 News Letter
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l‘In The (Time) Zone' by David Olle, +39 333 5959 217 (twitter feed @DavidOLLE)
La Vuelta Espana, August 20 - September 11, 2011
My Vuelta 2011
Well, I very nearly did get one report out during the 2011 La Vuelta Espana. However, I did cover over 40,000k, witnessed many stages, visited the Basque country for the first time, and witnessed the birth of our daughter, all during the 3 week race.
When the Vuelta started I was in the Dolomites, running our Classic Italian Climbs tour , by the end of the first week I was exiting Venice and heading for Dubai. For the long haul leg, Dubai - KL - Melb, I had used points to upgrade to business. While business class is not part of our business plan, you never knock it back when you can get it, right? Usually we spend 24/48 hours stopping over in Asia en route, squandering a few quid on a good hotel to break up the tediousness of the long haul, but as I had a caesar to attend in a few hours, that wasn't on the cards this trip. It got better when, after a couple of hours at KL airport, I returned to my seat to find it occupied. After a quick check of my boarding pass by the hostie (to ensure I wasn't a stowaway I can only presume) I was marched even further forward in the plane. To seat no 1A. Only the pilots in front of me. First class - back of the net. (swing your foot forward as you say that, to drive the idea home)
The big news
The next few days I spent with my new family. MBD (Betty Barb Olle) came out the sunroof on Monday August 29, 8.06am, 6 lbs 13oz. All the family is doing well, thanks.
Wednesday evening I was Paella-bound, and after meeting up with Vuelta staff member Annabelle at Dubai, we were both upgraded to business. Twice in one week. I doubt I will ever be upgraded again in my life after this, but I don't care, it could not have been timed better. Saturday morning we had had a happy group on the barriers at Astorga for the stage start, and our Vuelta tour was under way.
The Race
While you can't hope to top this year's Tour de France for excitement, Cobo, Wiggins, Nibali and Froome made a race out of it. But nothing beat being in Bilbao, for Igor Anton's win. After 34 years of exclusion, Pays-Basque welcomed the return of La Vuelta, with no regrets. In the final 500 metres we clung to a bar, like suckling pigs, eyes on the tele until the peloton passed our door, when we'd run outside and yell with full Basque fervor. The barman joining us, and in his best English screaming ‘it's his f-king hill, he's been climbing it since he could f-cking walk!'
On the Basque region
I grew up around the corner from a half basque family, the Torrijos'. Around the corner? Am I joking? I almost lived there through my high school years, the back door was never locked and half the neighborhood came and went as it pleased. The old man worked as a waiter at Florentinos, he was one of the best you could ever hope to see. He passed between tables without moving his legs. He didn't so much float, as move on a cushion of air. He was masterful. Danny was my age and while we all adored him, it was his big sister who I was in love with for all that time. It's no wonder I had the horn by the time La Vuelta announced a return to the Basque territory.
The hospitality of the locals is probably what we loved the most. While the Spanish do a fine job in this regard, the Basque seem to do it with a little more panache. You are welcomed and made to feel special, with zero amount of fuss. And the language? I was surprised to find the Bilbao daily was in Spanish. Further probing revealed most of Bilbao runs on Spanish, and while the smaller outlying towns may speak predominantly Basque (officially called ‘Euskara'), they will happily lapse into Spanish at any time, particularly to assist non-locals etc. Not a lot of English prevails, and most menus in the restaurants we visited were bi-lingual, Spanish and Basque. With quiet coastal roads easy to find, we will be returning here to explore the region more, as the drivers are the most courteous to cyclist we have ever experienced. Maybe for the Tour of Pays-Basque?
The red, green and white crossed basque flag that we all are familiar with from Le Tour footage is known as the ‘ikurrina'. It translates into English as ‘flag'. Love it.
A couple of the accomms we used are also worthy of mention, arriving at the first location we would not have been surprised to find Zorro galloping out the entrance, black cape in the wind. While the final hotel was suitable for a James Bond aperitif, or Thunderbirds Head Quarters. All that was missing was Thunderbird 1 coming up through the pool.
Price parity report
Café Cortado, the nearest Spanish equivalent to café macchiato, costs one euro, so all is normal in the coffee world. A ‘G & T' can cost a couple of euros in a rural setting, and up to 6.50 in Madrid, but all are delivered the same way. A glass full of ice is brought to your table, a small bottle of tonic is placed nearby, while the waiter upends a bottle of gin over your glass. It flows freely in an open challenge, who will crack first? You? Or will the waiter call it quits? You'll be happy to hear, never once did we cry ‘uncle!'. The best deal, ever, was a glass of dry white wine, at a bar in the shadow of ‘Angliru', 60 euro cents was the charge. Also, at the same bar, we enjoyed a 12 Euro, 3 course lunch with coffee, and a bottle of wine. Yes we did cry uncle here, who can drink a bottle on their own, at lunch? (and still drive)
Cuisine report 1: In the Basque country, red wine and coke. Yes. Don't knock it ‘til you try it.
Cuisine report 2: Our final night in Madrid is usually spent outdoors at one of the city's oldest tapas bars. We start at the top of the menu and work our way down, usually managing to avoid one dish, but I faulted this year, and the tripe made it to our table. Sampled by few, myself included. I'm yet to find one who loves it, no matter how it is cooked.
Cusine report 3: Still on tapas. Pimientos, little green, grilled, capsicum shaped items. One in ten guaranteed to flip your wig with heat, and no way of telling which one will do it. My wig flipped on the very first one on Sunday. Love it.
DO report: Monday we departed Madrid at 5.30am, drove 990k after a couple of airport drop offs and were poolside at Sommieres by 5pm. Magret de Canard by 7.30. Tuesday we headed to Bourg d'Oisans for a couple of days of tidying up before heading to Paris for a flight on saturday. Should be home with the family sunday night.
A couple of pics from La vuelta: Bar Jesus and the Topbike Peloton in Asturias
Next year
We have all the usual trips operating for 2012, see list below, PLUS we will be adding self-guided, self catering, cycling holidays from our base in Marone, on Lake Iseo, Italy. Any amount of days available, any time of the season. We'll supply self catering accommodation, maps, routes, GPS's, hire bikes, bar and restaurant info. Flat riding around the lake, or head for the hills. Arrive before, or after your tour with us, or just come along anytime, ideal for a holiday with the family, contact us for more details.
Giro Warm Up (Lago Iseo) May 4 - 9
Giro (Tour of Italy) Tour 1 May 9 - 15
Giro Tour MILANO May 18 - 28
Tour of Sicily ‘Eat-Drink-Ride' June 1 - 11
TdF Warm Up (Lago Iseo, Italy) June 16 - 21
Climbs of the Tour de France June 21 - July 1
Tour de France 1 July 4 - 10
Tour de France PARIS July 13 - 23
Tour of Spain (La Vuelta Espana) 1 Aug 22 - 28
Tour of Spain MADRID Aug 31 - Sept 10
Classic Italian Climbs Warm Up (Lago Iseo) Sept 12 - 17
Classic Italian Climbs Sept 17 - 27
The Writer:
The 2011 Vuelta is my 25th Grand Tour.
My cycling reports are used by 3GG Gippsland, ABC radio's 774 DRIVE show in Melbourne, ABC radio 702 breakfast show in Sydney, ABC national overnights and 3RRR FM's Breakfasters. He chats regularly with all. He also created and produces the magazine style TV show ‘Topbike TV' which is seen throughout Australia and New Zealand on community televison. The reports are also published here, www.cyclesportnews.com, along with any photos.
These reports are independent, opinionated, Australian biased, and could miss a day here and there, along with containing the odd error and repeating the odd comment. We make no apology for this.
We aim to send these reports daily, while any worthy bike race is on. You can unsubscribe below, if you desire.
We also run good bike tours.
David Olle
Topbike Tours (you'll never ride alone)
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Thanks, as always to GIANT bikes, Excell Travel, Divella pasta, MTBskills.com.au, Videocraft, Channel 31 and cyclesportnews.com.
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