Questions about racing in Italy

[clockwise]

Hi, I'm hoping someone out there can help me with a few questions. I'm going to be in Italy racing this summer for about three months, and am having trouble finding some info.

First, I need to find a calendar or something like bikereg.com that lists the various Elite races for the year.

Second, I'm planning to race in the Elite category but am over 23 years of age. The only information I've found pertaining to Elite races has specified that it was for U23 riders. Am I missing something or is there no Elite racing for over 23 racers?

Third, I have a US racing license and will purchase a UCI license and get the required permission letters, but does anybody know whether I will need to purchase an Italian racing license as well? I'm also hoping to do some racing Belgium and Germany, and possibly France. Any other requirements I should know about?

Thanks!

 

[Stani Kléber]

There is Elite racing for >23 years old but specific U23 races. But there are many non U23 races.

Which region will you race in Italy? You will find there are good forums and advice on a regional basis, especially in Toscana and Lombardia, the hotbeds of Italian cycling.

You don't need an Italian licence, so long as you have a UCI number you should be able to race. Not all race officials will agree with this but usually you will get a ride.

Finally Italian cycling is a very high level. I have helped some US riders when they come to Europe (incl Pate and Farrar) in a modest way and I tend to advise against racing in Italy. I've raced there too and doping is rife, alliances between riders and teams often happen to stop foreigners winning.

France, Belgium and Luxembourg offer much healthier scenes (though not perfect). This isn't to make you change your plans, if you're going then make the most of it but keep your eyes open.

 

[clockwise]

Wow, thanks for the heads up. At this point I'm committed to spending a good amount of time in Italy, so I'm definitely going to give it a go. I'll try to make a trip over to Belgium and France though to check out the racing scenes out there.

Do you have any tips on where to look for a calendar of >23 Elite races? I've tried the FCI website but it wasn't incredibly helpful.

 

[Stani Kléber]

Which town/region are you going to?

One more point, your best bet is to hook up with a local team, they will always be interested in an Elite licence holder.

 

[rhubroma]

Hi, I'm hoping someone out there can help me with a few questions. I'm going to be in Italy racing this summer for about three months, and am having trouble finding some info.

First, I need to find a calendar or something like bikereg.com that lists the various Elite races for the year.

Second, I'm planning to race in the Elite category but am over 23 years of age. The only information I've found pertaining to Elite races has specified that it was for U23 riders. Am I missing something or is there no Elite racing for over 23 racers?

Third, I have a US racing license and will purchase a UCI license and get the required permission letters, but does anybody know whether I will need to purchase an Italian racing license as well? I'm also hoping to do some racing Belgium and Germany, and possibly France. Any other requirements I should know about?

Thanks!

There is an elite category, called dilettante, over 23 til 26. But most drop out after 23 and if you weren't good enough to turn pro by then, you have to ride ciclo amatori. But these are very demanding also because you have to compete against many good ex-dilettanti and even ex-pros riding these events, which usually are from 80-110 km long. Very fast and almost always with some hard, but shortish elevations.

Then there are the Granfondo events, which are betweeen 150-200 km long and sometimes with major Apennine and Alpine climbs. Like a hard stage in a grand tour. There you will up against some pros and lots of really strong amatuers.

You'll need to get an Italian liscence and medical certification. Find a good bike shop and ask how and where to go to get these things done when you arrive. Cheers.

In any case check out these sites and good luck:

http://www.cicloamatori.ciclismo.info/

http://www.maidirebike.com/ita/gare-bici-da-corsa.asp

http://www.cycling.it/

 

[clockwise]

Thanks guys!

I'll be staying primarily in Rome, but am planning on traveling quite a bit around Europe to race.

Also, I just turned 27 so it looks like the dilettante races won't help me too much. I've heard that the amatoriale events are competitive, but more like group rides than actual races. That could be completely inaccurate though...

 

[fatandfast]

In Balsano,Bergamo and Terrento nobody cares as long as you have a bunch of paperwork and act like you know what you are doing,Lic,release letter from your club,permission letter from Co Springs.In Belgium and Germany they care even less than people in Italy.As long as you have the cash to travel around, go to France and race the cat below Deletante,you will get smoked but it's really fun.Go nearer to Antwerp than Brussels,you are going to love it,no more health nuts and riders wives,An old guy with a cigar is going to take your license and entry fee and put it in a wooden box.Lots of times registration is done in a Bar.Lots of folks in Belgium look like they have done jail time,criminals are people too.They know everything about racing.If you are from the west or south, ride rollers in the shower with cold water going.One thing you will never figure out is how people from Holland and Belgium never warm up,smell like eucilyptus and can ride 35mph for 45min from the gun.Also while you are still in the states get a 1 or 2 gallon jug of water a couple of rags,and a comb.After a 100k at 35mph Belg racer can clean himself up using just water.He will put on a track suit and slippers with socks and look as if he had not raced.In the N of Italy people speak German some.Holland,Belgium and Germany you can find somebody who speaks English for essentials.The other thing is if you have a common size bike,54-58cm,you can sell them so you don't have to carry it back.High end stuff is a little more expensive in Europe,even with the dollar being in the tank.Put in mega miles and TRAIN ALONE, IF you can't go fast on your own you are going to hate the single file lines that are euro racing.Eat french fries with curry catsup often.Bring lots of jerseys to trade,you can't have enough cycling clothes!Belg air is hot,thick and delicious.

 

[clockwise]

Yes now THAT is what I'm talking about! SO PUMPED! Thanks a ton for the advice, keep it coming!

 

[rhubroma]

Thanks guys!

I'll be staying primarily in Rome, but am planning on traveling quite a bit around Europe to race.

Also, I just turned 27 so it looks like the dilettante races won't help me too much. I've heard that the amatoriale events are competitive, but more like group rides than actual races. That could be completely inaccurate though...

Completely inaccurate. It's serious, like cat I-II racing in the States. The major difference between dilettante and today's cicloamatore categories is that the dilettante racing is longer, with stage races too, because it is the usual scouting ground for the pros, simply because of the young age of the the riders 18-23, 24-26 years old (kinda like, on the finer teams, tripple A minor league baseball or division one AA collage football in the US), although in rare cases cicloamatori riders who demonstrate great form and results at the granfondo level have passed pro too after their dilettante careers.

Then you have guys who simply came into cycling too late to have raced dilettante, in their mid to late 20's, and then after 5 or 6 years in the cicloamatore races are just freekin monsters.

There are Italian cicloamatore regional and national championship races in elite and masters categories and a Worlds event in St. Johann in Tirol, Austria at the end of August. Plus, as I mentioned before, you will race against many a very good ex-dilettante in your age category and even some ex-pros. For example, Frank VDB, Colage, Massimilliano Lelli and Roman Veinsteins (?) have all raced cicloametori and granfondo events.

Sure, if you want to turn pro, then dilettante is the way to go, but you're already to old for that and, in any case, you'd have to be invited on an Italian team to participate in those races here. You just can't show up from the States with your cat I or II US racing liscence, without major team sponsorship, and be allowed to race in the elite dilettante races. It doesn't work that way.

 

[rhubroma]

In Balsano,Bergamo and Terrento nobody cares as long as you have a bunch of paperwork and act like you know what you are doing,Lic,release letter from your club,permission letter from Co Springs.In Belgium and Germany they care even less than people in Italy.As long as you have the cash to travel around, go to France and race the cat below Deletante,you will get smoked but it's really fun.Go nearer to Antwerp than Brussels,you are going to love it,no more health nuts and riders wives,An old guy with a cigar is going to take your license and entry fee and put it in a wooden box.Lots of times registration is done in a Bar.Lots of folks in Belgium look like they have done jail time,criminals are people too.They know everything about racing.If you are from the west or south, ride rollers in the shower with cold water going.One thing you will never figure out is how people from Holland and Belgium never warm up,smell like eucilyptus and can ride 35mph for 45min from the gun.Also while you are still in the states get a 1 or 2 gallon jug of water a couple of rags,and a comb.After a 100k at 35mph Belg racer can clean himself up using just water.He will put on a track suit and slippers with socks and look as if he had not raced.In the N of Italy people speak German some.Holland,Belgium and Germany you can find somebody who speaks English for essentials.The other thing is if you have a common size bike,54-58cm,you can sell them so you don't have to carry it back.High end stuff is a little more expensive in Europe,even with the dollar being in the tank.Put in mega miles and TRAIN ALONE, IF you can't go fast on your own you are going to hate the single file lines that are euro racing.Eat french fries with curry catsup often.Bring lots of jerseys to trade,you can't have enough cycling clothes!Belg air is hot,thick and delicious.

In Italy they usually expect that you ride with some reputable team in the States to be allowed into a dilettante event. In any case, as I said, at your age its cicloamatore you'll be doing. But it's like the environment described above, hardman stuff and very natural in terms of it being played out with real nonchalant ease and culture and knowledge. But there's a grace and stylishness about Italian cycling, that comes with the territory. In Italy, it's all about style. And the Italians also, without warming up, just go out and hammer at 35 mph for 45 minutes, or, if not, because they're leveling climbs with disallarming ease.

Plus there's doping. Ohhhh, yes, lots of doping. Sorry to break the news. In Rome, where I live, in 2006 there was a major doping bust involving an ex-pro, a few dilettanti and several cicloamatori (one, Renzo Ashi, an ex-master's world champion, was placed under house arrest and has been banned from racing for life, because he was a major dealer to all categories mentioned above), effected by the NAS drug and contraban division of the Guardia della Finanza. And I know guys who have been associated with Dr. Conconi, who brought EPO into the pro peleton in the 80's and who was D. Michele Ferrari's mentor, the greatest blood dope doctor of all time (who, incidentaly,was the cause behind the Simeoni-Armstrong incident at the Tour several years back). I also raced with guys who were clients of the notorious Abruzzese doping Dr. Santucconi from Pescara, Danilo DiLuca's medic, who in the recent Oil for Drugs investigation has been banned for life from working with athletes.

All this and more, is what you'll be up against when you race here. But it's great fun.

PS: I have raced both categories over the last 15 years or so.

 

[clockwise]

All this and more, is what you'll be up against when you race here. But it's great fun.

PS: I have raced both categories over the last 15 years or so.

Sounds crazy, hard, and amazingly fun. Sign me up.

That's great that you live and race in Rome, and thank you for responding it's been very helpful! Do you have suggestions for good cicloamatore events in September/early October? I'm planning on doing some Granfondos during that time but would also like to know about any smaller events that might be going on.

Also, I race Cat 2 in the US for a regional development squad sponsored by Colavita/Sutter Home. It's a great team with awesome teammates, and I'd very much like to find a similar team to race with when I arrive. Can you point me in the right direction as far as who I should contact, or is that something I would be better off doing when I get to Rome?

Thanks again!

 

[rhubroma]

Sounds crazy, hard, and amazingly fun. Sign me up.

That's great that you live and race in Rome, and thank you for responding it's been very helpful! Do you have suggestions for good cicloamatore events in September/early October? I'm planning on doing some Granfondos during that time but would also like to know about any smaller events that might be going on.

Also, I race Cat 2 in the US for a regional development squad sponsored by Colavita/Sutter Home. It's a great team with awesome teammates, and I'd very much like to find a similar team to race with when I arrive. Can you point me in the right direction as far as who I should contact, or is that something I would be better off doing when I get to Rome?

Thanks again!

Let me work on it a bit, and I'll get back to you.

 

[fatandfast]

further folly

I got another suggestion last night from a long time friend that stopped racing in Antwerp 2 years ago after a three year stay(was a cat1,2 us 14 US wins).He never got better than 6th place in Belgium but did place in the top 30 for the year before last.His suggestion is to a team or two to get like a penpal so if you decided to return for an extended stay.Most race posting are still done in a newspaper format so you need a local place to stay with a cycling family that can be found through a racing club.If you really want to experience euro racing you have to go with a very deep base(350-450 per week) of good quality before you go and you need to try and stay in one area to find support and consistent training conditions.Good luck.

 

[rhubroma]

Let me work on it a bit, and I'll get back to you.

There are daily rides at Tor di Quinto at 1:15 each weekday, where you'll meet lots of good local racers. Be a good place to start and begin to insert yourself. In Italy it's all about being helped along by the right people, very guildish in their mentality. If the Italians see you are strong and you try to express your racing interests. You will get a green light into their world and escorted to the races. Cheers

 

[clockwise]

Awesome, thanks rhubroma. I will definitely try to speak with some people at those group rides and make some friends. I'd ideally like to hook up with a local team, since racing on your own is never fun, and that sounds like the place to do it. I appreciate your help, maybe I'll see you at the races!

Also fatandfast, the info about the fitness level of the other riders is helpful, thanks. I usually average in the lower part of that range (~350mi/week) so hopefully I'll be up to the challenge. We'll see, and I'll post back to let you know. If there's anything else you think would be helpful I'm all ears

 

[rhubroma]

Awesome, thanks rhubroma. I will definitely try to speak with some people at those group rides and make some friends. I'd ideally like to hook up with a local team, since racing on your own is never fun, and that sounds like the place to do it. I appreciate your help, maybe I'll see you at the races!

Also fatandfast, the info about the fitness level of the other riders is helpful, thanks. I usually average in the lower part of that range (~350mi/week) so hopefully I'll be up to the challenge. We'll see, and I'll post back to let you know. If there's anything else you think would be helpful I'm all ears

Good. Whether or not you see me at the races this year depends on my recovery. I got crushed by a motorino on the way to work, on my city bike, last Tues. The impact took me about 100 meters away from incident. No broken bones, incredibly, so I was very fortunate, but pretty serious whiplash and contusions throught my lower body.

I was planning to take some time off anyway during this part of the season, as I've been racing since February, but now I will be off much longer than I was thinking with the unfortunate drop in form. Plus I'm almost 40, so these things take longer than when I was 27! So maybe something in Sept., Oct., but not before I doubt. Cheers