Loppet

Italy Coast to Coast har arrangerats under 18 års tid. Det är ett rakt igenom italienskt arrangemang med de för- och nackdelar detta faktum medför. Oerhört charmigt, varmt och omtänksamt men administrativt och praktiskt så är attityden att det löser sig – vilket det gör.

Denna video som spelades in under 2018 års lopp säger det mesta om arrangemanget och upplevelsen.

Road book

Varje lag får en “road book” en karta men också en beskrivning över alla sträckor. Loppet är arrangerat endast för oss men även om själva loppet och sträckorna genomförts i 18 år så kan det bli smärre förändringar. Detta informeras om löpande under tävlingen.

Om man (mot förmodan) tappar bort sig och inte ser loppets skyltning ska man alltid hålla sig närmast större väg. Det har förekommit felspringningar men ingen har försvunnit…

Inför och under tävlingen så är Roadbooken en bra guide för att kunna lägga upp taktiken. Vem ska ta den tyngsta uppförslöpningen? Hur matchar vi mot andra lag? Vem kommer att ha mest fart i spurten?

1:a sträckan, CATTOLICA-APECCHIO 21 maj 2019

We start at the sea, from the beach of Cattolica on a peaceful nature trail along the river Conca, leading to the heart of Romagna and avoiding the chaotic Riviera traffic. The first stage will end in Morciano in a pleasant park. From here we will move by car, a pleasant panoramic road takes us to Tavoleto, the first town in Montefeltro in northern Marche, located on a mountain buttress overlooking the Foglia valley. The second stage: from here a rough road leads to Sassocorvaro, an ancient village famous for its Rocca Ubaldinesca, a masterpiece of 15th century military architecture. The road now goes rapidly downhill to Lake Mercatale, we stop here for lunch. From the lake we have another transfer by car and on along the valley to reach Lunano. The road now becomes more remote and isolated. Alternating uphill and downhill through sparsely populated areas. Having crossed the important and well preserved medieval centre of S.Angelo in Vado, the last stage is even more a wilderness, eventually bringing us to Apecchio, an ancient village with notable palaces, churches and bridges.

Dag 1:

1:a etappen: 11,1 km

2:a etappen 12,7 km

3:e etappen 21,5 km

2:a sträckan, MONTE SAN SAVINO 22 maj 2019

Immediately uphill to Bocca Seriola (732 m), our “cima Coppi” on the main Appenine ridge. From here we enter Umbria along dirt tracks through the woods of the ridge and down towards the Tevere valley. After the Citta di Castello small asphalt and unsurfaced roads take us up and down the valleys to the hidden villages of Valdi pertrina, Gioiello and Trevine, finally arriving at the Nestore valley and so into Tuscany through Castiglion Fiorentino. From here an area of flatland (finally) takes us over the Autostrada del Sole Highway. After a short uphill section, we arrive at the completion of the 2nd leg, at the important village of Monte San Savino.

Dag 2:

1 stage 24,4 km

2 stage 12,9 km

3 stage 18,7 km

3:e sträckan, MONTE SAN SAVINO – RADICONDOLI 23 maj 2019

The all-Tuscan leg, characterized by a very varied landscape – hills, woods, plains and mostly dirt tracks. We start along an undulating road to Rapolano Terme, then take a deviation down a tiny cart track which crosses a picturesque stretch of the famous Crete Senesi. After joining the road, we pass the beautiful village of Asciano, with its 14th century historic centre dotted with towers and elegant palaces and boundary wall. Along the Ombre river to join a dirt track (a part of the Eroica road) until crossing the n° 2 Cassia main road.

Here we take a section of the Via Francigena to then reach Piana di Rosia along remote country paths. After a few kilometres we arrive at the last stage of the day, which starts with a long uphill track through the woods to over 700 m. From here we descend to the asphalted road just in front of Radicondoli. We will reach San Dalmazio by car.

Dag 3:

1:a etappen: 20,6 km

2:a etappen:12,0 km

3:e etappen: 16,0 km

4:e sträckan, DALMAZIO-MARINA DI CECINA 24 maj 2019

We run north along the Colline Metallifere to descend into the Cecina river valley. Uphill to the large town of Pomarance and on towards Micciano, crossing sparsely populated areas on alternating asphalt and unsurfaced roads. Short car transfer to the start of second stage passing  forest roads and grasslands down to the village of Querceto. After the lunch we will move to Marina di Bibbona. From here, we head directly towards the sea, as always, avoiding trafficked roads, through the pine-covered coast of the Tomboli di Cecina Nature Reserve and take a wide dirt track to arrive at the finish on the beach of Marina di Cecina where the big party is waiting for us!

Dag 4:

1:a etappen: 16,0 km

2:a etappen: 18,9 km

3:e etappen: 06,0 km