Officine Mattio: Prodotte in Italia Officine Mattio are keeping a stronghold on the 'Made In Italy' label and insist on producing their range of fine carbon and steel bikes in their home country, where passion meets design meets experience meets pleasure. Their founder, Giovanni Mattio, explains what drives him.CDC: Italy has a strong reputation for passion and hand-made quality when it comes to frame-building – what is it about your country that breeds such talent? GM: My theory is that Italians have “estro” (inspiration) and fantasy, more than other country and that comes from our great climate and the beautiful landscape. These gifts allow you time to focus on other things. For example: if you live in Greenland you have to live within the limits of the weather to survive. I believe this adds an extra complication and difficulty which reduces your ability to live our your wildest dreams. So I think the climate can determine the development and wisdom of the populations I consider myself very lucky to be born in Italy! CDC: What motivated you to make the leap from rider to manufacturer? GM: I’ve been selling premium bikes for twenty years. Now it’s very hard to find a truly Italian bike brand that produces bikes in Italy. But through my experience and research, I knew that it is still possible to produce top-level bikes on home soil. I saw a gap in the market and I decided to start this wonderful adventure!CDC: What is the key to successfully making your hobby and passion your profession? GM: I think you cannot choose your past but you can build your future. I’m a passionate about the bike, bikes are my pleasure. Why would I spend my life doing anything else? CDC: What is more important – materials or tube dimensions and geometry? GM: To have a top-level bike everything is important: materials, tube dimension, geometry (customized when necessary) and design. Bikes need to be pretty too - don’t forget we are Italian!!! CDC: Carbon fibre choice and layup is often quoted as the secret to a good frame but only in vague terms. Is there a black magic to working with carbon fiber? GM: I think the most important thing is to have a bank of experience and not be stopped by old technology. Carbon is a material used in many areas and we can learn from methods outside of cycling. Every single day we research new sources and compositions of carbon fiber to maintain and to raise quality of our framesets.CDC: Frame building is a competitive business across the world now – what are customers looking for? GM: I think in bicycle world there are 3 kind of customers: Customers that want a good bike that simply allows them to enjoy ride. They want good quality at a certain price point. For them it’s the ride is more important than the bike they are riding; Customers that want to ride, train and compete in races on top-level bikes the deliver a high level of performance. They need something more than an entry or medium level bike; Passionate customers, people who look at their bicycle as if it was a jewel …… Not necessarily the sculpted race-machine but nonetheless its fitness for purpose is very important for them. Also this bike needs to have a good heritage, fine details and quality components. Our range of bikes are built with both the second and third groups of customers in mind. CDC: What lays ahead in the future of frame building? GM: I think disk brakes are the future for road bikes and e-Bikes will continue to grow in popularity with more performance and less weight. CdC: What are you most proud of about Officine Mattio? GM: We are very proud of the feedback we receive from our customers: all our customers seem very happy about their OM experience, from initial contact to riding the bikes.CDC: As a bike manufacturer you must have clear ideas about what makes a beautiful bicycle – can you tell us 5 absolute rules to make a good-looking bike? GM: I think it’s impossible to give you 5 things to make a beautiful bicycle. I think you need to understand where you want to go, imagine in your head your ideal bike and design it from there. It is a personal thing.Aesthetics is not a mathematical calculation. At OM bikes I focus on producing my favorites but I can't say if everyone shares my taste. CDC: Would you ride the Tourmalet on a 1975 Colnago or would you ride the Colle della Fauniera on a 1977 Peugeot? GM: I would have to take the 1977 Peugeot, because I’m born in 1977. CDC: Espresso or grappa? Espresso and Barolo, we are from Piedmont CDC: Dolomites or Alps? For me the Alps offer more diversity and possibilities to explore. But I would also say it is mandatory to spend at least one week in your life in the Dolomites. CDC: Pizza or Pasta? It doesn’t matter, as long as they are PRODOTTE IN ITALIA! CDC: Rome or Milan? Rome and Milan are two amazing cities but honestly, I prefer not to choose either. I love mountains, the sea and little villages where we can do our favorite sport. CDC: Baggio or Totti? Pantanti and Fabio Aru. CDC: Ferrari or Alfa Romeo? Lamborghini!

A survey of French tour style For 31 years now, the French have been more stylish than successful in their national Tour. But where did French Tour style start? Was it with Henri Desgrange, the Tour’s suave dictator – oh, sorry, director – buttoned up like an ageing gangster in a double-breasted suit? Was it his deputy and successor, Jacques Goddet, who was renowned for wearing a linen safari suit and pith helmet? Or was it Desgrange, when, as a young man in the 1890s, in a dragon-motif wifebeater and with a sharply waxed moustache, he showed he could pose to put any hipster to shame?In truth, it’s always been about the riders: right from first winner, ‘the little chimney sweep’ Maurice Garin, who looks eerily like Brad Pitt’s grandfather, and his contemporary, Lucien Pottier, whose predilection for racing in shepherdesses’ hats did not save him from an untimely demise. After the First World War, cycling entered its ‘Golden Age’ and a new breed of hero emerged, accessorised with tubular tyres, goggles and woollen jerseys. This was when René Vietto had the attitude of James Dean, 20 years before James Dean did himself, and Roger Lapébie made women, men, friends and rivals, all go weak at the knees.In the ‘50s and ‘60s it was the era of the matinée idol cycling star, and during the Tour fans gorged themselves on the pictures printed three times a week in the Miroir-Sprint of the suave Louison Bobet, rugged Raphaël Géminiani and aloof Jacques Anquetil (who was so cool when he was racing he can be forgiven some later style faux pas, like his side parting and shirt collars in the ’70s) The ‘70s and ‘80s served us up some horrors and French riders – and French kit – weren’t immune. Laurent Brochard, perhaps, represented a style nadir, but some of it could (it might be argued) be the forerunner of the postmodern, ironic ‘so bad it’s good’ look. Look at Jacky Durand, for example, pictured in his Castorama ‘dungarees’ kit cycling supersonically away from Saturn and its rings.But it wasn’t all bad: for every Castorama there was a La Vie Claire, and every Brochard was balanced out, perhaps, by a Charlie Mottet rocking amazing shades and a to-die-for lo-pro. And Laurent Fignon, the greatest of them all, could look good in any kit – Renault-Elf, Système U, Castorama, you name it. Really, the best look of all is the winning look. The yellow look. Just ask Bernard Hinault how that feels, and let’s hope another French rider models it soon. Who are your French cycling style favourites?

Le bidon & the French cyclist The humble bidon is an undervalued but essential cycling accessory. This many of us know already. But a dip into the history books shows us that our native countrymen played some crucial roles in the evolution of the water bottle, and created some interesting stories along the way.WHERE TO PUT IT? In a bottle cage of course. But where does that bottle cage go? It was apparently a Belgian rider, Firmin Lambot, who first placed his water bottle in a bag attached to his handlebars. That developed into the accepted technique of eventually having two bottles mounted in cages up front. René Vietto, our local hero, is famous for that photo of him giving his wheel to his team leader, and in one moment showing to the world the sacrifice of a talented domestique capable of winning the race himself. But the man from Cannes, like so many other successful racers, was meticulous about every element of his cycling. This included of course the tool for his job and eventually he questioned the accepted tradition as he noticed how the bidons on his handlebars significantly compromised handling. So he moved one to the downtube during the 1939 Tour de France. And voilà, by the 1950s everyone had adopted the style we know today. (Not the first time a gallic cyclist has lead the way in cycling fashion we might add…..)WHAT TO PUT IN IT? How about Fausto Coppi’s favourite - “Binda Zabaione” consisting of 20 beaten egg yolks and some sugar? Or swap your egg for eggnog, add brandy and advocaat for a bombardino, a favourite of Italian pros when training through the winter. In the early days of the Tour alcohol was favoured rather than taking the risk of infection from roadside springs and fountains. Of course, wine featured heavily – a tradition we would consider reinventing. Lead on the other hand is not an obvious substance for the humble bidon. Jean Robic, like René Vietto, was interested in the effect of the weight of his bidon, but for a different reason. During the 1951 Tour, he worried that his light weight would be a disadvantage on the descent of the mountain trial and decided to add some pounds by putting lead in his bidon. Towards the end of the descent he became unbalanced by the heavy weight of the bidon and fell badly. A few days later he was forced to abandon the Tour.WHEN TO USE IT?All the time. Some say you should drink every 15 minutes on any ride of more than two hours to keep on top of your hydration. If, like us, you have cramped on a big ride (a particular instance during the the last five kilometres of the Col de Turini comes painfully to mind) you will never forget the importance of having liquid supplies with you at all times. Here we turn to another Frenchman for inspiration. In modern times, of course, team cars and domestiques can ensure that stage winners and GC riders will always have a bidon close to hand. So much so that they can dispense with a second bottle - the famous gurning frenchman, Thomas Voeckler, is known to have only one bottle cage on his bike to save weight. That performance gain helps when he attacks, but attacking sometimes makes you unpopular, as M. Voeckler reported - some riders 'threatened to throw their bidons at me if I attacked.” Now there is a use we hadn't considered.

世界で最も美味しいドーブ・ド・サングリエ 世界で最も美味しいドーブ・ド・サングリエはフランスにしかありません。あえて言うならプロヴァンス地方にしかないのです。世界で最も美味しいドーブ・ド・サングリエは、モン・ヴァントゥの麓にある人里離れた地域であるmaison de chasseにあります。 世界で最も美味しいドーブ・ド・サングリエは、一日の走行時間より長い時間かけてオーブンで5時間以上調理されます。そして、プロヴァンスの庭に育つ食材全てよりも多種な材料が使われています。世界で最も美味しいドーブ・ド・サングリエは、マイナス2度のヴァントゥ峠北側を降下で冷え切った体を温めてくれます。雪と氷の上でバランスをとりながら登った後の疲れ切った脚も癒してくれるでしょう。 世界で最も美味しいドーブ・ド・サングリエは、長いグラベルロードの終わりにあります。Rallye Monte-Véloの終わりが見えないような長い走行の終点地です。世界で最も美味しいドーブ・ド・サングリエは、狩猟の規則が貼られた部屋で出されます。ボードには過去30年間にわたる狩猟の記録が記され、フランスのコミュニティを繋げる活動の様子が伝わってきます。 世界で最も美味しいドーブ・ド・サングリエは、カラフェに入ったレッドワインと共に食されます。ワインの産地などは重要ではありませんが、ブレッドに関しては上手く焼きあがっていないと革命が起きる可能性があります。世界で最も美味しいドーブ・ド・サングリエは、1957年に地元のテロワールで採取された品種不明のフルーツから作られた、ホームメイドの強いディジェスチフ（食後酒）で終えるのが慣習です。 世界で最も美味しいドーブ・ド・サングリエは野生のメニューです。野生のロケーションでワイルドな考えを持ったパイオニア達に出されます。 サイクリングに相応しいソウルフードに関しては、ザ・ベストシリーズをご覧ください。

Moto to Morocco: The map & the roundabout Moto Camille is back with the second part of his reflections from the road during his Moto To Morocco madness. He likes paper maps, he doesn't like roundaboutsI had a photography assignment at the Tour de France to follow a
 directeur sportif of a well known team. First thing in he morning, I 
found him in his standard hotel room. He was stooped over his double 
bed looking at the day's race route on paper maps. Maps laid out on 
the double bed? Was this another fetish of a cycle sport D.S.? I asked 
Freddy (not his real name) what he was up to. After all, he worked 
for a team whose headline sponsor was a very well known Sat-Nav brand.
 Freddy went on to explain to me that the old school paper maps showed 
him things that the Sat-Nav did not. He could plan and plot a race to 
greater effect using the information on the paper.
 Like a fool, I asked if he minded if I used the images. Freddy then 
realised, that his sponsor would not like the images in the press. The 
images, much to my frustration, have never been seen. This brand was 
very controlling of it’s image. It didn’t even let the team use the 
word ‘lost ' as it had bad associations. Now, just a few years later 
people will pay good money to get ‘lost’ if it’s packaged as an
 adventure.Like Freddy, I have real faith in paper maps and maybe have more of a 
fetish with them than he does….nothing to do with laying them on the 
bed. It’s about details, it’s about looking at the map and having a
 flight of fantasy, the paper map being a tangible real thing. Maps are
, like a book, more than the sum of it’s parts. You can draw on it, make
 notes, mark, rip or burn it. It’s a beautiful object. A map gives fire 
to the imagination, unlike Google’a’like maps which fuels the
curiosity (or kills it) or the Sat-Nav which makes you so dull you
 think only of wheel revolutions and energy consumption. The paper map 
is simple and wonderful. Once I found out the Morocco road trip was happening, the first thing 
I did was get a paper map and spend a few hours in a bar looking at 
it. I live in the French Pyrenees, I use paper maps all the time. I find 
the small backroads and underused tracks, the ‘Lost Highways’ away 
from the Péage and the R.N. (Route National). 
In France, the Péage, the mega highway triple lane routes to take you 
across country at 130 KLM/H, replaced the R.N. Parallel to all Péage there is the R.N option, the alternative route. It’s the route
 less traveled and as ‘Robert Pirsig’ would tell you in ‘Zen and the 
Art of Motorcycle Maintenance', it is the only way. However there is a
 problem… the roundabout.I hate roundabouts. I’m a British immigrant to France and I have 
historical issues with the roundabout. They are everywhere in Britain.
The first roundabout was in a ‘New Town' called Letchworth Garden City 
and if ever there was a reason too flee the UK, the Garden City is
 high on the list. The roundabout spread from the UK, filling Europe, 
usurping the dreaded French 'Priorité a droits’ (give way to the
 right) like a nasty rash. Like nasty rashes, I like to avoid them. I spend a good deal of time looking for a good ride without the 
roundabout, and this road trip to Morocco looked like the perfect
 ‘clear' route option. Morocco is like a paper map, it’s from another
 age. There are not so many roundabouts. But it’s changing. The chicken
pox rash of the roundabouts is coming. You can drive from the Pyrenees
 to Marrakech on Peage all the way…dull as f*ck, but you can do it.
 In fact, I think one can travel the world on dual carriageway … but why 
would you? My trip took me on the B roads through Spain. There are less roads and 
roundabouts in Spain than France and nothing is direct and there are
 bad road direction signs. I was wondering if this was a hangover from 
Franco? A totalitarian state not being keen on movement of the people.
 However, Spain was great and once I went over the sea to the next 
continent, things changed.As I left Tangier, a large flock of black birds flew beside me for a
 good 10 seconds… this was the start of the experience. Out in the
 'backcountry' there are no roundabouts. There are roads that are marked on the map that are washed away, some 
just used by locals. There are very few, almost no road signs and 
according to one hotel concierge, the roads that I’ve ridden on and 
that are marked on the map, he insists don't exist. There are many road blocks, police asking for papers, from the locals
 that is - we tourists get carte blanche, we are waived on, the smooth
 route is for us foreigners, to help ease the money from our pockets 
and into the economy. The police are their roundabouts I guess. I like to use paper maps... and Morocco is like a paper map.
 It too is tactile and from another age. Not everything is laid out for
 you... it’s there but you have to look, and if you look... Morocco is
 amazing.

The last ride #3 Imagine for a moment that there was only one more.A single day, a final chapter, a last ride. Of all the miles covered and all the roads ridden, which would draw you back to experience them one more time?BRAKELESS DESCENTS & ASSISTED ASCENTSCafé du Cycliste Co-Founder // Remi Clermont My Last Ride you said ? So you’re sure ? This is really the last one right? Ok then it’s going to be amazing, I can’t wait !For sure Dad is on that ride and this time I won’t worry about him behaving like a nut on the road. You want to go before me dad, then just keep doing those moves. By the way, how many times have we discussed the possibility of descending your local ‘Col des Trois Epis’ without touching the brakes? Only one way to find out if feasible, try to catch up with me if you’re not not already a useless old man… Phone call to Lance A., Jan U. and Richard V. : “Guys, send me each 10 litres of your best stuff '. Distilled in copper alembic, that makes two full bidons of ‘essential rocket oil’ to fuel my Last Ride. Flying to the moon, up Col de Turini at 25km/h average, 3 times in a row… Hey Kong Fùfù and les amis, “vous comptez les paves”? Guys, it’s a long way home but you are so slow. Oh we are in hypoglycemia ? Let’s stop on that terrasse in the sun, drink the beers, eat the bread and cheese that our bonking body is begging us to ingest…for as as long as we still feel hungry. No more beer ? Bring some wine for the cheese. No more cheese? Bring the Choux a la Creme !! Back on the road in weight weenies mode : helmets, pump, tubes, bidons are left at the café as tips - too heavy for our pace. Passed by a screaming Japanese motorcycle, “Christ on a bike !” let’s do something about that. Human sacrifice of a Kawasaki Ninja pilot on Madonna del Ghisallo, wishes are answered : closed, car free and silk smooth roads. Cool winds on the climbs, warm smell of colitas on the descents.I’m with my pretty lycra boys that I call friends. How they dance on the pedals, sweet summer sweat. Some dance to remember, some dance to forget…Last thing I remember, I was running for the KOM, trying to find the passage back to the place I was before. Relax said Eddy, we are programmed to ride. You can ride your last one any time you like, but you can never leave!MY MARBLE HEARTArmchair Eurosport Critic // Gentleman Rouleur // @saddleblaze If you’re ever cycling through the Apuan Alps and towards the Med from Castelnuovo di Garfagnana on the scenic Strade Provinciale 13 then I dare you to hook a right as soon as you exit the kilometre-long Cipollaio tunnel. Defy the no-entry signs, the potholes and loose gravel, not to mention the borderline comedic gradient. Keep on going right to the top and you’ll be rewarded with the wondrous sight of the immense Cervaiole marble quarry scalping the mountain and presiding over the Tyrrhenian sea, its sheer, white, towering walls illuminated by the sun. Since doing this crazy detour a few summers back, northern Tuscany’s little-known Apuan Alps – and in particular, its myriad marble mines – have become my happy place. I first discovered the nearby Garfagnana region on a mammoth touring ride across Europe while researching my book, Climbs and Punishment: Riding to Rome in the Footsteps of Hannibal. Unfashionable, rustic and quite unlike other Tuscan tourist traps, the area keeps drawing me back – most recently, on a hiking (not biking) holiday during which my girlfriend became my fiancée. So it’s no surprise I’d choose the Alpi Apuane as the backdrop for my Last Ride – a jumbo loop combining the Garfagnana and this stunning offshoot of the Apennines. The 235km route would include three major climbs: the brute that is San Pellegrino in Alpe, the more accommodating ascent to Abetone, and the mysterious, isolated Passo del Vestito. It would start in the magical lake-side hamlet of Vagli Sotto – a great base for mountain exploration whether on foot or on Felt. My companions for the first half of the ride would be Robin and Mark, who I met on that Hannibal ride a few years back. We’d gather in Castelnuovo for a caffeine injection ahead of the schlep up San Pellegrino, the climb that cracked Pantani on the 2000 Giro d’Italia (so many riders struggled on its 18% ramps that the race has never returned since). We’d be riding in autumn, when the leaves have turned and porcini pickers head into the woods with baskets to forage for funghi. At the ski resort of Abetone we’d grab an early lunch of fettucini with wild boar ragu before descending through the forest where, riding in reverse, Fausto Coppi made his name in the 1940 Giro. I’d bid farewell to my chums at Bagni di Lucca (where they’d probably angle for a spa and massage) for my Last Ride wouldn’t be complete without some solitary pedalling. The gentle rise from Castelnouvo – alongside the gorge on the SP13, past the eerie ghost town of Isola Santa and in the shadow of the sublime Monte Sumbra – would provide the me-time I crave while in the saddle. After the Cipollaio tunnel I’d give the quarry detour a miss this time. Besides, the view up from the winding descent is staggering enough: to the untrained eye, the mountain appears snow-capped even in summer. Since Roman times mines have peppered these parts. Michelangelo often hand-picked marble from nearby Carrara while today almost one million tonnes of the stuff is removed annually. I find this collision of industry, culture and nature quite mesmerising. Then again, I think the same of gelato – and in the town of Massa I‘d meet my fiancée and her Specialized for some ice cream before tackling the secluded Passo del Vestito together. Its stack of steep switchbacks near the summit overlook yet more quarries (there’s something Tolkien-esque here – like Mordor without the orcs) while the crowning tunnel – long, potholed and pitch-black – is a reminder why the Vestito is shunned by the Giro. At the deserted Henraux quarry we’d rejoin the SP13 before peeling off on the narrow up-and-over “short-cut” back to Vagli Sotto. This final sting in the tail sees the road cling vertiginously to a cliff above the reservoir at Isola Santa and opposite the jagged Uomo Morto ridge on the horizon. Surrounded by a canopy of chestnut trees, the autumn colours here are a wonder. At Caraggine, overlooking Lake Vagli, we’d glimpse the sun setting beyond Monte Pisanino – the tallest of the Apuan peaks – then freewheel down for pizza and plonk at the local family-run restaurant. As for the rest of my Last Ride – it’s none of your business, I‘m afraid.THE RETURN TO LAGO DI COMOCycling Photographer // Milano Resident // @pedaleforchetta A large amount of the kilometers I clock each year are pedalled around the Lago di Como. I really love the place. It is quite close to Milano where I live and even if it is nestled in the middle of the most industrialized region of Italy, in my opinion it is still a wild place. This part of the region is full of surprises for all those cyclists looking for different rides each weekend: from riding close to the shores, especially between Como and Lecco, to climbing over the beautiful mountains - how not to mention the Ghisallo with the famous and sacred little church of the ‘Madonna del Ghisallo’, patroness of the cyclists and the lovely Cycling Museum next to the church? The landscape shows plenty of colours and shades, while offering strong challenges to the cyclist. … yes, exactly… I am thinking about the famous Muro di Sormano which stands out in the area. The ride that I love most is the one that in our cycling community is simply called “Onno”. The Onno ride was the first place, when I was young, where I really started suffering to keep the pace of the pack or, in other words, where I understood what cycling was all about. At that time Onno was the fixed Sunday ride. I wasn't a strong cyclist (yet) and the mileage of the loop looked very frightening to me. As a matter of fact I still remember the helpless glances exchanged between me and my fellow riders as soon as I started to loose ground from them… The meeting point of all cyclists directed to the north of Milano - to the “Brianza” - is in front of the Villa Reale in Monza, a historic building dating back to the period when the region was part of the Austrian Empire. My Last Ride would have to be here, with all those faces of the various seasoned riders who I have shared this road with. Those early rides shaped me as a cyclist and it's where I return. The road from Monza to Onno is not flat. It goes slightly uphill with some muretti to climb during the way - nothing to do, however, with the terrific Muro di Sormano. On the top of one of these muretti, a beautiful panorama unveils in front of you: the Corni di Canzo mountains, the Grigna massif and the beautiful Resegone mountain with its nine peaks of similar height! But the best is yet to come. In fact, at some point, you reach the Lago di Como and after passing through two tunnels you happen to ride along its shores. This road, the road from Lecco to Onno is what the phrase ‘panoramic road’ is all about with the water of the lake on your right along the narrow road and the woody mountains on your left until you reach the small village of Onno, where the climb starts, the same where Fiorenzo Magni, the winner of three in a row Tour of Flanders, used to train. It is not a very long climb, nor very steep and that is why we enjoy it so much… we can pretend to be great climbers … Hey! We are amateurs! The road back to Milano is cycled at full speed and sometimes, when the cars traffic is low, the way back is one of the most exhilarating experience I can describe. During my early days I was dropped by the group, left to make a lonely return to Milan whilst dreaming of impossible revenges on the slopes of the hills and planning more training during the week days. For my Last Ride I would be at the front, taking turns, driving the pace, flicking elbows for the others to come through. This run home is pure cycling. You feel at one with your bike, speed is high but the road is safe, the peloton works like a well-oiled machine. Everything is just perfect. I am lucky: I have a lot of friends that I have known for decades and with whom I share the passion of a ride. So much of the fun and satisfaction that I feel when I ride is due to them. During the years we also faced those common problems and incidents you can encounter on the road as cyclists, but we are together and that is the reason for my loving cycling so much. For sure, they are with me on my Last Ride, eating up the road, sharing stories, providing company until the finish.

世界で最も美味しいニョッキ 世界で一番美味しいニョッキは、もちろんイタリアにあります。穏やかなJennieと、共同所有者である（物腰は柔らかいですが頭の回転は速い）Beppeの手によって、人里離れたコッティアン・アルプスで作られています。世界で一番美味しいニョッキは、大皿に盛られたシェアするスタイルで出されます。おかわりする人がいると自分も欲しくなるようなメニューです。 世界で一番美味しいニョッキは、凍てつく霧の中を走り、パンターニ自身というよりゴラムのような外見の像を通った後で、モルティ峠とも呼ばれるファウニエラ峠の山頂で思いを巡らせたものです。世界で一番美味しいニョッキは、３世代の料理人に受け継がれ、1930〜1940年代初頭に３日間行われたPiedmonteseウェディングでのシェフとなった祖母によって完璧な味に仕上げられました。 世界で一番美味しいニョッキは、カノジオ放牧地で巨大なベルを鳴らす牛の乳から作られたノストラーレチーズと焼かれます。ポンテ・マルモラからの渓谷を登ろうとする度に、３本あるロードのうち２本をブロックする同じ牛達です。世界で一番美味しいニョッキは、上質なバローロワインと一緒に楽しみ、Beppeのお勧めであるバルベラワインが続きます。運が良ければもう１種類楽しめるかもしれません。 世界で一番美味しいニョッキは、モダンな生活から離れた人里離れた山で、新しい人々が作り、古くからの友人たちに楽しまれています。世界で一番美味しいニョッキは、プレイト峠へとロードが続くプレイトのマイラ渓谷間にある小さな集落ロカンダ・デッリ・エルフィにあります。冒険心に溢れるサイクリスト達は、ロッカ・ラ・メジャの下方から国境を越え、地中海へと続くグラベルロードの広がるリトルペルーを見つけるでしょう。 サイクリングに相応しいソウルフードに関しては、ザ・ベストシリーズをご覧ください。

La gaule à vélo La Gaule à Vélo: France By Bike. But with a difference - Jérémie splits each year between work and play; a sous chef at a top Parisien restaurant by winter and an explorer of his native land by summer, searching out the essence of French gastronomy. Last year we met Jérémie while he waited impatiently in the Port for a slow boat to Corsica. He’s back this year for more, and he started up North in Alsace-Lorraine. Prepare to get hungry. Champagne, Alsace and Lorraine are three of the most emblematic regions of France, marinated (sorry) in cultural, historical and gastronomic heritage. A perfect start for this year’s La Gaule À Vélo adventure. La Gaule à Vélo: France By Bike. But with a difference - Jérémie splits each year between work and play; a sous chef at a top Parisien restaurant by winter and an explorer of his native land by summer, searching out the essence of French gastronomy. Last year we met Jérémie while he waited impatiently in the Port for a slow boat to Corsica. He’s back this year for more, and he started up North in Alsace-Lorraine. Prepare to get hungry. Champagne, Alsace and Lorraine are three of the most emblematic regions of France, marinated (sorry) in cultural, historical and gastronomic heritage. A perfect start for this year’s La Gaule À Vélo adventure.Champagne first, with its holy grail of sparkling wine in which the whole world dreams of dipping its lips! Everything here, absolutely everything revolves around the precious beverage and its production. Some essential locations as well as legendary names invite you to visit their cellars and champagne caves or crayères. It’s the perfect amuse bouche for this year’s trip but could hinder progress if I’m not careful.This playground is ideal and naturally conducive for the establishment of the cuisine of the greatest chefs. I had the chance to encounter some living legends of french cooking, such as Arnaud Lallement at ‘L‘Assiette Champenoise’ (3 Michelin stars) and Philippe Miles at ‘Le Château des Crayères’ (2 Michelin stars and winner of the prestigious Meilleur Ouvrier de France title).Some might say Lorraine is not as chic and probably not as glamorous as other regions… Although, with open-air museums cities such as Nancy and its Stanislas Square, considered as the most beautiful Royal square in Europe, the point is up for debate.Whilst it’s tourist attractions may not be so obvious, Lorraine’s countryside is made of a raw and deep terroir. The inevitable Pâté Lorraine and the Quiche Lorraine are masterpieces of rusticity and simplicity that are available everywhere. It’s irresistible. Every chef has to have his guilty pleasure But Lorraine can also be synonymous with refinement and haute cuisine. The best example is the beautiful restaurant ‘Le Toya’ where young Chef Loïc Villemin offers a range of food and wine from his homeland that seems to get better with each course. Undoubtedly eating here was one of the highlights of this year’s trip.Lorraine merges with Alsace like garlic and butter (sorry again)… I spent more time here than expected, but it was for the best of causes. It is THE gourmet French region par excellence. At every single stop, in every village, even the most insignificant one, gluttony is never far away. Pedalling from one restaurant to another, of 1, 2 or 3 Michelin stars, strolling at the feet of the Massif des Vosges in one of the most striking vineyards of La Gaule, passing through the most enchanting colourful villages I had ever seen, or teasing the heights of the famous Route des Crêtes with its breathtaking Cols; this is indeed a paradise! And the cities and their architecture are first class - take Strasbourg and its prefecture for example, it sums up the beauty of Alsace.The Chefs defend a rich and diverse terroir, and values, but with the expertise of a goldsmith such as Thierry Schwartz at ‘Bistro des Saveurs’ in Obernai (1 Michelin star), or the undisputed master of the region, Olivier Nasti and his restaurant ‘Chambard’ (2 Michelin stars) in Kaysersberg. From another world!But Alsace is also birthplace of countless number of regional specialties : Kougloff, Sauerkraut, the Pretzels, the Gingerbread, the Baekeoff, Foie Gras… And this is only the top of the iceberg! And the competition and the pride taken in these regional speciailties means it is very difficult to find artisans who have not mastered their craft.What’s next? Jérémie and his mount are now heading for the Franche Comté, the Alps and the French Riviera. Watch this space…

Niçois alleycat Maxine Le Nocher is a recognisable figure in Nice - one of very few professional bike couriers cutting through the city like a knife through warm butter. He’s been Nice’s fastest non-motorised method of delivery for 6 years now, racking up 110,000kms in the process. When he discovered Paris is hosting the Cycle Messenger World Championships for the first time, he couldn't stay away. This weekend he'll pack his trusty Cinelli and Ortileb back pack to make the journey north to take on the best professional delivery cyclists on the planet. We took a ride round town with him to find out more. CDC: What are the main challenges of your job in Nice and what characterises riding in the city? MLN: Daily my challenge is to deliver for my clients as fast as possible so I can also get as many jobs as possible done in one day. The hardest thing when riding that fast in the city is to not get hit by a car - you really have to be vigilant. CDC: Is a bike faster than a moped/motorbike? Do you have to climb the Niçois hills often? MLN: In the busy city center of Nice I am much more dynamic and efficient than a scooter or motorbike because I can go anywhere: between cars, across pedestrian zones and through the old Town. I do deliver to the hills of Cimiez and Rimiez but the other ones are too far away. Bike Messenging is a service which is normally based in the central business district of major cities. CDC: We notice you ride gears and not single-speed or fixie - we thought that was mandatory for city couriers? MLN: I ride with a free wheel on a Cinelli Cyclo-Cross frame. A fixie would be nice but it’s better to have good brakes and to be able to adapt your speed to the city or for climbing and descending (Nice is not flat). Plus the way people drive, you must be able to stop very quickly !CDC: Despite the fact that you spend your week on the bike, you still ride at the weekends too, and often organise randonées and other events with friends? MLN: Cycling is not just my profession it is a passion: between seasons (spring and autumn) I ride in the mountains every weekend. I also took part in at lease one cycle sportive a year and recently in May I organized the first Challenge Countea Nissa: 2 days 3 stages with a night in a gite in Valdeblore for a total of 240 km and 5000m of climbing. It was a lot of fun and I hope to do a bigger version of the event in 2017. CDC: Is it your first time competing in the World Championships. What is the format of the World Championships in Paris? MLN: It'll be my first participation in the Bicycle Couriers World Championship. On Friday and Saturday there will be qualifying for the grand final on Sunday. It is in full in Messenger mode on a closed circuit with checkpoints or there will be envelopes and other packages to take or deliver, just like a normal messenger day. My objective is simply to do the best I can and qualify for the main event. CDC: If you win can you charge your clients in Nice extra on the basis that you are World Champion? MLN: That would be cool, but unfortunately I don’t think it’s possible! But maybe if I do well it will give me more credit and I can attract more customers? CDC: If you had to choose one other city in which to be a bike courier, which one would it be? MLN: Paris of Course! Because its the busy capital with a great variation of streets, for the community with other couriers and, especially, for more business! CDC: It is such an integral part of your life, what would you do without the bike? MLN: I'd definitely be in the kitchen: either at home or in my own restaurant as I am a trained chef (15 years experience) but the world of media really does interest me a lot. CDC: How much do environmental reasons motivate your decision to use the bike as a means of work and transport? MLN: The topic of sustainable development is not my main goal: in fact for me, ecology is not an ideology or a cult, it is just common sense. I try everyday to live sensibly and without blah but what is sure is that with 18,000kms on average per year in the city I avoid a lot of CO2 emissions compared to other motorised two-wheeled vehicles. CDC: What is the strangest package you have ever had to deliver? MLN: Oulala! There are lots .. professional courtesy means I can’t say too much but not long ago I was asked to go for frozen dead mice to feed a snake !! CDC: And the heaviest and biggest? MLN: I once helped some lawyers move office: 350kgs of stuff in 4 trips ranging from office chairs, cupboards, etc ... fortunately I have a cargo bike (Bullitt) which helped CDC: Are there regular personalities / interesting people in Nice that you meet? MLN: There are indeed many interesting people in Nice from politicians to singers and actors but, honestly, those that I notice most are the professional cyclists such as Tom Boonen, Peter Sagan, Chris Froome .. I have the chance to meet them from time to time and because I am passionate about road cycling they are the people I notice the most. CDC: You are obviously an expert in cycling clothing and how it performs - what do you look for in clothing performance for city riding? MLN: I dress every morning at 7:30 am with my professional clothing: shorts, shirts, socks ... I need resistant products and good looks are nice but the more important is the strength of seams and the vents because with 40 hours per week in the saddle clothes are, like me, subject to severe tests. We wish Maxime the best of luck in Paris. He is seen wearing Odette City Cycling Shorts and a Violette Merino Jersey.

The last ride #2 Imagine for a moment that there was only one more.A single day, a final chapter, a last ride. Of all the miles covered and all the roads ridden, which would draw you back to experience them one more time?RED LINE MOTO PACINGSeasoned Photogrpaher // Artist // @camillejmcmillan There was this motorbike in the garage, I never rode it but I loved it, it gave me speed. Speed was what I was about. It was not a big bike, a Honda CB125, and really a very dull standard bike.. but did that thing give we the whip I needed. The bike was the old man’s. He paced all the local studs with it, and there was nothing better than a summer’s day hooning behind it. There were different rides to be had behind the moto… a fast 3/4 of an hour around the country lanes, through and off if there was a group of us or, my favourite, a lead out machine. A few miles from our home was a slight, very very slight downhill… straight with a slight kink about 2 klm long. Mostly two of us would go out with the old man to do this. Take it in turns to go behind the bike. Starting at the top, the old man would wind it up, not super fast but fast enough to have to work hard to get behind the bike. A real effort and by the time you hit the board you was almost flat out in the 52x13. Not a big gear, this was all about getting speed. The board was a plywood construction to stop us hitting the motor back wheel. It had black marks all along it, we would ride up to that board and try to leave some rubber on there. The old man would wind up the bike. As a kid I had good fast leg speed, spinning the 52x13 was easy and when fit, the pedals were not there, everything was fluid. It was easy to move up to the board slip back a few cm and back again. If he was not getting enough speed you would bang into the board and yell ‘up up’ so he would wind it on more. Other times he went that bit too hard and hanging onto the board was a grim struggle of pain. When it was just right it was bliss. The slight kink in the road sometimes came up faster than you expected and you could loose contact, slip out the side, get hit by the wind and ruin the sprint; and there again, when it worked, it was great. There was a mark in the road towards the end… not a finish line but a go line, that was the place to go around the moto. Coming around the moto was an impossible task, to draw level and hold it was such a good feeling. The old man would turn the bike around, motor back, pick up the other rider as I recovered riding back, ready for the next run. There was a silence behind the moto. Yes the engine sound but a silence in the slipstream. As soon as you went out of this envelope sound would hit you like a tidal wave, an almost wall of wind, the 125 engine seemed to roar. I guess one’s senses were up, you were alive, the moment was all there was. Alive pulling in the air feeling the lactic acid build, pushing harder through the pain till burst. ‘Why?’ you wonder maybe. Why, you wonder maybe, not a race at full title, a bunch sprint? That was different … that was to the line against others. Maybe now people train differently. An alloted amount of time within a threshold…. doint it to a line again, trying to empty to the line. But for me that lacks the poetry of red-lining as far as you could go… its another poem.To be behind the motorcycle was when the world was right, the world was easy. I spun my legs , my bike floated over the roads… without the moto one pulls the world around. Sometimes, when on the road, or cyclocross racing the whip would not be there but you didn’t need the moto to get you to the speeds, the moto had done its job. And so for me, I had to go back and get some more of the good stuff…speed. Last Ride? Put me behind that moto, let me hit that board one more time.FATHER & SON ON THE CÔTE D'AZURDanish National Champion // Pro Cyclist // @akcph My last ride would definitely be on the French Riviera. My father would join me for the ride, where we would set off from where I live, Beaulieu-Sur-Mer. I would take him up to La Turbie, which you might call the appetiser. From La Turbie the direction would be towards Col De Braus. An extraordinary 10 kilometre climb, with a plateau half way up. That plateau makes it “easier” to handle the first real climb and it does help you to look over the view that you have while climbing up Col de Braus before hitting the famous switchbacks. After summiting Col de Braus, it is downhill to Sospel. In Sospel we would visit the local boulangerie to fuel up before Col de Turini. When riding from Sospel and up Col de Turini, a 24-kilometre- long climb, the views are breath-taking. Not because of its beauty but because of its raw and naked nature. Climbing up this fascinating rugged and rocky landscape for a little bit more than 17 kilometres, you wouldn’t think that you will end up in the woods. But suddenly as the hairpins start again, greenery surrounds you; the complete opposite of what you have been riding until that point. It’s fresh, and it’s challenging - a cyclist’s dream. When riding down to L’Escarene we would start climbing the narrow, twisted, green roads that would take us to Peille, and from Peille to La Turbie. I would differently make my father have another pit stop (it is after all my last ride) this time to enjoy a big fat ice cream in La Turbie, before heading back down to Beaulieu Sur-Mer. From La Turbie to Eze Village and then all the way down to the coast. We wouldn’t really have to pedal much, but the view is breath-taking. The sun reflecting in the sea, the sea that is so crystal clear blue. The mountains, the smell of summer, the feeling of freedom and the vibe of the French Riviera.SNOW RIDE...IN AUSTRALIASoul Rider // Winter Lover // @mr.henry.y Australia may not be the first place that comes to mind when you think of cycling destinations; it is the flattest continent in the world after all. However, we’re quite lucky in Victoria. We might not have the highest mountains around, but they sure are pretty. One of my favourite loops is one that includes Mt Donna Buang and Lake Mountain, connected via Acheron Way. If I were to pick a last ride; this would be it, done in winter, with the peaks covered in snow. Lake Mountain is an alpine resort, with a summit of 1400m, the vegetation well and truly becomes alpine. The grey, skeletal trees jut out of the mountain side like the spines of an echidna; still recovering from bush fires ravaging the area a few years back. Most of Acheron Way is gravel, which means car traffic is minimal. It’s a beautiful stretch of road; the gravel section giving way to smooth hot-mix, empty roads, the sun filtered and flashing through the epically tall mountain ash. Many a time gliding along this road I‘ve thought if I ever needed to convince someone to take up road cycling, I’d take them through here. Mt Donna Buang; arguably my most memorable times on the bike have been climbing and descending her. Memorable for the exceptional beauty climbing up this mountain covered in snow and also for the incredible pain descending this mountain in sub zero temperatures with brutal wind chill. You don’t forget that pain. On the climb up in snow you don’t notice the cold; kept warm by the heat of your effort and minimal wind chill, your multiple layers of jersey, gilet and jacket are flapping as you attempt to regulate your temperature. The only thing that betrays the cold is the fog out of your mouth with each laboured breath. The descent; however, is a different story. You’re not keeping warm because you’re not pedalling. Your fingers are so cold it hurts to brake and shift. Your shoulders and neck ache from shivering. Ice is packed into your cleats, so you can’t even clip in. That was my first time descending in the snow. I’ve since learnt you need to bring a handlebar bag to pack a change of jerseys, jacket and multiple gloves. But I would ride up Mount Donna Buang in the snow again in a heartbeat. It was, and still is, the most beautiful ride I’ve ever done. Donna Buang is a mountain covered in rainforest; so when it snows all the ferns and 20m tall mountain ash are dusted with white powder. This, along with the fog from the melting snow being slowly evaporated by the sun, presents a scene of complete whiteness. Most times, cars are parked to the side of the road as parents herd their children to play in the snow; this is understandable as this is a scene straight out from a fairy tale.My last ride would be capped off with a sip of whisky in my Stanley hip flask tucked into my jersey pocket.

Le Tour: Dans la chaleur "The heat is a mountain" Thibaut Pinot Since its inception Le Tour has been a race of extremes, shaped and designed to sell newspapers to an eager public. Extreme distances, extreme climbs and extreme weather. In more recent times we've seen weather protocols finally being introduced to protect riders, with stages of this year’s Paris-Nice and previous Milan San-Remo editions being varied to avoid snow and freezing cold conditions. But the heat, 'La fournaise', is another matter. It hasn’t yet stopped a stage although who knows what the future holds. What's for certain is that it's shaped the race and the racers themselves who take it on. In 1950, 81kms into stage 15, half of the peloton came to halt, got off their bikes and ran into the Mediterranean at Saint-Maxime (just 100kms west of Nice). These were men made of hardy stuff - heavy bikes, big gears and a resistance to taking on too many liquids given it was a sign of weakness. But it was hot. So hot, they couldn’t handle it anymore and the lure of the sea on the long coastal stage was irresistible. The race director, Jacques Goddet, was furious. Unable to find any relevant regulation for such an event in his rule book all he could do is shout and point the riders back on their bikes and up the road. The previous day extreme heat had brought drama of a different kind with the famous incident of Abdel-Kader Zaaf, riding for the North African section of the French team. Zaaf had established a surprisingly big breakaway with his fellow North African Marcel Molinès as the temperature soared.But as they neared the last 20kms Zaaf became visibly unsteady on his bike. Officials tried to intervene but he ignored their attempts and rode on until the inevitable collapse. So the story goes, he fell asleep only to waken with a start a couple of minutes later, realize he was in the Tour de France and jump on his bike. Unfortunatley, he rode in the wrong direction and within a kilometer was persuaded to abandon before being taken away in an ambulance. One of the most famous Tour photos of all shows Zaaf slumped against a tree, semi-conscious and totally drained by the heat. The myth remains that he’d taken a bottle from a spectator at the side of the road that contained wine, and as a muslim, this had an exaggerated effect and left him punch drunk in the sun. (More sober accounts state that locals threw whatever liquid came to hand when the Zaaf collapsed in front of them, including wine, the smell of which sparked the rumour). Zaaf ultimately profited from the incident and became a celebrity on the post-Tour criterium circuit, cashing in on his misfortune. In itself, this is maybe an indication of the culture of celebrating the plight of the riders at the Tour to make newsworthy stories and therefore money. Warning signs were not heeded.But a turning point maybe came at the 1967 Tour following the tragic death of Tom Simpson. When asked in 1967 about his fading powers before the infamous stage in the 1867 Tour, Tom Simpson staged “It’s not the heat, it’s the Tour”. In the aftermath of that day, the coroner reported that Simpson’s death on the Ventoux was largely caused by heat prostration which had led to a fatal heart attack. Of course the mix of amphetamines and alcohol (with their diuretic effect) had contributed but 45 degree temperatures on the bald mountain was a huge factor. In more recent times we’ve seen a return to 'La Fournaise' at Le Tour. 2010 set the record when the mercury reportedly hit 63 degrees (surely that must have been taken from the tarmac rather than the air…). It was a reason sighted by Mr Wiggins when he couldn't hold the wheels on the climb to Avoriaz. Last year, they came close again with 61 degrees. This means the riders have to cope whatever way they can. Drinking is a good start (not a pot belge) but water and electrolytes to keep hydrated. Last year, Geraint Thomas of Sky stated at one stage he was going through 3 bidons (1.5l every hour).Clothing is the other part, and evaporated cooling is the target. High surface areas for sweat to be wicked away are the key, which is why mesh (so heavily used on our Micheline jerseys and Blandine bib shorts) is employed. It has the added benefit of increasing airflow, which works provided you are not at climbing pace with a tailwind…. But the heat will never go away. It's a part of Tour. It has to be coped with. In the same way as any of the other mountains on the route.

The last ride #1 Imagine for a moment that there was only one more.A single day, a final chapter, a last ride. Of all the miles covered and all the roads ridden, which would draw you back to experience them one more time?THE LOST RIVER BARN IN WEST VIRGINIAPro Bike Rider // Nice Resident // @JOEDOMBRO A friend of mine, Jay Moglia, splits his time between the city life of being a bike messenger in Washington D.C. and running the barn out at Lost River. I’ve been going to the barn for years. It sits on top of Branch Mountain with the only approach being either side of the thirty minute climb up the serpentine bends of Howards Lick road. The barn was once just that, a barn, but now it serves as a mountain retreat frequented by cyclists in the mid-Atlantic area. I have a lot of fond memories from the barn. I don’t spend so much time back home anymore, but every off-season Jay hosts a group of the local pros, and a tight crew and we do a weekend riding mountain bikes, drinking beer, building fires, and shooting guns. It’s always a good time and it brings you back to the fun side of riding bikes. Why you started in the first place. My last ride would be an epic. All day. A plan of sorts, but explorative in nature. Our local crew, with all my buddies from back home I ride with would come. We would do it on ‘cross bikes. Lost River has loads of dirt roads deep into the hollows, that give you the best flavor of the West Virginia mountains. We’d finish with the slog up to the barn, and like always have something killer in the kitchen waiting for us prepared by Jay’s wife Audrey. The post-ride is important too. It might be what puts the barn over the top for me. As usual, we’d finish the day off sitting around a fire, sipping local moonshine, playing music, and talking about the the adventure of the day.BACK TO WHERE IT ALL STARTED - COL DE LA BONETTECycling Adventurer // London Commuter // @LASSTOPP After knee surgery ended my fledgling running career, I bought an old steel bike and started commuting around London. A few months later a friend told me about the Fireflies Tour, a ride from Geneva to Cannes, across the Alps, to raise money for a leukaemia charity. I had no idea if my knee was going to cope under the strain, but I knew I had to do it, so after a few months of training I headed out, nervously, to the mountains. I’d never been to the Alps before, it was a totally new experience, but as soon as I climbed my first mountain, I was smitten and the further south we travelled, the more I fell in love. The warmth of the sun melting the snow, the cool air of the icy waterfalls at the side of the road, the scent of wild flowers and pine trees lapping up the sunshine and the sense of peace and quiet captured my imagination, this was a million miles away from bone tumours and London life. We ascended 80,000ft in 8 days, I felt exhausted, my legs and shoulders were in pain, I got angry and sometimes I got sad, questioning my ability as I made my way, each day, further south in search of crisp rosé and summer in Cannes! And finally our last big day of climbing stood before us and we cycled up and down both sides of Bonette, but I didn‘t think about my achy legs, I just marvelled at this beautiful mountain. It’s a special place and one that will stay with me. I loved it for it’s remote beauty, for the new friends I‘d made, for the stories and experiences we shared and for the view at 2,800m. Looking down in the direction of Cannes, knowing that the end was in sight, that I’d completed this huge challenge having only recently started cycling. My mind and body had made it. I won’t ever forget that feeling of exhilaration, feeling alive, feeling grateful that I was physically able to complete the ride and looking out towards the finish line on the horizon, smiling at the sign pointing in the direction of Nice, but not wanting to leave. So for all the memories and emotions attached to that ride, I’d have to go back to Bonette, to remember old times, old friends and to stand at the top, looking out with a bottle of wine in one of the most beautiful places in the world, probably contemplating what’s next…!HOME TURF - L’ARRIÈRE PAYS NIÇOISEStrava KOM Hunter // Mountain Goat // @KONGGFUFU There are so many possibilities but it would have to be the back country of Nice, where I live; Col de Turini and Boucle de l’Authion. Many riders don’t tackle the mountain roads during the winter because of the black ice and freezing air but I love climbing this route whatever the weather. I’d take the long approach. Passing by Col de la Cabanette and the edge of Peira Cava there are twenty one hairpins in less than five kilometres, it feels like riding in the sky as you approach Col de Turini. Here there is always something special to see. It’s famous for motorsport too and in warmer weather it can be a little Nurburgring. Once I saw Walter Rohl in a Porsche yellowbird. The culmination of the ride begins with boucle de l’Authion, there’s a ten kilometre loop and two kilometre climb to reach the Alpine pasture above. The gradient hits fifteen percent and the tarmac is old and worn out in places, I’ve certainly helped with that process. The very final section has to be done on foot, it’s only fifty metres and essential to claim the reward of a stunning panorama. A three hundred and sixty degree view, with the first summits of the Mercantour National park on one side and the deep blue sea on the other. It’s an unforgettable climb, a real adventure because of the wild and winding roads and there’s technical difficulty as well. It‘s always a privilege to ride such beautiful roads and for me there’s no need to travel the world to find the perfect place.In the winter I like to stop to eat a panbagna or a famous blueberry pie at Camp d‘Argent ski station. For my last ride though I’d ride it in the summer and plan to reach the top in the early evening, just in time to catch the last sunshine of the day.

Passoni: The atelier, the polymath & the pyramids Passoni build bikes. There’s a little more to it than that of course but that’s the bottom line. As part of our latest collaboration, we visited their Milan atelier to pick up our own and find out more about how they do what they do. We could easily tell you the facts but struggled with how best to tell you the tale. How to convey that true sense of an inanimate object that appears to come alive or of a piece of art that has a completely practical function. If there really are only seven stories in the world then perhaps the truth behind the process of creating a Passoni and the pure joy of riding one is actually a story that has a little piece of at least six of them.OVERCOMING THE MONSTER The starting point for any design has to be a deep understanding of the endless mathematical possibilities created when matching the mechanics of the human body to the geometry of a bicycle. Passoni perform a constantly moving clinical analysis of the interaction between man and machine and draw their inspiration from one of the original polymaths Leonardo da Vinci and his Vitruvian man. These roads were originally made for donkeys and if a donkey can get up them, so can we. The response of the bike to the double-digit gradients has me looking down to check if the whole thing isn’t actually made of carbon. THE QUESTIt all began in the local the Alfa-Romeo factory where Amelio Riva worked. Suitably inspired, Amelio decided to make his own frame which he rode and tested himself around Lake Como and the famous church of cycling, the Madonna del Ghisallo. It was that odd metallic frame that first caught the attention of Luciano Passoni and sparked what would become the titanium inquisition for both himself and his son, Luca. We later find out that we were riding over pyramids. That’s right, pyramids. In early 2003 a keen-eyed archaeologist spotted three pyramids from satellite imagery, hidden beneath beautiful vineyards, olive plantations and a picture perfect middle-aged village. All 3 had an inclination of 42/43 degrees. Which explains why I’m sweating so much as we reach the top and stop to look out from Brianza’s rooftop back towards the factory and Milan sitting in the Po valley.REBIRTHIn their self-styled museum reside a collection of Passoni frames from over the years, ranging from a fully titanium track bike with angles that make you uncomfortable just looking at them, an experimental ‘Z’ shaped seat stay design to cope with the cobbles of L’Enfer du Nord, and Luca Passoni’s last design extravagance: an aero carbon frame with titanium dropouts and marginal gains concepts conceived before Team Sky had even whispered in a wind tunnel. The summit town, Montevecchia Alta is almost car-free. Some cobbles leading to the taverna highlight the shock absorbing qualities of the premium-grade titanium. We’re guided away off the cobbles and into a small taverna where the cold cuts and local cheeses are only topped by the olive oil that is so good our photographer, Christophe, has to order more bread. COMEDYLance Armstrong is now a Passoni employee. He polishes titanium welds and tubes to perfection, sandblasts the Passoni name onto downtubes and adds the components to make the final product ready to roll out to very expectant and demanding customers. At lunch he sits down opposite the main reception desk to a packed lunch, colleagues’ jokes about his past life and the possibility of him cracking into the bottle of Indian whiskey on the cupboard behind him. Danilo points to Piacenza where he lived for a short time during his years as a professional and tells stories of training, room-sharing and a life dedicated to racing - more evidence, if any more were needed, of the expertise of those driving the Passoni business.RAGS TO RICHES The blue light, yellow sparks and crackling from the welder are eye-catching. But watching the slow and deliberate movements of the Passoni artisans through the gloved access is like observing a surgeon perform micro-surgery. And as the patient emerges the welds are like finely curated stitches which would be acceptable to many but not to our Italian friends. So we progress to the slightly more cosmetic section of the atelier, where the welds are polished using a selection of materials starting from hard metal down to fine cotton string wrapped around a plastic drill attachment. For anywhere between 30 and 40 hours. Robbiate Hill is the start of the Leonardo trail. The typically Tuscan landscape is apparently part of the background of the Mona Lisa. We ride the small gravel road at the side of the River Adda, beneath the Ponte de Michele rail and road bridge, in the shadow of the hills up to a modern water power station and try to imagine the place in Leonardo’s era. Unfortunately to reach the legendary Imbersago ferry it’s up another ‘donkey’ road, but then after 10 kilometres we are treated to a swooping descent which reveals that the Passoni goes where your eyes go, tracking the road with precision and sure-footedness. VOYAGE AND REBIRTH The Passoni symbol adapts the Vitruvian man by, of course, incorporating two wheels to complete the connection between rider and bike. Luciano was intent on ensuring that every bike he produced was properly measured for each and every rider. Their holistic bike fitting approach starts with an assessment of your size and posture from the initial hand-shake to the fine details which are turned into an architectural type design drawing. The calm around Leonardo’s ferry is palpable. The lack of engine noise must be a contributing factor. Leonardo’s mechanical genius harnesses the river’s flow together with a fixed cable and roller system to direct the boat across the current. It’s a living example of how mechanical genius can also produce beauty. We can’t wait to take the bikes back to the Riviera to let them do what they do best.The Café du Cycliste Passoni bikes are available to rent and ride at : 16 Quai des Docks 6300 Nice

世界で最も美味しいピザ 世界で最も美味しいピザはイタリアではなく、国境からさほど遠くないアルプ＝マリティームにあります。世界で最も美味しいピザは、想像を遥かに超える薄さです。高地の空気を含んだ生地がなせる技なのかもしれません。 世界で最も美味しいピザは、地元の豚から作られたハムとゴートチーズがトッピングされています。全てテーブルから手が届きそうな距離にある谷で作られています。90キロほど離れたニースから入手した塩気の効いたアンチョビが加えられることもあります。世界で最も美味しいピザは、直径38センチですが32センチ幅のプレートにのせられてきます。大きくはみ出た様子が、贅沢な雰囲気を際立たせているのです。 世界で最も美味しいピザは、ボネット峠の麓に位置するSaint Etienne de Tinéeにある、Lou Ben Manjaの暖かいダイニングルームで用意されます。 世界で最も美味しいピザは、ホットチョコレートとエスプレッソと一緒に出されます。１つのマグで2さじの砂糖と混ぜ合わせ、素早く飲むのがコツです。世界で最も美味しいピザは、ヨーロッパの高地から降下する、凍えるようなロードを走った後の青くなった唇に暖かさを戻してくれます。雪が降り始めロードが閉鎖される前の、秋の最後の週末にぴったりなメニューです。 世界で最も美味しいピザは、カフェ・ドゥ・シクリステ本社からさほど離れていません。南アルプスを登るたびに訪れる場所でもあります。ピザはいつでも素晴らしく間違いなくトップ１０に入りますが、バイクライド後に食べた生き返るような感覚には勝りません。世界で最も美味しいピザの唯一の競争相手は、キアンティのガイオーレにある小さなレストランです。小さなキッチンが道の片側にあり、もう一方には太陽が降り注ぐテーブルが１つあるのみ。2008年エロイカ完走後に食べた思い出の場所ですが、詳しい話はまたの機会に。 ライド後のお気に入りの食べ物はありますか？ サイクリングに相応しいソウルフードに関しては、ザ・ベストシリーズをご覧ください。

Thé du cycliste It’s fresher than coffee. It’s fresher than ice-cream. It’s (almost) fresher than an Aperol Spritz. Nowhere is the symbiotic relationship between cycling and caffeine stronger than here in France but grounds aren't the the only game in town. Meet our very special, grand cru, hand-picked and expertly curated tea, along with French tea master Olivier Schneider. For the past ten years Olivier has been living and working in the mountainous Yunnan region in southwest China where the finest Puerh tea comes from. In that time he's explored the extensive territories within and beyond the region, forged close ties with local growers and producers, tasted, tested and experimented with different maturation processes and collaborated with other collectors and specialists to become one of France's foremost tea experts. All while riding his bike.As well as living the life of a tea master (we like to imagine a Zen master but with added leaves...), Olivier is both a daily commuter from his Dai Village, Manlang, and a cycling 'tourist'. Granted his commute is a little different to most of ours, swap traffic lights and exhaust fumes for waterfalls and the odd gorge, but what we have in common is that the bike is the most practical, plausible and downright fun mode of transport available. The 'tourist' part comes into play at the weekends when his 220Km round trips to Laos in search of ever more unique teas puts our regular cross border Italian forays somewhat in the (rain forest) shade.Olivier’s passion and enthusiasm for tea is scarily infectious and, when given the chance, it was impossible for us not to take advantage of his extraordinary expertise. He's compiled a selection of six speciality teas for us that offer an exclusive alternative to the traditional cycling café experience. The first on the road is Fraicheur: A white bud tea picked from trees whose leaves are unusually not actually suitable for brewing. Hand picked by members of the Lahu community in the high altitude Nan Mei valley, the key is a drying process that has been refined over hundreds of years and takes place in the village far below.It's a process which is crucial to the tea's final quality as any errors can result in the buds taking on a yellow or purple tinge which taints both taste and texture. Done correctly however and the results speak for themselves, the buds producing a pure, smooth white tea with delicate flavours and a fresh lemon aroma.Our own white bud ‘Fraicheur’ was harvested in 2015 and offers light, citrous and pine flavours along with a a healthy dose of slightly smug satisfacton. You can taste this and the five other specialities at Café du Cycliste, 16 Quai des Docks, 06300.

The tour style council There is nothing more pleasurable than re-visiting the style of the Tour through the ages. As it rolls ever closer to Paris, we spent the rest day flicking through old magazines to examine the different fashions displayed (mostly) off the bike by riders and other members of the Tour caravan.  Take a look below at a snippet of vintage design which forms part of the rich heritage of Le Tour and French cycling. Fausto Coppi, Il Campionssimo in more ways than one (1952) And Bartali was always on the coat-tails of his nemesis... You thought your sunglasses game was good? Think again after seeing this photo of Jean Robic. (1953) Anquetil and Bobet, an example not only of the use of primary colours and Brylcreem, but also of natural and not so natural ability in front of a camera (1957) Charly Gaul, showing how a casquette should be worn…. (1955)Roger Riviéré, Louison Bobet and Jaques Anquetil proving that tracksuits can be classy…. (1957 & 1960) Raymond Poulidor, or 'd’éternal second’, shows he can come first in the pre-Tour tranquilo tracksuit campaign (1961) Anquetil and (especially) Poulidor take the rockabilly haircut to the edge before it could be considered a ‘banane’ (1964) The ‘Greatest Of All Time' seemingly only got out of his cycling gear when there was a doping scandal to confront; the rest of the time, even at home, he stayed in his kit! And last but not least - the Badger - no words required….

Men of steel You usually have to go to industrial Northern France, home of L’Enfer du Nord, to find the ‘Flahute’; the hardmen who shine in the testing conditions of the Spring Classics.  But there are also men of steel located in the heart of the country, in the capital of the Auvergne region, Clermont-Ferrand.  Our friends at Cycles Victoire are using ‘acier’ to almost single-handidly revive the French frame-building industry. They have been producing some of the most exquisite and varied frames you’ll ever set eyes on since their inception back in 2011, including a stunning collaboration with Berluti last year. We’ve been working with them for over a year now but you know that saying about ‘all work and no play’. So when assembling our rental bike collection, Victoire was the first obvious choice and we thought it was a good excuse to take a moment with Julien Leyreloup, one of Victoire's founders, to learn what makes them tick and find out why steel is real. CdC: You were ahead of or at least on the crest of the wave of the resurgence of steel as a preferred material for frame building. Why did you decide to go with steel? JL: Because we are totally confident it is the best way to produce fast and comfy frames for every possible use. Steel gives us the flexibility to produce everything from a high end racing bike with electronic shifting mounts to a comfy city bike for woman or a MTB with a 100mm fork on the front. The strength is unbeatable and the diversity of the tubing available give us endless possibilities. It also means we can hand-build bikes to meet every kind of customer demand, which is not possible with aluminium or carbon.CdC: Where is the first frame you ever built? Is it still being ridden? JL: The first ever frame is still cruising the streets of Paris! Steel is perfect for the everyday abuse a city bike takes. A lot of the other first prototypes are now ridden by friends that live near us here in Clermont-Ferrand. We like to stay close to family and friends (CdC: You should open a shop on the Côte d’Azur then!) CdC: You are the only bike manufacturer we know to offer a varnished finish rather than traditional paint. What led you to this special feature? JL: Nearly by accident. It allows us to show the detail of the welding and the long hours of polishing we carry out after the covering process. It also more durable than paint so matches the properties of the steel also. It is part of the Victoire signature, but we also produce classic painted frames too. CdC: What is more important - size, shape and welding of tubes or the material that they are made from? JL: Ideally, both. Fitting the frame is also a crucial part of the process. You can have the perfectly made frame with the highest quality tubing but if the frame is three mm too long for you, it will not ride good.CdC: Frame-builders covet their own specially manufactured and designed tools - do you have a favourite? JL: Erwan, who takes care of the manufacturing of the frames, especially like his files. He collects them and is always on the lookout for new and old ones. Personally, I really like my spoke wrench from P&Klie, and my chain tools from Campagnolo and Shimano. CdC: Is it possible to define the French approach to cycling and why this is different to other countries? Is it just in the French DNA? JL: France has produced some of the most beautiful bicycles during the last century, but unfortunately most of this spirit has disappeared. Our inspiration came from the best frame builders from the 40's to 70's, like Herse, Singer, Follis, Reyhand, Daudon, the list goes on and on. Frame builders back then were so sophisticated and reliable. We are trying to recapture some of this spirit and re-build the reputation of bespoke frame-building in France. CdC: Which do you prefer, road or off-road cycling? JL: Both. My favorite bike is my cyclocross one. The fashion police try to call it 'gravel', but for me it is just a cx bike used on a daily basis. It allows me to hit the roads, then find a perfect track on the forest. I even do some MTB events on it.CdC: You have worked with some big fashion houses over the past few years - what do you think of cycling becoming more fashionable? VC: It is the best thing that can happen to the cycling world. Riding a bicycle is good for you, good for the planet and it makes you happy. The world would be so much better if only 5% of the popluation would cycle instead of driving their cars. Making the bicycle more fashionable will push people to ride it, which is a really good thing. CdC: The association with Café du Cycliste is an obvious French alliance but, from your perspective, what do you believe the two companies have in common? JL: The aesthetic fits very well between the two companies and we also share the same way of thinking, it is just natural I think! CdC: Which is the better place to ride - the Auvergne or Cote d’Azur (answer carefully!)? JL: Auvergne for sure. Less people on the road, less people on the dirt tracks, less pollution, we only miss bigger mountains! Just kidding, both are really good, but come and ride with us, so you can see for yourself! You can now book your ride on a Cycles Victoire Veloce HSS here and experience modern French artisan frame-building in the Côte d'Azur cycling playground.

Limited edition – 55 and counting In 1960 a group of like minded friends in Paris, including several involved in sponsorship of the Tour de France, decided to ride to the ultra chic coastal resort of Deauville, a distance of some 220km. The event was such a success that plans were immediately laid to meet again the following year for a repeat and in that moment the Club Paris Deauville was born. While the club has monthly rides throughout the year, it is this founding event which is very much the centre piece of the club’s existance, its ‘raison d’être’. This year, on the 30th May, the club will welcome its members to the 55th edition. It’s a sequence that has gone unbroken since the year after De Gaulle first took delivery of his presidential DS, stopping neither for the fluctuations of world affairs or the more prosaic fluctuations of the Normandy weather. With a long waiting list and only around eighty members at any one time, the club could easily be described as exclusive. A first impression not lessened by the fact that any roll call of past and present members would include captains of industry, media stars and political heavyweights and burnished by the joining procedure, which is invitation only after being proposed by a current member and facing a selection panel.But, like any good club, what stands out is not what it takes to get in but what you find when you get there. And the reason for the limited membership is more about inclusivity than exclusivity, it’s in place to allow the group to stay together on their big day. The Paris - Deauville isn’t a standard sportive, it isn’t a race, it’s a ride and the club works on the basis that they always ‘start together and finish together’. The stronger riders helping the not so strong, the experienced guiding the novices and the peloton travelling as one through the French countryside, heading north towards the sea.The event and the club itself is about this cameraderie and fraternite. It’s imbued with a spirit of co-operation and respect where each member puts themselves at the service of the whole group. Where on one long stretch of road, those of different generations and different levels of ability work together with a common aim. They started together and they’ll finish together, however long that takes. Like gaining membership itself, some things are just worth waiting for.This year Café du Cycliste has designed and furnished Paris-Deauville with a limited edition of our signature Yolande jersey. The merino fabric was dyed to a striking navy while the design features red elbow patches and detailing to replicate the club colours. The final touch is the club badge on the sleeve. Only eighty were made, one for each of the group that will stick together come what may in three months time.

Win(d/e) Send me your headwinds - the strong, the weak, the angled, the brick wall headwinds, the summer mistral, the winter arctic – I’ll have them all. I’ll gladly turn my face into a wall of air which is trying to get from my front wheel to my back wheel and which would make the journey through my own flesh if it could - with as much force as the weather fronts demand. You’re probably thinking that I can’t possibly be a cyclist, that cyclists seek tail winds and duck and dive to avoid headwinds? But you must know cyclists who love climbs and who see a descent as the route to the next climb? Do cyclists flock the Alps for the descents? No, it’s the climbs that attract, enthral and brutalise with their breathtaking misery.For me it’s no different. If you live in a non-Alpine region, the headwind is your Ventoux, building stronger legs, mental character and mechanical efficiency. It’s only in the last year that I’ve embraced headwinds. On one particular ride in particular as I chose my route carelessly and faced a final 40km home stretch against a forceful winter wind. Slowly I became aware that I was riding as if on a long climb – the rhythm, the breathing, cadence, relaxing my upper body and mentally embracing the grind – the Galibier was in Ireland.It’s often been asked how the Dutch pros could climb so well, and my belief is that it’s down to that particular blend of physical and mental tenacity that cycling across a flat and windswept landscape is sure to produce. On a recent ride with a stronger, faster friend, a tenacious individual who had out-climbed me for the first part of the ride, we turned left into a block headwind. I moved ahead, I believed he was sitting on my wheel, so I tucked into the task in hand and got on with interfering with the intended passage of some fast-moving air. And I was gone. He’d missed my wheel and the gap was open, not to be closed. So I’ll have your headwinds gladly - but there’s a price to pay. Wind for wine.Wine for wind. Fair deal? I’d normally reach for an Italian or Spanish red – it’s hard to beat a Ripasso. But as we’re talking headwinds, in the company of Café du Cycliste, it has to be something from the shadow of the beast of Provence, Mt Ventoux - a climb that gravity has decided needs the extra spice of often savage headwinds on the upper slopes. So, in return for taking on your headwind, a bottle of Provence red would be ideal - something that will flow through the wind-carved channels in my mind.

Grasse: A love story I unzipped my jacket, letting the flowing December air cool my core. I removed my glasses, then engaged in the all-too-familiar struggle to securely tuck them inside the front of my helmet. I took a sip from my bottle. I put my head down and took an odd comfort in the sweat dripping from the tip of my nose. Then, lifting my gaze just long enough to spot a lone rider up the road, I let out a brief, sadistic grin and dropped my gaze again to focus on the pedal stroke. I was going to catch that rabbit. As I neared my target, I realized he was a he. Perfect. Maybe there's something wrong with me, but I find few things on the bike to be more gratifying than the feeling I get when I pass a man. Keeping my steely gaze straight ahead as I went for the pass, I was caught off guard by a friendly question in my native language. "Beautiful day, huh?" I broke my stride just long enough to offer a fake smile and a quick response, then kicked it in to high gear to ensure that he didn't mistake our shared language for an excuse to chat. That's not why I came here. After a few minutes I glanced over my shoulder, pleased to see that he got the message. Or maybe he just didn't agree with the smell of my sweaty base layer. Whatever the case, I was happy to have caught my rabbit and moved on towards my destination -- my favorite little café near Grasse.It's a bit awkward, sitting at a café after a hard workout in the city of perfume. The city of Grasse, France, is known as the perfume capital of the world. This region's microclimate, exposed to the sunny Mediterranean to the south and sheltered by steep hills to the north, makes for an ideal location for flower farming. Not so long ago, around five thousand tons of flowers were harvested annually. Grasse is the sole source of key ingredients in the legendary perfume, Chanel No. 5, among others.This town also happens to be a good starting point for one of my all-time favorite rides, the Col de l'Ecre. It just so happens to be very near one of my favorite mid-ride coffee stops, Café du Cycliste, as well. After a personal record on the Col de l'Ecre, I was only too happy to stop in and order myself a cappuccino and almond croissant. As I waited in the bright Mediterranean sunshine on the patio, I dreamed of the vast flower fields that this region once held so dear. I sipped on my coffee, so immersed in thoughts of the grand perfumeries of the mid-20th century that I could have sworn I tasted a touch of jasmine in my cappuccino.Waking up from my daydream, I dropped a few Euros on the table and tucked my hair back into my helmet, ready for an easy cruise back to Nice. As I pulled away from the café, my rabbit pulled up. I half expected him to hold his nose as I passed. A smile instead. Must have been the flowers.