The 93rd GIRO D’ITALIA 2010 – The Final Week Friday 21st May – Monday 31st May 2010 PREMIUM TOUR Quality 4* Hotels Guided by an ex Pro who has ridden the Giro d’Italia Moser & Simoni bike shop visit

The 93rd Giro d’Italia will produce one of the most exciting and spectacular finales in recent years. Packed into the final week of the 2010 Giro d’Italia are no less than 4 mountain stages and 2 Individual Time Trials, including a Mountain TT to Plan de Corones and a final stage TT in the city of Verona ).

It is the beautiful Dolomite Mountains where the 2010 Giro d’Italia will be decided and there are no less than 4 mountain stages, 3 of them summit finishes (Zoncolan, Aprica, Plan de Corones Mtn TT & Passo Tonale).

But it is the final weekend when the Giro will produce the biggest spectacle. Friday´s stage sees the riders tackle the super steep Mortirolo before finishing in the ski town of Aprica. Saturday’s penultimate stage sees the riders tackle the mythical mountain of the Passo Gavia (2,618mts). The following days final stage is a 15km Individual Time trial around the city of Verona.

On this tour you will see the very best the 2010 Giro has to offer and get to ride the famous climbs of Zoncolan, Plan de Corones, Mortirolo, Aprica and Passo Gavia.

All this…and your guide, ex professional Marcelino Garcia who speaks excellent English.
Marcelino is a Spanish ex pro who has worked with ourselves for 7 years guiding tours. He helped Tyler Hamilton to 2nd place overall in the 2002 Giro d’Italia, whilst riding for top team CSC.

We have selected quality 4* Hotels in beautiful locations. You will spend 4 nights in the beautiful Dolomite town of Dobbiacio at the excellent Hotel Santer www.hotel-santer.com followed by a night in the beautiful Dolomite town of Bolzano at the excellent 4* Hotel 4 Points Sheraton www.4p-sheraton-bolzano.it followed by 2 nights in the ski resort of Ponte di Legno at the excellent 4* Hotel Mirella www.hotelmirella.it before our final night in Milan at the 4* Hotel Manin.

CLICK HERE for a report and photos of the 2002 Giro d’Italia trip. (External Site)

For detailed info & stage profiles on the 93rd Giro d’Italia visit the Giro's official web site.

Friday 21st May:
Arrange your own flight to Milan Malpensa airport or contact us for details (UK customers only), where you will be met by our reps including Marcelino Garcia, and transport will be provided to our hotel in Milan centre.
We shall spend the night in the city of Milan at the 4* Hotel Manin and there will be a welcome evening meal, which will give you the opportunity to meet and get to know your fellow travelers.
We shall also leave the empty bike boxes at the Hotel Manin as the bikes will be transported in a special bike carrying trailer.

Saturday 22nd May:
After breakfast we shall load the bikes onto the trailer and we shall depart from Milan and head to the beautiful Dolomite Mountains. We shall travel to the beautiful town of Dobbiaco where we shall spend the next 4 nights on half board basis (bed, breakfast, evening meal) at the excellent Hotel Santer www.hotel-santer.com
Our location in Dobbiaco offers excellent access to the first Dolomite mountain stages (Zoncolan Mountain top finish, and the all important mountain time trial to Plan de Corones).

Sunday 23rd May:
Our first encounter with the 2010 Giro d’Italia will be the mountain top finish at super steep Monte Zoncolan, a climb of only 10km but has an average gradient of 12% with sections of 20% & 22%. This is surely going to be one of the key stages of the 2010 Giro d´Italia
Our Dolomite base in Dobbiaco is excellent for accessing the stage, and those with bikes will be able to ride 60km from the hotel to Monte Zoncolan. Those without bikes will be taken to the village of Ovaro (base of Monte Zoncolan climb) from where you will be able to walk onto the climb to see the stage.
After seeing the stage we shall return to our hotel in Dobbiaco, and those with bikes may want to ride back to the hotel. Alternatively you can return on the bus.

Monday 24th May:
After yesterday’s brutal Dolomite stage, the Giro d’Italia spends its 2nd Rest Day in the Dolomites region.
The Giro’s rest day gives those with bikes further opportunities for rides in this beautiful part of Italy, and the beautiful Tre Cime Lavaredo are within cycling distance (25km). In previous years the teams have stayed close to our base in Dobbiaco and if this is the case we can arrange visits to team hotels and possibly rides with some of the teams.

Those without bikes will have the opportunity of visiting the town of Dobbiaco and enjoy the wellness centre of the Hotel Santer.

Tuesday 25th May:
After a well deserved rest day, today´s stage will be one of the most important of the 2010 Giro dÍtalia, a 13.75km mountain time trial to the ski station of Plan de Corones, where the last 5.25km is on an unpaved gravel road with gradients reaching 24%. This is sure to be a fantastic stage to watch live.
Once again our location in Dobbiaco is excellent for accessing the stage, and those with bikes will be able to ride the 35km to the stage from the hotel, whilst those without bikes will be taken there on the bus. Alternatively the cyclists could travel part / whole way on the bus and ride the rest.
After seeing the stage we shall return to the bus and travel back to Dobbiaco for our final night stay at the Hotel .

Wednesday 26th May:
Today´s stage of the Giro leaves from Brunico and the riders face a 173km medium mountain stage to Peio Terme.
We have decided to see the stage start today, and our location in Dobbiaco is only 28km from the start. At the start, you should be able to meet the riders, get autographs and photos.
After seeing the stage start those with bikes will be able to ride the first 70km of the stage to Bolzano, where we shall spend the night on half board basis (bed, breakfast, evening meal) at the excellent 4* Hotel 4 Points Sheraton www.4p-sheraton-bolzano.it

Thursday 27th May:
Today sees the return of the sprinters on this 151km flat stage from Levico Terme to Brescia.
Our location in Bolzano is excellent for accessing this stage as it passes through the town of Trento, and will also gives us the opportunity to visit the Moser & Simoni bike shop.

After seeing the stage we shall transfer from Bolzano to the mountain ski resort of Ponte di Legno (foot of the Passo Gavia), where we shall spend the next 2 nights on half board basis (Dinner, Bed & Breakfast) at the 4* Hotel Mirella www.hotelmirella.it
Our location in Ponte di Legno offers excellent access to the final mountain stages of the 2010 Giro d’Italia.
After breakfast we shall leave Bolzano and the Hotel 4 Points Sheraton and travel the short distance to Trento where we shall visit the bike shop jointly owned by Francesco Moser & Gilberto Simoni. Not only is this a great bike shop but you will be able to see their trophy & jersey cabinet which is on display in the shop. Those with bikes will be able to ride the 55km flat bike path from Bolzano to Trento, whilst those without bikes will be taken by the bus.

After visiting the bike shop, we shall see the stage as it passes through the town of Trento.

Alternatively, those with bikes can ride from our hotel in Bolzano to our next hotel in Ponte di Legno. This is a mountainous ride of 100km and takes in the climbs of the Passo di Mendola and Passo Tonale.

Friday 28th May:
As the 2010 Giro d’Italia enters its final weekend, the mountains bite back with one of the most difficult mountain stages that takes in the legendary Passo Mortirolo, as well as the Passo Trivigno before finishing at the ski town of Aprica.
Our location in Ponte di Legno is excellent for accessing the stage, and those with bikes will be able to ride to the stage from the hotel and see the riders on either the Mortirolo, Trivigno or the finishing climb to Aprica. Those without bikes will be taken to the stage finish town of Aprica, where they will be able to see the stage twice, including the finish.
After seeing the stage we shall return to our Ponte di Legno base, and the Hotel Mirella.

Saturday 29th May:
The biggest mountain stage of the 2010 Giro d’Italia is saved for the penultimate day, with an absolute classic route that takes in 4 mountains over 2,000mts including the 2,621mt mountain of the Passo Gavia, before finishing at the top of the Passo Tonale (1,900mts). This is sure to provide a fantastic finale.
Our location in Ponte di Legno could not be better, as we are situated at the foot of both the Passo Gavia and Passo Tonale. Those with bikes will have the choice of seeing the stage on either the Gavia or the final climb to the Passo Tonale.
After seeing the stage we shall return to the Hotel Mirella in Ponte di Legno.

Sunday 30th May:
If the last two days stages weren’t enough, the winner of the 93rd Giro d’Italia will surely emerge from today’s 15km final stage time trial around the beautiful city of Verona.
After an early breakfast we shall leave Ponte di Legno and travel directly to the city of Verona, where you will have the whole day to visit the city (home of Romeo & Juliet) as well as watching the final time trial.
Immediately after the finish we shall travel to Milan and the 4* Hotel Manin (where your bike boxes are). After checking in we shall have a farewell group dinner at the hotel.

Monday 31st May:
Our bus will leave Milan at 07.30hrs and will take you back to Milan Malpensa airport for your return flight.

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