[Music]
Behind me is the beautiful Lake Garda, Italy's largest lake, one which I have been waiting
over 10 years to cycle round.
Will the wait be worth it, will it be the world's most beautiful bike ride and will
stage 16 of this year's Giro d'Italia which uses some of the same roads be the toughest
of the race?
To answer those questions, well, I'm gonna need to go for a bike ride!
[Music]
Lake Garda is in the north of Italy, situated at the halfway point between Milan and Venice.
My route for today is just over 140 kilometers long with 800 meters of elevation so fairly
flat.
I'm going to be starting in the south, riding in a clockwise direction, meaning I'll soon
be on the same roads that will be used by the Giro.
And if you want to use the route I'm riding today, well head over to my Komoot profile
and you can download a GPX.
Okay so we've just arrived in Moderna or at least I think I'll say say it anyway first
things first check out my absolutely boss looking brand new bike Pinarello Italian had
to use that to ride around here but anyway this um part of the route that we're on is
just about to join a long straight up the western edge of the lake which incidentally
ties in with part of the stage 16 of the Giro which I mentioned at the start of this video
because that is where the route joins up where we're going today now if you want to see all
of the live race in action from well races throughout the year and the Giro d'Italia
best place to do that GCN+ now as much I want to sit here and look at my bike all
day there's a little bit of root cooler [Music]
[Music] okay so best part about this ride today is not only do I get to do
an amazing ride but also I get to show you guys how amazing it is as I share the journey
with you now this is gonna be the longest ride that I've done since I retired from racing
so I'm hoping that my legs hold out and if they do and it all goes to plan at the end
I might might just consider rounding up to 161 kilometers which is basically 100
miles seems like a shame to have gone that far and then not get the last little bit in
as well so I offer you to 100 miles anyway it's gonna be incredible I'm looking forward
to sharing it with you guys let's do this!
[Music]
So at this point I should probably explain why the hell it's actually taken me 10 years to ride a lap of this iconic lake.
Well last time I visited I only had one hour free to ride and I wanted to do a lap of the lake,
however it was only at the last minute that I actually realized the sheer scale of this
thing and so I had to plot a completely different route but I'm back in Italy and I'm visiting
Selle Italia to see the process of how their 3D printed saddles are made and the opportunity
to finally ride around Lake Garda was too good to turn down
[Music]
Yeah Boy the sun's coming out come on Sunshine please please warm me up I was banking on
good Sunshine here in Italy ah don't let me down
say what um what highlights of that I don't really do long rides anymore one of the first
times in ages about to take food with me these things right incredible they're like jelly
but absolutely rammed full of them full of energy 40 grams of carbs in this thing correction
46 grams super easy to eat although I've stopped sweet yeah so you know
delightful [Music]
some 60 kilometers into the route I was met with quite a surprise a series of tunnels
that just seemed to go on and on and on and on which I had no idea were even on this route
but never mind it's not like I wanted to see this amazing Lake too much into in one ah
ah every time you turn a corner it looks incredible is the best smile on your face I don't know
nothing's gonna make you happy is it [Music]
[Music] all right okay so made it to um one of the most important bits of this route which
I've wanted to do for absolutely ages so over my shoulder is this really fancy section of
the bike path it's so I've read all about it online it's the suspended Bridge which
runs like parallel with the Coast Road and overhangs onto the lake in some sections absolute
engineering Marvel was about three kilometers long I think this bit was completed in 2018
and I read online quite literally last night that has plans to extend that sexual psychopath
way way way further around the lake over a hundred million euros worth of investment
crikeyo samica work for the tourist board but I don't anyway I'm buzzing to get riding
on it I'll show you guys what it's all about [Music] this is a stomach I wanted to do for
absolutely ages I guess you could um you'd really call it like a bucket list ride I guess
which is cool a little bit of a fact and information for you here the sections like this whereas
I really hanging over the water's edge I was really online that's a helicopter sections
of it in which is incredible at the moment last time I checked on my head unit 80 kilometers
to go which is acceptable I think not so bad the Sun's made a slight appearance which has
really cheered me up and when we get to the most Northerly point which is in the distance
over there if you can see I'm gonna have some lunch because I'm absolutely starving [Music]
[Music] oh and then boom just like that we've arrived at the most Northerly points of the
lake I say just like that best part three hours worth of riding but you know it's been
beautiful look at this place anyway I am starting to get tired I'm starting to get hungry which
is a good thing now because over there there's a pizzeria let's do it [Music] right at the
cafe
Portuguese Pizza yes
it's gonna be saying heavy for a while but we'll deal with that when we get there
you've got to take opportunities like this for the bike boat when you can fight volt
here I come [Music] [Applause]
[Music] so this cool little bit of body part check it out behind me that's um the best
bit so far about this route is there's so much cycle path next to the main road because
if I'm honest the main road is quite busy which has taken a little bit of the enjoyment
away but these psychopath bits are so good I mean it's accessible for literally everyone
whether you're a hardened Road cyclist like I used to be or um just casual Cruiser out
for the weekend but I've gotta say the views everywhere are incredible I mean granted I've
not got the greatest of days for it with a bit of mist and Cloud but the sun's trying
to break through what more could you ask for [Music] foreign [Music]
[Music] stretch now bottles full and with that far into the ride that it's fine to just
eat chocolate I think now he's just a case of eating calories I've had the good energy
stuff like that beats a few earlier and I've still got a ssgl touched in my pocket for
an emergency but um chocolate let's get that downless and just eat chocolate enjoy the
scenes [Music] it's time to drop now starting to suffer ah legs are struggling mind is struggling
those Mars Bars are wearing off never mind the lake still looks incredible let's wish
the sun was out more oh well right come on push on last little bit
foreign [Music] made it all the way around the lake and then the extra little further
bit to go over to where I wanted to go so I've done all the good bit we've had an incredible
day out I've loved it I hope you guys at home have loved it I'm over my shoulder over there
is actually the point where we started this morning and yes for those of you wondering
I have ridden all the way around to actually make it a loop um I hope you've actually really
enjoyed this video I've had a really good day out and I hope it's inspired you to get
out on your bike and if nothing else you've just enjoyed the incredible day that I've
had right let me know in the comments section down below what part of my day was your favorite
and whether you've visited Lake Garda before or not and also don't forget to subscribe
to gcn right I'm out of here and I'll see you on my next epic little ride adventure
ciao
oh I have to ride even further now
there we go