TERRA INCOGNITA - ITALY

For over 150 years, cycling has delivered heroes, battles, and stories. But these big classics and grand tours, they're more than races. They're windows—into the soul of mountains, towns, and hidden valleys. And yet, it all rushes by. No time to linger. No time to truly see. Not even for Laurens. Twelve years in the pro peloton, always moving. But he kept a list—a little black notebook - a quiet promise to return.
Now, that time has come. Laurens and Stefan go back. To the famous climbs and the forgotten roads. On the bike. And beyond.

The Little Black Notebook

In 2010, Laurens bought a little black notebook to keep track of all his travels. You could say it was some kind of diary, or maybe better: scrapbook. Not the pink kind your nine-year-old niece would make of it, but more like a black chaotic bundle of everything, held together by an elastic string. Restaurants bills and flyers of interesting sites are mixed with dates, personal notes (how did a stage race go), fun facts and a lot of names. Names of villages, names of mountains, names of roads. And let's not forgot the names of bars, restaurants and cafés. He would tell everybody he knew, that, once this part of his fast life was over, he would come back. With his wife, with his kids or with his friends. Not just passing them by on a bike, heading for another crazy day in the peloton. 

Passo dello Stelvio - Stage 16
 
The last time Laurens was on the Stelvio, it was during the nerve wrecking final of the 16th stage of the Giro d'Italia of 2017. In one last push he had hoped to get his captain, Tom Dumoulin, back in the race, after he had shown signs of cramps in his stomach. Tom, who was wearing the pink jersey and heading for the final victory, could not have chosen a more awful moment to get sick. Not even a Norit tablet could solve these issues anymore and he had to get off the road to get it out of his system. The group with GC riders saw an opportunity and did not slow down. Laurens took Tom back in his wheel and rode as fast as he possibly could. In the final part of the climb, Tom was on his own again, leaving behind a completely broken Laurens, both mentally and physically. It wasn't until Laurens reached the finish line, that he understood Tom had managed to maintain the lead and was celebrating again in his pink jersey. Going back to this spot, it reminds him of the enormous stress and also, pure relief he had felt that day.

The Stelvio Pass

In 1825, the emperor of Austria-Hungary decided there was need for a faster and safer road between his country and the region of Lombardy, Italy. The road was built and it took 48 hairpin turns to get it over the high pass of 2757 meters. It is a cyclist's dream - that is if you are a fanatic climber. A real bucket list item. Thinking of the Stelvio, one thinks of Fausto Coppi. The amazing Italian cyclist, who had won the hearts of many Italian women with his looks and grace, broke away on this brutal climb and took home the victory of the Giro d'Italia of 1953.

The White War

During the first World War, there was a lot of rough territory to defend between Italy and the Austro-Hungarian empire. The Alps became a battle field and the soldiers fell like flies. On both sides, young men were sent into the Alps and had to endure weeks and months of harsh conditions, whilst defending peaks and valleys covered in ice and snow. Cableways, tunnels and caves were built to distribute troops, food and military equipment. At 3000 meters altitude, starvation, cold and sickness led to the death of over 750.000 Italian soldiers. Nowadays, you can still find some ruins that remember us of this big but pretty unknown battle. 

Food/Drinks

When you visit the Alps of Italy, the type of food is a bit more sturdy and wholesome. Of course you can get traditional pasta and pizza, but here, the local meal is Pizzoccheri, a mix of pasta with cooked potatoes and cabbage, topped off with butter and cheese. Combine it with a local red wine and you're all good for another day in the saddle. To top it off, you can add a little shot of grappa - live slow.

Alpine gravel

The Stelvio pass is known for its hairpin turns, but if you take the gravel road, you will be even more amazed by the stunning force of nature surrounding you. Departing from the village of Bormio, you will first start on the tarmac leading you to the pass. When the Via Stelvio splits up in the main road and the S1, you take a left. This alpine gravel path will lead you to the very peak, but do not expect an easy ride. Bumpy, sharp rocks, single tracks and parts where you have to dismount and walk your bike. The altitude hits too, so take you time. Once over the top, you will descend to the Strada Stratale N38 dello Stelvio and follow the hairpin road down to Bormio again. 

Project Terra Incognita

The Passo dello Stelvio is the second trip of, hopefully, many more to come. They will all be part of the Terra Incognita project of Live Slow Ride Fast x Skoda. Every destination will have its own episode, including the gpx-route, highlights, history and other interesting facts about the region. Check out the website, that has been created for this project, to discover the movie, the route and all the extras. And stay tuned for the next episode: Laurens and Stefan take on Switzerland.