Tough Italian climbs...

For the last few years I've tried to spend up to a week each summer challenging myself with a different cycling tour. This year has been no different and last week I participated in an 'Italian Alps and Dolomites' biking holiday. Having a challenge like this marked in the diary is a great incentive at the end of a busy winter to get out on your bike and put some training miles in.....knowing that the more time spent in the saddle will ultimately mean less pain on the big climbs!

From Les Gets I drove to Milan, where I met up with our guide and my fellow riders for the week. We started riding on Sunday along the busy shoreline roads of Lake Como but soon headed into the hillls, with an 8km climb up the Ghisallo (the patron saint of cyclists).

Day 2 (Mon) was going to present the steepest climb of the week and it didn't disappoint - Lance Armstrong described the Mortirolo as 'the toughest in the world'. It climbs 1300m in just 12km and hits a leg-busting 18% gradient in places.

Day 3 (Tues) and still in the Alps, with two legendary climbs Gavia and Stelvio, the latter rises 1500m over 22km and then descends via 48 hairpins!

Day 4 (Wed) and a transfer to the Dolomites and a slightly easier day - a 70km tour of the spectacular Sella Ronda via four cols - taking in Val Gardena (site of the famous ski downhill).

Day 5 (Thur) and my man-flu which started on day 3, had now really got a hold. Still, a sore throat, streaming nose and lack of energy wasn't going to stop me now but I did struggle up the last couple of climbs of the day.

Day 6 (Fri) and the last day of riding, which included an impressive 27km long climb up the fortified Mount Grappa where over 100,000 soldiers lost their lives in WW1. An impressive fast descent into the finish town of Bassano del Grappa.

In total 600km of spectacular riding, taking in 13500m of tough Italian climbs!