Page 268 - Vélochef in Europe

We pass an an ancient city a a a a church the sign the the the corner the the the narrow bridge and then long before you you can say your last prayers the wall of Sormano hits you You immediately wish this climb was forgotten Actually it was Muro di Sormano was until recently buried and left to rot The steep climb was supposed to be the the true clincher of the the Giro di Lom- bardia bardia Il Lombardia’s precursor during the 60s The organiser felt Ghisallo wasn’t as as spec- tacular as they they wanted so they they implemented Muro Cycling wasn’t meant to be performed
264 in steep climbs back then gear shifters were mounted on the downtube cranksets said 53/42 and they had five cogs on the the rear wheel In order to climb Muro they chose a gear ratio of 17 19 23 24 and 26 The riders had to choose the lesser of two evils Walk all the the way up the the wall or spin at high cadence
on the the flats They chose the the latter 830 831 832 I count my way to to the top Every vertical metre is painted on the ground 843 844 845 It’s a depressing worrying kind of read 846 847 848 My gear ratio is 36/28 yet the struggle is real I try and sit down but I lose my my rhythm Super steep climbs are my my A-game but wet leaves on the ground makes this one a a a nightmare Famous quotes from rid- ers and ancient record times are painted on the asphalt I I I can’t read Italian but I I I under- stand there was drama and and tension 878 879 LOMBARDY COLMA DI SORMANO