What is the "Giro"?- The Giro is a stage race modelled on the great professional races but with one substantive difference: EVERYONE, at the end of a week, feels like a winner!
You can compete in one of two different courses - the Grangiro ie 'Big Race' and the Mediogiro ie 'Medium Race' each with its classification system both for the day's stage and the general classification based on the overall times over the week; for each of them, we will have a general classification and also a classification by category based on age and gender.
The 'secret' of the huge success of the Giro is actually very simple: everyone quickly learns the race numbers and the faces of 'their' adversaries; from that moment the others hardly count and for a whole week everyone competes to beat that one person who beat them by a few seconds on that first day and trying to avoid being dropped by those he beat by a few seconds!!! And that's why even those who reach the finishing line an hour after the winners rush to study the classification!
Apart from the race, there is the beauty of the countryside (Sardinia in spring is a riot of colours and smells!), the high quality of the selected hotels and the atmosphere which we always manage to create amongst everyone there.
You stay in the same hotel the whole week, but every day ride on different roads, and getting to know well one part of thos splendid island, before moving on to another part of the island next year.
Then there is the relaxed schedule and the "comfy" start times, the roads are all well-surfaced, without holes and set in picture-postcard scenery!
All these factors, taken together, makes the Giro unequalled throughout the world; a sign that our philosophy is right and the organisation is well done. That's why over the years the number of participants has continued to increase.
What is the "Tour"? - For several years we have wanted to allow those who wanted to ride the routes of the Giro in a more relaxed way. So we invented the Tour for them. These are the basics:--
The cost: Cyclists who join the Tour pay a reduced price but get all the benefits given to the Giro competitors (personal race number, feeding stations, broom wagon, prize draws, freebies etc)
- Racing license: You can participate in the Tour WITHOUT even joining a sports club (Note: in Italy, race competitors must be members of a recognised Sports Club and have a Federation racing license). For the Tour, all you have to do is fill in a waiver form.
- The "French" start: No Winning Time or race times! Every day we will suggest a time to go out together so you can best use the feeding stations and the broom wagon, but you can also leave before or after this time; so everyone can participate when, how and with whom they want.
- The "prizes": In the Tour, there are no winners and losers; everyone receives a personalised participant's diploma
- The routes: Each cyclist is free to choose the route best suited to their ability, their level of training and the amount they feel like cycling on the day from three possible options:
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Rosso (red): corresponds to the Grangiro: the longest and aimed at those who want to go steadily but a long way;
- Blu (blue): corresponds to the Mediogiro: aimed at those who have done a reasonable amount of training;
- Verde (green): a course aimed at those who have not been training and who want to go out for short and easy rides
The Giro for partners! -
Only a few people go in swimming in the sea at teh end of April amd they're usually foerigners. The Italians prefer to sun themselves on the beach or by the hotel pool.
The "non racing" time for partners is relaxed and many go to wait for their heroes to arrive at the finish. In 2010, we have designed the GiroSardegna so that everyone, cyclists and partners, gets to see ALL the nicest areas of the north-east of the island: just look at the race routes to discover the infinite natural beauty; naturally you can then go and explore tourist attractions, and places of historic or artistic interest along the various stages.
If you want, you can make the "usual" visits organised by the hotels but, in all honesty, we suggest you take your car and go and explore by yourselves….there's nothing nicer than the next day's race route!!!.
One thing is certain: partners at the Giro of Sardinia will never be by themselves because the hotels are entirely "ours" and the Giro has a very friendly event, you will make lots of friends and it's impossible to leave without having swapped phone numbers with tens of people!
The Giro for English speakers!
The Giro has been organised for the last 13 years by Mare & Monti, Via Mar Ligure, 96 - 09046 Quartu S.E. (CA)Sardinia Italy.
Since 2006 Peter Herold (English) and Anne McGlone (Scottish) who live in Sardinia and are both keen cyclists as well as running The Lemon House, a guesthouse for cyclists (road and MTB), climbers, walkers and kayakers, are Mare & Monti's partners at the Giro. For the week of the race, we close our guesthouse and volunteer (like all the other Mare & Monti staff) to help organise the race. We also ride the race - Peter the GranGiro, Anne the Tour. For English-speakers, we translate the race information into English for both Mare & Monti's and our own site, we help you with booking and money transfers (note, though, that you pay Mare & Monti, not us), explain anything that is not obvious to those who don't speak Italian and support you during the trip with explanations of the stages of the race - our aim is to help you get the most our of your holiday. See our site www.peteranne.it We also help you sort out any problems, from mechanical to medical, if they arise.
To discuss anything at all about the program, telephone us on +39 0782 669507 or email us peteranne@peteranne.it
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The Hotels (* * ^ T O P ^ * *)
THE GIRO'S HOTELS - There's no doubt: the Giro 2010 will also special for the real class of its main hotel, the 5-star Colonna Beach Hotel Resort, where the operations centre of the race will be based; two four-star hotels have also been reserved: the Colonna Park Hotel and the Colonna Resort Park&Sporting.
All the hotels belong to the ItiHotels (www.itihotels.it) chain, they at near to each other at Porto Cervo. We plan to accommodate 900 people in these 3 hotels; the people who sign up after these hotels are full will be accommodated in other hotels of the same standard in the nearby area (but paying full market prices!) or will have the same prices in Baia Sardinia,8km away.
NOTE: Except for the "GiroMondoGold" people, rooms will be assigned according to participants' requests until they have all been used. If specific requests (suites, sea view, etc.) exceed availability, the rooms will be allocated in strict order of signing-up for the Giro, so sign up early!
NO EXCEPTIONS WILL BE MADE!
Colonna Beach Hotel Resort***** (www.hotelbeachresort.it)
is a super prefect 5-star hotel! Opened only last year, it covers 60.000 square metres, near to theCala Granu beach (at about 2 km from the Porto Cervo marina).
The Resort is made up of different sections, with the sober typical Mediterranean-style architecture, and is built in a park of 50.000 m2 with corbezzolo (strawberry trees), mirto and juniper trees, where the sea, the hills and the surrounding greenery form a natural frame for an exclusive resort.
The buildings, the sea and the nature are perfectly integrated, in a setting of rare beauty. There are swimming pools (with areas for sunbathing, waterfalls, islands and Jacuzzis in the corners), are on different levels and stretch from the rooms down to the sea, covering a total of 8.000 m2.
The resort also has a heliport, tennis club, small golf course/school, shops, and its own beach by the sea. The Resort has a total of 250 luxuriously-furnisehd and will all comforts, 10 of which are accessible to diversely-able people.
All rooms have bathrooms with bath/shower, direct phone, satellite TV, Sky-Pay per View, minibar, safe, Wi-fi fast internet access, hair dryer, air conditioning.
The rooms are divided as follows:
- Camera Standard - double room with balcony with sea or garden view
- Camera Deluxe - double room, large bathroom with Jacuzzi bath, covered veranda, sea view
- Suite Executive - Double bedroom, small sitting room, two bathrooms, Jacuzzi, covered veranda, sea view
- Suite Royal - Sitting room, double bedroom, two bathrooms, Jacuzzi, big covered veranda, sea view
- Suite Presidenziale - Sitting room, double bedroom with sitting area, large verandas, Jacuzzi pool, two bathrooms, jacuzzi, big covered verandas, sea view
We have half-board in the hotels (dinner and breakfast). Bikes will be kept in a suitable-equipped area.
In the hotel there will be a massage and mechanical assistance service (managed by ASSOS).
Note: the prices we have managed to obtain are ABSOLUTELY UNREPEATABLE!
The resort's normal rates in the low season are €1.470 - €2.800 per person per week! In August for an executive suite you were paying 2.400 € … a day!!!
Colonna Park Hotel**** (www.colonnaparkhotel.it)
The hotel is not on the sea front but is only 300 metres from the Porto Cervo MArina; it is built like a large villa surrounded by a 20.000 m2 park with juniper, mirto, corbezzolo, rosemary and lots of lawns and a large swimming pool.
The 45 rooms are furnished with great originality and offer, like the rest of the hotel, a welcoming and refined feel. All the rooms have private bathrooms, hairdryer, phone, satellite TV, air conditioning, minibar, safe, veranda or balcony. They are divided into Superior and De Luxe rooms and Suites.
Colonna Resort Country & Sporting Club**** (www. countrysportingclub.it)
TheColonna Resort is not on the sea front. It is mid-way between the marina di Porto Cervo and the Colonna Beach Resort atCala Granu; it comprises two separates areas of bungalows, with the typical constructional style and sober lines of the Costa Smeralda: the "Country" block is built around two large swimming pools, with a waterfall linking them, in a park of juniper, mirto and corbezzolo.
The "Sporting", on the other hand, beyond a large swimming pool, has a park in which there is a sports zone, with the "Tennis Club"and other activities. Altogether there are 106 bungalows, all with air-con, satellite TV, electronic safe, minibar, phone, bathroom with shower and hairdryer, balcony or terrace.
The rooms are divided in: Standard (Double ;triple /Quadrupla 4-bed - living room with sofa bed), Junior Suite (double bed+ sofa bed in living room), Suite Executive (2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, sitting room), the "Spargi","Budelli","Caprera" (3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, sitting room) Suites.
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TRAVEL to/from SARDINIA and TRANSFERS for the various stages:
Ferries: to come to Sardinia, in April from Livorno/Civitavecchia, is cheap because of the competition between the various companies; thanks to an agreement with Sardinia Ferries we have a group price at the lowest price possible even lower than those available using deals such as the car goes free, pex, superpex, etc.
If you buy the ticket before 31/12/09 for two people + car + cabin costs in total less than 150 €.
This means that for seventy-odd euros a person you can come from the mainland of Italy to Sardinia with your car: less than a night in a hotel!
To make use of this deal, contact directly the Tour Operator (Foreverdream) at the phone number +39 055 5120236 fax 055.5120435 or via email mailto:direzione.fi@foreverdream.it to quickly get a quote and to book the ticket; you pay them directly for the ferry.
Naturally you can also book with other Companies if you want or travel from other ports, waiting for booking via internet to be available for April (normally December/January) but the prices will CERTAINLY be higher.
From Livorno you can leave Friday 16/4 with a night ferry or Sat. 17/4 in the morning with a fast ferry; those doing only the GF CostaSmeralda can de part Sunday 18 in the evening while those who do all the week of the GiroSardegna can leave Saturday 24 with the overnight ferry or the day after with a fast ferry.
By air: make your own way to Olbia. The organisers will try to help with transfers from airports to hotels.
For the UK participants: Note that in 2009 Easyjet didn't start flights to Olbia from Gatwick until 23 April 2009, while Jet2's Leeds and Edinburgh-Olbia flights operate Sat 15 May 2010 to Sat 25 Sep 2010.
So though Easyjet may surprise us and start their flights early, the only certain flight at the time of translation in early November is the Friday 16th 0650-0950 Stansted-Alghero Ryanair flight with the return Sunday 25th 10:15-11:50.
We would strongly recommend you hire a car at Alghero airport for the week, so that you have it to get to Porto Cervo and for the 4 transfers during the week. Hiring a car if there are two of you will almost certainly work out cheaper and be much more convenient than using the buses the organisers will provide.
If you do not hire a car, you can use public transport to get from Alghero to Olbia but it is very slow. For instance, there is a bus Mon - Sat AEROPORTO FERTILIA 13:15 SASSARI (AUTOSTAZIONE VIA XXV APRILE) 13:45 then SASSARI (AUTOSTAZIONE VIA XXV APRILE) 14:10 OLBIA I.B. (PORTO) 19:54 OLBIA (STAZ.ARST) 20:04.
Going back there is a bus OLBIA (STAZ.ARST) 20:10 SASSARI (AUTOSTAZIONE VIA XXV APRILE) 22:09, you stay in Sassari then get a bus from 0452 every day including Sundays onwards to Alghero airport (source: www.arst.sardegna.it).
Note that you can stay Friday 16th in the 4-star hotel (the 5-star doesn't open until Sat 17th, you can move there on the 17th). Remember to indicate extra hotel nights on the booking form.
Transfers for stage starts/finished: all those doing the GiroSardegna and their partners/accompaniers who don't have arrive with a car are advised to hire one for the week; for those who choose not to, the organisation will provide two special transport packages (bus + van for bikes) to reach the stage starts and finishes.
Package A costs 200 € and includes the stage transfers only (PortoCervo/Santa Teresa Gallura Monday 19; PortoCervo/Tempio Pausania Tuesday 20, PortoCervo/Palau Thiursday 22 e PortoCervo/Nuoro Friday 23);
the package B costs 250 € and includes also transfers to and from the hotels FROM OLBIA on arrival (Olbia/PortoCervo) and on departure (PortoCervo/Olbia).
SEE ABOVE FOR COMMENT ON FLIGHTS - FOR UK PARTICIPANTS, THERE MAY NOT BE DIRECT FLIGHTS TO OLBIA FROM THE UK AND YOU WILL HAVE TO GET FROM ALGHERO TO OLBIA WITH PUBLIC TRANSPORT TO MAKE USE OF PACKAGE B.
The transport packages can only be acquired by indicating this choice at the time of booking in the sign-up form for the GiroSardegna and are not reimbursable if the bus/van isn't used for one or more stages.
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IMPORTANT INFORMATION (* * ^ T O P ^ * *)
EVERYONE KNOWS BUT … IT'S BEST TO BE REMINDED!!! -
SIGN UP STRAIGHT AWAY - it's best to sign-up straight away for the GiroSardegna (and in any case before 31/12/2009) in order to save 100 euros for the hotel; in order to get a room in the hotel of your choice; because when we have filled the 400 rooms allocated to us, if you want to be in Porto Cervo you will have to pay full market prices, otherwise you'll have to go to Baia Sardinia 8km away; because you get placet in the first group of starters for the first important race; in order to save on your transport by air or boat through early booking. So don't delay and fill in the booking form today!
TRANSFERS Usually the starts and finishes are near to the hotel, but for 2010 we have decided to use a different approach: we have organised the stages in the MOST interesting and MOST beautiful locations of the north-east of the island. There will be brief transfers before each stage - the organisers will provide buses, although, if you can find another person, for the same price you can hire a car also for the transfers from the airports - but we guarantee that it'll be worth it. Also for partners in this way there's the possibility of going to visit some of the island's jewels.
WHY HALF BOARD Instead of the usual full board, we have chosen half board to allow later starts each days and the transfers to other parts of the north-east of the island. But don't worry: you won't have to miss meals or queue up. At the arrivals the feeding stop will be beefed-up probably with a "pasta party" each day and certainly with lots of sandwiches. We will also organise deals with local restaurants where you can eat lunch without spending too much. We are also contacting the local municipalities to organise free visits for partners to tourist attractions, museums etc for when the cyclists are racing, so also for partners this will be a special Giro. If you want to stay in the hotel, you'll be able to eat lunch there at a specially-agreed cheap price.
THE ROADS - have been chosen for their beauty and the perfect tarmac but above all to guarantee the cyclists' safety! The routes have well-visible signs and the most important junctions have policemen manning them. Bear in mind that in Sardinia the cars are few and far between and sometimes you don't see any! Cyclists, though, should be careful since the roads are open to traffic, they are not closed. Avoid dangerous behaviour for you own and others' safety. Team cars will be authorised on request.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO CONTEST BUNCH SPRINTS - at the Giro the arrival times are awarded by the jury per group; so if you are in a group you get the same time as the person who crosses the line first, whether you arrive 20th or 100th in the group. It's understandable that riders sprint to contest the first 3 stage placings, but not for the 350th place… so avoid unneccesary risks and save your strength for attacking your rivals in the next stage!
MEDICAL ASSISTANCE - During the race there's the race doctor and at least two ambulances; other ambulances are on standby depending on the nature of the course. Cyclists should carry with them mobile phones to contact, if needed, and if necessary via Anne or Peter, the medical assistance or broom wagon whose numbers (as well as Anne and Peter's) are found on the little card container in the race pack.
MECHANICAL ASSISTANCE - discussions are still ongoing, but it's pratically certain that SHIMANO will provide support durino the race while at the Colonna Beach Hotel Resort assistance will be provided by the ASSOS mechanics.
CHECKS DURING THE RACE - unfortunately not all cyclists are without fault! To limit as far as possible unsporting behaviour, each day on the race corse there will be two intermediate checks managed by SDAM, with their Champion Chip system, who manage the race timing, plus an additional "surprise" check managed by our staff. All the checks will use 2m wide timing mats.
CLASSIFICATIONS, JERSEYS AND PRIZES - except for the Granfondo CostaSmeralda whose prizegiving will be in the little tourist port of Porto Cervo, each evening at 18.30 we meet up in the big room of Colonna Beach Hotel Resort***** in Porto Cervo to award the prizes to the day's stage winners and give last-minute news on the following day's stage. Anne and Peter go to this to translate for the English participants. The stage winners get, as usual, the glory of the win and symbolic prizes while the most valuable prizes are awarded by lottery, so everyone can win one (or more!). Each day the leaders of the GC (first man and first woman) don the ASSOS Yellow jersey for the leader of the "GranGiro" and the ASSOS pink jersey for the "MedioGiro". The last cyclist of each Giro to arrive at the finish in the maximum time (irrespective of sex) receives each day the coveted Black Jersey. All jerseys must be worn the following day. At the end of the Giro prizes will be awarded to the first 3 riders of the GC and the first 3 by age category; the leader of each category will receive the final winner's jersey.
CLASSIFICATION AND PRIZES FOR YOUR CLUB - The team classification is made by totalling the kilometres pedalled by those who participate either in the Giro, or in the Tour, or in the 1000km. As usual, the first riders classified will get discounts equal to 10% in the price of the hotel for the Giro in 2011; those in the second team will get 5% discounts; third prize will be a large quantity of 'Malloreddus' (a type of Sardinian pasta) Fourth prize will be Sardinian wine.
SEPARATE STARTS - Except for the first stage, there are ALWAYS separate starts. The mediofondisti go first then, a few minutes afterwards, the granfondisti. So it is important to say when you sign up whether you will do the Grangiro (long routes) or the Mediogiro (medium routes).
STARTING GRIDS (only for the first stage) - the "Granfondo CostaSmeralda" is part of the "Coppa Piemonte" and the "Giro d'Italia UISP" and for this reason the best riders from these races in 2009 start first, with the successive 4 starting blocks being based as well on merit and sign-up date. The characteristics of the course (no big climbs, short ramps that'll break up the inital big group) mean that you should try to start as high up as possibile, if you're not one of those who by right is in the first or second merit grid, you are advised to sign up by 31/12 to be in at least the 3rd grid which will probably be the one with most riders. Here is the exact composition of the 5 grids:
1^ grid: Cat. A (Lista Rossa-Ranking) + Women + subscribers "solidarietà" and "Lui & Lei" of the Coppa Piemonte
2^ grid: category prize winners GiroSardegna 2009 and in the Coppa Piemonte 2009 + griglia merito Giro d'Italia UISP 2010
3^ griglia: GiroSardegna/Granfondo CostaSmeralda (signed up before 31/12/09) and 1st group subscribers Coppa Piemonte 2010
4^ griglia: GiroSardegna/Granfondo CostaSmeralda (signed up after 31/12/09) and 2nd group subscibers Coppa Piemonte 2010
5^ griglia: Cicloturists and those signed up for the Granfondo CostaSmeralda the Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning of the race
The foreign cyclists who feel they are entitled to be in the first two merit grids should ask they organisers, giving their reasons.
THE FREEBIES - For 2010 we will give out the Giro jersey and you can buy at a discounted price the matching salopette with gel padding.
THE POLICE - As usual at the GiroSardegna the Polizia Stradale will be present (each day there are 2 motorbike patrols and two cars ahead of the riders) while the Carabinieri look after the road junctions and the Polizia Municipale those inside the very few towns the race goes through.
COME WITH YOUR CAR - We advise you to bring your car if you can, or hire one, particularly for 2010 with transfers on 4 of the 7 days!
FAMOUS PEOPLE - at the GiroSardegna we have never gone out of our way to have famous participants, even if ever year there's the odd cyclist with a famous history. Certainly next year among the participants there'll be some famous "ex"'s among us.
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CATEGORIES (* * ^ T O P ^ * *)
we use the Italian Cycling Federation F.C.I. 5-year bands, modifying for the Giro to have similar numbers in each category. The following are the categories used in the Giro, and individual federations' categories (Gold, Sportman, Gentleman, etc.) and age limitations do not apply. |
| MEN in MedioGiro | MEN in GranGiro | WOMEN |
| Assoluta | A | (first 100 of the Ranking and ex pros and juniors ); |
| Senior | B | (up to 30 years old- born in 1980 or later); |
| Master 1 | C | (31/36 years - born 1974-1979); |
| Master 2 | D | (37/42 years - born 1968-1973); |
| Veterani 1 | E | (43/48 years - born 1962-1967); |
| Veterani 2 | F | (49/54 years - born 1956-1961); |
| Gentleman | G | (55/60 years - born 1950-1955) |
| Supergentleman | H | (61 years and over - born in or before 1949); |
| Femminile 1 | W1 | (under 39 - born in 1971 or later); |
| Femminile 2 | W2 | (over 40 -born in 1970 or earlier). |
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Those belonging to the cat. Assoluta (A) can enter only the GranGiro/Gran Fondo, not the Medio. |
THE ORGANISERS of the Giro 2010 |
| Tonino: President M&M | Cristina: M&M administration | Mario S.: Vice-President M&M |
| Antonio: IT support | Claudio: massages/ambulance | Daniela: race doctor |
| Franco: odd job man | Mariano: liason municipalities, police | Mario L.: starts/finishes |
| Nino: race routes/cars | Rosaria/Patrizia/Paolo: feeding stations | Roberto/Rosalba/Liliano: judges tecnica |
… and for the non-Italians |
| Andreas: German cyclist | Peter/Anne: British cyclists | ?: French cyclist |
The Giro has been organised for the last 12 years by Mare & Monti, Via Mar Ligure, 96 - 09046 Quartu S.E. (CA) Sardinia - Italy. Since 2006, when the Giro was also based at Alghero, Peter Herold (English) and Anne McGlone (Scottish) who live in Sardinia and are both keen cyclists as well as running The Lemon House, a guesthouse for cyclists (road and MTB), climbers, walkers and kayakers, are Mare & Monti's partners at the Giro.
For the week of the race, we close our guesthouse and volunteer (like all the other Mare & Monti staff) to help organise the race. We also ride the race - Peter the GranGiro, Anne the Tour.
For English-speakers, we translate the race information into English for both Mare & Monti's and our own site, we help you with booking and money transfers (note, though, that you pay Mare & Monti, not us), explain anything that is not obvious to those who don't speak Italian and support you during the trip with explanations of the stages of the race - our aim is to help you get the most our of your holiday.
See our site www.peteranne.it
We also help you sort out any problems, from mechanical to medical, if they arise.
To discuss anything at all about the program, telephone us on +39 0782 669507
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GranGiro