Finally Italy appears in sight. It has taken a good two years due to COVID-19. My first oversea cycling trip since Malacca 2020. I am excited and have been trying to get myself in shape. Here is how it is going.
- Training. A lot of base work is still being done. I had to reduce my training load this year due to work. My COVID-19 infection then put me out of action in the month of March. So, rebuilding base has been of priority. I am also putting in some climbs indoors via Alpe du Zwift. It is actually a good profile for many of the upcoming climbs. The difference is that I have to do that everyday and twice a day on one of the days. I hope to try back-to-back Alpe du Zwifts two weeks before I fly. Then, it will be a week of rest to ensure I reach Italy fresh.
- Weight loss. This is a real struggle. I am actually putting on a kilo due to leg muscle build up. Dieting is probably keeping things in check – I take around 5 salad meals per week. I am not optimistic of hitting 67kg by the time I reach the Dolomites. I’ll just do my best and see how it goes.
- Gear. I will be bringing my trusty Pinarello F10 Disk which I ascended Wuling’s Taiwan KOM challenge with with one change, I will be testing out my fairly new Roval Alpinist wheelset instead of the lighter Extralite Cyber-D Max. The Rovals have a 300g weight penalty but it runs clinchers which will make punctures much easier to deal with. The Extralites have been solid so far and performed wonderfully in Taiwan. But Italy will be an 8-day cycling trip and the odds of punctures are much higher.
- Clothing. I am also stocking up sufficient clothing. Italy will be fairly hot for European standards – around 20 degrees Celsius. But still much colder than the usual Singapore 30-degree weather. I am also expecting the mountains to go as low as 13 degrees. This means layers especially light jackets and arm sleeves. These will probably be handy for descents.
Looking forward!
