La Squadra

Following up a recent telephone call i received when in a bike shop in Sinalunga, Tuscany  June (via blog in “search of L’Eroica Bike”) i finally met Riccardo Bertocci….a youthful passionate cyclist who races regularly, well connected and is helping me organise L’Eroica bikes for the boys of La Squadra. He took me to meet his father who runs a bike restoration business as a hobby with 2 old friends. There in a typical artisan little workshop in a backyard of an old mill i meet his father Luciano.

Here was an expert with knowledge and history of a bygone age….he duly recounted stories of how Tuscany was the nerve centre of artisan workshops of clothes, hand made cycling shoes and equipment…(he mentioned that nearby was a shop were all the great and good of the worlds best riders would visit to have their cycling shoes hand made). He then produced in front of me a series of bikes fully restored an example of two Bianchi’s with original decals and a beautiful paint job (see photographs).

There were plenty of other bikes…Legnano, Olmo, Tomassini, Atala, Maggini, Viscontia, Tornado, Liberti, Daccordi, Conti & Viner a real history of  Italian brands almost all long gone into the history books. But characters like Luciano will keep these type of bikes alive and  the 6 boys from La Squadra will be reviving the memory by using these bikes for the forthcoming L’Eroica event.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gustocycling/sets/72157627543603451/

L’Eroica 2011

As some of you know, i have been looking to acquire a few bikes for the forthcoming L’Eroica retro event..well i wrote a short blog for the Italian Cycling Journal of my trip with Gian in June….i produced 6 x 60 sec video blogs, below is the link to the story of the week and the last video blog highlighting a chance encounter in a bike shop in Sinalunga, Tuscany plus a timely phone call on the last day.

http://italiancyclingjournal.blogspot.com/2011/07/in-search-of-leroica-bike.html

This is an extract from Mike Shields one of our “La Squadra” members on his quest to paricipate in L’Eroica.
L’Eroica – part one
From reading a simple Ryanair in flight magazine article I’m now signed up for one the world’s classic and iconic bike rides at the beginning of October this year. The L’Eroica is an organised ride in the middle of the Chianti region in Tuscany, Italy which was established with the specific intention of saving the famous Strada Bianchi (white gravel roads) which are synonymous with that area of Tuscany. So if you are interested in an international sportive with a difference, food stops with the classic cycling staples of red wine, cured meats and focaccia then this is the one to do.
There are 3500 riders taking part this year, all of whom will have to ride a bike made before 1983. A recent rule change a few years ago, to keep the whole event in line, with the retro feel and approach to the event restricted the bikes that can be used to ones manufactured before 1983. So no index shifting, 6 speed cassette at the back if you are lucky and maybe twin chainrings up front.
I’ve spent some time surfing ebay UK for a classic Italian retro racer, with no real success. So I tried ebay IT and came up trumps with a 1974 / 75 Bianchi 10 speed racer from a chap in Rome. I went over to Italy at Easter to collect the bike (moves current bike count up to 6 now) and have a holiday of course. Spare cables, spangly new cable cutting tool, new chain etc etc and didn’t need any of it. The tubular tyres pumped up and held air, only restriction was a seatpost that was only 120mm long, gearing is of the epic variety, 52 / 42 chainrings with a 5 speed 12 / 23. I can tell you its no compact.
I must send out massive thanks to both Marco for his fantastic help with the whole logistics of bike delivery and collection at Easter. Thanks Marco you are a star, also Alex at Bicicletta, who has been great at answering daft & odd questions both before getting the bike and then even more since picking it up.
Only a few more things to sort before October, I need to get my rear in gear and put some miles in so I’m ready for the 200km I’ve signed up for (there are shorter distances but I’ll be in La Squadra colours so there are standards to maintain !), grow a moustache for the full retro feel and learn how to fit tubular tyres in as shorter time as poss. I’m aiming for a sub 12 hour time, which from what I read is seen as heroic standard.
After some roadside learning on how to fit tubular tyres on the hot 100 I tried to find some vintage wheels which took tyres and tubes. Success again on ebay, with some mavic G40 rims on record hubs plus a 5 speed set of rear cogs with a 14 / 28 set of ratios, these are now on the bike and in the unlikely event i tackle curbar before taking the bike back to Italy it should be a breeze !!

You might well ask!! well some of you are wearing the new 2011 Nonna’s summer kit and the feedback we have had has been great! you really like the cut the quality of the material and detail. Parentini are a small family Tuscan company based in Capanne near Pisa.

Here is a little background to Parentini..

It was 1976 when the 20 year old Gianpaolo started to work in the family clothing factory. He loved sports, so he decided to join his fathers business and with his blessing decided to move the business from the production of simple wool jerseys to specialising in jersey’s for cycling. The production was immediately appreciated from the experts because of the high quality, style and apparel which gave to the company the opportunity to sponsor many important teams and champions like Giuseppe Saronni.

From the first success the company has grown every season each time improving the technical aspects and it’s image in the cycling world. The Parentini group philosophy is to join the fashion aspects to the sport requests. After 30 years the tradition continues….Gian & Tim (93ft) will be looking at the winter selection so stay tuned for some new kit for winter!!

Here i am with Gianpaolo who i have known for a few years finalising the new Nonna’s summer kit as you can see he is not a cyclists at all!!!……he loves his food though!! ive seen him in action!
Above his head you can see posters showing some of the sponsored teams he has supprted such Ivan Basso and Damiano Cunego…

Wednesday NIGHT 20 July is our first cycling get together since the Hot 100km, the event is a Tour De France evening (as if you didn’t know it was on!).

We would like to invite everyone at La Squadra to come and join us at Nonnas in Chesterfield at 131 Chatsworth Road Chesterfield S40 2AH. We have privatised upstairs bar/restaurant area to watch one of the main mountain stages on a large screen. (we did this last year and it was a fabulous spectacle).

STAGE 17 – Gap – Pinerolo (179 km) has 5 climbs including Category 1 climb in Italy at Sestiere..the stage actually finishes in Italy!

We will be recording the last 90 minutes while its broadcast live in the afternoon and then playing it at the event in the evening.

The evening is relaxed & informal starting at 7.30 with 8pm start for the viewing of the Stage … during the TV coverage we will be offering a plate of pasta for a fiver £5 to cover our costs.

It would be great if you can make it!! So make sure you don’t listen to any news of the event on radio/TV on the day so that you can be surprised as everyone else will be as the stage unfolds in the evening.

The evening is open to La Squadra family and friends. We would appreciate it if you can confirm your attendance and if you are bringing someone along as well so we know how many to cater for.

Run on gravel roads with 60.70 nd 80s bikes, woollen jerseys and fuelled by rich Italian food and wine, the gloroius L’Eroica race captures the golden era of cycling

Set in the heart of Tuscany in the chianti region in a little town called Gaiole in Chianti

If you want to see what this event is really like check out this amazing short video

I visited the event in 2009 and took many photo’s to get a flavour of the place and event, see link below of the pictures of L’eroica from start to finish..

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.444482925606.375823.401296290606

L’Eroica offers something truly unique: a race on ancient roads using obsolete bikes, surrounded by gorgeous scenery and fuelled by a mouth-watering selection of food and wine. As a period cycle race – only bikes made prior to 1987 can enter – riders also dress in appropriate costumes (Merino wool jerseys, leather shoes, small peak caps), and most of the course is made up of the bone-shaking “strada bianche”,  Italy’s crushed gravel tracks. When it was first held in 1997, it was intended to help save these roads from being gradually replaced with asphalt.

The event is divided into distances to suit all levels of riders, from the 38km that the majority tackle to the full 205km course, which is so demanding that anyone who finishes in under 12 hours is awarded a huge hamper.

Registration is closed since March but Gusto Cycling has 6 registrations available with accommodation and possibly the rental availability of retro bikes..Im off on the 21st June for a week toTuscany and will be looking for bikes to rent and finding accommodation…anyone interested in this event please let me know.

My first ever visit to a cycle race of any kind happened to be a professional cycle race around the town of Monsummano Terme (Tuscany) in August 1971, my uncle took me to see a night time criterium race with the big hitters of the day in action….Felice Gimondi, Gianni Motta, Marino Basso and of course Eddy Merckx!…I happend to be on the corner of a left turn with my uncle when there was an almight roar as the race came by and I had my first view of the great Eddy Merckx!! and it so happens that   ”La Gazetta Della Sport” took this picture to cover the story and my auntie recognised me and my uncle..hence this picture..

Then 39 years later last Septmber, I met the great Eddy Marckx at Eurobike and I collared him for a picture and a little remindder on memory lane as this picture was on my business card.