The trip will happen the week following la Pinarello, which is Sunday, July 15, 2012. We’ll take Monday as an easy day, and then Tuesday drive and ride. Wednesday and Thursday will each offer hard and easy rides, and of course, you’re always welcome to take a spa break as you wish. On Friday we’ll ride back towards Castelcucco and our mini-adventure will come to a close. The exact routes will be determined by weather, but count on the Stelvio, Gavia, Mortirolo, Foscagno and others being on the itinerary.

And of course, Bormio has 3 thermal spas, so relaxation is in the cards as well.

Because we will be away from home base, and accommodating tired riders on long days, we will not be able to allow late arrivals, early departures, or arriving or leaving from an alternate location. We will be leaving from, and returning to, Castelcucco.

As this is a special trip, there is special pricing. This is really difficult and complex and will probably shock your wallet, so pay attention. The Bormio Climbing Camp is only a $200 supplement!

We look forward to seeing you in Italy in 2012!

Anyway, he writes with admiration for the Monte Grappa, and well he should. It’s a fantastic climb with a very memorable, important, and even mythic reputation for the locals. He is also right in saying that you can’t get a good feeling for the Monte Grappa, let alone the Veneto, in just a quick trip to ride la Pinarello – you have to stay and soak it in. So, if you’re up for some good food and wine, great riding, and fantastic scenery, culture, and history, why not join us in 2012!?

For Grand Tour watchers, we have a Giro d’Italia trip in May. June and August is available for custom tours, and July camp is open as usual. The week following la Pinarello, we’ll head up for a few nights into the Dolomites for some fantastic climbing and a bit of spa relaxation in the afternoons.

So, join our mailing list by filling out the form to the right, browse around the site to learn more about us, or if you’re ready, go ahead and reserve your spot now!

Not everyone can make it to Italy in May, we know. Some of you have work, school, kids, etc., but that doesn’t mean you’re left out of the fun. In 2011, we took a fantastic trip up to the Dolomites for a few days, and we’re going to repeat that adventure in 2012, but even better! Details on that are also forthcoming.

But even that’s not enough; some of you have your own plans! That’s great because we can accommodate you too. We’re working on custom itineraries for two groups at the moment, so if your team, club, or organization would like a special trip to ride in Italy, please contact us ASAP to begin the planning process. Time and dates are going quickly!

So, that was the long way of saying, hang tight – details are coming soon. Grazie!

The next morning we went to Feltre to see the stage start, spoke briefly with Team Sky’s Michael Barry, and then hopped on our own bikes and climbed the Monte Grappa from Seren. That capped a few big days on the bike, including 4 Giro d’Italia stages, so we treated ourselves to a fantastic dinner and gelato in Asolo.

But we’re not done yet! More local rides, and then the Colle della Finestre and the final TT in Milan await!

Many of you are joining us (again and again, in some cases) for la Pinarello on July 17th. If you weren’t with us last year, there is a new course and start system, among other changes. The Gran Fondo now starts in central Treviso at the Piazza dei Signori and heads north taking in the Montello and Mostaccin before the route splits. For the truly hardy, the Gran Fondo route heads up the 20% ramps of the Salto della Capra, before descending the north face of Monte Grappa and eventually rejoining the Medio Fondo route as it heads into Valdobbiadene. For us “normal” folks, the Medio Fondo route (recommended, given our foray into the Dolomites the following days) turns east and winds its way up the vineyard hills before a return to Treviso (with a last taste of the Montello for good measure).

Another important change since last year is the limitation on foreign entries. Only 500 foreign riders will be permitted in la Pinarello this year, and this will surely fill up. So to make sure everyone gets the entry they want, please register yourself ASAP. You can visit the la Pinarello site to register on-line, and we will credit your account with $75 as an entry-fee reimbursement.

If you are interested in riding la Pinarello, or another Gran Fondo in Italy, please read our page on Gran Fondos to learn more. Of course, if you’re ready to go, reserve your place now!

Even if you don’t want a new bike, you might be worried about getting yours over to Italy in one piece. To help out a little bit, we’ve secured discounts on Sci-Con bags and cases for you. Our discounts extend to things like saddlebags and even luggage, so even if you’re not in the market for a case, we can still help out. This is the final week to place your discounted order! Email us for full details.

Once you’re on your bike, it’s always handy to keep track of where you’re going and where you’ve been. This year, we’re working with Strava to give you some fancy-dan new technology to track your kilometers. You can upload your data to Strava either from a Garmin cycle computer or from your GPS-enabled mobile phone. To make the latter easier, Strava now have an iPhone app. Of course, any other GPS-enabled phone will work with a simple email process. Don’t forget, we’re using Strava to track the climbing records going forward, so if you want to be a record-holder, you’ll need to sign up!

Of course, you might want a Garmin after all. With their new Edge 800 touchscreen computer, you’ll be able to see where we’re going and never miss a turn again when you drop Jason on a climb! We have discounted pricing on Garmin units, so Email us for full details.

And of course, if you haven’t bought your flights yet, now’s the time. With oil prices continuing to rise, and the dollar getting weaker by the day, airlines sure won’t be dropping fares. For those among you who enjoy the hunt, we recommend checking out Kayak or ITA. If you’d rather have someone else do the looking, we recommend Caroline Fogarty with Peak Travel.

And of course, we’d be remiss not to mention travel insurance. While the likelihood of something going wrong is small, it’s good to have your back covered. Your health insurance might not cover you in Italy, an Icelandic volcano might blow again, who knows!? We’ve made arrangements with Travel Guard by Chartis, so simply fill in your trip dates and pay with your credit card and you’re all covered!

That’s more than enough business for now, back to the riding. Keep your eye on the Giro del Trentino, which rides on some of the same roads in the Dolomites we’ll ride this summer. And of course, la Flèche Wallone tomorrow and La Doyenne on Sunday! Buon ciclismo a tutti!

Every year, we get more requests for extra clothing, different items, etc. So, in order to more easily fulfill those requests, we’ve created the Velo Veneto online shop where you can order any clothing item that ThreeFace makes for us. This includes not only bibs and jerseys, but vests, jackets, gloves, caps, and socks. The store’s not fancy, but it gets the job done.

The clothing is made in Italy and will be shipped to you starting in May (or waiting for you upon arrival in Italy). However, to get this shipment done in time, ALL ORDERS MUST BE COMPLETE BY FEBRUARY 28, 2011! That only gives you about 2 weeks, so get crackin’!

Like all web projects, we’re launching this in Beta, so if you see anything that doesn’t work or is just a bit off, please let us know!