This should have been an easy day, just 90km and a couple of small hills to negotiate. However maps now in hand I decided to deviate from the proscribed route and go exploring.
I had a couple of reasons for this. First was that I wanted to spend more time cycling and less drinking/eating. Second was that the previous evening we had been discussing the days ahead and I had discovered that Mount Zoncolan was pretty much on the route of the penultimate day. I knew of this climb from it appearing as no.2 in the list of greatest climbs in a recent cycling magazine (Ventoux being no.1). Its new to the pro routes but has quickly made a name for itself, not surprisingly as it is 10.5km with an average gradient of 11.5%! Having done the Ventoux as a diversion last year it seemed somehow fitting to try Zoncolan as a diversion this time. However I had not planned on taking on anything quite this tough so I wanted to check I could turn over my gears for a long time on steep sections.
So I got out my maps and looked for "fleches". This are >s that show a road is steep. I found a number of >> and (better) >>>s and planned a route to take them in.
As a result I had a long days solo riding. Thoroughly enjoyable including a cheese sandwich in the Swiss town of Spruga (originally the barman said he did not do food but I think he relented and actually went home to get some (in fact a huge slice of) cheese and bread). Also made it uyp very steep climb to Trarego which made me a bit more confident about Zoncolan. Only downer on the day was trying to find the motel at journey's end. For some bizarre reason (for a cycle tour) this was situated on a main road where cycles were officially banned. Still when I arrived the hotel was pretty good, though I only just made it in time for dinner. Found that one benefit of my diversion was that I had missed rain that had caught others in the group.
Stats: Time 8:00, Dist: 178km AVS 22kph Mclimb 2624m, AvP 131W NormP 203W
Day 4 Bellinzona-Chiavenna
This was the first officially hard day with climbs over San Bernadino and Splugen passes, both over 2000m . As a result early starts were order of the day. I was happier to have a lie in and depart late. Slight problem at start given location of hotel on non-cycle road. Passing cyclist convinced me and tour guide simplest to ignore restriction and follow. Decision vindicated by not seeing any traffic (and later discovering earlier riders had got lost trying to find back roads).
The day was dominiated by the San Bernadino climb. This went on for 31km rising to 2065m at an average 5.4%. Its a lovely pass, mostly along quiet roads (the main traffic goes on a parallel main road to a tunnel) made all the better by lots of sun. A few distractions on the way up: a "rue barre" (ignored) that blocked of 100m of road for no apparent reason; a busy section of road as result of some problem on the main route; s "mushroom fair" at San Bernardino village.
On the way up I passed a number of members of the group, eventually being among the first to get to the restaurant at the top of the pass. Very pleasant with a lake and good views. After some food and drink I headed off down to Splugen to go up the second pass of the day. Shorter 8.8km but steeper 7.4% to reach high for the route to date of 2115m.
All went well until the ascent of the Splugen started. This turned out to be into a headwind and was very hard work. Very glad to get to the top and head down to Chiavenna once it was all over.
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