Last year I read Emanuele's post about the Max Lelli Gran Fondo, and as fun as it sounded, I really didn't know what to make of it. Were these things like a big race, with pros the likes of Cippolini lining up and rolling it hard? Or were they more like Ragbrai or the Apple Cider Century, mass rides where the race to the first feed zone means you get pick of the donuts? Or were they the worst planned things you can imagine, with 4-5 mile downhill neutral roll-outs, crazy Italians riding their bikes like they do scooters in Rome?

Well , they're epic, require specific tactics and skills to finish well, can be both competitive and social at the same time, and they're all the rage in Italy. There are multiple magazines dedicated to just Gran Fondo, and the best riders can make $1000 a month doing them.

The one we did started and ended in San Gimigniano, in the heart of Tuscany. Short (50k), medium (105k) and long (156k) options. Beautiful country, and a spectacular place to ride. I'd selected the medium, and planned to ride it like a race, in pursuit of a "result" that Max thought I could attain.

We rolled out neutral, in a pack of 2000, following a line of convertibles with all manner of politicians and local notables basking in the sun. Neutral downhill, 4 miles, which I discovered is not a design flaw, it's almost unavoidable with medieval towns being built on hills.

So, to the tactics. You have to be at or near the front, and the outsides move up. The middle moves back. I was in the middle. Started 100th or so, and by the time the first climb came, some 7 miles later, I was at least 600th, with a sea of helmets in front of me as far as I could see.

The climbs were all labeled, how long (3-12k), avg grade (4-9%), and max grade (up to 16%). All the downhills were labeled beautifully with caution signs. The course was marshalled impeccably, and there were easy to understand signs with distance to the finish, every 5k from 25k to go. Every coffee bar had patrons sitting out front cheering you on, and most towns had some sort of attending celebration.

Net, net, we raced hard. My lack of Italian pack aggression cost me in the start, and I never was able to get up to the group where I realized my fitness belonged. I finished 70th out of 980, rather than the 10th-15th that Max had hoped for. But it was fun, and memorable, and I know what I can do differently in the future.

I hope to go back and do a Gran Fondo again. Not because I have unfinished business, but because they're fun. The top 30 riders are almost all pros or ex-pros, which makes them as competitive as you want them to be. The back end of the group are "teams" of guys who treat them like fun-rides, stopping at every table, eating whatever the locals choose to turn out.

Give one a rip, if you ever get a chance.

ED