Getting up every day at 6.20 am for more than 200 days pro year has at least one advantage.In fact, when you go to a hotel where they serve breakfast pretty early, getting up at 7.30 makes you feel less sleepier (and more lively) than the other members of your family.If then you know that on that day you’re going to watch a Giro stage live,you may even jump off your bed singing and dancing as happy (and as mad) as never before,while your familiars walk around the room looking like zombies.
On Saturday 29th,month of May,year 2010,me was a happy girl.The weather was good,the Giro atmosphere was all around,and breakfast was waiting for me.What a happiness.However,at breakfast I had a little surprise.In fact during it I realised that the number of guests at the hotel had increased after that a big group of old people had arrived on the previous night.They looked like a group of schoolmates on a school trip and they were as hungry as a wolves.It was a breakfast ‘a buffet’,so you had to get up from your own table and get the food from the plates that the waiters put in the middle of the dining room every 5 minutes.And,unfortunately for my family and me,the other (older) hotel guests were probably the 2010 world champions in the “Eat everything you can before the other guests can get near to the food!” sport event. In a few words,they finished up every plate before you could even get up from your chair and say ‘I go and see what has arrived’. Therefore,if you wanted to eat something,you had to keep an eye on the waiter and,as soon as he brought something,you had to get up in a big hurry and run to the center of the room before the other people could notice the arrival of the food.Unfortunately this wasn’t a great plan,since you often ran to the middle of the dining room just to find out that,on the plate that the waiter had just brought,there were some boiled eggs and some ham.And,since boiled eggs and ham aren’t actually my perfect breakfast food,my sprints in the dining room often turned out to be totally useless.Anyway,it was a good way to wake up.
At 8.45,my family and I started to wander on the Tonale top. The main thing we wanted to do in the morning was finding a good spot to park our car in order to avoid the post stage traffic queue. Our research was over when we arrived in front of the ‘1,7 kms to go’ indication.There in fact my family and I found big and almost empty parking lot.Since it wasn’t too close to the top of the climb (where almost all the vehicles were parked),we decided to park there.The funny thing was that in that same parking lot there was a bus belonging to a Bergamask agency,and those who had rented it were Bergamasks. We understood that from the accent,from the screams,and from the fact that they were cooking costine and cotechini already at 9.30 am.After all,there’s a reason why everyone, thinking of Bergamo, imagines the Upper City surrounded by mountains,mountaineers and cows.
After coming back to the top of the climb,and after many other things,my familiars and I eventually decided to go back to the hotel.And,on our way towards it,we saw a little pink sheet of paper attached to a wall.And,on the sheet of paper,there was a direction arrow right under the writ ”Team Buses”. Obviously,as soon as she saw that indication,Fangirl became the happiest creature on Earth.“ Yeeeeessss! I’m going to see the Saxo Bank riders after the stage! Yes yes yes! Oh Gosh,I can’t believe it! I didn’t think they were coming here with the buses and instead...Oh,I’m so happy! And perhaps I may even be able to talk to Chris Sorensen! Oh,it’s the best day of my life! Gosh,I’m meeelting!!!”,she screamed.Logic tried to bring her back to Earth in a very kind way.”Darling”,she said.”Listen,we have parked our car 1,7 kms away from here...” “I’m going to meet the guys! I’m going to meet the guys! Oh,it will be wonderful!”,Fangirl kept on screaming.”Darling,have you heard me?”,Logic tried again.”Listen dear,have you heard what I said?”.”I’m going to meet the boys! I’m going to meet the boys!” Fangirl screamed.Then,she paused for a few seconds.”Oh,come on,Logic,why do you care about our car in this moment of happiness? Why aren’t you melting like me?”,Fangirl asked. Then,the truth dawned on her.We had parked the car 1,7 kms away from the finish-line in order to avoid the post stage traffic queue.That meant that my parents’ priority was avoiding the queue,not permitting their daughter to spend time with the Saxo Bank boys.”It’s understandable”,Logic told Fangirl.“They’ve said that perhaps we’re going to Verona tomorrow and,if we really want to go there,we have to be home before 10 pm. Otherwise, tomorow the family driver will be too tired to drive to Verona.After all,you can always meet the guys there”. “Verona is the last stage”,Fangirl replied.”And it’s a TT. I want to see every single rider racing,so we’ll arrive at the buses at about 6 pm.And,by that time,all the riders will have already left Verona.Or they’ll be with their families,and I don’t want to disturb them”. “Well,I’m sorry but today we can’t go to the buses”,Logic stated in a more decided way.“It takes 2 hours and a half to drive from here to our town,and I don’t want to arrive home too late. Remember that you also have to study this evening,since you’ve forgotten your philosophy book at home ‘by accident’”. Eventually,Fangirl obeyed to Logic and her morale,that had been very high for 30 seconds,came back to Earth in 3 seconds time.”Well,it will be for another time...”,she whispered.
At lunch,everything went well,although Fangirl was still a bit shocked by being unable to meet the riders after the stage.Anyway,after all,she knew that she was already going to see them on the climb,so she quickly got over the disappointment that had followed Logic’s words.
After we had paid the hotel owner,my family and I sat in the bar’s hotel,looking for a channel where they broadcasted the race. Soon also the other hotel guests (the ones whose nickname was ‘the grandparents’) joined us in the research.To my horror,we couldn’t find the race broadcast anywhere, so we had to await until Rai 3 started the broadcast.After the national news,the regional news,the news for deaf and mute people and the news for Technology addicted,the sport news began.And they said they were going to show the famous Inter-Bayern match. “Are you kidding me?!?”,I screamed.Some old guests didn’t approve my shout,and said ‘Sssst.’ After a quarter of a hour (it was already 3 pm),I took the tv control and tried to find the broadcast of the race on another channel.A storm of protests followed my decision.”Hey,leave that channel on!”,someone told me.”I’m just doing a quick try to see whether I can find a broadcast of the Giro or not!”. “You can’t,so stop changing channels” “Well,I think everyone knows how Inter-Bayern went,and we’re here to watch the Giro,right? So,let me do just one more try!”. “No,because you can’t find the channel”.Angry,I stopped changing channels and came back to Rai 3. “You’re more intelligent tthan them,dear”,Logic told me in order to calm me down. ”After all,you’re not the one who says that Di Pietro is a criminal”,she added referring to a conversation that the grandparents had just had about politics.
When the broadcast finally began,we found out that no images from Passo Gavia were available.Saint Paolo Savoldelli from Rovetta,however,was on the phone (he followed the Giro from a Rai’s motorbike) and could comment what was going on.With 1 kms to the Gavia’s top,we left the bar and started to walk quickly towards our car.
During your afternoons spent watching the Giro on tv,probably you’ve often asked yourself this question: ‘Why do some dickheads never stay behind the barriers and go to disturb the riders when they’re facing a tough climb?’ If you ever did,here’s a news that will change your world.In fact,I’ve understood why they do these things.After leaving behind the arrive village (and the Processo alla Tappa stage,where I could see Gianni Mura),in fact,I suddenly found myself trapped between the barriers and the road’s guard rails.There were just 10 centimeters between those two things and in some places there were also some obstacles that forced you to hop behind the guard rails if you wanted to go on walking. After spending about 15 minutes of my life hopping from inside the guard rails to outside the guard rails,often risking to end up in a ravine (I‘m joking) and going very slowly because of the ‘hop in’ and ‘hop out’ process,I got fed up.Therefore I hopped outside the barriers and,thanks to that final hop,I could find myself at the right place (in front of the '1.7 km to go' mark) in the right moment,aka when Johann Tschopp was arriving on the climb.
Everyone cheered on him because,well,I suppose that everyone loves guys who break away from the peloton on tough mountain stages. The Evil part of me then suggested some word plays about Tschopp and the famous squirrels “Cip and Ciop” (don't worry,Logic disapproved). There were lots of Simoni’s supporters on the climb,but they all cheered for the Swiss rider (and eventual stage winner) although he had just ‘stolen’ the passage on Gavia's GPM from Gibo.After all, Gibo himself didn’t complain about it after the stage (even if I'm sure that,if a thing like that had happened 2 years ago,he would have behaved differently...).
After Tschopp it was Evans’ time to arrive.He looked really strong and fast and I almost feared that Tschopp could lose the stage because of him.
Basso arrived with Scarponi,Nibali and Righi,spreading joy between the tifosi.Righi risked to be exchange with Cunego by many supporters,but my sister didn’t fail.”That isn’t Damiano!”, she said.And,strange but true,she was right.
Then another group of riders,including Gadret and Vinokourov,arrived.That group was followed by another one,pulled by Richie Porte.This gave Fangirl the opportunity to scream happily and behave like a fool. ”Go Richie,go go goooo!”,she screamed.Together with Porte there were Mollema,Kiserlovski and Pinotti (“Go Marco!!”,Fangirl screamed at the Professor).
The second Saxo Bank rider to arrive was Anders Lund,who raced in a great way that day. Actually,I was too slow to recognise him and couldn’t scream anything (sigh).
One of the following riders to arrive was Karpets,with his strange hair and his earring.Sastre followed him together with Jufre,causing a ‘tenderness attack’ to my sister.”He’s so cute!”,she said.To excuse her I tell you that,when Carlito won on L’Alpe d’Huez in 2008,my sister hadn't started following cycling yet.
On Saturday 29th,month of May,year 2010,me was a happy girl.The weather was good,the Giro atmosphere was all around,and breakfast was waiting for me.What a happiness.However,at breakfast I had a little surprise.In fact during it I realised that the number of guests at the hotel had increased after that a big group of old people had arrived on the previous night.They looked like a group of schoolmates on a school trip and they were as hungry as a wolves.It was a breakfast ‘a buffet’,so you had to get up from your own table and get the food from the plates that the waiters put in the middle of the dining room every 5 minutes.And,unfortunately for my family and me,the other (older) hotel guests were probably the 2010 world champions in the “Eat everything you can before the other guests can get near to the food!” sport event. In a few words,they finished up every plate before you could even get up from your chair and say ‘I go and see what has arrived’. Therefore,if you wanted to eat something,you had to keep an eye on the waiter and,as soon as he brought something,you had to get up in a big hurry and run to the center of the room before the other people could notice the arrival of the food.Unfortunately this wasn’t a great plan,since you often ran to the middle of the dining room just to find out that,on the plate that the waiter had just brought,there were some boiled eggs and some ham.And,since boiled eggs and ham aren’t actually my perfect breakfast food,my sprints in the dining room often turned out to be totally useless.Anyway,it was a good way to wake up.
At 8.45,my family and I started to wander on the Tonale top. The main thing we wanted to do in the morning was finding a good spot to park our car in order to avoid the post stage traffic queue. Our research was over when we arrived in front of the ‘1,7 kms to go’ indication.There in fact my family and I found big and almost empty parking lot.Since it wasn’t too close to the top of the climb (where almost all the vehicles were parked),we decided to park there.The funny thing was that in that same parking lot there was a bus belonging to a Bergamask agency,and those who had rented it were Bergamasks. We understood that from the accent,from the screams,and from the fact that they were cooking costine and cotechini already at 9.30 am.After all,there’s a reason why everyone, thinking of Bergamo, imagines the Upper City surrounded by mountains,mountaineers and cows.
After coming back to the top of the climb,and after many other things,my familiars and I eventually decided to go back to the hotel.And,on our way towards it,we saw a little pink sheet of paper attached to a wall.And,on the sheet of paper,there was a direction arrow right under the writ ”Team Buses”. Obviously,as soon as she saw that indication,Fangirl became the happiest creature on Earth.“ Yeeeeessss! I’m going to see the Saxo Bank riders after the stage! Yes yes yes! Oh Gosh,I can’t believe it! I didn’t think they were coming here with the buses and instead...Oh,I’m so happy! And perhaps I may even be able to talk to Chris Sorensen! Oh,it’s the best day of my life! Gosh,I’m meeelting!!!”,she screamed.Logic tried to bring her back to Earth in a very kind way.”Darling”,she said.”Listen,we have parked our car 1,7 kms away from here...” “I’m going to meet the guys! I’m going to meet the guys! Oh,it will be wonderful!”,Fangirl kept on screaming.”Darling,have you heard me?”,Logic tried again.”Listen dear,have you heard what I said?”.”I’m going to meet the boys! I’m going to meet the boys!” Fangirl screamed.Then,she paused for a few seconds.”Oh,come on,Logic,why do you care about our car in this moment of happiness? Why aren’t you melting like me?”,Fangirl asked. Then,the truth dawned on her.We had parked the car 1,7 kms away from the finish-line in order to avoid the post stage traffic queue.That meant that my parents’ priority was avoiding the queue,not permitting their daughter to spend time with the Saxo Bank boys.”It’s understandable”,Logic told Fangirl.“They’ve said that perhaps we’re going to Verona tomorrow and,if we really want to go there,we have to be home before 10 pm. Otherwise, tomorow the family driver will be too tired to drive to Verona.After all,you can always meet the guys there”. “Verona is the last stage”,Fangirl replied.”And it’s a TT. I want to see every single rider racing,so we’ll arrive at the buses at about 6 pm.And,by that time,all the riders will have already left Verona.Or they’ll be with their families,and I don’t want to disturb them”. “Well,I’m sorry but today we can’t go to the buses”,Logic stated in a more decided way.“It takes 2 hours and a half to drive from here to our town,and I don’t want to arrive home too late. Remember that you also have to study this evening,since you’ve forgotten your philosophy book at home ‘by accident’”. Eventually,Fangirl obeyed to Logic and her morale,that had been very high for 30 seconds,came back to Earth in 3 seconds time.”Well,it will be for another time...”,she whispered.
At lunch,everything went well,although Fangirl was still a bit shocked by being unable to meet the riders after the stage.Anyway,after all,she knew that she was already going to see them on the climb,so she quickly got over the disappointment that had followed Logic’s words.
After we had paid the hotel owner,my family and I sat in the bar’s hotel,looking for a channel where they broadcasted the race. Soon also the other hotel guests (the ones whose nickname was ‘the grandparents’) joined us in the research.To my horror,we couldn’t find the race broadcast anywhere, so we had to await until Rai 3 started the broadcast.After the national news,the regional news,the news for deaf and mute people and the news for Technology addicted,the sport news began.And they said they were going to show the famous Inter-Bayern match. “Are you kidding me?!?”,I screamed.Some old guests didn’t approve my shout,and said ‘Sssst.’ After a quarter of a hour (it was already 3 pm),I took the tv control and tried to find the broadcast of the race on another channel.A storm of protests followed my decision.”Hey,leave that channel on!”,someone told me.”I’m just doing a quick try to see whether I can find a broadcast of the Giro or not!”. “You can’t,so stop changing channels” “Well,I think everyone knows how Inter-Bayern went,and we’re here to watch the Giro,right? So,let me do just one more try!”. “No,because you can’t find the channel”.Angry,I stopped changing channels and came back to Rai 3. “You’re more intelligent tthan them,dear”,Logic told me in order to calm me down. ”After all,you’re not the one who says that Di Pietro is a criminal”,she added referring to a conversation that the grandparents had just had about politics.
When the broadcast finally began,we found out that no images from Passo Gavia were available.Saint Paolo Savoldelli from Rovetta,however,was on the phone (he followed the Giro from a Rai’s motorbike) and could comment what was going on.With 1 kms to the Gavia’s top,we left the bar and started to walk quickly towards our car.
During your afternoons spent watching the Giro on tv,probably you’ve often asked yourself this question: ‘Why do some dickheads never stay behind the barriers and go to disturb the riders when they’re facing a tough climb?’ If you ever did,here’s a news that will change your world.In fact,I’ve understood why they do these things.After leaving behind the arrive village (and the Processo alla Tappa stage,where I could see Gianni Mura),in fact,I suddenly found myself trapped between the barriers and the road’s guard rails.There were just 10 centimeters between those two things and in some places there were also some obstacles that forced you to hop behind the guard rails if you wanted to go on walking. After spending about 15 minutes of my life hopping from inside the guard rails to outside the guard rails,often risking to end up in a ravine (I‘m joking) and going very slowly because of the ‘hop in’ and ‘hop out’ process,I got fed up.Therefore I hopped outside the barriers and,thanks to that final hop,I could find myself at the right place (in front of the '1.7 km to go' mark) in the right moment,aka when Johann Tschopp was arriving on the climb.
Everyone cheered on him because,well,I suppose that everyone loves guys who break away from the peloton on tough mountain stages. The Evil part of me then suggested some word plays about Tschopp and the famous squirrels “Cip and Ciop” (don't worry,Logic disapproved). There were lots of Simoni’s supporters on the climb,but they all cheered for the Swiss rider (and eventual stage winner) although he had just ‘stolen’ the passage on Gavia's GPM from Gibo.After all, Gibo himself didn’t complain about it after the stage (even if I'm sure that,if a thing like that had happened 2 years ago,he would have behaved differently...).
After Tschopp it was Evans’ time to arrive.He looked really strong and fast and I almost feared that Tschopp could lose the stage because of him.
Basso arrived with Scarponi,Nibali and Righi,spreading joy between the tifosi.Righi risked to be exchange with Cunego by many supporters,but my sister didn’t fail.”That isn’t Damiano!”, she said.And,strange but true,she was right.
Then another group of riders,including Gadret and Vinokourov,arrived.That group was followed by another one,pulled by Richie Porte.This gave Fangirl the opportunity to scream happily and behave like a fool. ”Go Richie,go go goooo!”,she screamed.Together with Porte there were Mollema,Kiserlovski and Pinotti (“Go Marco!!”,Fangirl screamed at the Professor).
The second Saxo Bank rider to arrive was Anders Lund,who raced in a great way that day. Actually,I was too slow to recognise him and couldn’t scream anything (sigh).
One of the following riders to arrive was Karpets,with his strange hair and his earring.Sastre followed him together with Jufre,causing a ‘tenderness attack’ to my sister.”He’s so cute!”,she said.To excuse her I tell you that,when Carlito won on L’Alpe d’Huez in 2008,my sister hadn't started following cycling yet.
Then Miholjevic arrived all alone.He was followed by Ardila Cano,who I recognised because he doesn't look as Dutch as the other Rabobank riders (and,in fact,he isn't dutch).
The riders were now arriving one by one and that gave me the chance of seeing each of them very well.Cioni was welcomed by warm screams,and so was De Greef.When he arrived I had just moved on the road (I had been on a little hill previously) and so I’m afraid that he might have heard my hysterical screams (‘Vai Francis,dài,dài!”).Hopefully,he forgot them quickly.
Before of De Greef,btw,a great rider had arrived.Don’t worry,I’m not talking about Chris Sorensen: I’m talking about Simoni. In 2004 I didn’t like him that much because he looked very arrogant.But on that Sturday of May 2010 he was facing his last Giro mountain stage and so I was obliged to cheer for him.He had been with Tschopp until the Gavia and then,I believe,he had let him go not just because he was weaker than the Swiss rider,but also because he probably wanted to feel the tifosi’s support for the penultimate time in his career.In fact,when he arrived everyone started to clap their hands and scream and Simoni rode past us with a big smile on his face.After such a great career,he deserved that moment.
After de Greef,Iban Mayoz arrived.He was followed by Codol and by,surprise surprise,Chris Anker Sorensen.
The riders were now arriving one by one and that gave me the chance of seeing each of them very well.Cioni was welcomed by warm screams,and so was De Greef.When he arrived I had just moved on the road (I had been on a little hill previously) and so I’m afraid that he might have heard my hysterical screams (‘Vai Francis,dài,dài!”).Hopefully,he forgot them quickly.
Before of De Greef,btw,a great rider had arrived.Don’t worry,I’m not talking about Chris Sorensen: I’m talking about Simoni. In 2004 I didn’t like him that much because he looked very arrogant.But on that Sturday of May 2010 he was facing his last Giro mountain stage and so I was obliged to cheer for him.He had been with Tschopp until the Gavia and then,I believe,he had let him go not just because he was weaker than the Swiss rider,but also because he probably wanted to feel the tifosi’s support for the penultimate time in his career.In fact,when he arrived everyone started to clap their hands and scream and Simoni rode past us with a big smile on his face.After such a great career,he deserved that moment.
After de Greef,Iban Mayoz arrived.He was followed by Codol and by,surprise surprise,Chris Anker Sorensen.
As said,me was in front of the 1.7 km mark and near me there was a writ on the asphalt. ”Sorensen”,it said.When Chris arrived,me started to scream and,probably thinking that me was the same person who had written his name on the road,Chris watched me.It was a quick look,but I'm 99,9% sure that I didn't imagine it. ”Dài Chris,dài,dài,dài Chris!”,I screamed,sounding like a stupid.After he looked at me,my screams got lower.He was riding with his usual style,had a very tanned face and really looked tired.In that moment,I felt really good and really happy.I mean,he had watched me! Unfortunately that great moment soon ended and Chris rode past me. Btw,Fangirl obviously was extremely happy,although she still hasn’t understood whether she had imagined that look between me and Chris or not.Anyway I’m almost sure that,if he has seen me,he probably approved my screams more than those of the kid who ran next to him for about 50 meters.
After Chris it was Stortoni’s time to arrive.Stortoni arrived after Chris also in the Terminillo stage,so that was pretty funny. The following rider to arrive was Uran,followed by Gerdemann (“Go Leenooos!”) and Marcel Wyss (“Go Marcel!”).They were followed by Szmyd (I didn’t scream anything ‘cause Polish names terrify me),by the former break-awayer Pirazzi and by Didier. Laurent looked really tired and while he rode past me I could notice that,well,Luxembourg guys seem to have very nice eyes (yes,Fangirl was controling me a lot at that point).He was followed by the magic couple Arashiro-Monier and by other riders.I cheered for Larsson (“Go Gustav!”) and shocked my mum by telling her that '‘The nice Katiusha rider’',Petrov,was already married.Between the guys who arrived later that was Albasini,who had a very big medicament on his face.While he rode past me I could see the blood still coming out from a cut on his cheek,and that was rather impressing.
Vanotti’s arrival was welcomed with great screams by me and the other Bergamasks.He was followed by a group of athletes including the incredibly small Cayetano Sarmiento,a very promising Colombian rider.
The last group of riders,the gruppetto,was pulled by Pozzato and included guys like Brown,Nicki Sorensen (yay!),Haedo,Morkov and Wiggins.
After that the last Giro car had arrived,my familiars and I got on our car and started our descent towards our town.
Two hours and a half later,we arrived home.We were tired,sweated,speechless,incredibly happy and,last but not least,finally aware of why Pinotti always complains about the bus travels after Giro stages.
After Chris it was Stortoni’s time to arrive.Stortoni arrived after Chris also in the Terminillo stage,so that was pretty funny. The following rider to arrive was Uran,followed by Gerdemann (“Go Leenooos!”) and Marcel Wyss (“Go Marcel!”).They were followed by Szmyd (I didn’t scream anything ‘cause Polish names terrify me),by the former break-awayer Pirazzi and by Didier. Laurent looked really tired and while he rode past me I could notice that,well,Luxembourg guys seem to have very nice eyes (yes,Fangirl was controling me a lot at that point).He was followed by the magic couple Arashiro-Monier and by other riders.I cheered for Larsson (“Go Gustav!”) and shocked my mum by telling her that '‘The nice Katiusha rider’',Petrov,was already married.Between the guys who arrived later that was Albasini,who had a very big medicament on his face.While he rode past me I could see the blood still coming out from a cut on his cheek,and that was rather impressing.
Vanotti’s arrival was welcomed with great screams by me and the other Bergamasks.He was followed by a group of athletes including the incredibly small Cayetano Sarmiento,a very promising Colombian rider.
The last group of riders,the gruppetto,was pulled by Pozzato and included guys like Brown,Nicki Sorensen (yay!),Haedo,Morkov and Wiggins.
After that the last Giro car had arrived,my familiars and I got on our car and started our descent towards our town.
Two hours and a half later,we arrived home.We were tired,sweated,speechless,incredibly happy and,last but not least,finally aware of why Pinotti always complains about the bus travels after Giro stages.
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