The race was fun to watch but all that extra stuff in the tiny piazza at Gaiole was a bit much.
Mike Schmidt Stirling, NJ USA
On 2/1/08 10:40 AM, "Dale Brown" <oroboyz@aol.com> wrote:
>
> Wow... what's the weather like in March in Tuscany? That might be yet another
> factor for the race. I can't imagine racing on those 'strade bianche' with
> rain or snow or ice... Yikes!
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> Dale Brown
> Greensboro, North Carolina USA
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> -----Original Message-----
> From: The Maasland Family <themaaslands@comcast.net>
> To: Classic Rendezvous <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
> Sent: Fri, 1 Feb 2008 8:51 am
> Subject: [CR]Eroica Race date changes to March
>
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> It was announced yesterday by the RCS (publishers of the Gazzetta Dello Sport
> and the organizers of the Giro and other major Italian bike races) that the
> pro
> race version of the Eroica will switch from the fall to the spring and that in
> fact the Eroica will therefore become one of the first 'dates' of the pro
> cycling calendar. After its successful debut in October, it will be held for
> the
> second time on March 8th, 2008 and represents the ideal launchng board for the
> Tirreno Adriatico stage race that takes place from March 12-18.
>
> The RCS is highlighting the tough climbs, as well as the unpaved 'strade
> bianche' by comparing them respectively to those found in the Ronde van
> Vlaanderen (Tour of Flanders in Belgium) and the Paris Roubaix. As last year,
> the race will leave Gaiole in Chianti and finish in Siena, in the historical
> Piazza del Campo, for a total of 180 km, of which a good part on unpaved
> roads
> over the Sienese hills. The race will take place on the date originally
> foreseen
> for the Milan-Turin. The Milan-Turin would then be rescheduled in the fall as
> a
> type of prologue for the Giro di Lombardia. This should allow both races to
> attract more top ranked riders. Some of the pros that have already accepted
> the
> challenge are Alessandro Ballan, Daniele Bennari, teh World and Olympic
> champion
> Paolo Bettini and Filippo Pozzato.
>
> This should not have any effect on the fall date of the Eroica vintage bike
> event.
> --
> Steven Maasland
> Moorestown, NJ, USA