The 91ST GIRO D’ITALIA 2008 – The Final Week PREMIUM TOUR Quality 4* Hotels Guided by an ex Pro who has ridden the Giro d’Italia Moser & Simoni or Carrera bike shop visit Friday 23rd May to Monday 2nd June 2008

The 91^st Giro d’Italia will produce one of the most exciting and spectacular finales in recent years.
Packed into the final week of the 2008 Giro d’Italia are no less than 5 mountain stages and 2 Individual Time Trials, including a Mountain TT to Plan de Corones and a final stage TT into Milan.

It is the beautiful Dolomite Mountains where the 2008 Giro d’Italia will be decided and there are no less than 5 mountain stages, 4 of them summit finishes (Alpe di Pampeago, Passo Fedaia-Marmolada, Plan de Corones Mtn TT & Monte Pora).

But it is the final weekend when the Giro will produce the biggest spectacle. Saturday’s penultimate stage sees the riders tackle the mythical mountains of the Passo Gavia (2,618mts) and the super steep Mortirolo as well as Aprica on a 224km stage that finishes in Tirano. The following days final stage is a 23.5km Individual Time trial in to the city of Milan.

On this tour you will see the very best the 2008 Giro has to offer and get to ride the famous climbs of Alpe di Pampeago, Passo Pordoi, Marmolada, Plan de Corones, Passo Vivione, Gavia, and Mortirolo.

All this…and your guide, ex professional Marcelino Garcia (right) who speaks excellent English.
Marcelino is a Spanish ex pro who has worked with ourselves for 5 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 Bolzano at the excellent 4* Hotel 4 Points Sheraton, followed by 5 nights in the ski resort of Ponte di Legno at the excellent 4* Hotel Mirella, before our final night in Milan at the 4* Hotel Manin, within walking distance of the final stage finish.

Click here for a report and photos of the 2002 Giro d'Italia trip. (External Site)

For detailed info & stage profiles on the 91^st Giro d'Italia visit http://www.giroditalia.it

Friday 23^rd May:
Arrange your own flight to Milan Malpensa airport or contact us for details (UK customers only), where at 13.00hrs you will be met by our reps including Marcelino Garcia.
After loading the bikes onto the trailer we shall leave Milan Malpensa airport and travel the short distance into Milan centre where the bike boxes will be left at the Hotel Manin and the bikes loaded (fully assembled) onto our special bike trailer.
Clients arriving before this date, we can arrange extra nights accommodation in the Hotel Manin in Milan or near to Malpensa airport.
After leaving the bike boxes at the Hotel Manin in Milan, we shall travel to the beautiful Dolomites and the town of Bolzano, where we shall spend the next 4 nights on half board basis (bed, breakfast, evening meal) at the excellent 4* Hotel 4 Points Sheraton www.4p-sheraton-bolzano.it
Our location in Bolzano offers excellent access to all 3 Dolomite mountain stages (Alpe di Pampeago, Marmolada, and the all important mountain time trial to Plan de Corones).

Saturday 24^th May:
Our first encounter with the 2008 Giro d’Italia will be the mountain top finish to the ski station of Alpe di Pampeago. After two weeks of racing, today’s stage will not only be the first high mountain stage, it will be the first mountain top finish, so the climbers and anyone with serious ambitions of the overall will show their face.
Our location in Bolzano is excellent for accessing the stage, and those with bikes will be able to ride the 60km from our hotel to the ski station of Alpe di Pampeago to see the stage. Those without bikes will be taken to the town of Cavalese from where they will be able to walk onto the slopes of the climb to Alpe di Pampeago.
After seeing the stage we shall return to our hotel in Bolzano, and those with bikes may want to ride back to the hotel. Alternatively you can return on the bus.

Sunday 25^th May:
The mountains continue and today’s stage is an absolute classic Dolomite mountain stage that finishes on the top of the famous Marmolada climb. Packed into this short mountain stage of 153km are no less than 5 mountains, all of them over 2,000mts. First on the menu is the famous Passo Pordoi, followed by the Passo San Pellegrino, Passo Giau and Passo Falzarego before finishing on top of the Marmolada (Passo Fedaia).
Once again our location in Bolzano is excellent for accessing the stage and those with bikes will be able to ride the 60km to see the stage. Because of the stage routing, you’ll be able to see the stage twice (Passo San Pelegrino & the finish on top of the Marmolada).
Those without bikes will be able to see the stage on either the Passo Pordoi or the San Pelegrino climb, and depending upon race logistics it may also be possible to see the stage at another location.
After seeing the stage we shall return to the 4 Points Sheraton hotel in Bolzano.

Monday 26^th May:
The third and final Dolomite stage is 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 Bolzano is excellent for accessing the stage, and those with bikes will be able to ride the 80km 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 Bolzano for our final nights stay at the Hotel 4 Points Sheraton.

Tuesday 27^h May:
After 3 fantastic mountain stages in the Dolomites, the Giro d’Italia spends its second and final rest day with a transfer to the town of Sondrio.
We shall also transfer from Bolzano to the mountain ski resort of Ponte di Legno (foot of the Passo Gavia), where we shall spend the next 5 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 2008 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 ride from Bolzano to Trento on the bike path, whilst those without bikes will be taken by the bus.

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.

Wednesday 28^th May:
After a well deserved rest day, the riders of the Giro d’Italia are back in the saddle with a 192km medium mountain stage that takes the riders into Switzerland and the lakeside town of Locarno, via the mountain passes of Splugen & San Bernardino.
Our location in Ponte di Legno is excellent for accessing today’s stage start in Sondrio, and those with bikes will be able to ride there from the hotel (65km), via the ski station of Aprica, whilst those without bikes will be taken by the bus.
After seeing the stage start, you can choose to spend the rest of the day at leisure in Sondrio or return to the hotel in Ponte di Legno via the famous and super steep Mortirolo climb (75km ride).
After the days events we shall return to the Hotel Mirella in Ponte di Legno.

Thursday 29^th May:
Today’s stage will leave Switzerland from the town of Medrisio and will pay tribute to the forthcoming World Championships which will be held in nearby Varese with a stage finish in the same town.
The stage is not a particularly interesting stage and as the Giro d’Italia comes back to our Ponte di Legno location tomorrow, we did not think it was worth leaving our fixed location for this stage. Therefore we shall have a day off from the watching the Giro.
Those with bikes will be able to ride the classic Gavia & Mortirolo route (part of this year’s penultimate stage of the Giro).
Those without bikes will be able to spend the day at leisure in Ponte di Legno and also enjoy the wellness centre at the Hotel Mirella. There is a swimming pool, sauna, and wellness & beauty centre.
In the afternoon, you will be able to watch the Giro stage, live on t.v. from the hotel lounge area.

Friday 30th May:
As the 2008 Giro d’Italia enters its final weekend, the mountains bite back. Not only does today’s stage take in the climbs of Passo del Vivione, and Passo della Presolana and finishes on top of Monte Pora, it is also the 2^nd longest stage of the Giro at 228km.
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 to either the Passo del Vivione or the Passo della Presolana to see the stage. Those without bikes will be taken to the foot of the Passo del Vivione to see the stage.
After seeing the stage we shall return to our Ponte di Legno base, and the Hotel Mirella.

Saturday 31^st May:
The biggest mountain stage of the 2008 Giro d’Italia is saved for the penultimate day, with an absolute classic route that takes in the 2,621mt mountain of the Passo Gavia, followed by the super steep Mortirolo and the climb to Aprica before descending to the finish in Tirano. This is sure to provide to fantastic finale.
Our location in Ponte di Legno could not be better, as we are situated at the foot of the Passo Gavia. Those with bikes will have the choice of seeing the stage twice (Gavia & Aprica) or once on the Mortirolo, whilst those without bikes will also be able to see the stage on the Gavia and Aprica climbs.
After seeing the stage we shall return to the Hotel Mirella in Ponte di Legno.

Sunday 1^st June:
If the last two days stages weren’t enough, the winner of the 91st Giro d’Italia will surely emerge from today’s 23.5km final stage time trial into the fashion city of Milan
After an early breakfast we shall leave Ponte di Legno and travel directly to the city of Milan where we shall check in to the 4* Hotel Manin (city centre hotel), which is located 200mt from the finish line of the final stage on the Corso Venezia. After checking in we shall make the short walk from the hotel to see the finish of today’s final stage time trial.
After the stage we shall return to the Hotel Manin where we shall have a group dinner.

Monday 2^nd June:
Our bus will leave Milan at 07.30hrs and will take you back to Milan Malpensa airport for your return flight.

Order a full Graham Baxter Sporting Tours cycling kit (short sleeved jersey, bib shorts, socks and cap) for only £70 (list price £85) when purchased with your holiday booking. See clothing page for clothing details and sizes. Clothing order must be paid in full and sent with holiday booking. The offer does not apply if ordered separately from holiday booking.

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