The Debora Matthews Fellowship

Quite a bit to catch up on as I haven’t had an wifi connection for a few days.
Day 21 was the rest day in Bolzano. Started by seeing Lisa and Cat off on the train down to Brescia to catch the plane back to England. Very sorry to see them go. Lisa was a brilliant supporter. Always in the right place at the right time with everything perfectly organised. Cat was an inspiration with her determination to finish some very hard days.
One other person I haven’t mentioned but I must thank is my eldest daughter Becca who has been manning the base camp back in London. She has done sterling work in relaying messages, coordinating people’s movements and collecting equipment and supplies to be ferried out with the replacement crews. Thanks Bex.
Neil and Francesca joined us again in Bolzano, and took us for a truly fantastic meal. Apparently there is no part of Italy in which Francesca’s father does not know a superlative restaurant. Our excuse was that we were starting to load up the carbs for today’s climb to Selva.
This had the same vertical ascent as the Galibier, but the character of the climbs was quite different. The average gradient was abut 6% whereas on the big G it was nearer 10%, but there were a couple of km with a sustained gradient of 13%-14%, which the Galibier did not have. Maybe it was the lower altitude, or just that I am now fitter, but I found it nowhere near as tough as the Galibier, and have a bit more confidence about the Sella Ronda tomorrow.
A few words about the ride from Riva del Garda to Bolzano. We started with a 200m climb out of Riva then over to the Vale d’Adige. This has a unique (in my experience) system of metalled cycle tracks which allow you to ride independently of the roads for over 200km. We used them for about half this distance up to Bolzano. They can be a bit circuitous where they have to go round things, or up side valleys to get to a bridge over tributary rivers etc, but it was an absolute joy to be away from the traffic, and cycling up the vineyards and orchards adjoining the Adige river. The whole area is not surprisingly a Mecca for cyclists, particularly in Bolzano which is a very attractive city in its own right. There are lots of cobbled streets and a very striking cathedral. Lisa and Cat were a bit sorry to be leaving just as we got to the first really nice place for ages. We were staying in what was more or less a backpacker’s hostel, so I don’t suppose they miss that. We are a bit more upmarket in Selva, so I am going to find a a spa to soothe my aching limbs.