Great morning ride with Luca L returning from an injury.

A friend from the team, Luca Lacalamita, injured his hand in a granfondo in late April.  He had surgery, and it was in a cast for a month.  But around 7 weeks after the crash, he is back on his bike, and actually has been for a little over a week.  He had a friend, who is a trainer, give him some dvds to use on stationary rollers, while he could not get out, so he was really very fit today.  I had seen a few strava posts with him riding, really quite fast, so I texted him and we set up a ride today.

We met a Piazza Liberta, and went out through Ponte a Ema, and up through Vacciano and San Gersole to Impruneta, where we continued following the main road through Strada to the turn off for La Panca.  I normally descend this road, as it is one of my favorite descents in the whole area, but today we climbed.  The same things that make it a great descent make it a great climb.  Quite gradual, which lots of curves, it is a sweet ascent.  After La Panca, there is a little downhill, maybe a kilometer, then you climb to hook up with the Passo Sugame road and climb to the top of the pass.  This is another of my favorite roads, as it is just super scenic, and a nice climb.  A sweet descent follows into Greve, then a stop for a cafe, followed by the fast 35 kilometer push on a gradually descending road back to Firenze.  Great ride and great to see Luca back out on the bike, even if he can kick me around a little.  Ciao.

San Gersole, Strada, La Panca, Greve, Firenze with Luca L by ridingwithcosimo at Garmin Connect - Details

A nice view from the park in La Panca toward the East.

Luca at the little park in La Panca where the water fountain is.