Multi team start, solo finish, but fun!

I got an early start this morning, as I was meeting a group at Paolo's team shop location.  Paolo has been busy with work, family, etc., but he texted me last week and suggested I try riding with the team he rides with, and thought there was one person there from Colorado who would be a good partner for me.  So, I went there with this in mind.  As more and more people showed up, I introduced myself to a few people and said I was friends with Paolo.  These people were from other teams and did not know Paolo.  I did not realize it was a multi-team event until there were around 30 to 40 guys there with around 4 different team kits represented.  People started off, and I jumped in.  We rode to the viales and went past piazza michaelangelo, then headed toward Galluzzo.  On the way, we seemed to pick up another 20 or so riders, and we were quite a pack. At Galluzzo, some turned off to do the switchback climb toward Chiesa Nuova, but I followed two guys who had on Le Due Ruote kits, as this is Paolo's team.  We rode out through Tavernuzze, and the remaining group, around 15 by now was really booking.  We continued to drop people, and as I looked at my speedometer, we were doing 40 to 45 kph on a slight uphill.  It only took a couple of seconds of lack of concentration, and I was off the back as well.

This was fine, as I am riding with my team tomorrow, and we are meeting in Tavernuzze and heading out the same direction.  After loosing the group, I turned off for the climb through Luiano, then hooked up with the road to Montefiridolfi.  This road drops into a valley, then climbs back up to a beautiful ridge.  I stayed on the ridge through Montefiridolfi, through Collina, then descended to the main road in the valley.  I went up valley from there and turned off just past Bargino on a road that was marked for San Pancrazio, which is where I wanted to go.  I thought it was a different road, and looking at the maps now, the road I had wanted was another 4 kilometers up the valley.  This road was really beautiful, new, and went through a very small town called Pergolata.  The road was pretty steep here, and stayed that way until it hit the road between Romita and San Pancrazio.  I can't help myself , I checked the percent-o-meter, and this beautiful road was anywhere from 14 to 22% for most of the climb.  Wow.

Once on the Romita road, I rode to San Pancrazio where I took a break and got some additional water.  As I sat and had some gorp and water, probably for around 10 minutes, I saw around 15 cyclists ride through the area all going different directions, some in groups of 4 or 3 or 2, many, like myself, alone.  From San Pancrazio, I continued along the ridge to Montagana, then descended to Cerbia.  I then climbed to Chiesa Nuova, where 3 riders caught me who were among the people I started with in the morning.  I rode with them over to the Scandicci turn off, where I went straight and dropped down the switchbacks to Galluzzo.  From Galluzzo, I hit the Cinque Vie road, and ended up on the viales, taking me home.  Fun ride.  I did not take any pictures, as I was planning on just busting it to keep up.  Click the link for details, but the totals were 48 miles, average rolling speed of 13.4, and around 3500 vertical. Ciao!

Multi team start, solo finish, but fun! by ridingwithcosimo at Garmin Connect - Details