Castelli and Canadian Cycling Magazine Italian getaway finalist Byron Johnson
After two weeks of taking entries, seven finalists in the dream cycling getaway to Italy by Castelli and Canadian Cycling Magazine have been chosen. Now it’s up to you to pick the grand prize winner, the person who will ride in the Maratona dles Dolomites sporting full kit by Castelli. To vote for a finalist, scroll down, check the box and hit Submit. The deadline for voting is June 2.
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Finalist
Byron Johnson
Ottawa
Byron’s entry
I love doing gran fondos, and the Maratona dles Dolomites is the mother of all gran fondos. I know, because I did it last year—or at least, I did the medium 106-km route. I’m a 66-year-old retired public servant who has biked almost his entire life. For years, I did mainly solo rides, but for the past 10 years, I’ve been doing more and more group rides. I am now able to keep with the cyclosportif group of local riders (for most rides).
Few other races challenge a rider like the long Maratona—seven mountain climbs with a total elevation gain of a staggering 4230 m—almost half the height of Mount Everest. The climbs are long and steep, often around 10 per cent, with multiple switchbacks. With the elevation gain on several climbs of around 800 m, the temperature drops by around 5 C from the valley to the summit. You can climb in bright sun up one side of a mountain and descend in mist on the other side. I was very glad I had my Castelli wind jacket.
It’s not just the mountains and the scenery that attracts me and others, but the fact that this is a huge group ride, with some 9,000 skilled riders who make a river of bikes on the alpine roads. As each rider’s number tag has the flag of his or her country, you can, on the climbs, talk with riders from countries whose language you speak. I met three of the some two-dozen Canadians doing last year’s race, as well as riders from Austria, Switzerland and of course Italy.
Why didn’t I do the long Maratona route last year? I had done three earlier fondos: the New York, the Mont-Tremblant and the Gatineau. During the New York and Mont Tremblant gran fondos, I had to take care not to cramp up. In the Gatineau ride, I suffered leg cramps that slowed me down considerably. And on the Maratona, at the point where you need to decide between doing the medium or long routes, my legs were stiffening up. If I did the long route, I’d have one extra, massive climb, the Passo Giau. That may not sound too bad. You could just go slow or even walk up the climb. But I was with a group that had a bus waiting at the finish. If I took extra hours because of leg cramps, the entire group would have to wait, or they might leave and I’d have had to bike back to the hotel by going over two mountains.
I want to do the Maratona again so I can complete the long 138-km route. This winter, I’ve trained hard, and will be doing the Mont Tremblant and Gatineau gran fondos again. I’ve been averaging about 300 km a week of cycling since April, despite the extremely cold spring that we’ve had in Ottawa. I’m confident I’ll be able to finish the long route this time. I would love a second chance.
