Stage 4, Race Around the Lake

For the SD Team today was our last stage for the Granfondo China 2015. It was a quite emotional day for us. This was caused by the fact that we were going to say good bye to cyclists met during this event. It did not matter what was their nationality,but we all stack together like “Sticky Rice”. 

Local costume along the 115Km

We shared the same passion,we helped each other out 24hours a day on or off the bike. Those events around the world with plenty of barriers not just on the saddle but also off the saddle make those trips stunning and unable to describe. 

At the start line

We started as a group of 3,already with language barrier, 2 Italians & a Scottish(both nationalities could not speak a word of proper English). We finished with a group of 50 or more. Within the group there were 29 nationalities, 5 continents were covered. What else could you have more? This strange passion of 2 wheels stuck together with some tubing & cables, brings to me always joyful emotions.

Along the route by the Lake

On this stage of 115km along the lake perimeter, with completely closed road, with towns on a stand still while our passage , with school kids screaming at us through theirs school fences and our speed of nearly 30 miles per hour average made it too short. Now I feel unhappy, because I could have spent more time admiring those little but big peculiarities that make us live our life to the full.

Fresh refeshments

We are always racing in our lives, on or off the 2 wheels, Why?  This is my question.

The answer could be quite easy. YOU NEED TO TAKE PART at the GRANFONDO CHINA.   

Please feel free to get in touch with us to get more info for the 2016 edition.

Our Team would like to say thank you to Kris, Niclas, Torben and the rest of the crew at Nordic Ways to have created an amazing event. We wish a successful finish and a Arrivederci for the 2016 edition.

A Taxi Ride

A Chinese friend of mine ,Jingyan, other day stated some amazing words:

 “WHERE MOUNTAINS TOUCH THE SKY AND WATER REACHES LAND,IS WHERE WE LIVE,CREATE AND DREAM”.

The best Ride for the day

After those emotional words we just want to say be safe on the road and love each other.

Ciao.

SD TEAM.

Mountain Cronoscalata,Granfondo China

Ciao Everyone,

After a day of rest travelling,  we arrived on Tuesday afternoon in the old town of Chuxiong, welcomed by traditional dances and music.

The hotel is located in the town square,walking distance from all the local attractions,food stalls & restaurants. 

The temperature was pleasant and everyone was happy to go out for a meal.So we all gathered and walk down the road until we found a local restaurant.

We then discovered the beauty of Chuxiong , a traditional minority people’s village which enabled us to step into the past of China.

We walked along the canals , hosted into people houses to try their local plum wine and snap few shots with them.

Dinner time arrived like a flash,  with all little BBQ food street stalls we adventured into one which we picked our raw skewers and vegetables ready for the following day Cronoscalata.

We remounted our bikes the following morning for a 23.5km mass start time trial to a summit of 2450 m.s.l with a total ascent of nearly 800 metres.It was sharp gently painful in the legs and lungs. I loved it so much after reaching nearly 2200 m.s.l. the cloud level was with us making the road nice and slippery with temperature dropped down to 6 Degrees Celsius.

A bit chilly a the the top but still amazing. Everyone was dismounting their bikes to be loaded in the truck to go to the Dali Stage.

Tomorrow will be stage from the Dali lake race,115km on the lake.

Ride Safe.Share the road with everyone.

SD Team