Some like it hot

Having twice failed to conquer the notoriously punishing 1001 Miglia Italia, 58 year old Audax veteran Alan Parkinson finally overcame the heat and the hills of northern Italy in August 2021. The London-based rider reports on how he put his previous experiences to good use in hot and challenging conditions…

In 2011, after flying around Paris-BrestParis in 62 hours, I was looking for another challenge. The 1001 Miglia seemed to tick all the boxes, and it was due to run in 2012. So I sent in my application and prepared.

Stepping off the plane at Milan was like hitting a wall of heat. Italy in August is hot. All went well until the 500km mark, when things began to go badly wrong. I failed to finish, thanks to a series of problems – the main one being heat. I tried again in 2016, but was again beaten by the conditions.

In August 2021 I found myself back for a third attempt. This time, following the example of AUK stalwart, John Spooner, I decided to ride all the way to Italy, acclimatising along the way. A week after leaving the ferry in Dunkirk I arrived at my usual Milan hotel with 1,200km and two alpine passes in my legs.

A total of 320 cyclists lined up for the start. We faced five and a half days, from Monday to Sunday to complete the 1,000 miles across northern Italy’s picturesque but rugged and hilly landscapes.

The route is split into 17 stages, the shortest being 53km and the longest 139km, all graded between flat, one star and very hilly, four stars. On paper, stage four, through the Cinque Terra, looked the hardest with 2,365m of climbing over the 105km stage. There would be a total of 14,600m of climbing.

Stage 1 – 112km, 594m climbing

Previous editions had been a mass start, but with pandemic restrictions in place, we left in small groups at five-minute intervals. I set off by myself but within minutes had joined a group of five from Romania who were cruising at 30kph. A little later I tagged on to a group of five Americans riding at the correct pace.

At the first control in Castellania I filled both bottles and ate from my saddlebag.

The 1001 Miglia Italia is one of the longest, most gruelling, extreme events in the European calendar. The route takes competitors across a tortuous loop of 1,001 miles (1,611 kilometres) through the beautiful landscapes of northern Italy, over the valley of the River Po, and into the Tuscan Apennines. Alan Parkinson, a member of the South Western Road Club of London since 1975, comes from a cycling dynasty – his father was a racing cyclist and his grandfather raced time trials well into his eighties. Both Alan’s brothers are also keen riders. Until his mid-forties Alan was mainly involved in road racing, mountain biking, track and TTs, but found long-distance cycling an enjoyable new challenge. In the Miglia Italia Alan rode a bike he’s been using since 2018 – a titanium Kinesis Tripster ATR with frame bag and saddlebag. A total of 320 riders started. He came in 106th in a field of 230 finishers in just less than five days. His overall time was 119 hours and 20 minutes. He adds: “I had no punctures or mechanical issues with my bicycle during the five days. I didn’t get saddle sores, any numbness in my hands, no hot foot and thankfully no Shermer's Neck.”

❝… following the example of AUK stalwart, John Spooner, I decided to ride all the way to Italy, acclimatising along the way. A week after leaving the ferry at Dunkirk I arrived at my usual Milan hotel with 1,200km and two alpine passes in my legs ❞

Many riders were hanging around – the village is dedicated to the famous Italian cyclist Fausto Coppi. We didn’t stop for too long and left after ten minutes.

Stage 2 – 54km, 496m

At control two, Casella Ligure, just after midnight, I bought a tub of yogurt and ate it there. I was reminded how reliant I was on my GPS route file being accurate. No-one wants to be looking around an unknown town in the middle of the night. There were 50 riders and only one person serving bowls of pasta. I was glad I’d taken food in my saddlebag.

Stage 3 – 92km, 1,301m

We climbed up to 700m then descended to the coast at Chiavari, crossed over the River Entello, and followed the coast road to Sestri Levant before climbing back up to 570m, which we all rode at our own pace and took about an hour. I was hot and sweaty, as the coast was humid even at night. I waited around for a while but then decided to carry on, and it wasn’t long before I was getting cold, so stopped and put on my jacket.

I arrived at control three, Deiva Marina, at 5.20am with the Americans but it was a nice warm sports hall, and I thought I’d stay because I was incredibly cold. The Americans headed back up into the hills.

Stage 4 – 105km, 2,526m

After an hour’s sleep I headed out into the cold morning at 6.35am – and the route started to get hilly, but the scenery was dramatic. From the coast I climbed to 430m then descended to the quaint coastal town of Levanto where I stopped at the first coffee house I saw. It was time for a milky coffee which I added to a bag of porridge for my standard breakfast.

The sun was out and after a couple of climbs I caught up with the Americans

who’d stopped at a bar for lunch. The final climb of this stage was 30km long and rose up to 780m from sea level. I rode at my own pace filling bottles at a clean looking river adjacent the road.

Eight hours after leaving, and only having ridden 105km, I arrived at control four, Gorfigliano. It had been a long, testing stage, and incredibly hot. I didn’t want to end up in the same situation as my previous attempts. There were showers here, so I cooled down and found some shade to sleep the rest of the afternoon. I left feeling refreshed. I’d gained a buffer of 7.5 hours during the first three stages but then lost three hours on this strenuous and hilly stage.

Stage 5 – 117km, 1263m

As the afternoon became evening and cooler, I began to feel better and better. On passing a sports shop I stopped to buy some loose-fitting shorts as I’d neglected to bring any with me, and with it being so humid I wanted something better to wear while I aired my cycling shorts at the night controls. This is an area of the body you really need to look after.

There was only one climb of 650m. I didn’t want to run out of energy before reaching the next control so started looking on my phone for somewhere to eat. I chose a takeaway pizza restaurant and ordered two – one to eat and one to take away for later. I popped to the supermarket next door and bought some other provisions. My Nelson long flap can absorb anything.

The climb was a narrow quiet road with very little traffic, and at one point I could hear a wild boar nearby snorting and rummaging in the undergrowth. It reminded me to be careful on the descents – you never know what might be around the next corner on these twisty roads at night.

I descended to the town of Collodi, home of the writer of Pinocchio, and the world’s tallest Pinocchio statue, standing 20m high. I thought I was hallucinating. From here the road was flat for 35km and quite easy going to the control at Pontedera. I found a quiet place to lie down and set my alarm for two hours’ sleep. I didn’t feel I needed more and wanted to make the most of the cool night air.

My plan was to complete three stages each day – morning, afternoon and evening. It was all pretty loose, but at this point I was one stage ahead of my pre-event schedule. I knew from previous editions, things crop up and schedules are easily thrown.

Sunset… yet another beautiful evening but Alan still has many more kilometres to cover

compared to my last two editions of PBP where I travelled the 620km to Brest in the same time, makes you appreciate just how hard this first day had been. I’d slept more than normal, once to warm up, once to cool down, and once to actually rest. I’d eaten properly, the legs were working, and my bike was faultless, everything was going to plan.

Today I was passing through the vineyards of the Tuscany. I stopped and bought a latte (hot milk) and added it to my porridge. These small portions were working out really well.

Now we were on the tourist route. I stopped, like them, to take photographs – and this was eating into my time on the bike. I met other riders, including Brazilian Alan da Silva who’s been living in Cambridge. Most of the day, however, was spent with fellow British rider, Dylan Hubble from Windsor. We were of similar ability, and we’d ride together for a while before one of us would stop for something and the other would carry on. We’d inevitably meet up later.

I arrived at Castelnuovo Berardenga at 9.30am, ready for food. All the stage control food stops were excellent, and this always put me in a good mood because it was just the right amount and ready as soon as you sat down. Much of this article is about eating, but apart from the cycling, that’s one of the highlights!

At the end of the stage I’d ridden nearly 600km and there was an official bag drop for riders who didn’t have their own support vehicle following. The bag contained a second cycling kit and some individual portions of porridge. The inflatable sleep mat I’d bought a few days earlier, was not needed. I’d proved I could sleep anywhere. I’d have loved a shower, but there was only one – outside and cold water. Two women riders were using it so I carried on, happy that I’d reached the distance where in 2012 my ride had started to fall apart.

Stage 7 – 60km, 940m

Even though this was one of the shortest stages it was hot and I was still running out of water, and had to keep filling my bottles. I found a fountain where other riders were gathered, and took a ten minute rest, eating some fruit while sitting in the shade of some trees. At San Quirico D’Orcia I washed my vest and jersey and hung them out to dry, and then decided it was too hot to carry on so found some shade and had an afternoon snooze.

Stage 8 – 113km, 1,402m

I made a mistake leaving San Quirico, I was still half asleep, and I didn’t fill my bottles properly. Luckily Dylan gave me a bottle. This sort of thing would never be allowed in a backpacking race. We’ve both ridden the Transcontinental (TCR), but here it’s all fine and I accepted his generosity and rode on.

During the hottest part of the day I’d drink one large 700ml bottle every hour. Two hours after leaving the control I dived into a petrol station for my default water, coke, ice cream, coffee and cake. I was, after all, still in debt to Dylan for the earlier bottle of water he had given me

The sun went down as we arrived at the picturesque city of Sorano, perched on a hillside and illuminated – so obviously a tourist attraction. I fancied a pizza, but all the restaurants were busy, so we found a roadside stall and got ourselves Nuttella crepes. These were enough to see us on our way but not before I took numerous photos of the spectacular illuminated city from the other side of the valley. This was a four star hilly stage and we still had to climb up to 640m before the descent to Lake Bolsena and the night control.

Bolsena is approximately halfway on this event, and as far from Milan as you can get. We rode by the lake for a while then arrived at the control sports hall at 11pm. From my brevet card I could tell this gave me a full 12 hour buffer, so I could allow for a slightly longer sleep.

The control seemed to be run singlehandedly by a guy who was making pulled pork sandwiches. This went down a treat with me, but I guess vegetarians would have to sort themselves out as there were nothing else on offer.

Stage 9 – 139km, 1815m

I slept well at the comfortable hall in Bolsena lying on a thick exercise mat with my inflatable pillow. I headed off at 4.20am for a stage with a couple of climbs, the first to 600m was in the dark but as the sun came up the second climb was easier, even though I climbed up to 800m. Once near the top I could see for miles. It was now time for breakfast and on the descent, I saw an open café and stopped for my usual latte and bag of porridge. I was ahead of the cut off by eight hours. This was the longest stage but after the two climbs and passing Marsciano the next 70km was relatively flat and around Lake Trasimeno where I joined another group of riders

I arrived at the Tavernelle control at lunch time, and was ready for another meal. These plates of cold pasta, cheese and ham, iced tea, tart and melon were going down a treat. This control added in a buckwheat salad, which is why I voted it the best of the best. It was run by the local cycling club – Polisportiva Val di Loreto – and they knew what we all wanted.

Stage 10 – 81km, 825m

It wasn’t long before I was on the climb to Valico La Foce at 578m and another place I remember from 2012, though it was less hot this time. I had plenty of sun cream on and lots of water to drink, with mineral tablets of course. I was back in Tuscany with those skinny Cyprus trees, pretty, but offering so little shade.

When I saw a couple of nuns sitting outside a gelateria I had to stop. It was cool inside and there was a huge choice of flavours. It was 3pm and the hottest part of the day. An hour later I caught up with Dylan who was sitting in the shade by the side of the road, taking a break. I didn’t have the heart to tell him how nice my gelato was. Dylan was low on water so I was able to return his favour as I’d been carrying a 1.5 litre bottle of water in my saddlebag since yesterday and I could fill

Improvisation… Dylan uses a towel zip-tied to his helmet to keep the worst of the heat off his neck. He was nearly out of water when I found him here

Got the power… Typical recharging station at one of the controls

Illuminati… the switch-on city of Pitigliano

Exclusive… top quality floor space

his bottle as well as my own. We were both drinking so much during these scorching hot afternoons.

There was a second bag drop at the Matassino control I changed into my spare set of bib shorts as I’d been carrying them since the first bag drop and didn’t want to carry them without actually wearing them.

Stage 11 – 78km, 1,434m

Luckily it was in the cool of the evening that we set off on the longest climb of the event – 1,000m. I rode alone, but met up with Dylan near the top. We were very close to Florence again and the impressive Vallombrosa Abbey with its ornate ponds and surrounding spruce forest. The last few remaining tourists were making their way back home and I was getting hungry again.

There were supplies in my saddlebag but the lure of an open restaurant was too much, like a moth to a candle. I asked Dylan if he wanted to stop for something to eat and he agreed. It wasn’t long before we were sitting at a table in our cycling kit. Everyone else was dressed up to the nines. It seemed quite normal. Cyclists generally get a good reception in most places in Italy. Pizza was the order of the day, quick and easy and restaurants can’t get them wrong.

Ukraine rider Taras had joined us, and we had an excellent break from the riding. Taras was developing the horrible Shermer's Neck and when he got back on the bike I could see he was struggling. I spent the whole way to the night control riding at the front so he could follow my wheel and avoid any potholes. If I’d been in the same situation I’m sure I’d have quit.

Stage 12 – 91km, 1,033m

Only a couple more days to go and the end was in sight. The only thing that could stop me was if I developed Shermer's neck. I’ve always said that if that develops then I would just stop the ride, unless I was on the last stage. It just looks so painful and a bit dangerous.

This was the last hilly stage and once I’d climbed the Passo Del Giogo at 900m it was all downhill for the next 50km. With fresh legs, good company, and cool air the climb was easy. We arrived at the top to find a group of riders sitting in the sunshine outside an open café. What could be better? I ordered my usual latte for my bag of porridge then a coffee and patisserie.

The descent went on for miles and in the cool morning it was very pleasant. I stopped to buy more fruit from a road-side stall hoping it would be riper than the fruit I’d been getting from supermarkets. It was.

Soon I was passing by the Imola racetrack, the location for last year’s cycling world road race championship but better known as the motor racing circuit. There is a memorial to Ayrton Senna, the Brazilian F1 driver who died there in 1994. I stopped to pay my respects as many others have done before me. I arrived at the Lugo control at 11.50am. The food was good again – cold Pasta, tart, and melon but I wanted to push on before the heat of the afternoon. I was now seven hours ahead of the cut off.

Stage 13 – 92km, 212m

From now on it was practically flat for 450km, all the way to Milan. The big hills were all behind us and we could relax as the end was in sight. The only thing that could go wrong as far as I was concerned was the afternoon heat and developing Shermer's.

The area was incredibly flat and agricultural – lots of fruit trees and vegetable fields. Many fields had waterfilled ditches running alongside similar to those in Lincolnshire. There was very little tree cover to protect from the sun. To take my mind off the incessant heat I headed off in search of gelato. At Molinella I found a bar selling some in the main square, plus a type of iced coffee, so tried that too.

I’d hardly met any other cyclists on this stage but did catch up with Italian rider Fiore, looking very smart in the customary

❝… the very impressive final control in Fombio at 9.50am. Tables were set up in the courtyard of a beautiful mansion; there were rooms to sleep in and a very nice shower tent ❞

white National Italian Randonneur jersey. Then I noticed his head was drooping and he had a neck brace hanging over his handlebars – another case of Shermer's Neck. Here was a guy used to riding long miles in the heat – and still succumbing to this dreadful ailment. He said the brace didn’t allow him to breathe properly, so he’d taken it off. I didn’t know what to suggest but I did know we both still had 350km to ride, which is a long time to be staring at the road.

I arrived at Massa Finalese at 4.50pm, having survived the rigours of the afternoon heat, so perhaps I was eventually acclimatising to the Italian summer. The tables were set out nicely in the shade but first I treated myself to a shower to cool down. I was ready for more pasta, tart, melon and a cold drink. I was happy to be able to eat – a major problem during previous editions, when suffering heat stroke dehydration.

Stage 14 – 68km, 250m

The next section followed the River Po where we rode up on an elevated cycle path. Gradually the sun began to drop and soon I was riding in the dark and reliant on my front light to spot any potholes. I arrived at the Pieve di Coriano control at 9.15pm, again ready for food – this time not only pasta but some delicious potatoes. I took a photo to remind me how nice they were.

The control was staffed by friends and family members, all making my short stay very pleasant. Too nice in fact as there was a large sleeping area in an adjacent sports hall that looked very tempting. I decided that 10pm was far too early to stop and so got my stuff together, filled bottles and headed out into the dark.

Stage 15 – 87km, 318m

I was alone in the dark with no other cyclists but knew that once this stage was over, there was only 200km to go, meaning I’d finish early enough to book a bed back at my hotel in Milan. A while later I found a high viz jacket lying in the middle of the path, which must have fallen off a rider’s pack. I stowed it in my saddlebag hoping to find the owner later. Just after midnight I spotted a rider’s bike parked outside a restaurant. It was Tommi from Rome, and I was able to reunite him with his jacket.

We arrived at the control in Colorno at 2.30am. This was unlike the other controls, being just a café – which at this time of night was closed. I’d been banking on sleeping. Having found a bank ATM lobby I prepared to settle down – only to be startled by a robotic Italian voice saying: “Once you have collected your money, please leave the premises”. I was tired but couldn’t put up with that voice all night, so left. It’s not like the UK where you might worry about getting cold, so I just put all my clothes on, and we found a quiet entrance and made myself comfortable on the pavement.

Stage 16 – 79km, 277m.

In the morning the café was open. Dylan was there with half a dozen other riders. The sun was up, we had a flat 200km to go, and that would be it. We set off at 6.20am with just two stages to complete. A stroll in the park.

We arrived at the very impressive final control in Fombio at 9.50am. Tables were set up in the courtyard of a beautiful mansion; there were rooms to sleep in and a very nice shower tent at the back. We were 14 hours ahead and looking to finish later that afternoon and so were in no mad rush

Stage 17 – 121km, 457m

It dawned on me that we should at least try to finish within the five days. It was quite easy to ride on the flat at 25kph and there were few hold-ups or traffic lights. But the riders I was with wanted to stop for water, food, and ice cream. Suddenly time was slipping through my fingers like sand. At this rate we weren’t going to make it.

It was now a race against time and the pace rose to 30kph. We set up a line-out for the final 50km. This was working until the route diverted on to a gravel path alongside a canal in the outer suburbs of Milan. After a while the race was too much and I bid farewell to my companions and rode the last few kilometres back to the arrivée on my own, happy in the knowledge that after all the previous attempts to finish this super tough randonneur, I’d eventually managed it.

Finishers… The final group at the end of the ride