We did the Première Manche - the first round - of A Travers riding across France from Dieppe to Marseille in the summer of 2009, and it was the original inspiration for this blog. The plan to put the 'band back together again' for another go in 2013 for the second installment fell on stoney ground, with life just getting in the way for too many of us, much to our disappointment. However, our enthusiasm for the bike remains undimmed, and so I'll keep posting my thoughts on the diverse and beautiful facets of the sport regardless. But there's bound to be another big 'adventure ride' coming soon - quite possibly in Italy - so potentially a name change too: Attraverso l'Italia in Bicicletta anyone?



Thursday 5 February 2009

More motivation for the guys ...

The following video has little to do with our trip across France this summer per se, but there really is something about it I love that makes me want to get out on my bike as soon as possible.

First found it on one of my fave sites and sent it to Mike James, insisting that he watch it with headphones on. It's the sound that makes it so good: the strictly non-partisan commentary in Italian, the unbridaled passion, the crowd roaring around the Varese Worlds circuit when 'Balla' launches his attack with 3km to go. Goosebumps.

Additionally I'd met Ballan and the rest of the Lampre-Fondital squad (as it was then) when I was a chaperone for them in London at the 2007 Tour de France Team Presentation. No doubt acted like an awkward awe-struck overgrown schoolboy on Jim'll Fix It, but I've considered myself a Lampre fan ever since. Forza gli atleti blu-fucsia!!

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