Nove Colli 2011

TheStone

Doing this for the first time next week.

Anyone here ridden it? Am I right in thinking the climbs are not too tough? Is it really 3800m of climbing?

colinsmith123

Not ridden it but put it on the radar for next year.

Good luck, let us know how you get on.

mrushton

yes, I've done it (the slightly shorter one). There is one major climb (max 18% but brief) but the route rolls a lot. A good day out (it poured down after I finished) but the early start can be a bind. I was ready to go at 5.15am but the actual start is 6am so theoretically you can be standing in the rain for 45mins - 1 hour. The Italians are kitted out in sunglasses and gilets even at that hour. V.fast start (40kph) so if you can keep up that's good because when you get to the first climb it's like 5000 cyclists just stop so you have to try to get thro' by riding and shouting and ideally looking for a group that are forcing their way thro'. Calling out you are passing right or left 'si nistra/destra' helps. There are some fast riders and descenders and some crap descenders so take care. Great finish with cameras/big screen/barriers etc. I remember breaking out of a large group at 1km to go (prob. to come in the mid6000s) and it felt like a TdF finish with me sprinting for the line and a pack of cyclists catching me up (they did).

weapons

I'm riding it too this year. Just a few qns for anyone who has done it:
-What are the feed stations like?
-Is it on closed roads?

mrushton

Feed stations are good but the usual scrabble - poss.best to ride hard and miss the first? There are shops in the villages en route. No the roads are open but the police do lock off the sideroads and the locals are aware it's happening.

weapons

Cheers mrushton!

EPSHeaven

ahhh the joys of 9c. 6 attempts done over here, love it love it love it!!

yes the starts early but providing you have a blue group number you can beat most of the mad rush, but yes the first climb up to the little town is very frustrating and be prepared to stop and uncleat at least once.
from then on its free rain to unleash with very few hold ups!

5 attempts at the short course and one at the long, 210k with nearly 4000m climbing i have to say its possible to virtually do the short route without stopping at the feed stops till at least the 3rd climb, even stopping at helpful italians who will fill up your water bottles for you at the side of the road to avoid the scrum.

once the route splits make full advantage of the feed stops which are amazing, the one at the top of the 6th climb being amazing with the wives coming out in the droves to feed the old leathery italian men ... ox blood, pasta, rissoto on the menu, plus amazing mini pizzas!

its tough, but once you get to the last climb at the 100m point, its 35k+ down hill and with a large group its FAST!!!

all the times we've gone we have stayed at a hotel right near the start, organized by an expat who i think this year will be completing his 18th attempt. we are treated like royalty with 4am pasta and full 3 course meal on return.

the area is great for riding, taking in flat rides to cesena for coffee in the square, also heading into the mountains easily inside an hour and the town bustles during the weekend with a bike show, bronzed italians doing spin classes to german techno and lots of ice cream shops!!!

13000 entrants make for a brilliant but scary start but get into a good group and hold on for dear life for a 50-60k sprint!!

no entry for me this year but back next.

ENJOY!!!!

Le Commentateur

It's seems some of the entrants have received an email from the Italian Cycling Federation instructing them to take an anti-doping test at the crack of dawn – 4.30am (the GF starts after 6.30 a.m.). Same thing happened at the Felice Gimondi last week apparently. When this happened at the Maratona a few years ago a number of the riders, who usually place highly all year in these events, slinked away before the start.

TheStone

... well that was a whole lot harder than I'd expected !!!!!

rc856

Sorry for the thread resurrection but someone in my club has just suggested this for next year.

To the OP...how was it from a first timers view?

EPSHeaven....what hotel do you book into and how early would you advise?
Do you have a different hotel at the finish or do you have to get the train back to the start etc?

How long a stay do people recommend or do you arrive the day before?

Thanks

TheStone

Would highly recommend.

Found the long course tough. 11:30 for me!! I blame the heat mostly. My mate who did the short version had a brilliant day.

Really great event. Very well organised.
We entered quite late as part of the hotel package, but it was still a very cheap weekend.

weapons

My club went en masse to this event. We stayed at the Beau Soleil hotel, whose owner is involved in the organisation of the Nove Colli so arranged all our entries, registration and guaranteed us a decent starting pen near the front. Would highly recommend - we were treated brilliantly, food was excellent and we did some great riding in the week around the event (the hotel has a great guide)

http://www.hotelbeausoleil.it/

No need for trains back from the finish - the beauty of it is that the start and finish are in the same place so you can cycle back to your hotel.

I would definitely arrive well in advance of the event. With so many bike boxes on the planes from the UK, particularly the Friday before, it is worth getting there early to avoid any panic of bike boxes going astray.

rc856

Sounds good.
Didn't check the route map! :oops:

Can I ask how much it all costs?
Could you book into the hotel the day before ok?
Like the idea of booking somewhere that does all the work for you!

weapons

It wasn't expensive. The hotel was c.£50 pppn (twin/double) with breakfast and dinner. Something like £50 for the entry fee, £60 for airport to hotel transfer. We were a group of 60 though, so might have been able to negotiate a group discount. Other than that I ended up spending very little as we were out on our bikes all day and just had cheap lunches at family restaurants out in the hills.

In addition, as the hotel owner (Dante) is involved in the organisation of the Nove Colli, he provides exclusive feed stations for hotel guests en route, so no need to wrestle your way to the front of the queues for the regular feed stations.

TheStone

RC856 wrote:

Can I ask how much it all costs?
Could you book into the hotel the day before ok?

We booked a hotel package via the nove colli site. Communication wasn't brilliant, but the hotel and everything was really good when we got there. Full of bikes and setup early breakfast etc.

We did 2 nights, plus entry, which I think was about £130/each. Easyjet flight (with bikes) was something like £80/each, plus car hire ... and beer.

Booked quite late, so hotel was in the next town (which was dead), but only a few km to the start / lively bars.

rc856

Thanks again.

Meant to ask if anyone from Scotland has done this and where was the best place to fly from. Don't think there are flights from Glasgow or Prestwick to Bologna or is it Rimini?

With staying at the Soleil, is there an event specific booking that happens nearer the time?
I was going to e-mail them but there only seems to be the date booking section....unless I've missed it?

Thanks

weapons

I think you can either fly BA to Bologna or Easyjet to Rimini. Rimini is prob nearer but I'd rather fly with a bike box through BA than Easyjet.

I'm not sure re whether there is an event specific booking as the sportive sec of our club did a central booking for us all. I would guess so as the owner is involved in the organisation of Nove Colli. Drop him an email, he's really friendly and will ensure you have an excellent stay.

rc856

Thanks......yet again!



Until the next question! :roll: