Pro racer, ultra-endurance athlete, adventure icon—Lachlan Morton carries many titles, and we’re proud to add one more to his considerable stack: fizik rider. Meet the newest member of the extended fizik family of athletes below.

Australian-born Lachlan Morton has been pinging on most cycling fans’ radars for many years. Maybe you first heard of him through his appearances alongside brother Gus in their self-produced Thereabouts and Outskirts film series, which saw the pair embark alongside a rolling cast of characters on far-flung bike adventures in Australia, the US, Colombia, and beyond.

Or perhaps it is his racing career that has resonated. On what can best be described as an atypical trajectory, the Education First rider has been plying roads and trails on the pro circuit for nearly a decade, with strong showings in traditional Grand Tours and off-kilter competitions alike.

Outside of racing, Lachlan tends to spend his down time smashing records—a task he’s recently had plenty of practice at. When his world’s fastest Everesting attempt was nullified last year due to an error in the elevation data that meant he hadn’t quite met the threshold, he simply went back out and did it again a few days later, riding the collective elevation of Mount Everest (8,848 meters) in 7 hours, 29 minutes, and 57 seconds. Of course, this all came just a few weeks after he’d set another notable FKT—completing the 142-mile Kokopelli Trail in Utah and Colorado with record-breaking speed.

But even to those who’d managed to miss his previous feats, this past summer, Morton embarked on an adventure too bold to be overlooked by anyone in the wide world of cycling: Lachlan’s Alt Tour. Part throwback Grand Tour, part super-endurance solo challenge, Lachlan set out from the port city of Brest in northern France an hour after the main peloton’s Grand Depart at the start of this year’s TDF. He would follow the same route on the same roads as his fellow pros, the only differences being Lachlan would go alone, self-supported and riding all the transfers, adding an extra 1,300 miles to the 2,082 covered by the regular stage racers.

His goals were twofold: to beat the TDF riders to the finish in Paris and to raise funds for World Bicycle Relief en route—both of which he achieved in characteristic style. As he circled the Arc de Triomphe, days ahead of the next closest rider, he did so having raised nearly half a million dollars for the cause that had spurred him on throughout his seventeen-day odyssey.

With Lachlan on a flight path that shows no signs of slowing down, we’re honored to welcome him to the fizik family of athletes and look forward to equipping his many exciting, unpredictable adventures ahead.

For sixteen seasons, former basketball pro Reggie Miller was known for his talents as a skilled shooter, ending his career with the Indiana Pacers in 2005 with the league record for most career threes—a record that nearly twenty years later has only been surpassed by two other players. Now back in his native California, Miller has traded his high-tops for cleats and has his sights set on a new goal: encouraging others to ride their bikes. And you can bet, when Miller takes aim, he doesn’t miss.

“Tim Commerford [yes, of Rage Against the Machine fame] is the reason why I really got into the sport of cycling. I had just moved to Malibu; I was in a restaurant when he approached me to welcome me to the neighborhood and asked if I had ever mountain biked. I said no, I had never owned a bike, and he decided that I should go out on a ride with him and a few of his friends—those friends turned out to be big-wave surfer Laird Hamilton and Bally fitness owner Don Wildman. I didn’t quite know what I was doing on the mountain bike, but I fell in love with being on those trails. It was an unbelievable ride, and that’s when I knew I was hooked on mountain biking.”

“Once I retired, I started to ride more mountain bikes, and then it just started to grow more over the years, hiring a fitness trainer and a coach and racing mountain bikes to keep up that competitive edge. Training for bike races is a little bit different than when I was a professional basketball player. Being on a bike is much more repetitive – more intervals, more cadence training, longer rides to build up your cardio, whereas in an NBA game, everything is more short sprints and weight training.”

Ever the competitor, Miller takes his training seriously. Luckily, he lives in the perfect place to keep his intervals interesting, mixing road cycling with time spent off the tarmac.

Putting his training to practical use, Reggie regularly takes part in cycling competitions, from cross-country MTB races to gravel grinds and more—and always kitted out in his Team Boombaby colors, an organization that Miller uses alongside his public platform to raise awareness and money for causes close to his heart. Past projects include a popular collaboration between Miller, Boombaby and the Italian cycling-apparel makers at Castelli to raise money for both the Dropping Dimes Foundation and Equal Justice Initiative.

Continuing in his philanthropic pursuits, Miller is currently working on a unique event together with Castelli, Zwift and fizik. Called Ride with Reggie, the virtual meet-up invites cyclists from all around the world to gather with Reggie on Zwift with the aim of having the most individuals ever participating in a single group ride. The two-hour online event will also be used to raise money for another great cause.

“Ride with Reggie is a chance to bring in riders from all over the world to help raise money for HBCU’s (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) cycling programs. Currently there’s only one HBCU cycling program, which is St. Augustine University. Our goal is to create more cycling programs in HBCUs, so they are able to compete on the national stage. SAU is currently the only HBCU competing in the collegiate cycling season, so of course we want to spotlight their program. My goal and wish is to have at least five HBCU’s competing by 2025, if not sooner.”

For Reggie, it’s not only important to ensure those who seek to pursue success in cycling are provided with the right resources to do so, but that more riders are welcomed to the sport from frequently marginalized communities.

Ride with Reggie will take place on November 6th, with registrations and opportunities to donate opening three weeks before the event.
You can learn all about how to take part at www.zwift.com/eu/events/ride-with-reggie

I have been to the Basque Country a lot of times for trials competitions but only once with the enduro bikes. We went last summer with Andreu and Ernest, and we loved it so much that we wanted to come back this year too. This time we stayed in San Sebastian, at Alvaro’s apartment in the seafront of la Zurriola Beach. From there we moved around.

We spent two days riding the mount Ulia, also riding down to Pasaia to cross to Pasai Donibae and access mount Jaizkabel and its trails. Another two days around Zaláin and Endara dam, we followed a track Ernest got from one local rider and the last day, on our way home, we rode one of the trails around Eugi.

MONTE ULIA  + JAIZKABEL 

Monte Ulia (+243m) is located east of San Sebastián and even it does not have super flowy trails the views are just amazing. While riding some of the trails you can see the Atlantic ocean and the rugged coast. The cool thing is that the trials are short but the pedalling to the top is also short, so in an afternoon you can do about 6 o 7 different trails. As it rains a lot in the Basque Country, the vegetation grow really fast and you can often find trails full of it. However, sometimes this makes the adventure even cooler.

The second day we decided to do a longer route, going to the Jaizkabel mount from San Sebastián. So we rode up mount Ulia and rode down about 250 stairs to Pasaia. There we took a ferry, a 2 minutes ferry, and we crossed to the other side.

Once we cross, the steepest part of the route began. Luckily it was paved and it was easier to pedal. We arrive to an open field where we we found horses and sheep, and an amazing views to San Sebastián and the mountains around. We started the first trail and we felt like in a GoPro promotional video, the sun was already low, the horses around and the breathtaking views. After the open field part, we entered a singletrack that we followed to the end, very fun to ride. 

Then we went for the longest uphill of the day, 7,5km. It was long, warm and sweaty, we could felt the humidity hitting but once at the top the views were just simply worth it and we forgot about the heat. We arrived close to the sunset and the warm colors painted everything we could see. 

After that, the moment we’ve been expecting all day, a 5km and 500m downhill to Lezo, linking 3 different trails. We really enjoyed every metre of it. It had almost everything, faster parts, sketchy ones, rock gardens, even some flow turns until we made it to Lezo and we decided to go back to San Sebastián by road because it was already 9:15pm and ti was getting darker.

ENDARA DAM AND ZALÁIN

We spent two days riding in these area. The trail to the Endara dam it was about 11 minutes riding down through some serious steep parts. We found very nice terrain with some grip, however the shadow parts where still wet and it was tricky not to slide. The first part its more open and with some nice views to the reservoir and the last part you enter a dense forest with some super steep parts where you have to trust your braking skills…

EUGI TRAILS

On our way home we stopped in the small town of Eugi, we didn’t had much time but we decided to stop for a ride. Turned up in 25.52km, 1.106m and 4h of riding! It was the warmest days and we could feel it so much we ran out of water in the middle of the route. The terrain was dry and very slippery but we got out the most of it. As we couldn’t stop to take a lot of pictures we filmed everything with the GoPros, so soon you will find the video in my Youtube channel.

As always, I love to discover new places and new trails around. We were also lucky because it didn’t rain any day, which is really strange in the north, and even we crash sometimes we didn’t broke anything, just Andreu had a small injurie in the small finger of his right hand, nothing to worry about.

Hopefully the pandemic gets better and we will be able to travel international for the next adventures… Stay tuned!

Make sure to follow Pol Tarrés (@pol.tarres), Ernest Adalid (@ernestadalid) and all their friends for more great MTB adventures.

Pictures by Alvaro Rodríguez
(@alvarokrodriguez / www.alvarokrodriguez.com)

We asked the trail builders at Mottolino Bike Park to tell us about a typical day for them. Theirs is an intense life involving planning and managing unexpected events, as well as a special relationship with nature.

In this post we tell you about it through these images and the candid words of one of the team members, whom we interviewed this summer in Livigno.

MEETING AND PLANNING

Every morning, my team of trail builders and I meet for a first briefing to determine what needs to be done that day.

If it rained heavily the night before, each trail builder independently analyzes a part of the route, to see if specific maintenance is needed or if the ground has withstood the rains well.

Once this first analysis has been completed, we begin to organize the teams that will start working on the trail. Priority is given to the parts of the route that have been damaged the most.

ORDINARY AND EXTRAORDINARY MAINTENANCE OF THE BIKE PARK

Trail maintenance is categorized as ordinary or extraordinary maintenance.

The former consists of reshaping the berms and cleaning the trails so that our riders find a flawless route every day.

Extraordinary maintenance is scheduled periodically and is carried out when the trail is damaged from overuse and requires the attention of the entire team.

During extraordinary maintenance, the trail is closed completely for a full repair; on these occasions, we also often take the opportunity to make improvements to the trail.

THE TRAIL BUILDER’S LIFE

Moving earth, breaking up trails and modifying them by giving them a new form and different characteristics every time is very satisfying, especially at the end when you go see the final result.

Being out in nature is another aspect that you really appreciate when you’re doing a job like this.

Whether it’s winter or summer, creating different features and being completely surrounded by nature makes you feel good.

Make sure to follow Ezequiel Urrets (@ezeurrets)

Pictures by Ezequiel Urrets
(@ezeurrets)

Movistar Team Captain and Vuelta veteran, Alejandro Valverde, kicked off his fifteenth Spanish Tour with hopes of a strong performance in what he had previously promised would be his final GT. But on Stage 7, with “El Bala” on the attack in the final 40km, a small bump followed by a loss of control took Valverde off course and ultimately out of the race. We spoke with Jose Joaquín Rojas, Alejandro’s teammate, as well as Valverde himself to find out what that moment meant as well as what the future holds for the grand Spanish champion.

JOSE JOAQUÍN ROJAS

What were your thoughts when you first saw that Alejandro had crashed?
I first saw his bike, and then I saw Alejandro on the embankment, trying to climb with one hand because he was holding his shoulder with the other. My first thought was to help him.
He kept repeating to me, “It hurts a lot! It hurts a lot!” and instinctively, I took his hand and pulled him back over the barrier, back onto the roadside.
Alejandro told me, “I have a broken collarbone! I have a broken collarbone!” and so I looked at it.
After looking at it, I told him that the collarbone wasn’t broken—at least at first glance, he didn’t seem to have a displaced fracture.
Of course, we discovered after the x-rays that his collarbone had a compound fracture, but it was impossible to see it at the time.

What was your first reaction?
The first sensation I felt was a tremendous pain for Alejandro because he is a great friend before being a great rider.
The truth is, you are never ready to see your captain suffer—the same person you have supported and supported throughout your sporting life.
When I passed that corner and saw his bike on the side of the road, I immediately stopped, but was still thinking that nothing serious had happened. But then I found Alejandro almost impassive, immobile, white in the face, and my first thought was that I had to help him.

Who announced the crash on the radio?
Enric announced that Alejandro had fallen – “Caida Bala! Caida Bala! Caida Bala!” – because both were leading the peloton. When Bala attacked, Enric was immediately behind him and was the first to notice the fall.

What were your feelings following the official withdrawal?
When I learned that he had withdrawn from the race, I was sad because we had lost one of our captains in that moment.
But then, when I learned that he only had a broken collarbone, I felt very relieved because I know he can recover quickly from a broken collarbone! Three days and El Bala would be on the bike again.

ALEJANDRO VALVERDE

Can you describe the moment of the crash?
Thinking back to the moment of the accident, I think it was a shame. I’m not saying I was relaxed at the time, but I was descending without any issues.
I tackled the curve normally, as I would have done at any other time, even in training, with my arms relaxed, but I didn’t notice that there was a small crack on the asphalt that I hadn’t seen.
I got a kickback on my arm, and my hand lost its grip on the handlebars. It slipped and I lost the bike’s balance, which slid to the side of the road where everyone saw the scene.
The thing that most impressed me, after having reviewed the images the next day at home, was realizing how little room was left between where I stopped and falling into the ravine, and the crash becoming much more severe than it was.

What did you say to JJ Rojas in that moment?
After I fell, I immediately got up and began to see the whole group and support cars pass me. In the meantime, I was shouting on the radio, “I’m here! I am here!” and at one point, JJ ​​Rojas appeared.
Rojas told me, “Give me your hand!” and I said to him, “Rojas, I can only give you my left because I can’t move my right!”
I felt that I had broken something, even though I didn’t know at that exact moment what was broken – whether it was the collarbone or not – because when I’d broken my collarbone in the past, I was unable to move in any way.
But I knew that indeed something, maybe the scapula, or the shoulder, was broken. Rojas helped me up the slope, looked at my back, my shoulder, and kept saying, “Cheer up! Power!”
The truth is that I couldn’t help but get back on the bike at that moment, despite the pain, because when you have a partner there, who has stopped for you, who is helping you and motivating you, you can’t help but find the strength to start again. It’s one of the most motivating things, even when you have something broken.

What were your thoughts when you decided to end your Vuelta?
When I decided to withdraw, I first felt great regret for myself, a great regret because I knew I was in good shape.
And then, great regret for my teammates because I knew we had high expectations for this Vuelta, and until that moment, everything was going for the best. When I crashed, I was attacking, and we would undoubtedly have been able to create a big fight on that day’s stage. I am sure that if I had made it to Santiago, we would have fought until the last day.

Tell us about your plans. Are you focused on the Worlds?
Surely I will still be present at the races before the end of the season. Indeed, you will see me competing again. I will not be at the start of the World Championships, even if I like the course a lot, but my teammates from the Spanish National Team are certainly more suited to the Belgian course than me. I would like to be at the start of the Giro di Sicilia, four days to train, then to Milan, Turin and finally to Lombardy. I know I’m not at my best, but I’ll do my best to be competitive as always.

We wish Alejandro Valverde a speedy recovery and can’t wait to see him back racing again soon.

Heading out on a bike trip gives me great satisfaction. When you start the journey, it feels like an ordinary ride of a couple of hours, but when you return, days later, you’ll have a few hundred kilometers more in your legs.

On this trip we had 700, and we were out for most of four days.

As usual, we find ourselves assembling the pile of things needed for the trip, never too punctual, never too late. We put various things, some of which we’ll never use, in our bags and attach everything to the bikes. Not having to board a train, or catch a flight, or take a trip by car before getting on our bikes gives us a certain advantage: if you leave late, you can decide to shorten that day’s ride while you’re out on the road, or finish later …

Cento lives in a special place, Villa Angarano. We get on our bikes and the children in the courtyard, seeing the bags attached to our frames, understand that it could be days before we return.

Every so often, Cristiano switches bikes while riding around the courtyard to let us know that he could follow us on the road and even off-road, if he wanted …

While waiting to see us leave, they ride around the courtyard on their bikes in a group, checking the door of No. 6. When we say goodbye, they look at us as if we were the parents they’d always wanted.

Riding in our area is rewarding. We’ve come to the conclusion that it’s the means by which we move — in our case, by bike — that brings real satisfaction. Cycling helps us to enter places and hearts by eliminating long faces and fears. If you “enter” with a smile, you are welcomed and met with a smile. The only problem with getting around by bike: drivers.

In Italy, they haven’t yet figured out how to protect cyclists, so a few mutual raised fingers are de rigueur when you decide to ride on the road as well as off.

We find a little bit of everything along the way, and having started in the late afternoon, here the first encounter is with dozens and dozens of slimy frogs, hypnotized by the headlights of our bikes along the trails and roads after a heavy storm.

Finding last-minute accommodations is very easy for us. Usually this is my job, and, due to some strange circumstance, even after hearing “Sorry, we’re full” several times, some incredibly beautiful, often characteristic, place always turns up in the end. The statement “We’re coming by bike and we’re looking for accommodations to stay dry” can sometimes be a plus that helps us be accepted in beautiful places, as well as a minus that gets us excluded by those who don’t understand that we aren’t vagrants …

Feltre really welcomed us. Michela, the owner of a beautiful B&B in the center, urged us to bring our bikes inside the apartment for safety and left the key under the doormat, since we wouldn’t be able to get there to check in before 1:00 a.m. Having said that, she wished us a good trip on the phone and told us we could pay with a bank transfer after we finished the ride … no rush.

The flooring in her apartment reminded us of East Berlin, but totally restored and spotless.
The bikes felt safe.

From the mountains to the sea was our plan.

The rain welcomed us to the sea as we enjoyed generous portions of mixed fried seafood by the water in Caorle. There was also abundant rain, which made us return inland, as the weather forecast advised and where we took shelter under the roof of the terrace of an abandoned inn before Treviso. In the morning we realized we also had a sink supplied with hot water to our left, and it was nice to be able to clean ourselves up a bit.

We ride to Treviso along the Restera, which is always pleasant. It’s best avoided on summer weekends, though, since you sometimes come across even more people than mosquitoes.

Along the riverbank leading to Padova, we meet a pair of Italian wolves, as elegant as they are stern, and totally irresistible. Ste couldn’t decide whether to give up the bikes or the dogs …

Belluno was a peony, Jesolo calla lilies, Abano Terme a magnolia, Polesine an onion …

Polesine was fun, full of character, with dreary and crumbling architecture, filled with endless fields of wheat, carpets of grass, onions, some rice fields, and tractors of all ages and sizes.

The atmosphere heats up on the wheat fields, which reflect a warm light that almost seems like yellow desert. The owner of the bar where we drink a double espresso after riding for more than an hour without breakfast greets us by asking us to take off our masks because his town is Covid-free. So we do.

It was pouring in Verona, so we have no photos, and by Lonigo we were so drenched that we took off some of our soaking-wet clothes. It was incredible on the first climb in the Berici Hills to gorge ourselves on cherries that were as swollen with water as we were, since it had rained hard there shortly before as well.

We’ve had our fill of cherries for the whole of 2021. In 2022 I think I’ll be back to do it all over again.

The gravel descent after about 20 kilometers in the hills saw us off and gave the momentum to push hard toward home. Too bad the way home was a slight false flat uphill, but the cherries were enough to get us there, where, as usual, we sit outside the house to drink and eat whatever was in the refrigerator.
The children didn’t see us arrive. Predictably, it was too late. Start late, finish late …

Make sure to follow Cento Canesio (@cento_canesio), Nadia Moro (@nadiamoro)

Pictures by Nadia Moro
(@nadiamoro)

Girona, with its colorful streets, countless climbs and destination bike shops and cafes has steadily become a cyclist retreat for riders from around the world. Home to current and former pros alike, this Catalan town attracts scores of cyclists, many of whom return year after year, while others choose to stay indefinitely – all drawn in by the allure of Girona’s picturesque network of seemingly endless roads.

Of course, Girona’s not all perfectly paved switchbacks and smooth tarmac – there’s also a great array of gravel tracks and trails to enjoy. Enter The Traka.

Hosted by sports event organizers Klassmark, The Traka is more than a gravel race. It’s a weekend dedicated to exploring the undiscovered beauty in and around the province of Girona. Participants can choose from four distances over which to compete: 60km, 100km, 200km, and the ultra-tough 360km race – a self-supported, GPS-guided route that racks up some 5,000 meters of climbing along the way.

Excitement for this year’s Traka was high, with many marking the occasion as a return to racing after a year spent away from mass competitive events. Amongst those pinning on race numbers in the pre-dawn hours in Girona were riders from both France’s Wish One Racing Team and the Italian Enough cycling collective. Wish One is a relatively young brand that builds competition-worthy bikes in France guided by the goal to “Make Humans Ride Bikes”, and their race team is an adventurous extension of that mantra. Enough, on the other hand, is less of a team, and more a group of likeminded cyclists from differing backgrounds united by a love of riding. Or as they put it, “True friends show commitment and help you out in shaping what’s important for you. We are lucky Enough to have many of those true friends.”

The first event to kick off the weekend was also the longest. Riders on the 360km Traka course set out around sunrise on Saturday with the choice to tackle it in one shot, aiming to finish sometime after sunset that same day, or they could break it up into two rides, so long as they finished before 8:00 pm Sunday evening. The Traka 60, 100 and 200 races all took place during the day on Sunday. Whichever route riders chose to ride, and no matter the pace at which they chose to ride it, they were certainly treated to stunning weather and scenery while grinding along the spectacular gravel of Girona – taking home great memories to accompany their dust covered kit.

We’re just back in Italy after a great weekend in Girona for the Traka,” the Enough team shares.

Beyond enjoying a great teambuilding experience, the riders of Enough managed to achieve some impressive results.

“Among the many other things that happened, we also took the time to go big. Mattia won the 360 Km race and Asja, in her first gravel race, crossed the line in first place in the 200 Km.”

And even those riders who didn’t finish at the top of a podium, still ended the weekend on a high note.

“Fede and Francesco didn’t have the best of luck during the event, but they enjoyed every single minute of it.”

As for Wish One, well they, too, led the peloton, both in terms of speed and level of stoke:

“Our stay in Girona started with beautiful pre-race rides on the great G-roads of Costa Brava. And it ended with a lot of joy and a little pride with the 1st and 3rd place of Pauline and Gaby in the 100k women’s race, the 3rd place finish of Bruno in the 200k men’s race, and Alex, who finished the 360k in the top 5.”

If you missed this year’s event, don’t worry: Traka will return next year, and 2022 weekend plans are already underway. Or if you simply can’t wait, book your own trip to discover the beauty of Girona – good times and great gravel are guaranteed.

Following last year’s challenging postponed cycling season, the Giro’s opening time trial in Turin earlier this month felt like a small victory in itself. Of course, for INEOS Grenadier Filippo Ganna, stage one was even more significant as he powered his way to a commanding win and into 2021’s first leader jersey. But if last year taught us anything, it’s that racing – even a time trial – is never a solo endeavor, a truth that would prove itself increasingly evident throughout the next three weeks en route to Milan.

A GRAND RETURN TO FORM

With the Giro back in its typical May time slot, a favorite heading into the race, Egan Bernal, was making a return of his own. Forced to end his last Grand Tour bid due to persistent back injury, Bernal had clearly been working hard in the off-season, alongside stage-one winner Ganna and fellow Grenadier teammates. He seemed to be in top form for Italy’s biggest race, which kicked off in typical style with some early leader exchanges.

Filippo Ganna’s blistering opening time trial pace earned him enough of a lead to keep the pink jersey through stages two and three, before the Maglia Rosa moved to the shoulders of Alessandro De Marchi and Attila Valter. But, as excitement ratcheted up and the Giro headed into the first big mountain stage at stage 9, all eyes began to shift to the grimpeurs.

With six big climbs and an uphill, off-road finish, stage nine was always going to be electrifying, but few may have predicted it would set the narrative for the remainder of the race. Following more than a few thwarted breakaways, the stage came down to the final gravel climb. As team INEOS upped the tempo, Egan Bernal launched his attack, sprinting away from the leaders for his first-ever Grand Tour stage win and confidently into the pink jersey.

IT TAKES A TEAM

Donning the Maglia Rosa takes strength, timing and strategy—holding onto it for twelve more stages takes tremendous resolve and teamwork. With Filippo Ganna leading the way through the flatter, fast-paced stages and Dani Martinez, Salvatore Puccio and fellow Grenadiers trading turns on offense and defense, Egan Bernal had the right team behind (and in front of) him to manage to do just that. Never was this more evident than in Martinez’s heroic pace on the penultimate stage, setting Bernal up with a comfortable lead to carry him through the final 30km time trial into Milan and onto the podium’s top spot.

Congratulations to Egan Bernal on his first Giro d’Italia win. To display such a commanding performance, stage after stage after stage, is all the more impressive considering the tremendous effort it took to return to form after the challenges of last season.

Congratulations to Dani Martinez, Filippo Ganna and every INEOS Grenadier for leading the way to victory while earning the top team distinction along the way. Congratulations to the trainers and coaches and support crew—and from our team at fizik, thank you to everyone involved in returning the Maglia Rosa to its rightful month, ensuring that pink continues to be the color of May. We’re proud to support the glory of the Giro d’Italia together.

For most, conversations about family vacations often bring to mind visions of childhood memories: long car rides, busy tourist sites and fights with siblings. But that’s not the case for Downhill and Enduro athletes Caro and Anita Gehrig—at least not these days. Recently, as the twins prepared to set off for a four-day bikepacking trip through Switzerland and Italy, they received a surprising request. Their 66-year-old dad, Karl, wanted to tag along! Despite their planned long distances, large climbs and nights spent out under the stars, they happily welcomed him aboard. All he’d need to do first is find a bike to ride.

“Our trip started a few days later,” Anita recalls. “We looked like Eskimos wrapped in all the clothes we had brought with us, standing atop the 2,149-meter Ofen Pass.” The trio had traveled by train, then bus, to reach the starting point for their cycling trip, met upon arrival by wintery conditions but hopeful that spring would be waiting further down the road. “We were excited about what the next few days would bring. We were going on a family adventure.”

Day one was scheduled to be the longest of the trip, covering 200 kilometers from the high mountain pass, across the Italian border, and onward to the town of Rovereto. “Fast-paced towards South Tyrol, the apple blossoms had just reached their peak,” Anita explains, “and the bike path meandered through orchards for kilometers.” Happy to enjoy the higher temperatures the lower elevations were providing, the family still had a long ways to go before they could call it a day. “We had never ridden so far in one go, but the route was mostly slightly downhill and should therefore be easy—at least, that’s what I thought to myself while planning.” But they hadn’t taken into account the strong headwind they’d find themselves fighting all day long.

“We finally reached our destination at Rovereto,” Anita says, “stinking of sweat and a bit bruised, but we couldn’t help but laugh. ‘Papi, you legend. Like vagabonds, we sit with our takeaway pizza and beer, and you’re right here with us, enjoying all this nonsense!’” Bivouacking beside the bike path, the girls helped their father set up camp before calling it a night, waking the next morning to a pleasant surprise. “We expected our father to say something like ‘Everything hurts’ after all the hard riding, but he was in a good mood, full of energy and ready for action!”

After enjoying a quick breakfast and helping Karl repack his camping supplies, they were back on the road and rolling; 150km stood between the trio and Santa Caterina, with a lot to see in between. “The landscape slowly opened up as we moved further and further away from the mountains of South Tyrol towards the Po Valley and along Lake Garda,” Anita tells us. “In bright sunshine and warm temperatures, you can travel at a brisk cruising speed.” But with legs tired from the previous day’s distance and facing a bumpy bike path for the last 50k, Anita, Caro and Karl were happy to find a bit of relief in Santa Caterina.

“The next morning, we’d have to get going faster, Caro and I decided after a quick look at the weather app,” Anita remembers. With rain on the horizon, their plan, though well intentioned, didn’t materialize. Between packing their own bikes and helping their father prepare his gear, they were off to another late start. “It’s funny how we noticed the distribution of roles change; Our dad took care of us for half our lives, and now it is us providing him with this carefree adventure package: routes, food, planning and packing prepared. Papi is just here as our passenger.”

Before long, the rain had reached them, bringing with it a cool breeze—the perfect excuse for a lunch stop. The family found shelter in a local restaurant, ordering everything on the menu to satisfy their hard-earned hunger. Full, but still facing rain, they made their way out of town and into the foothills of the Apennines. “We knew we still had a fight ahead to reach our goal for the day, as steep climbs with tired legs are a real treat. We came to the agreement that, with so much luggage on our bikes, we should calculate our altitude difference at 1.5 times the rate. So really, we’d be climbing well over 2,000 meters today!”

Ending their day with a chilly dip in Lago di Suviana, Anita, Caro and Karl spent the evening sleeping beside a small, empty house as rain fell overhead on the roof of the small terrace. The weather hadn’t improved by the following morning, but with only 65km left in their trip, family spirits were perhaps the only thing not dampened by the downpour.

Instead, Anita recalls being even more thankful to have found suitable shelter the night before. “Luckily, nobody had come during the night and chased us away. We didn’t even care anymore that we had to stuff wet equipment in our bikepacking bags. Tonight, we’d get to sleep in a real bed again!”

Ticking off the final kilometers over quiet, soaked roads, they made their way towards the finish line of their trip: the village of Montorsoli and the Accademia del Caffè Espresso, a museum and learning center run by the Gehrig girls’ sponsor, La Marzocco. Greeted with hot espresso and enthusiastic congratulations from the museum staff, all celebrated the travelers’ fortitude, especially that of first-time bikepacker Karl.

“The Italians were really impressed by the hardships our Papi had endured with us. As a silver fox, he deserves the most respect for moving so far out of his comfort zone,” Anita states, sharing one final sentiment, “We proudly celebrate that adventure has no age, you just have to be willing to try.”

Follow all the twins’ adventures on Instagram @caro_gehrig and @anitagehrig and maybe find a bit of inspiration to start planning your next family vacation.