Author Archives: MJCT

10 years of riding with Jemison Cycling Tours by Paulo, in Brazil

  By MJCT | March 25, 2013 - 1:22 pm | Luxury Cycling Tours
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Subject: Thinking about MSR brings me to MJCT…

Paulo riding with Marty Jemison

Paulo riding with Marty Jemison

Actually all my riding up there, Europe, began when I had the idea, not a new one, of riding the second part of MSR. That means the dive into the meditarranean sea, the passes until Via Roma.

I contacted Andy Hampsten, who was retired and running his tour company out of his Villa in Italy, Giro winner, top world climber of the 80s and early 90s, winner of Huez, and top 5 placings at the Tour working for Lemmond and Hinault. He could not make it.

In my early 20s I had a dream of going Europe for a summer to race whatever I could at amateur level, few years before, despite I had the desire but not the level.
I did not go. I did not do a respectable effort and hanged on the “ health excuses”  I was told at the time. Excuses in hand, I kept the “confortable” way of pursuing a corporate career path. With ZERO regrets.
But in a few weeks began to build up my mileage again to test the doctor statement: “ … for you only walking now. No riding, no swimming, etc…” B Shit. I can testify after some 100,000 Km and 15 years.

Whatever I would do riding the classic routes, as a sport tourer, was to fullfill a gap in my dreams’ box. The start point is normally the same. Just how further you go on it. I heard Andy, in his times, dreamed, flew Europe, motivated by Paris Roubaix, despite he is not built for that race. He raced it and fisnished his first Roubaix riding in front of the broomwagon.

Still in search of some help to make it happen, I remembered I something about a cyclist about my age, riding in Europe and with University degree, uncommon in the business. I thought we may have more or less similar backgrounds, of Family, education, he had just gonne a lot further with the appropriate determination. This guy could understand what I was looking for and make it happe, may be.

I reach the guy, had a prompt answer despite neither of us had a decent idea on what or how to do riding wise at the time. I learned he had just came back from the pro peloton in Europe back to US, semi-retired, and I was in a career move.
I was delighted with the conversation but regular life dragged me back to the corporate “rat race”.
Even though I began to carry my Colnago, using weekends and early morning to ride it in Europe. I rode bits of Flanders cobles by myself, around LIege and the Ardennes climbs, crossing pros along the routes, and watching/part riding the Het Volk Semi Classic a couple of times. I was getting used to the riding conditions in Spring Europe and adapted. Cycling boots, windbreakers, and “socks over-gloves”. Air flight company socks; important tech detail at the time (cheaper and more wheather efficient).

18 months later I was riding with Marty Jemison in Utah at altitude, dehidrated but never gave up, the 300 mile half-week. A few further months I was in Spain with him and his company (his wife Jill, his father, and a couple of bike addicts working for them basically for the ride and food). First trip I had my flat fueled with Farmers Market food. Personally bought and prepared by Jill Jemison. It is that level of attention…. Always.
It was high level riding, with no boring training charts that will take a Family man to nowhere. Just high level free riding in amazing routes. Like to surf with Tom Curren, in Indonesia, without the crowd, the contests and all the b shit around it. Perfect.

Since then it is 10 years riding with the Jemisons. Many more to come!!!

Paulo

 

We asked Pro Cyclist, Ted King about Girona, Spain

  By MJCT | March 7, 2013 - 1:29 pm | Luxury Cycling Tours
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Since Marty moved to Griona, Spain in 1997 in preparation for the Tour de France there have been dozens of Pro cyclists who have followed.  This year Ted King moved back to Girona after an introduction in 2009-2010 so we asked him to describe what he liked about the area.  Jemison Cycling

It rains in Spain, but luckily that’s in the winter season of December – February, thereby making the rest of a year, an excellent location for focused training here in Girona.

I finished the Tour of San Luis in blisteringly hot Argentina back in late January, only to jump the Atlantic for a month-long reprieve from racing before my next goal, Paris-Nice, in early March. It’s rare to have such a break from racing for this length of time, especially ahead of a an early season goal as rigorous/notorious/arduous/important/big (your adjective of choice – all of which are applicable) as the “Race to the Sun”. However this month has been a graciously welcomed block of training, free from the stresses found in sprinting through airports to and from races, as I settling back into one of my favorite cities in Europe, Girona, my home-away-from-home. Truth be told, this month of training has been great!

I lived in Girona in both 2009 and 2010. When I set off for Liquigas-Cannondale in 2011, I decided that to assist honing my at-that-point, entirely non-existent Italian in Italy would be a wise choice. This was my own decision – teams generally don’t mandate where you live – and these past two years in Tuscany were a great adventure in their own right, so I’m certainly not complaining.

That said, upon returning to Girona in late February, I found myself time and again with a completely dorky, ear to ear grin as I reacquainted myself all throughout town, just thrilled to be back in my old stomping grounds. There’s something inherently welcoming about Girona. It’s a city with a very small town feel. It has some of the friendliest people I’ve ever met in Europe. It has more of my comrade professional cyclists (at last count, somewhere in the 70s!) than anywhere in Europe. It has some of the best training roads, sinuous goat paths, knife-edged cliffs to the Mediterranean, and toughest climbs I’ve ever seen. That goes in hand with the huge variety of restaurants of all types, cafes, and markets to serve all my needs. I feel like a nerd admitting it, but just strolling town made me giddy to be back.

All that, PLUS the weather is generally outstanding! Come ride with me and I’ll show you my favorite rides, restaurants and hang outs of the pros.
Okay, off to the races.

Ted King talks to Jemison Cycling Tours about Girona, Spain

Ted King

Jemison Cycling offers guided and self-guided trips based out of Girona and the Catalan region:

After having lived in this Spanish town for six years while riding in the Professional Peloton, Marty has a love for Girona, something he is only too willing to share with guests on this “Signature Tour.” Girona has been Jemison Cycling Tours European Headquarters, long before it became stylish with cyclists.

Jemison Cycling Tours
http://www.jemisoncycling.com/trip/girona/

Pont du Gard – Provence, France

  By MJCT | December 14, 2012 - 12:26 pm | Luxury Cycling Tours
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Pont du Gard:

Pont du Gard, is a Roman bridge built in year 50 AD, which was approximately 2,000 years ago.  It was made to transport water from one part of France to the other.  The river running under the bridge is called ” The Gardon River” which is how the Pont du Gard got its name.  The bridge carries about 44,000,000 gallons of water each day.  It has three levels, standing 160 ft. high.  The lower level has six arches, and each arch is 72ft. high, the middle level has eleven arches and each arch is 66ft. hight, and the upper level has 35 arches but originally had 47 arches and each arch is 23ft. high.The bridge itself is 900ft. long.

The Gardon River flowing under  the Pont du Gard bridge is about 30 miles long.  The construction started in 40 AD and cost 30 million sestertius ( an ancient Roman coin).  They stopped transporting water in the 6th century.  The engineer of Pont du Gard was Henri Pitot.

Last week, while I was in the area doing research for a bike trip, I stopped in the evening to go for a swim under the Pont du Gard.  I also found out you can go kayaking, and paddle boarding in the Gardon River.  It was an amazing experience.  1,250,000 people from around the world come to visit the famous Pont du Gard bridge each year and I was one of them! :)

Anonymous ~

See the Pond du Gard before or after a ‘Provence’ Jemison Cycling Tour or as part of a custom trip:

http://www.martyjemison.com/provence_bike_tour.html

An Impromptu Bike Trip to the Tour de France: by Doug Nester

  By MJCT | October 27, 2012 - 6:48 am | Luxury Cycling Tours
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An Impromptu Bike Trip: by Doug Nester

Toward the end of a two-week family trip to Europe we met up with Marty
and his daughter for a day of fun in Barcelona. At dinner that night Marty
mentioned that he had an open spot for his upcoming TDF trip to Belgium and
that I should extend my stay and join him. So two days later instead of
flying home to the U.S. I found myself cycling in Girona getting ready for
the trip to the TDF.  Using borrowed clothes, helmet and bike I got in 2
rides before we hit the road for Belgium.

I had done 3 previous trips with mjct but this one would be unique since I
was joining the trip before “the trip”.  This meant that I would be housing
with the guides for a couple days before we drove up to Belgium to meet the
other guests.  Seeing the inner workings of the company prior to the trip
provided some insight into the reality of what goes into making the great
customer experience that I had received on my three previous trips.
Prepping the bikes, stocking up on supplies and briefing the guides, we’re
all part of the pre-trip routine.

While in Girona, I also had the nice opportunity to attend a special
ceremony that the town was throwing for Ryder Hesjedal in recognition of his
win at the Giro d’Italia.  There were about 30 people in attendance as the
mayor congratulated Ryder.  A good portion of the 30 were pro riders
including Christian VDV, David Millar, Daniel Martin and Matt Wilson.
Nothing like hanging out with someone (Marty) that is connected in the
cycling-rich town of Girona.

Marty Jemison - Ryder Hesjedal - Doug Nester

After two days in Girona, we (Marty, guide JP and myself) started our
1,300km drive to Ghent.  We drove 700k in the first day and spent the night
in Beaune, France – in the heart of Burgundy.  That night we ate at the
central square in the heart of the walled city.  The highlight of the meal
was a 1999 Pommard from Francois Gaunoux.

We kicked off day three with a morning ride through the vineyards starting
on the Route des Grands Crus – a narrow road that winds through the best
vineyards in Burgundy. At various points we diverted from the Route and
jumped onto even smaller paved paths that traversed through the vineyards.
The ride included a punchy climb that ended on a rock faced hill with an
expansive view over the vineyards.  This was followed by a quick descent
back into Beaune.  The scenery and historical setting of the greatest Pinot
Noir plots in the world made for a great beginning to the trip.  Following
the ride we loaded the van and hit the road for Belgium.

Day 4:
We wake in Ghent (after a great evening out in the old town sampling
some Belgian beers and eating at an outdoor café along the river).  The main
mission for the first part of the day is to drive to the Decca factory in
Zottegem to pick up this season’s Jemison Cycling Tour jerseys.  Decca is a
small family run business that is committed to “making products in Belgium
by Belgians”.  In this day and age of global outsourcing it was great to
meet this crew that is committed to truly supporting its local roots.  We
received a great tour of the plant and were some of the first outsiders to
see Decca’s new “Pro” line of clothing.  This new line is truly impressive
and if you get a chance to score some gear from this line, jump on it.

Along with the Decca visit, we also had another task to accomplish in the
first half of the day.  About five years prior, I had ridden the Jemison
Spring Classics Trip in the same region.  On that trip, we found a great
local beer, Adriaen Brouwer – which is only available in a small radius in
this region.  So it was a must to track down a case of AB – because it could
be at least another five years before one of us was back in the area.

With both tasks accomplished we were back in the van headed toward Liege.
The other guests would be arriving in Liege the next day – so Marty wanted
to get to Liege one night before and get things ready for their arrival.
Part of “getting things ready” included doing a recon of a couple of the
planned rides. So guide JP set out and did a recon of the Liege ride, while
Marty and I went the other direction to recon a new “three country ride”.
The planned ride was 100k and would take us from Belgium to Netherlands to
Germany and back.  Marty had spent hours on the computer planning the ride,
but this would be the first time for actually riding it.  If you’ve ever
been on an MJCT trip, you know that Marty is the master at finding the
wonderful, off-the-beaten-track roads that are incredible to ride.  And this
ride definitely was off-the-beaten-track with multiple sections of hard
packed dirt, road base gravel and some of the smoothest sections of pavement
ever (the Americans can learn something from the Dutch on this front).

This ride also provided some great insight into how hard it is to put
together a truly great course.  While Google Earth and other online mapping
tools are great for finding various roads – they are not 100% perfect in
conveying actual road conditions.  For this reason, we were forced to take a
couple of detours and dig into our mountain biking instincts to navigate
some off-road roads.  But this is precisely why we were out on a recon ride
- because by the next time we did this ride with the rest of the guests,
Marty had filled in the gaps and created a truly great ride that took us
smoothly through three different countries.  Day 4 ended with a cold Adriaen
Brouwer enjoyed in the nice Belgian evening air.

Day 5:
Arrival day for the remainder of the guests.  After a mid-day
arrival, bikes are quickly built and we saddle up for a ride into Liege and
a pre-ride of the next days Prologue Course – including a sprint across the
finish line and the obligatory photos of all of us on the podium (apparently
the security folks were off for the day).  We finish off the ride by heading
back to the hotel – which was about 20k outside of town.  The evening was
capped off by getting to know the other guests over dinner and wine at the
hotel restaurant.

Day 6:
This is going to be a busy day – including the newly refined “three
country ride” and then followed by a viewing of the Prologue.  The original
portion of the three country ride consisted of about 10K of rail trail
(primarily packed clay and dirt), however due to overnight rain, Marty
needed to alter the beginning.  None-the-less, the new alteration was just
as scenic and all of the guests enjoyed the route and the memorable notion
of riding in three countries.  After a quick shower we are into the van for
a quick drive into Liege.

It’s great to be around the TDF – incredible energy and excitement are in
the air.  The entire Prologue course is lined 3-deep with spectators.  We
find a decent spot to watch near the start of the course.  We are still
early in the day and the favorites are about 60-90 minutes from starting.
At this point, Marty gets a text from an old team connection saying that he
has one pass (wrist band) for access into the team areas.  Using a little
American ingenuity we parlay the one pass into access for 6!  Now we are all
on the inside.  My cycling sensors are on overload – first stop is the BMC
camp – Tejay and Big George are on warm-up bikes.  Ultra focused, wearing
ice vests, yet still dripping in sweat…here comes Gilbert rolling in after
just finishing up his race, the Belgian press quickly swarm him.  Next stop
is Team Sky – Wiggins is on the warm up bike looking very confident – he has
a significant herd of reporters nearby – then Cavendish comes out of the
bus, already showered and changed – his presence siphons off some of
Wiggins’ press.  Over to Omega Pharma – Tony Martin and one of the Velits
are warming up.  At Astana now, Vinokourov struts through, saddles up and
rolls out toward the start line.  We continue to hit some of the other team
camps, many of the big names are warming up – Van den Broek, Vanendert,
Scarponi, Sanchez, Nibali… We then decide that it’s time to get back to
the live action so we wander over to the finish line.  Marty spots Frankie
Andreu and he comes over for a photo opp with our group.  The finish area is
exclusively off limits, but we sneak through the barriers and get down to
street level – we are standing about 100 meters past the finish line – we
see the last three riders come through – Voekler, Cancellara and Evans.  We
sense the press corps getting antsy in anticipation of the podium ceremony.
A couple of us try to get within the herd of photographers – suddenly they
all make a break for the podium stage.  Myself and a couple other guests
move with them – security guys are pulling people aside and preventing them
from getting up to the stage.  I’m able to camouflage myself as a photog and
get within 3 people of the front of the stage – as far as I can tell it’s me
and 75 photographers.  I’m within 10 feet of the stage as Cancellara is
awarded the yellow jersey and Tejay VG gets the white.  Wow – what a thrill.

Day 7:
2nd Stage of TDF – Liege to Seraing.  Today we ride the last portion
of the course and end at the finishing town of Seraing.  The course is
“lumpy” with no real hills, outside of the final 2.5km which has a steep
gradient with a mix of cobbles and pavement.  At about 5km out, Marty
accelerates and the group gets spread out – three of us regroup at the
bottom of the final climb – the barriers are up and there are a number of
people already lining the course.  We all do our best as we get a bit of
applause and encouragement – we are able to make it clean to the 1k banner
before we are pulled off the course by the Federale.  We U-turn and roll
back down the hill.  We find a great little bar that is perfectly situated
at the base of the final climb.  Guide JP does an excellent job of parking
right next to the bar – so that we can do a quick change before we grab some
primo seats outside of the bar.  We enjoy a couple Belgium beers and some
lunch as we wait for the riders to arrive.  Today is also our first exposure
to the TDF Caravan and the competition within our group for who can collect
the best TDF swag is underway.

Following the Caravan we decide to walk about halfway up the hill to a point
where the climb is steepest and takes a 90 degree turn.  The crowds are
heaviest here and it takes us a bit to find a good spot.  We get nicely
situated and have a great view as the leaders make the ascent.  Cancellara,
Peter Sagan, Van den Broek, Chavenel, Albasini and Tony Martin make the turn
together.  With just over 1km to go, Sagan takes the win and formally
announces his arrival to the TDF.  Another great day at the Tour!

Day 8:
3rd Stage of TDF – Vise to Tournai.  Today we ride the first part of
the course – starting just outside of Liege.  The terrain is mostly flat
through the farmlands of this region.  It makes for enjoyable, low stress
riding.  The highlight of the stage comes as the course hits the town of
Namur – at the center of the town is the Citadel – a fortress that was
originally built during the Roman era.  The fortress is set on a hill at the
confluence of two rivers.  There are cobbled roads that climb the hill and
enter the gates of the Citadel.  The plan is to climb to the Citadel and
then find a good stopping point to watch the pros come through.  The climb
into the Citadel is very memorable – how often can you climb a cobbled road
into a Roman era fortress while people line the sides and cheer you on?
Incredible!  After we get to the top we U-turn and roll back down the hill
in search of the primo viewing spot.  JP once again comes through with the
parking karma as he finds a great spot for the van inside the fortress. We
change and enjoy a quality meal from the cooler.  Adriean Brouwer also makes
a timely appearance.

This is also Day 2 of the TDF swag comp and the competitive energy is rising
a bit.  Once the caravan is gone, we find a good spot on a stone wall that
provides a great view down toward the switchbacks that climb up to the
Citadel and will also provide a good view as they enter the top of the
climb.  I experience the rush again as the 198 super humans blow over the
climb and through the Citadel.  Tonight is a hotel change, so we jump in the
van and head toward Ghent.  About an hour before Ghent, we pull into a small
town with the goal of finding a TV to watch the end of the stage.  We are
successful – we pile into a small bar and the owner sets us up in our own
viewing area.  We catch the end of the race as Cavendish takes the win.  I
remember that the beer was quite cold.

Day 9:
TDF Stage 3 – Orchies to Boulogne-sur-mer.  Today the Tour de France
leaves Belgium and continues the race into France.  The schedule for the day
is to ride the last 100km of the course and get into Boulogne-sur-mer in
time to catch the finish.  Marty is also taking a day off from riding, so it
will be the four guests and JP trying to navigate our way in.  We start the
day by driving a couple hours from Ghent to our designated starting point
about 100k from BSM.  We find a nice little town and park in the lot of the
Garage Café.  We stop in for a final Grande Caffe, mingle with the locals
and then hit the road.  The majority of the ride is through country,
farmland and small towns.  The group breaks into two – and three of us find
ourselves ahead of the other two and become excited about the challenge of
dealing with the local Police and course officials (after watching Marty
handle this task for the first three days, we now take it on ourselves).

We are riding on the course and are probably about 90 minutes ahead of the
Caravan.  Although it is early in the day, the crowds are starting to
congregate – especially within the towns and at the top of the climbs.  As
we enter each successive town, we must deal with the local Police Municipale
who do not want us to ride on the roads within their town.  So when we come
to a new town, we typically dismount, walk half a block and then get back
on.  Each time, we laugh about the silliness of this.

Today is also our biggest climbing day, within the last 35k there are 5
short, steep, categorized climbs.  Each of these climbs is already habited
by good sized crowds.  We get a great reception from the spectators as we
ascend.  Some competitiveness exists within our group as we climb each
successive hill.  As we get closer to the finish, we start to sense an
oddity about our situation – it has been a long time since we have seen any
other bikers and we have a completely clean course to ourselves.  When we
get to about 10k out, we start to see more Police and course officials.  We
then get passed by a rider in a Green Edge kit followed by a team car – we
think that he might be scouting the course.  We accelerate and get to about
60′ behind the rider and then maintain that gap.  As the rider and the team
car enter small towns and roundabouts the Police wave them through, we are
close enough to them to be able to get through as well.  At some point they
pull off the course and it is back to just the three of us.  We hit a fast
descent that takes us toward the center of Boulogne-sur-mer, we pass the 3k
banner and all is still good; we pass the 2k banner and we sense that this
is going to be special.  We pass the 1k banner and we are now within the
barriers – the road turns sharply up for a steep finish.  The sides are
packed and spectators begin cheering us on like we are in the peloton.
People are leaning over the barriers, pounding on the wood placards lining
the barriers – it is one of the most surreal moments ever.  I try to go hard
while at the same time laughing to myself about how incredible this is.  I
pass the 700m sign; then 500m, all is still good.  People cheering loudly.
I can’t believe this is real.  At 250m the road turns sharply right, just at
that point the road is lined with Police and I am directed off the course.
I get just off the course and wait a couple seconds for Kevin and Frank.
Once they arrive we just look at each other and start laughing about how
ridiculously cool that experience was.

We roll away from the course and track down Marty.  We find a great outdoor
café that has a large flat screen – pull up a table and enjoy a great lunch
and a couple Belgian beers.  The initial plan was to eat lunch and then head
over to see the finish.  However, after the incredible experience of riding
the course followed by a solid lunch and the cold beverages, it is a
unanimous vote to stay put and watch the finish on the TV.  Once the town
clears, we drive back into Ghent and have a great final dinner in the old
town center.

Day 10:
Today is departure day and I am leaving with incredible memories, a
rush from riding 9 days and the satisfaction of meeting 3 other quality guys
and cyclists.  This is my fourth trip with Marty and Jill and each of them
has delivered a fantastic cycling experience that I could not have created
on my own.  I look forward to the next opportunity.

Photos from our trip can be found here: http://www.martyjemison.com/album/tour_de_france_liege/index.html

Au Revoir.

The Author

The Author

Luz Ardiden experience of a non-riding partner

  By MJCT | August 21, 2012 - 11:24 am | Luxury Cycling Tours
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High up in the Pyrenees mountains, with goats, cows, dogs, sheep, and one donkey, we went to work with a cheese farmer for a day.  At lunch we sampled seven cheeses, two different kinds of yogurt drinks, meat, pate, hot mint tea, and homemade bread from the farm. For dessert we had pumpkin spice bread made that morning.  We saw cheese being made and we learned all about the culture around the area. (Luz-Ardiden)

Making Cheese on Luz Ardiden

In the late afternoon, we saw many goats of all different kinds.

The donkey-

Donkey on Luz Ardiden

When the tour ended they loaded up the donkey with cheese and other supplies that are too heavy for people to carry.  The donkey walked back down the mountain with us and our guide switched the supplies and cheese and the donkey walked back up to the farm all by himself.

We had an amazing experience learning all about milk, cheese, the animals, and the culture while the riders climbed the Col du Marie Blanc, Aubisque and Soulor. :)

~ Anonymous – Non riding partner on our Trans-Pyrenees Trip

Email to Jemison Cycling Tours

  By MJCT | August 21, 2012 - 11:08 am | Luxury Cycling Tours
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Marty,

The pictures are great. Thanks for taking them. Jordan and I will have long memories of this trip.
My favorite memory from the trip was when you pulled Richard and me back up to catch Jeff on that climb, then sprinted past Jeff. We all questioned you after about sprinting past Jeff. You answered, “What did you want me to do, noodle around behind him?”
I love your kill or be killed riding style.
I also keep telling the story of you pulling us into that bike race and surprising that break-away rider at the finish…good stuff.
I did a couple rides this past weekend and had my old riding buddies scared. I dropped them out of sight on a couple climbs.

Thanks for the inspiring rides.

Steve
Trans-Pyrenees 2012

Steve climbing the Tourmalet

Trans-Pyrenees 2012

  By MJCT | August 6, 2012 - 3:10 pm | Luxury Cycling Tours
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There are easier ways to ride through the Pyrenees and there is a route that many cyclists bolster, but this is not the route of Jemison Cycling Tours.  We raise the bar in every category including how we get from the Bay of Biscay to the Mediteranean Sea.

Using the best routes from our Basque Country tour, Pyrenees tour, Catalunya, Girona, Spain,  the Tour de France and the Vuelta Espanya we have come up with a Trans-Pyrenees trip that is 9 days long, with over 53,000 ft of climbing.  The hardest day is 135 kms long with 9,400 ft of climbing and our easiest day is 100kms with 4,000 ft.

We start in Donosita with our warm up ride and swim in the Bay of Biscay (Atlantic Ocean). Dinner is the highlight as we walk through the old quarter dining in several tapas bars and sampling a bit of ‘Reserve’.

Day one breaks in the legs as we leave the Spanish speaking coast and ride through villages where the locals only speak Basque. We finish the day by descending into France to hear the 4th language of the day.  Dinner conversation covers the riding, Martin Sheen and the movie ‘The Way‘ which is about the Camino de Santiago, featuring the village where we are dining.  Basque soup and fresh trout pair well with the local wine from Irouleguy.

My first amateur racing team was FC Oloron and on day three we ride on my local training routes to get there.  This year we got mixed up in the middle of a cyclo-tourist event.  On a climb outside of Oloron a rider came flying past us… Feeling like it was my domestique duty I spent the next 5 kms to bring the rider back while not dropping my guests. There was also a dozen or so other riders on our wheels. Some instincts are hard to let go.  The look on the ‘attacking cyclist’s’ face was priceless as we crossed the finish line. Oops!

It was on the Col du Marie Blanque where I first saw the Tour de France live and Greg Lemond…. I ‘swear’ catching air; surrounded by 3 motorcycles and dropping over the edge, accelerating down the 10-12% grades. As the hair stood on my arms and nerves throughout my spine sparked it was here the I knew I wanted to be a Professional cyclist. Not a particularly long climb, but an initiation for anybody who has not ridden 4 consecutive kilometers that is over 10% in steepness.  Are you sure you know what this feels like?  Pair this initiation with the Hors Categroy Aubisque  and your sure to sleep well just like our guests did.

Fast forward: Tourmalet, Aspin, Peyresourde, Mente, Aspet, Portel and finally the Pailhaires brings us from France into the French, Catalan region.  We finished our longest and hardest day by crossing back into Spain, but, where they don’t speak Spanish. Google recognizes the Catalan language, maybe it’s time for the rest of the world to recognize it as well. ( http://www.google.cat/ )

The Mediterranean cuisine in Catalunya is exceptional.  One of my favorite restaurants won the Contractworld prize: an exhibition and architectural competition of architects, interior designers and international companies.  The prize is for the surroundings but it’s meeting Fina in the kitchen every time I’ve eaten there that put this place over the top.

Climbing over 53,000 ft in 9 days is not easy for anybody and even a seasoned Pro would be challenged.  I congratulate every rider that took place and finished this epic ride. It was a pleasure to be there for you.

We celebrate with a toast of not Champagne…. but Cava, because local is better.

Thanks for reading.

Marty Jemison

Checking in from Girona, Spain

  By MJCT | July 18, 2012 - 4:14 am | Luxury Cycling Tours
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Before the Tour de France started in Liege, Belgium I had some business in Europe with Girona, Spain, the Dolomites in Italy, Beaune, France and Gent, Belgium as the highlights.

Girona, Spain has been my home base in Europe since 1997.  I moved there with George Hincapie and Tyler Hamilton and we were the first three English-speaking pro cyclists to live there. Since then Girona has exploded and is a Mecca for cycling, especially for those who speak English.

I’ve been back every year except for one since 1997. Upon arrival this year, I caught myself pondering hard as to where I would ride first. In the end I chose Els Angels.  Not a difficult climb, but it’s only five minutes from my Catalan lair and getting there avoids going through the city before being in peaceful serenity.

On my second or third ride I met up with Jaume who is opening a bike boutique in the old quarter. Towards the end of our ride we caught up with two female cyclists. Joanne Hogan (Bizkaia-Durango) and Sarah who rides for the Australian track team. I’ve been clawing my way back into cycling form so once we introduced ourselves, they agreed to let me sit on their wheels for an extra hour of training. Sitting on the wheels of well seasoned riders always makes the kilometers tick by quicker and the perfect rhythm helped place me in a meditative state. Time passes quickly, and I consider this ride quality training.

In addition to riding more, there have been a lot of details and logistics as we plan for several trips for Jemison Cycling Tours. From Girona, I kept tabs on a private trip we had going on in the Dolomite Mountains, Italy. It takes a lot of time to finalize ride routes, time schedules, and details for our Tour de France trips, including a trans-Pyrenees trip, another private trip in Tuscany, and many, many others. Purchasing 6 bottles of Vega-Sicillia Unico, arguably Spain’s best wine for consumption on a Tuscany trip,  was something that also had to be done in the name of “cycling tours”!

The evening before heading to the Tour de France the mayor and the city of Girona honored Ryder Hesjedal for winning the Giro d’ Italia. It started out informal as people gathered, then we moved inside City Hall where both the mayor and Ryder spoke and exchanged gifts. Afterwards, in a typical Catalan style, Cava and fresh orange juice were served for socializing.

Marty, Christian Vandevelde and Ryder Hesjedal

Marty, Christian Vandevelde and Ryder Hesjedal

Liege, Belgium is over 14 hours drive time from Girona so stopping in Beaune, France (the heart and pulse of Burgundy) after the first 7 hours makes sense… See what whet our appetites for dinner and loosened the legs before heading to Gent, Belgium in the next post.

Thanks for reading.

Marty

The Mayor of Girona and Ryder

The Mayor of Girona and Ryder

Wines in Burgundy, Beers in Belgium

  By MJCT | July 18, 2012 - 3:56 am | Luxury Cycling Tours
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Driving straight through to Belgium from Girona, Spain doesnʼt make sense to me when you know whatʼs just seven hours up the road. Beaune, France lies in the heart of Burgundy and is a very important city for this wine growing region. All of the red grapes are Pinot Noir and some of the worldʼs most expensive wines come from this area. Google a bottle of Romane Conti or La Tache if you are thirsty… Choose a Grand Cru, Premier Cru or even ʻVillageʼ wine if you want to compliment some great food.

Beaune, France is a medieval city is that it is almost completely surrounded by a wall or moat. Every building within is built above the ʻcavesʼ that store Burgundy’s precious wines.

Veronique Drouhin grew up walking to school through Beaune’s underground labyrinth and even learned how to ride her bike beneath the city. Every year the Hospice dʼBeaune holds a wine auction to determine the value of each producers wine for that year. The terroir and the domaine are very important, but it is the auction that determines the final value for the wine. Like in real estate its all about location, location, location and in Burgundy, the Monks have cataloged the production and quality of each plot of land going back several hundred years.

For our dinner in Beaune we chose a Premier Cru from Pommard. Pommard is a village that lies on one of our Burgundy ride routes. I planned on riding this route to loosen up the legs before driving on to Gent, Belgium. I also wanted to show our new guides Chateau Rochepot and some of the roads I used to train and race on.

Beaune Cycles

French mechanics often remind me of artists when I see them working on a bike. Therefore, I decided to stop in and see Christian Tallant of Beaune Cycles to have him look my bike over. I knew that Christian had been a mechanic during the Tour de France many years ago, and his bike shop always has something of interest.

Christian put my bike in the stand and meticulously went through the bike as we shared stories and reacquainted ourselves. Before I left the shop, I signed the world map that was on the wall and listed the years that I did the Tour de France. We took a few photos and said our good byes.

Gent or Ghent

Gent is my favorite medieval city in all of Europe. There is a museum in a castle that is dedicated to the art of torture, but Iʼm fond of Gent for other reasons. Back when I rode for WordPerfect, Gent was close by and was the only place you could go and find Mexican food. It wasnʼt particularly good, but after several months of racing in the cold North, Mexican food reminded me of home. This restaurant was also frequented by Greg Lemond when he was based out of Kortrijk. The waiters always acknowledged our return business and seemed to appreciate knowing a couple of pro riders.

Before we arrived in Liege for the Tour de France, prologue I had mission to fulfill. There are over 450 micro breweries in Belgium and since retiring from racing, Iʼve been back to sample more of what was “verboden” in my race days. My quest was for a beer that can only be found in select stores within a 10kms radius from where it is brewed, Adriaen Brower. Adriaen Brower sponsors part of the Tour of Flanders route which is just one reason to like this beer. The first reason is that it is ʻthatʼ good.

Adriaen Brouwer Beer

Adriaen Brouwer

Thanks for reading.

Marty

Ryan, thank you for sending this in… Marty

  By MJCT | June 4, 2012 - 12:09 am | Luxury Cycling Tours
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I really appreciated reading this and thank you Ryan. for sending it to me.

Marty

———–

Hey Marty! A long time ago you showed up at chequamegon, I’d used up all my life chances (up to that point) riding my Mtb around and found myself 3rd wheel behind you with Rishi taking us into every rock, root and potential pinch flat he could find.
*

It was a severely educational moment, Rishi was the first person I’d ever 1st hand observed, maliciously try to win. (he reinforced it a few years later with some trees at the red wing national)
*

I was always impressed with your sportsmanship and still am.
*

My 2 cents, but I do some things now that have some rather tremendous implications medically and I decided long ago who I am chasing people around on bikes. Today is easy, that stuff was painful!!!!
*

Anyway, kudos!

Ryan O’ Connor

————

 

Marty wining the Chequamegon mountain bike race for the 2nd time.

Paris-Roubaix – will humble the strongest of men.

  By MJCT | April 6, 2012 - 11:53 am | Luxury Cycling Tours
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Paris-Roubaix – will humble the strongest of men.

I was a neo-pro, had already raced cobbles in Het Volk, and trained on some of the cobbled climbs of the Tour of Flanders. The Murr van Geraardsbergen was less than 10kms from my apartment and I trained on it often, but I had no idea what Paris-Roubaix was all about.

The race starts in Compiegne, France, and ends in the Velodrome of Roubaix, France. This year’s 110th edition is 257 kms, or 160 miles long. There are 27 sections of cobbles that total over 30 miles of bone jarring madness.  The first section comes after nearly 60 miles and approximately 2 hours of high speed racing.  Each section is rated from 1-5 stars in difficulty.

The 27 cobbled sections of Paris-Roubaix
27. Troisvilles (after 97.5 km – 2,200 m) +++
26. Viesly (after 104 km – 1,800 m) +++
25. Quievy (after 106.5 km – 3,700 m) ++++
24. Saint-Python (after 111.5 km – 1,500 m) ++
23. Vertain (after 119.5 km – 2,300 m) +++
22. Capelle-sur-Ecaillon – Le Buat (after 126 km – 1,700 m) +++
21. Aulnoy-lez-Valenciennes – Famars (after 142 km – 2,600 m) +++++
20. Famars – Quérénaing (after 145.5 km – 1,200 m) ++
19. Quérénaing – Maing (after 149 km – 2,500 m) +++
18. Monchaux-sur-Ecaillon (after 152 km – 1,600 m) +++
17. Haveluy (after 163.5 km – 2,500 m) ++++
16. Trouée d’Arenberg (after 172 km – 2,400 m) +++++
15. Millonfosse – Bousiginies (after 178.5 km – 1,400 m) +++
14. Brillon to Tilloy-lez-Marchiennes (after 183 km – 1,100 m) ++
Tilloy – Sars-et-Rosières (after 185.5 km – 2,400 m) +++
13. Beuvry-la-Forêt – Orchies (after 192 km – 1,400m) +++
12. Orchies (after 197 km – 1,700 m) +++
11. Auchy-lez-Orchies – Bersée (after 203 km – 2,600 m) ++++
10. Mons-en-Pévèle (after 208.5 km – 3,000 m) +++++
9. Mérignies – Avelin (after 215 km – 700 m) ++
8. Pont-Thibaut (after 218 km – 1,400 m) +++
7. Templeuve l’Epinette (after 223.5 km – 200 m) +
Le Moulin de Vertain (after 224 km – 500 m) ++
6. Cysoing – Bourghelles (after 230,5 km – 1,300 m) ++++
Bourghelles – Wannehain (after 233 km – 1,100 m) +++
5. Camphin-en-Pévèle (after 237.5 km – 1,800 m) ++++
4. Le Carrefour de l’Arbre (after 240.5 km – 2,100 m) +++++
3. Gruson (after 242.5 km – 1,100 m) ++
2. Hem (after 249.5 km – 1,400 m) ++
1. Roubaix (after 256.5 km – 300 m) +

I didn’t do the race as a neo-pro, but on the evening of the race that year, our team soigneurs dropped off Leon Van Bon who had just completed his first Paris-Roubaix. That moment, left an impression with me that, I will never forget.  Leon had to have help getting up the stairs and into his bed. He did not budge until the following afternoon.  Paris-Roubaix can humble the strongest of men.

Fewer riders will finish Paris-Roubaix than any of the other Classics, due to devastation from the cobbles.  In 1998, I skidded and hopped, to a track-stand, to avoid falling onto Johan Museeuw who was wailing in pain. He split his knee open in a crash that happened just in front of me.  We hit the Arenberg Forest cobbles at an estimated 40 miles per hour that year.
The scenario in Troisvilles is much the same. The peloton will reach up to and over 40 mph when they hit this first set of cobbles. The approach is madness as every rider wants to be in the front, taking risks and timing our efforts to be in the front, but of course this is impossible for 200 riders. This 1.4 mile section of cobbles will claim a fair share of bike equipment and riders, as does each section, but this is the first, and any bike and rider not up to the task gets a serious beating here.

Coming off of Troisvilles, the peloton is strung out with gaps that take an enormous effort to close. Then the peloton comes all back together in a kind of ‘truths’.  The pace drops significantly, and the feeling is like being in the eye of the storm or it’s the calm before the storm.

From the second section of cobbles in Viesly, the paved sections are not long enough for the peloton to regroup and the riders at the front are constantly fighting for position and keeping the pace very high.

———

Our team meeting before the race in 2000, sounded like a rerun of the previous editions I had done. Our director sportif, Johan Bruyneel, pointed to three of us and lifted his voice making sure that we heard, that, “if there was an early break that one of us had to be in it”.  From mile one, to mile twenty three, each of us keyed off one another to cover the attacks.  We had all taken our turns producing near super human efforts to cover the moves, until I ended up in the break that would succeed that year.  17 of us broke away after 20 miles of racing.

Over the next 10 sections of cobbles, and 85 miles of racing, our group of 17 whittled down to 5 of us leading into the famous Arenberg Forest, that is rated at 5-star difficulty.  It had been a drag race between the peloton and the break and the time gap was closing. They were salivating and wanted us badly.

In the middle of the forest,  Tom Steels found an extra gear and split the remaining 5 of us up. I felt as if spikes were being driven into various parts of my body and as Phil Ligget might say,  “Marty was in a spot of bother”.  
I exited the Arenberg Forest alone, and got a call on the radio.  Johan told me,  “eat and drink because we need you”.  This message was clear and I started to eat, drink and prepare.  I rode along at a comfortable pace knowing that the head of the strongest group of riders in the world were breathing down my neck.  I was so electrically charged when my teammates caught me that, I sat on the front and dug deep for the next 2-3 miles.  Frankie Andreu knew every turn and helped gauge my efforts. I knew my race was over, but I still had the reserves to pull the peloton at over 35 miles per hour at this point. Frankie more than once, asked me to slow it down.  I was entering and exiting the turns a bit hot, and I think I even heard him chuckle at one point.

Youtube Videos of 2000 Paris-Roubaix
a –   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHbHu8-NeKQ
b –   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYgVewERQcw
c –   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJgcYOsrv5Y

———-

I have taken my cycling tour guests to the ‘Hell of the North’, to ride a few sections of these cobbles.  On paper, you might think it’s a sensible plan to ride 3-4 sections before the Arenberg Forest, and that’s what I take people to do. However, I’m seasoned and I know better.  I know I’m going to get dirty looks and hear a bit of complaining, but I believe in experiencing life. You’re not going to get the feel of Paris-Roubaix after only 2-3 sections, it’s going to take a bit more to drive stakes into your legs.

Unless I offer free beer, most of the riders I take to the Arenberg Forest, will ride off of the cobbles and onto the dirt paths before even making it to the halfway point.  I only buy the beer for my guests who can ride this entire 2.2 kms section of category 5 cobbles without putting a foot down.  (put this on your bucket list )

Wet or dry, Paris-Roubaix is the single hardest day of bike racing on the UCI calendar, period. It’s legalized war and a place where the strongest riders in the world will lay everything on the line.

Marty Jemison
www.martyjemison.com


The Art of the Poker Face at 500 Watts: Recalling the Tour of Flanders

  By MJCT | March 29, 2012 - 5:18 pm | Luxury Cycling Tours
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The Tour of Flanders:  An account from 3 time participant, Marty Jemison

Also known as the “Ronde van Vlaanderen” (RVV), The Tour of Flanders is the first of the ‘Spring Classics’. It was first held in 1913 and is raced one week before Paris-Roubaix.  The 2012 race will be the 96th edition of this ‘monumental classic’ and will take place place on April 1st. The course is 254.4 kilometres (158.1 mi) long, between Brugge and Oudenaarde, Belgium.

The route has been changed this year and the new final features the Oude Kwaremont and the Paterberg, both will be climbed three times. Also included in the final is the infamous Koppenberg, this cobbled climb (hellingen in Dutch) has an average gradient of 11% with a maximum of 22% over and is 1.5 miles in length. (Yea, hard!)

Here is a list of the 17 climbs in the 2012 edition and their characteristics.

1. Nokereberg – Cobbled at 5.9% average and 1,200 feet long
2.Taaienberg – Cobbles at 6.6% average and 1,700 feet long
3.Eikenberg – Asphalt at 5.9% average and 2,000 feet long
4. Molenberg – Cobbles/Asphalt at 7% and 1,500 feet long
5. Rekelberg – Asphalt at 4% average; 9% max and 2,500 feet long
6. Berendries – Asphalt at 7% average and 3,000 feet long
7. Valkenberg – Asphalt at 8.1% average and 1,730 feet long
8. Oude Kwaremont – Asphalt/Cobbles at 4% average; 11% max and 2,2000 feet long
9. Patterberg – Cobbles at 12.9% average and 1,150 feet long
10. Koppenberg – Cobbles at 11.6% average; 22% maximum and 2,000 feet long
11. Steenbeekdries – Cobbles at 5.3% average and 2,200 feet long
12. Nieuwe Kruisberg – Cobbles at 6% average and 3,200 feet long
13 Oude Kwaremont – Asphalt/Cobbles at 4% average; 11% max and 2,200 feet long
14. Patterberg – Cobbles at 12.9% average and 1,150 feet long
15. Hoogberg-Hotond – Cobbles at 3.5% average; 8% maximum and 1,000 feet long
16. Oude Kwaremont – Asphalt/Cobbles at 4% average; 11% max and 2,2000 feet long
17. Patterberg – Cobbles at 12.9% average and 1,150 feet long

*don’t just look at  ‘average’ as the experienced riders know which climbs have extreme maximim percentage grades with horrid cobbles…

There is 100 kms or 62 miles of flat riding on the narrow roads of Flanders, Belgium before the race gets to the first hellingen (climb).  I have raced the the Ronde van Vlaanderen as a Professional on three occasions and every time it took almost exactly two hours to reach the first climb. The peloton starts with 198 riders and many who will not finish the race,  ride at the front keeping the pace around 30 mph average (Yea, it’s flat out!).  The course has a lot of turns so keeping a high average pace means that the peloton is screaming fast whenever there is a straight away. If there is any wind, it means that you will spend a lot of time in the gutter suffering before the first climb.  :)


Photo: Marty taking a dig on the Pattersberg hellingen

In 1999 I took 39th in the RVV and in 2000 I was in the race proudly wearing the stars and stripes as the US Professional Road Champion.

I had trained very hard over the winter and wanted to have a strong season while wearing the national champions jersey. You can see me racing in this short video

leading the peloton up the Kluisberg climb 180 kms into the race.  This was only the 5th climb in the race that year and most of the peloton was still together. As the climb got steeper, all of us at the front were pushing over 500 watts of power.  Its a real art to produce that kind of power with a poker face, but, even so you’ll only drop a few of the best Professional riders in the world.  As the race progresses the champions will attack the climbs with accelerations that greatly exceed 500 watts and likely hit 900-1000 for the real show.

If you watch the short youtube video you will see me get a flat tire at top of the Kluisberg. After getting a wheel change from my teammate, I desperately chased back to the group. Just as I had regained contact, a group of protagonists were escaping without the leader of my team, Viatcheslav Ekimov. Over the next hour I played a huge role to help him bridge back to the leaders. In 2000 I finished 71st.

My first year as a Professional, I was riding for the Dutch team, WordPerfect and was living close to the Murr de Geraardsbergen.  Living in Flanders, meant that I had ridden all of the hellingen several times, but the local Belgians are still amazing to race with. They ‘know’  exactly where to place themselves in the peloton and how to gauge their efforts. In that first year I had learned a lot from locals I was able to train with. It’s amazing to hear ‘what side’ of the peloton to be on and when to be in the top ten riders etc. etc. What may not be apparent on tv is how critical it is after the top of some of these climbs. After the hellingen where it flattens out, it’s often exposed and very windy, you must have good position with strong riders who will make sure the leaders do not get away.  The tactics in the Tour of Flanders can not be understated and the Belgians are the masters. Honestly, the hairs on my arms rise as I think about it.

The race starts in the beautiful city of Brugge and I encourage you to put this race on your bucket list of races to see in person. The last time I saw the race I was there as a spectator and visiting some of the riders and director sportiff’s that I knew.  I remember commenting to Scott Sunderland (DS at CSC at the time) about how quiet all of the riders were and he smiled and reminded me that for the riders it’s not all that quiet and that this was the calm before the storm. We had done so many races together, but perception as a rider and an observer are quite different. As quiet and calm as the riders seemed there ares enormous hearts beating strongly and preparing for the battle ahead. In the competitors minds it’s everything but quiet.


I’m living here in Park City and I will be watching the Ronde van Vlaanderen, live at Park City Roasters and will be happy to answer questions about the race. There is a deep tradition of bike racing in Belgium and the fans there, are hardened with knowledge and appreciation for the athletes.  It you are in the area feel free to stop in and say hello.

Marty Jemison
1999 US Professional Champion
Tour de France (1997 & 1998)
www.martyjemison.com

Marty’s Spring Classics photos with Jemison Cycling Tours can be found in our Gallery.

Adriaan Brouwer, fresh beer found only near Oudenaarde, Belgium and the finish of the Tour de Flanders aka Ronde van Vlaanderen

Milan-San-Remo:

  By MJCT | March 16, 2012 - 6:22 pm | Luxury Cycling Tours
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Milan-San Remo: Full throttle with Lance Armstrong and Andrei Tchmil

Milan San Remo – MSR kicks off the ‘Classics’ season on the Union Cyclist International calendar. The race is officially 298 kms long (185 miles) and will take the riders approximately 7 hours to complete. This year, there will be 3 Americans in the race: George Hincapie, Tyler Farrar, and Kiel Reijnen.

MSR started in 1907 and has been held 103 times. This year it comes six days after Paris-Nice, and only four days after Tirreno-Adriatico. Both are significant early-season stage races that open up the engines of the greatest riders in the World.

I rode the race in 1997 and 1999 and placed 80th and 60th, respectively. In those same years, I finished Paris-Nice 32nd and 28th. As a rider I remember wondering which stage race was better preparation for Milan San Remo. After racing over a week, you get to know how strong the riders are in the peloton, but what you don’t know is how you’ll do against the riders that rode the other stage race. MSR will have the strongest riders from both Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adiratico: the combination means that there is a lot of horsepower lining up for the first Classic of the season.

The race starts at the Castle Sforzesco in Milan, Italy. It is so packed with fans that it is difficult to appreciate this beautiful citadel, the construction of which began in the 14th Century. After signing in, the riders follow the race director out of the city which adds 10kms or so to the official distance. Every rider knows: this is going to be one long day on the bike. Each year, when the flag drops the attacks start. In 1997 we covered 100kms in the first 2 hours! This is an important race, and every Italian fights to ride on the front to be on television. Thankfully the first 120kms are relatively flat.

The first difficulty of the race comes between 134 -142kms, but this only slows the pace of the peloton slightly. The climb is gentle and only 8kms long. Next comes the Manie-Valico climb at 199kms, and it tends to test the condition of your legs. It only averages 6.7% over 4.7kms, but has a small section of 11%. After 120 miles of racing it can feel like somebody is driving nails into your legs or, if you’re feeling good, it can give you confidence for the remaining 98kms.

In 1999, just as we hit the coast of the Mediterranean, Lance Armstrong rode up next to me and asked calmly, “Why do you do this? Why do you race’? I was working harder relative to him, and was a bit puzzled by his question. Because of the brutally fast pace and constant fighting for position, I couldn’t answer him right away, but I remember thinking to myself: “I race because I love it.”

I had a good position riding up the Cipressa when Andrei Tchmil started fighting to come up on my right hand side, right on the edge of the road. This was the wind-protected side of the peloton, and he had the confidence to overtake me, but I shut the door on him. I knew it pissed him off but I was determined to hold my position. I was working for Viatcheslav Ekimov and had no reason to help anybody else. A few moments later, I heard Andrei mention my name to Eki. Whatever Eki said to Andrei worked in my favor. Later that year, in the Tour de France, both Andrei and I worked together on more than one occasion in the mountains of the Alps and Pyrenees. In some way, respect and friendship were formed that day on the Cipressa.

I dug deep and made it over the top of the Poggio — the final climb of the race — with the leading group, but on the descent I struggled to match the pace of the super-skilled descenders. I rode white-knuckled around each switchback, wondering if my tires were going to break free from the pavement causing me to slam into the stonewall. I lost several positions on the descent but managed to hang on the back of the group. On the way down the Poggio I thought about Sean Kelley’s achievement years before. As I fought to hold my position, I replayed the images of how he gained time and ended up winning the race in 1986, just ahead of Greg Lemond.

Looking through a dense cloud of dust and tasting lactic acid, I lifted my head to see someone’s arms being thrust into the air: I had finished in the same time of the winner and when I heard who had won an electric shock went through my body. The rider who had tried to nudge his way up my right side on the Cipressa, and who had time to chat with the rider I was working for, had just on Milan San Remo: Andrei Tchmil. His ability to have a ‘chat’ on the ascent of the Cipressa made a little more sense to me now.

Italians have won the race 50 times, and the best American finisher was my teammate from the 1993 US National Team, Fred Rogriguez. Fast Freddy took 2nd in 2002 behind Mario Cipollini.

Both George Hincapie and Tyler Farrar are sprinters and have a chance to win the race this year. On Sunday, I will also be looking to see how American Kiel Reijnen ends up.

After 300kms of professional racing on the bike what do you think happens next? Well, in my case, you take a quick shower and get in the soigneur’s car, who then drives you home to Girona. San Remo to Girona, Spain is 627kms away. Back in 1999, 200kph on the Autoroute was acceptable — and that was what the fast lane was for.

Thanks for reading,

Marty Jemison
www.martyjemison.com

A Look Back at Summer Adventure with Marty Jemison Cycling Tours (by Sam Starr)

  By MJCT | March 16, 2012 - 6:15 pm | Luxury Cycling Tours
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A Look Back at Summer Adventure with Marty Jemison Cycling Tours

Part of the story of building out Edwin into a pizza making machine has to do with bikes. Well, most things in my life can be traced to bikes. But especially in this case. You see, kitchens in trucks are expensive to build. Not to mention wood-fired ovens. The process also grinds away at certain emotional reserves. Both of these facts led me to gladly accept an invitation to temporarily return to duty on some of the most beautiful roads in Europe starting last August. And what a call of duty is was! Working with Marty and Jill Jemison is always full of fun challenges, excitement, and truly spectacular moments in the saddle and at the dinning table. I blocked out 6 weeks on my calendar, stitched up Edwin’s gaping holes in his aluminum side, and hopped the Atlantic.

I had the pleasure of joining up with four different groups traveling in three different regions: Basque Country, Provence, and Normandy. I’ll walk you through bits and pieces of my Basque trip, feeding on some great images that Marty has posted, as he always does with each trip. For a complete collection of images, in addition to more information about upcoming tours visit www.martyjemison.com.

The things most people think of when you mention “Basque” have to do with the separatist politics of the region in relationship to its ‘parent’ nation, Spain. While a fairly small portion of the population is interested in officially breaking away from Spain, it is true that the Basques are proud of their very independent history and distinctive culture. Furthermore, many Basque traditions (culinary, linguistic, architectural) extend beyond political borders.

We Even Found a mini-Wood-Fired Oven Pizza Place!

For example, our journey began in France, in the seaside resort town of Biarritz. Biarritz felt very much like a French sister city to San Sebatian, where our two-wheeled pilgramage would end seven days later. While both cities are historical resort towns, Biarritz boasts a history of high-profile vacationers, namely European Royalty. In 1854, wifey of Napolean the III built a palace on the beach there. We saw no European royalty, but a steady pack of surfers could be spotted in the water when we left for rides in the morning, and they were usually there when we came back. Strange, in some way, to see young Frenchies carrying surf boards, dressed in ROXY and RIP CURL gear, shouting to one another about surf conditions in French. Santa Barbara meets French west coast, I guess.

As you ride inland from the beaches, you’ll find a landscape that is lush to the point of flourescence. It reminds me of the hills in Vermont. Except with corn added into the equation- there is a lot of corn being grown there. Marty often introduced the day’s rides by talking about the surreal quality of the fauna and wildlife in the area, and it was true- you get the sense as you crest steep summits that the birds, cows, flowers-  even the shrubs- emit a robust, healthy glow.

Our next stop was St. Jean Pied du Port, or ‘foot of the pass’, traditionally a point along the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. I played the role of picnic-er and luggage transport for the day, so I scooted ahead of the group in the van to set up a lunch spread in a quaint village perched on a steep hilltop. These towns are so sleepy around lunchtime- not much was open. That didn’t stop us from pushing our noses against the glass of a local bike shop display window after we ate to admire the shop owner’s collection of antique racing bikes. The stuff he had was really amazing- old models that had early versions of derailleurs or braking systems,  wooden handlebars, hand-hammered fenders, all sorts of juicy curiosities.

St. Jean Pied du Port had some nasty climbs in store for us, some of the steepest I would see all season. But they took us up into such surreal cloud-lined pockets of the mountains, so it was worth the little bit of suffering. Some of our guests were skeptical

that they could make it over the pass, but I think everyone surprised themselves, as they always do. It turns out, world-class roads and scenery (with a small dose of peer pressure) can do a whole lot to your engine. Beyond the flourescence of the coastal hills,

these summits were mostly tree-less and very rocky. The fog was so thick that our visibility often fell below 30 or 40 feet up the road. We were almost as likely to encounter a slowly puttering car coming through the moist air as it was we were a herd of enormous mountain cows or goats. These cows were seriously large. Just before descending back into civilization, we explored an open grassy area adjacent to an old goat herder’s mountain hut. As you can see from Marty’s pictures, the site contains an arrangement of stones, presumably left-over artifacts from ancient Basque ritual and mythology. And I would believe it if you said some of our dear guests understood that mythology better that night after our group dinner that included some marvelous wines and an electric green Chartreuse!

The last leg of our journey connected St Jean to San Sebastian, leading us down out of the foggy mountains to one of the most gorgeous beach cities in Spain. The early part of the ride was what Marty and Jill might conservatively refer to as “lumpy.” After another amazing village picnic under the roof of an outdoor handball court, we descended from one of the larger summits. After you’ve crested that one climb, the whole rest of the ride is a seemingly endless serpentine dance with the Basque topography- down, down, down we coasted. Just to keep us from getting too spoiled, there was a bit of vertical left to conquer coming into San Sebastian. In fact, we got to enjoy one small chunk of the race course for the 1997 World Championship Road Race where Marty raced.

The final flourish of a fantastic week of adventure came on our dinner plates, as we enjoyed the Basque’s version of tapas, better known as “Pintxos.” Both of our nights out in San Sebastian were filled with amazing cuisine and local wines. There is a remarkable white wine produced in that coastal area that has a slight effervescence to it, and is very dry with a strong mineral presence. The pintxos will enchant you in a number of ways. First, the experience of ordering and eating these little creations could not be any more Spanish. The more yelling and close-quartered nudging, the better. Everyone crowds around the bar, trying to catch the server’s eye or ear as best they can. You can smell the woman’s perfume next to you as much as you can the sea urchin paste on the pan tostado sitting on the counter. Second source of enchantment: The Look. It’s often hard to imagine destroying the pintxos because they’re such amazing micro-sculptures. It’s obvious the chefs have put as much thought into the flavor as they have the presentation. Lastly, your mouth’s opinion of these culinary masterpieces will seal the deal: you’ll be back for more. I know I will be…