March : Poggio Pilgrimage

La Primavera. La Classicissima. The Milan San-Remo. One of the five monuments of professional racing. The longest one day race in the pro-racing calendar, with a long history and global following it’s one that our Italian neighbours are rightly proud of. And it’s grande finale, the Poggio, is within riding distance from Nice.

Italy doesn’t seem that far away when you can see it with your own eyes as you round the Cap de Nice. In fact, it’s 30km to the border and just over 50km to the start of one of Europe’s best bike paths at Ospedaletti.

Admission no. 1 : it’s a frequently asked question as to whether the coast road is too busy to be enjoyable. The honest answer is that it can be busy but if you learn to embrace it, it’s a real experience ; a veritable feast of coastal riding and human life in many different forms across three different countries.

Before the border, the French Riviera delivers some fantastic sights and sounds not least as you pass through Monaco, the country where carbon bikes can go faster than supercars when the tight streets that play home to the Grand Prix are open to everyone. After Monaco a quick up and over to Menton delivers an impressive view of the bay overlooked by the high mountains that include the Col de la Madone and Col de Castillon. Next stop, Italy.

We’ve said it before that there is a tangible change in ambiance immediatley on crossing the border. Everything is just, well, faster. Jacked up on espresso is the obvious assumption. Ventimiglia is maybe the epitome of this, being a town that is literally buzzing. There may be a touristic side to the very front seaside road but cycling through the main street shows it to be a real Italian town. Independent shops dominate with hardly a global retailer to be found, cafés serve short espressos to standing clientele and vespas ‘vesp’ in every direction. Look up and admire the architecture if you get a free millisecond. It’s stunning.

Apart from the traverse across the railway bridge beside the site of the old roman ruins, there is no real separation between Ventimiglia and Bordighera, which is a continuation of the theme and only after this is there chance to breathe before hitting Ospedaletti. It’s here that you can join the Italian cycle path, constructed on the old railway line, that runs the whole way through San Remo, past the Poggio to San Lorenzo al Mare and the bottom of the Cipressa climb. Not only is it known as one of the best cycle paths in Europe, entering the first tunnel a mere kilometre after Ospedaletti, below and above you are snippets of Milan- San Remo history. Past winners are immortalized above with photos and short texts about their victories and quotes on the path below show the local pride for the Primavera. Even the most casual of race fans can’t help get excited about the prospect what lies ahead : maybe two of the smallest but most famous climbs in professional cycling.

Admission no. 2 : the Cipressa is a more interesting climb than the Poggio. Starting in San Lorenzo al Mare there is a steep beginning but that soon relaxes into a gentle climb through olive groves. The hairpin right halfway up points you back towards San Remo and then up toward the village with the church tower a good marker on the summit. And that summit is special. The road narrows into one lane between the church and the traditional houses above it. Don’t run the light just for the sake of a Strava time. There’s a new café on the Piazza Mazzini where good espresso and cheap paninis are guaranteed.

The transfer from the Cipressa to the Poggio is one of anticipation. Kelly’s famous descent in 1992, Erik Zabel sitting up too early, Cav winning on his first go, Nibali’s roll of the dice that confused the race favourites. Everyone has memories of this race. The Poggio always has an effect on the result, whether its some of the fast legs being dropped on the 3.6km climb, or a puncheur splitting or completely escaping the peloton. On the coast road before you hit the climb look up, like the pros apparently do, to spot the lighthouse that indicates the junction is approaching.

With form or fresh legs amateurs can ride it in the big ring. If you have been riding the classic cols of the Alpes-Maritimes it’s refreshing to be climbing at a faster pace. The hairpins take concentration and the writing on the road provides atmosphere. Through the green houses, up one of the steeper ramps, you reach the Poggio town sign, which wills you towards the summit.

At the top, on the apex of the junction is perhaps the most famous public phone box in the cycling world, where the downhill starts. Poggio is nearly as famous for its descent as it is for the climb. As Sean Kelly showed, you need to be able to harness gravity and corner speed as well as watts to be able to win San-Remo. Enjoy the descent but remember the road isn’t closed.

Admission #3 : you don’t have to ride all of this ride. There are train stations in San-Remo, Ventimiglia and Menton if, like us, you spend too much time enjoying espresso and pizza and find yourself running out of daylight.