Events vibes

Great mates, an unexpected birth, a lot of climbing, warm sun and a lot of prosecco. Can you ask for more from a weekend?

We’ve been to the first edition of Nova Eroica Prosecco Hills and Hard Colli too with the big guys of the Collective, while Frank was forced to stay home working and couldn’t make it to the Drittoni ride. So what? The sexiest mustache of the Maremma went to Ganza Gravel instead.

Let’s hear from them instead of a neutral report! There’s also a komoot collection in case you want to cycle some portions of what we did this weekend. Cheers!

As I arrived in Borgoluce I had one and only exclamation: “qua gira schei!” (here there is money)

Great organization, easy loop with amazing sceneries on the Prosecco hills. A lot of beautiful people. 

The lunch looked like a wedding, very well presented with a lot of Prosecco and other wines. 

Nova Eroica is set to have great success over time.  

I left home at 8:30 am to arrive in Borgoluce at 9:00 am after a 15 km ride.

I arrived there thinking I would find nobody but I actually met 100 people, a huge garden facing the hills, music, a buffet with coffee and cakes, wine bottles and the skewer already turning on the fire… I was already the happiest person in the World.

We started on the best mood, looking to come back as soon as possible to enjoy the place’s flow after the finish line.

The 55 km ride turned to be a great one, very easy but with wonderful landscapes and unseen roads. I thought for a second I was 300 km away from my home. Truth is I was just about 15 km from my town.

1:00 pm we are back, starving and thirsty. I happened to be at the Tigers table and among a great company, good wine and tasty food 4:00 pm arrived in a second. Days like this should never end.

A format that needs no introductions. It was amazing to be back, see again so many friends, make new ones and finally be able to share experiences all together. I’m talking here about a high level event, rivers on Prosecco wine, unreal feed zones along the way and a giant skewer for lunch at the end.

more friends than kilometers. Yes, we like it like that. Needless to say this zero edition has given great expectation for the first real Nova Eroica Prosecco Hills next year. It was a perfect day: the hills around Valdobbiadene were never disappointing, the people were cool af – as always, the feed zones were like a dream and Borgoluce was lit.

Photo: Nova Eroica / Paolo Penni Martelli / Dario Codato

Alarm set at 5:00 am to reach the Colli Euganei on time for the start. Which means about 70 km to get rid of some Prosecco drinked at the Nova Eroica before arriving on the start line. 

As soon as I made it to the start Manuel – one of the two organizers – tells me that his mate Mike won’t be there because his girlfriend Camilla is about to have a baby. I start feeling anxious because the Tiger (Chiara, Sam’s girlfriend, ndr) is in her 33rd week pregnant. I quickly activate the phone ring tone but everything will go fine. 

I am still amazed by the beauty of the Colli Euganei: sometimes I thought I was in Tuscany.

Really demanding climbs, technical descents, some portage sections. A winning mix; it was a long time I wasn’t having so much fun. 

The company was great. Mattia was pushing hard on every climb, he is in good shape. He is getting loose on descents too. However he went upside down in a downhill section where it would have been tough even with a full-suspension MTB. Nicola always talking (I love that guy, he is so kind), Bruno.gpx  from Cassanegoatuttomanego and Alex.

Unforgettable Sunday. Super Euganei!

I’ve thought for a second to stay home and train rather than participating in this event. I would have made the worst mistake. The route was awesome, always well balanced between suffering and delighting: big thanks to the route setter Manuel and Mike. The company during the ride did all the rest: Sam is an animal while descending, Nicola is right up his wheel, Bruno thankfully is more of a human. 

 Mike ( alias Carlo Piovan) organizes a 3000 D+ ride on Colli Euganei and invites a few reckless guys. The morning of the event, without warnings, doesn’t show up. He will be forgiven later, when people realize they are not actually in a trap and that on top of tracing the best loop on Colli Euganei – with Manuel Truccolo – he also became father the same day. Congrats brother!

Unfortunately during the weekend I had to work way more than what I was expecting and therefore I didn’t make it to the Drittoni Ride. However I managed to take part in a gravel event along the Costa degli Etruschi, right next to where I live.

Although I was close to home I rode 90 km with 1600 m D+ in wonderful places that I haven’t seen before. With a road bike it would be impossible: my gravel bike is taking me new places which I will definitely go see again. 

Photo: Filippo Borgarelli