LaRue Reports in from the Giro D'Italia

Hello,

Looks like everyone had a good weekend of racing. Meanwhile Nancy and
I went to Italy for a days in Venice and 2 days at the Giro. We Spent
the first day roaming around Venice. Catching all famous sites and the
tourist traps(souvenir shops). The city was really nice. There were
lots of sites and the famous canal with the boats for the romantic
types (not Nancy and I). We had some great pasta and wine on the canal.
Then we hooked up with a tour group and went to the Dolomites for the
Giro. We rode the finish climb on Saturday when Sella won. That was a
great climb. It was 9k with 10% average. Half way up I saw the Devil
and had to stop and get my picture with him. It seems to be my mission
on these tours to find him and get the pic. I went to the finish and
looked around. Then I went back down to the 2k banner and watched the
race. Man there were some faces of pain!! I was waiting for my friend
Steve Cummings with a Coke and a Mars bar. He was in the last group
with all the Brits Cavendish, Wiggins, Thomas, Millar and several
others.
The next day we went to the start and looked around. I found the
Barloworld team van and talked to Steve. He was telling me how hard
the stage was and how the next 2 stages were out of control. They were
climbing about 10,000 ft a day. With an up hill TT the next day with
23% grades in it. We went about 2k up the first climb from the start
and watched. They left the start and went up a climb,10k with 8%
average. The promoters of the Giro were insane this year with hard
climbs throughout the whole course. We rode up the climb and I was
going to go the the finish but the weather was bad and the roads could
have been closed. I decided to ride back to town and get some beers
and watch the finish.
Italy is one of the most beautiful places we have been in Europe. The
mountains are fantastic with some really hard climbs. They remind me
of the climbs at the Tour of Georgia. I added a couple of pics from
the trip. I will bring all my pics from all the tours when we come in
town in a couple of weeks.
Nancy and I are planning on riding the Bartlett ride on Thursday the
12th of June and going to Sushi boys on Saturday after the Carroll
County race. I am wondering who is going to race and what category?
I sent Ebert some more pics and some videos to post on the ABD website.
David