The 2012 edition of the Gran Fondo Carnia Classic shapes up to be one hell of a ride. Rumors have it that it includes both
Zoncolan and
Crostis. It partly follows the route of stage 13 of the Giro 2011. But that stage never happened in its planned form because
Riis and Contador chickened out, stating that descending on gravel would open up the race to luck with people flatting and crashing if the weather is bad. Facing adversary is a big part that makes the excitement which is why Riis' bullying behavior upset fans of the sport. Props to Liquigas, Lampre and Farnese Vini to stand up for keeping the stage (they simply got outnumbered).
We're talking 160k plus over 6,000m (20,000ft) of climbing. The event is scheduled for August 26 and the presentation is on February 10. Stay tuned.
UPDATE (Jan 16): the event will be held on two days, August 25 and 26. Stage one will include the Crostis and stage two the Zoncolan. Length will only be Medio Fondo style. That way the event is more accessible for weaker riders. I would have liked to see a more epic one day course.
