Jeroboam Asiago

Let’s jump straight to it. Jeroboam is Jeroboam and it’s right to leave space to the ones who were there.

The word goes to Asja, Fede B, Jacopo, Mattia and Samu who had the pleasure to experience the Asiago Plateau’s beauty, the Grappa’s roughness and the Col Del Sole Bike Hotel’s warm hospitality.

Asja

After surviving this event I think I can do everything I want. Some sections of the route were so rough that you had to walk them, since I don’t have the captain’s legs.
They were 300 km characterized by a mix of emotions. I was constantly switching from feeling like a hero to crying all my tears and back.
It hasn’t been easy, especially during day one, due to the cold and rain. I’m more for warmer weather and that day was tough.

But what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, isn’t it? It’s been so cool. I met a lot of new friends, it’s really an amazing scene of people.

The organization of the event was spotted on, with rich feed zones providing all what we needed. It’s been hard, sometimes extremely hard, but I would do it again right now! I like challenges and this was definitely a good one.

One last thing that I’ve learned: when on gravel never put an estimated time of arrival. The goal in the morning was to make it to the refuge at 8.30 pm…we arrived at 11.00pm

Fede Bassis

Jeroboam Asiago means enthusiasm and warm vibes since the moment you cross Col Del Sole doors. Antonio and his family gave me a rich dinner although I arrived a few hours late.
I would say luckly since this time I have 300 km to do and the route was set by Mattia De Marchi.

We start day one with the goal to reach the mark of 190 km where we are planning to spend the night at the Alpe Mera refuge. It’s not easy but the amazing scenery with the right mates help reach the objective. The right people around are a must have to get the necessary strength and overcome adversity, and trust me – this time, with such bad weather condition and roughness, more than ever.

Mattia, Asja, Jacopo, Riccardo, Stefano, Filippo, Giuseppe, each and one of them gave me something and helped to make those two days a great memory.
The second day take off with a 3:00am alarm to reach Monte Grappa summit for sunrise: pedaling with the newborn sun left me with no words to describe it.

Before the well deserved beers, the last challenge was the Monte Cengio walk thorguh the barricades of the World War.
Finally we arrived. Actually not: unfortunately we come to an end. I can’t wait for the next adventure to start.

Jacopo

I arrived in Asiago with the odds already against me: three weeks with 0km on my legs and the three weeks before those with an avg of just about 200 km. Let’s say I was definitely not ready for 300 km with 8000 D+, especially considering that the route was set by Mattia De Marchi.

But it’s Jeroboam weekend and I can’t wait to arrive in Col Del Sole to start the party and talk with the guys about the latest adventures. Sit with them at the table is like sitting down to a reunion with good old friends. Among all, I’m happy to see the Nogot.cc guys. I chat with them and with them I keep the night alive at the vans they are planning to sleep on for the night.

I leave them fairly early and I go back to the hotel. Boom! I walk straight to the automatic door that should let me in but it’s locked. I check the time. Ok, maybe Antonio is already in his bed, reloading for a big day ahead. I know I just need to give him a call but I don’t feel like bothering him. In my car I have my sleeping bag and my sleeping pad – I lie down in the parking lot and I enjoy a night under the stars. At 7:15 am the ride starts.

The route is amazing, the mood is solid and I’m really happy to be on my bike again after such a long time. However, slowly things start changing and the spirit goes down. My Saturday will quickly turn into a challenging one. Cold, rain, a painful eye and a crazy hard final climb destroy me and make me arrive at the refuge for the night three hours late.

To restart again on Sunday I need to gather all my grit. But the first lights on Monte Grappa are amazing and the little pèeloton of friends I have with me is the right one to carry me until the finish line. In the heart of the afternoon we finally manage to make it on top of the last climb.

From that point of things unfolded just like in every other Jeroboam. No need for further explanation – just join us next time and watch for yourself the true essence of these events!

Samuele

The plan was simple. Get wasted, push everything. Why? To reach that moment in which your body ask you to stop but your mind will keep pushing harder and harder. It’s right on that spot that you get a taste of what you are capable of. Just that moment between the feeling of being under a train and the beginning of the descent, when you start singing, you let the breaks go and you feel like a rock.

All this alone. Yes, because when you are alone everything gets magnified, the fatigue as well as the happiness. In silence, listening to nature, feeling myself as part of it. I become an animal and there is no fear in me.

I will forever remember those last 2 km walking my bike through the Salto Dei Granatieri on monte Cengio at 1:00 am. Dark and moist tunnels, barricades, and the valley’s lights under the cliff edge.
Adventures like these strengthen the soul.

The one regret I have is not been able to share some beers with the rest of the participants on Sunday. Arrived at the finish line at 1:30 am I got off my bike, I put it in my Panda and I came back to the Tiger. Soon she will bring to the World our creature and I knew she needed me there.

Mattia

Ho fatto probabilmente quello che mi viene meglio oltre che pedalare, cioè condividere e far conoscere e vivere la bici a 360 gradi. Tracciare una Jeroboam non è una cosa facile: da una parte il percorso deve essere esigente e deve collegare punti non scontati ma che vale la pena toccare. Dall’altra si ha un po’ il timore di esagerare, di rendere le cose troppo dure.
Trovare il giusto compromesso e bilanciare le cose è la vera essenza di questo evento.

Last weekend I did what is probably the thing I do best other than pedaling: sharing and letting discover the endless possibility of a bike. Setting a route for a Jeroboam event is not an easy task: on one hand the track should be challenging and connecting interesting points; on the other hand there is always the risk to overdue and make things way too hard.
Find the right balance is the true essence of this event.

I tried to do so and I hope I helped to make an unforgettable experience to everyone: when you conquer a landscape or a summit going through a big effort it’s worth twice as much and you will remember it for way longer.
Let’s say that being a Jeroboam route setter it’s easy to get a few insults the day of the event but also some positive comments a few weeks down the line. The will is that everyone has brought home some good memories from the weekend, memories that will last a good bit.