Milano San Remo Stage 4

Ceresole Reale → Colle del Nivolet → Ceresole Reale

Strava: 40.69 km, 1,296m, 2:53, 108 shifts

When I looked out the window this morning the crystal clear view of the peaks was stunning. The weather looked perfect for a climb up high in the mountains. I walked over for breakfast at 8 then we started out. Everyone went at their own pace and I fell in with Louis and Carien and ended up doing the whole climb with them. It’s about 20 km each way, starting up the gorgeous valley, then winding past the last trees, and up into a series of switchbacks ending at the first of the lakes that feed Torino’s hydro power system. Then we climbed past a couple more lakes, and finally up to the summit nearly 2,600m up. Today’s trivia: if you add up the number of times Louis, Carien and I have gone around the sun, you get 213, which is exactly triple one of our ages.

The road is closed to all but foot and bike traffic for the last six km which made it really nice. But even down where it’s open I was surprised at the lack of traffic on a 100% perfect weather day. There was lots of snow alongside the road up high and near the top, you had to be careful since the shady side had ice on the road. I saw one hiker take a tumble.

Since there was no time pressure, as we climbed we stopped for photos and snacks several times. At the first snowbank, Louis started a snowball fight with Carien, kids will be kids. When the fight started again on the summit, someone said, “Louis is 76??? Do you think he’ll ever grow up?”. I said, “I hope not!”

From the top I went a little way down the other side to watch the snowplows working hard down below on the high dirt road I rode last September with Wytze, Andrew and Daniel. That was such a different day than today, amazing it was really just a few months ago. After more photos, it was time to head down. Since I had stopped so many times on the way up, I went straight down and was back at the hotel in 36 minutes, that’s vs two hours and 36 minutes for the climb! I had snacks, then went to the other hotel for a shower. Finishing by noon feels like a rest day! Then I realized I was still hungry so I headed back down for a long, relaxed second lunch with Wijnand’s best-ever soup – mushroom! Eventually I went back and napped heavily.

Dinner was similar to last night, filling and good. Pasta with asparagus and shrimp, then a spinach “omelette”, and a chocolaty dessert. With lots of water. Wilbert gave us the briefing for tomorrow’s longer stage, 153 km. If we survive that, we have the single rest day of the tour to look forward to.