The last 2 weeks I spent my time down in Italy, by the Garda Lake and Bormio. Was it good, I bet you it was, even the heat wave got the temperatures up on 38 degrees

good traningcamp by Lago di Garda
The first 10 days I was training by “Lago di Garda” in the temperatures of 35-40 degrees!!! Grazy, but yes it is possible. My good friend Sara, (whos uncle by the way is not less than Francesco Moser, “the King of the 1970″ on a bike) is living by the Lake, in Arco, she is a great cyclist, so I had some great rides with her.
Cycling in the nothern Italy is excellent, and not only the riding but you can swim with your wetsuit in the Lake and also in the outside 50 meter pool in Arco.
In the area of Riva del Garda / Torbole / Arco, running can be done either on the flat paths or hilly roads. So it is just to choose what training you want to do.
The northern part of Garda Lake is very known among Germans. They drive down with their mobilehomes or vans to do some windsurfing, rockclimbing, trekking or mountainbiking. This place is one big playground.
So the area has for years b een known for its great nature for mountainbiking, but the last years roadbiking has started to get place as well. The local italians did it already for the last years, but you could not really see any tourists riding… This has changed and you can even rent a roadbike from a bikeshop, which you find many of on the area.
.By the Lake you can do some great climbs, like 1000 heightmeters in 11,8 km, with max of 14% degrees and average of 9%. And you get to this climb after 5 min on your bike. There is also possible to ride on flat roads, you can just make a ride around the Lake, and you get almost 200 km on your computer. And when biking around the Lake, you might see bikers like Michael Rasmussen, og Gilberto Simoni, who are living close by the Lake. The classic climb of Monte Bondone you can also reach from the north part of the lake.
Even in the hot summerdays, remember to take a vest, or even arms with you, and if you head to the mountains in 2000 to 2700m, you really must check the weather forecast, for thunderweather or temperature/wind, the weather might get to be freash and even cool, and the temperatures might be between 0 and +5 even if you have 15 in the vally. If you have normal summer = 30 in the vally, then count on around 10 high up.
Some + and – when TRI- training by the Garda Lake:
+ no traffic on the mountain roads
+ great temperatures for training, when on the mountains
+ mountain climbs start from your door
+ the carbohydrates are easily available; excellent pasta, risotto, pizza restaurants, low prices (compared to Danish/Copenhagen pricelevel) , simple dinner for 2 persons incl. drinks 150 – 200 dkr! (25€)
+ outside pool 50 meters during the summer months, (Arco Campingarea) swim when the pool opens, else too many children jumping around!!!
– lots of traffic along the Lake roads, when biking flat
– in the hottest summermonths the temeperatures can get even too high, so you have to do your training in the early morning
– very few roadbiking route maps, mostly MTB
Find Sara from her shop in Arco www.moser-arco.com, and she will tell you all the good roadbiking routes by the Lake. By the way, she has also her own clothbrand specially made for women, called “Recycling”. You can only buy her clothes in her shop today, but she is slowly building up a netshop. To have a look of the clothes check her website. Enjoy your training and your rides on the Lake!