieval villages set on hill's tops, taste some of the best and most deliciuos Italian Food and Wines (the Region is reputed to be the Italian Food Valley). A huge range of opportunities as for distance, elevation gain and gradient. The routes are suitable for different types of cyclists: cyclists who practice cycling as a sport, leisure cyclists who like to go on excursions by bike and the mountain bike lovers.

2020 is going to be again a great "Cycling Year" in Emilia Romagna. From March till June almost every week-end a fully schedule of Granfondos running from Bologna to Cattolica at the southern border with the Marche region. In detail the Granfondo Cassani (Faenza) Granfondo del Po (Ferrara), Granfondo Dieci Colli (Bologna), Granfondo del Sale (Cervia), Granfondo degli Squali (Cattolica), Granfondo Ride Riccione (Riccione), Granfondo Pantani (Cesenatico) . Moreover next may the 50th edition of the Granfondo Nove Colli in Cesenatico will host on the same route, in the same week, one Giro d’Italia stage, plus more two stages will take place in the region (to be defined).

Lastly but not least the cooperation between APT Servizi - the Emilia-Romagna Region Tourist Board - and Terrabici - the consortium of 43 bike hotels and two incoming tour operators specialised in customized accommodation and services for bikers -, which is the ground of a successfully best practice to promote cycling tourism towards this region worldwide.

If you want more informations about the events mentioned here, please feel free to get in touch with us via the contact form to find out about the various travel packages available for those destinations.

Ciao & Stay Safe

SD Team

Granfondo Marco Pantani Weekend

Ciao a tutti,

After the last Italian trips we have decided to organise another trip to Italy for the weekend of the Granfondo Marco Pantani in September 2019.

You will be able to ride some of Marco’s Climbs.

We will be doing a long weekend leaving the Friday morning from London Heathrow & returning on Monday evening.

The trip include 4 days of cycling in Marco’s Land in the beautiful Region of Emilia Romagna, visiting some of the iconic places where he trained & lived, enjoying the sceneries,history & local cuisine.

Emilia Romagna is also land of many other professionals cyclists,champions of the past & present, hence the Giro D’Italia 2019 had 6 stages in the region including the start & the time trial up to San Marino.

The Granfondo is held the Sunday of the weekend of the 21st & 22nd of September, the day after the UCI 1.1 race which many Pro Tour Teams attend the event to pay respect to Marco.

Marco Pantani at the time of Carrera Team.

We will be staying at 4* Hotel Lungomare in Cesenatico where will be enjoying the amazing facilities & the professional services provided by the hotel staff.

A quick brief of the details are listed below & or you can click here for full details.

PROGRAM

Friday 20th of September 2019

• Flight from London Heathrow to Bologna on BA 540

• Private transfer to 4* Hotel Lungomare in Cesenatico

• Check In Hotel

• Buffet Lunch in hotel

• 3 hours Ride with Guide

• Return on the Hotel,relax in the wellbeing centre & yoga on the beach

• Visit to the Marco Pantani Museum

• Dinner in Cesenatico

Saturday 21th of September 2019

• Breakfast

• 3-4 hours bike ride 

• Watch the arrival of the UCI 1.1 Memorial Marco Pantani Pro Race

• Return on the Hotel,relax in the wellbeing centre & yoga on the beach

• Dinner in Hotel

Sunday 22th of September 2019

• Early Breakfast

• Granfondo Pantani

• Pasta Party

• Return on the Hotel,relax in the wellbeing centre & yoga on the beach

• Aperitif in Cesenatico 

• Dinner in Cesenatico with Marco Pantani’s Mother

Monday 23th of September 2019

• Breakfast

• 3 hours Ride

• Lunch back at the hotel

• Dismount the bikes

• Transfer to Bologna Airport

• Flight Bologna to Heathrow BA545 18:50 arrive at 20:00

If you like to hear more infos please email us ride@saddledrunk.com .

Ciao for now from the SaddleDrunk Team.

SD

Review of "The Program" Movie

SaddleDrunk were this week invited by, Chris Ward of workwhereyoulike.com, to a private screening of “The Program” a film based on the book “Seven Deadly Sins: My Pursuit of Lance Armstrong” by David Walsh, Chief Sports writer at The Sunday Times.

The guests consisted of cycling aficionados, from the boys from www.girocycles.com , www.road.cc and www.milltag.cc amongst many others. So there was an assumption that they were all very familiar with the story that was about to unfold in front of them, albeit from the personal perspective of the author.

The film is directed by Stephen Frears, his notable works include My Beautiful Laundrette, Dangerous Liaisons, High Fidelity, The Queen and Philomena. The films focus was on the systematic use of performance enhancing drugs by Lance Armstrong to win the greatest cycling race of all, Le Tour. The race sequences are well shot using current pro-cyclists, such as Yanto Barker and David Millar was the cycling consultant on the film.

Ben Foster who played Armstrong was strong and very convincing, and at times you believe you are watching Armstrong as was Jesse Plemons (Breaking Bad) playing ultra religious, Floyd Landis.

What none of the audience was expecting were any surprises or shock revelations, there were none. We know the story virtually inside out; we have watched all the documentaries, read the books by former teammates and kept right up to date with all the news via the net. So were we the target audience probably not, the audience I would say are those who are just getting into cycling and sports fans of all genres who care about keeping the future of their sport honest, pure and genuine. But also it’s the age-old story of the underdog taking on power and money at the risk of being ridiculed and discredited, who doesn’t love that story?

It’s a good watch but seek out the documentaries if you have as yet to see them: “Stop at Nothing” and “The Armstrong Lie” for a greater insight as to how this man operated. I would also recommend reading Tyler Hamilton’s “The Secret Race”, a former team mate of Armstrong’s and David Millar’s “Racing Through the Dark: The Fall and Rise of David Millar” to get an insight as to why young men choose to cheat and how they deal with their downfall.

Real life is much more gritty and harsh, the movie was a little too generous to the protagonist. This film was based on the authors personal journey to expose a cheat in a sport he loves, this I understand but now it is time to draw a line under this and all doping affairs and look to a time when this ends. But when fame and fortune are being offered in an arena where only the tough and ruthless survive, this may just be something we all hope may happen.

As a foot note the film has an excellent soundtrack which complements the film.

Chris O"Dowd plays David Walsh, The Sunday Times journalist

Easy reading for a sunny coffee..

The first week of January has gone.

During celebrations chats with friends and family loads of ideas,resolutions has been said,over said 1000 times. This is amazing.But have you actually started.

I hope so.If not just start now,it is never too late and make sure you keep rolling.My motto is "just keep rolling".One day you will stop forever,and there will be no going back. Just do it, small or big workouts,exercises, rides does not matter. Be constant,do not feel peer pressured by others.Be you.Let's yourself set the targets,don't follow others.I am not teaching you rocket science,but those are basics, that sometimes we forget.

During this time of the year sales for memberships in gyms,clubs,teams,classes rises above the sky. Again on this, think twice.Make your money going further.Think about the nice weather,the cold weather,all the factors that can happen during 365 days. Remember #outsideisfree , be #SaddleDrunk, intoxicated with the freedom of cycling.

If you are lucky enough to be selected you might join the Rapha Cycling Club, for £ 200 a year to get you a coffee and a cap.Not bad deal.

If you join our club for only £ 36 a year you get more than a coffee.Join our rides,free gifts and more.For more info email us at store@saddledrunk.com .

We,at SaddleDrunk are taking booking for a long weekend of cycling in the Italian Apennines,in the area of Marco Pantani's training land to take part in a Granfondo and degustate some of the local delicacies. The date for it is 26 of April 2015.

We are also planning another ride to Paris for the summer period open to everyone willing to take up this challenge.

For more info about the little trips feel free to get in touch.

Look out for more info for the Racing team.

Be safe in the road.

Have a good weekend.

SD Team.