Early in the morning, at 10 o'clock sharp, the start was given The third edition of the Deejay 100 Virtual Race in Puglia, linking Ostuni and Alberobello.: 32,36 kilometers with an altitude difference of 482 meters to be completed within 100 minutes. More than 1.500 athletes from all over the world participated and, in connection, there were various guests who cycled as Alessandro Vanotti (former professional cyclist) and Luca Gregorio (cycling commentator for Europsort).
The race pack had arrived a few days earlier. It contained the Jersey hardskin and various gels and products energy.
Visconti Route
As a “physical” theatre of the race, the study of biomechanics by Alessandro Mansueto in Palermo. Accuracy and reality of the simulation on a very hilly, nervous route with various ups and downsA truly leg-breaking route. While I was pedaling, inevitably, perhaps also because of the place where I was, I immediately thought it was a path suitable for Giovanni Visconti for its fast characteristics, but at the same time for its resistance and strength when climbing.
From Sicily to Puglia
Outside the sun was shining on Sicily with temperatures above 20 degrees, but after a moment it really seemed like we were in Puglia.It was quite scary to see cars and trucks pass in the opposite direction of travel, but it made everything even more realistic.
I often lowered my head to push harder on the pedals and I didn't realize that, suddenly, the road was climbing steeplyI just felt my legs getting heavier and more tired, so I looked up and saw the increased gradient on the monitor. I barely had time to shift down a gear before I immediately had to shift back into the big chainring, because a slight downhill slope began.
Cycling on rollers is increasingly tiring and tiring compared to the road, where there are moments when you don't pedal and you can breathe a little. Using an interactive roller, the fatigue was felt, but probably due to the purely technical and nervous routeThe heaviness of pedaling on the spot wasn't the same, it was a fatigue much more similar to that felt on the road.
The sudden "jerks" made me to suffer and toil, but once you understand the progress of the path and the possibility of being able to stay in the slipstream It was a lot of fun.
From all over the world
A beautiful experience which however It cannot completely replace the sensation of pedaling on asphalt. Smelling the scents of the places, the wind, and being able to look at your opponents' faces to understand how tired they really are. In a time like the Coronavirus, creating and participating in a competition like this will certainly have been even more beautiful and important. And to this day, it remains the way to unite so many people from all over the world linked by a passion for cycling.
I finished my tiring but beautiful race in 69 minutes reaching 485th position at 21'03” minutes from the winner Carlo Fabio Calcagni.
