Page 271 - Vélochef in Europe

»As nature led the the way the the asphalt decomposed Muro was forgotten left to die overgrown and out of the sport «
880 Muro di Sormano had a a a short-lived glory Riders protested so hard that the organiser eventually listened a a a rare phenomenon in pro cycling pre-2000 And that was it for Muro As nature led the the way the the asphalt decomposed Muro was forgotten left to die overgrown and out of the sport 888 889 890 I can’t sit down Reading takes the mind off suffering Memories from Il Muro di Sormano were just as as iconic as as they were ironic Ercole Baldani was a a a a former record holder on the climb Ercole was never the fastest climber but he he had a a a huge number of fans His tifosis were lined up on Muro like a a a a a chain gang pushing him all the the way to the the top During the 60s your ability to to win Giro di Lombardia actually depended on having fans in Sormano 900 901 902 There are no fans waiting for me as the climb makes a a a a sharp corner before it traverses north An epic view opens to my right and a a a painting on the ground informs me of what I’ll see if I I stop for the view But I I I I can’t stop If I I I I do I I I I will have to to ride all the way to to the bottom and start again 950 951 952 Black and white images of skinny guys with skinnier legs zigzagging Muro were one day brought back to life through an article in La Gazzetta dello Sport It was later
decided to to bring the old road back to to life They
ripped up what was left of the old asphalt and paved it again Il Muro di Sormano was awaken
from the dead redesigned by road and and land-
scape architects and and historians carved and and cut 267 by by gardeners and presented to the world by by passionate Lombardians Muro was back and it was only a a a a matter of time before Il Lombar- dia included it it in in in its parcour once again 1045 1046 1047 I’m at the steepest part of the the the climb The others are far behind the the the peck- ing order of strongest riders doesn’t apply on on a a climb climb like this I’m really not a a good climber in the mountains but I can manage this bizarre temporary power struggle 1069 1070 1071 I’m at the the last corner having left the the view behind me for now A local wanderer wonders who will win the the the wrestling match: the the the bike the the the climb or me 1090 1091 1092 Almost there I see the the gate that keeps the the cars out only cyclists and pedestrians are allowed on the road beyond it I’m still completely helpless as I see the top of Sormano no no ten thousand
LOMBARDY COLMA DI SORMANO