Custom Getaways - Tour de France packages

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2009 Giro d'Italia

May 9th to May 31st, 2009

LANCE ARMSTRONG WILL BE RACING!

Our 2009 Giro trips will be announced in November

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2008 Giro d'Italia

May 23rd to June 2nd, 2008

The final 10 days of the Giro are action packed! The Mountain stages will be arduous and include an uphill time trial up the Plan de Corones, the Mortirolo, Passo di Gavia and so many more. The suspense is guaranteed until the end with a final time trial on the last day in the streets of Milano! Of course we'll be there for it all and will be in all the best locations!

We will offer a minimum of 2 rides daily. The distances will vary depending on terrain but you can expect anywhere from 20/25 to 40/45 miles for the shorter distances and 45/50 miles to 70/75 miles for the longer distances. We also pride ourselves on being to adapt the distances to cater to a wide variety of cycling abilities. This quality is often pointed out in many of our satisfied customer comments.

Despite being the second largest Tour (after the Tour de France), the Giro offers a more approachable experience of the race and our connection in the racing world allow us to, sometimes gain even better access. In 2007 some of our clients were able to ride in team cars directly behind the pros on the final time trial. We also visited team Cofidis at their hotel one evening and spent time with some of the riders.

Please read below for daily itinerary.

info@customgetaways.com

ITINERARY

2008 Giro Trip

Rate : $3695.00

10 nights, 11 days - May 23rd to June 2nd, 2008

Pick up and Drop off at Milan airport - Drop off at Milan airport

Highlights: see/ride up to 7 stages including Alpe di Pampeago, Marmolada, Plan de Corones, Passo di Gavia and Passo Mortirol. Ride the Passo Stelvio on the rest day, see the uphill time trial on plan de Corones and the final time trial in Milan on the last day!

OPTIONS: Extend to ride to Geneva including Alpe d'Huez, Izoard, etc... / Trip insurance

Daily Itinerary

- May 23rd -
Hotel location: Lago Iseo
We will be picking-up at Milan Malpensa airport around 1:30PM. From Milan we will head East to Lago Iseo.
	Our first hotel is located on the banks of Lake Iseo. We will be staying just one evening but will be returning for 3 evenings from the 29th of May. This will enable us to leave bike boxes and those who wish to travel lighter may also choose to leave some luggage behind as we will have a room to store everything for the few days we are away. The first order of business after checking in, will be to setup bikes. If you prefer not to bring your own, we do have a limited number of high end bike rentals available. Contact us about sizing. Once the bikes are setup and before settling down for the evening, we will go for a short spin. We've noticed that most people enjoy a short shake down ride after traveling. We will then gather for the evening, a great meal and presentation of the days to come.

- May 24th -
Hotel location: Corvara
Giro Stage 14 / Verona - Alpe di Pampeago / 195km (120 miles)
	Our first day on the Giro starts in a spectacular fashion as we will see the race in the final climb of the day which is an uphill finish at Alpe di Pampeago; 10.5km at an average of 9.4%!!! After an early start and drive, we will ride to be in the final climb and witness the top contenders battle for precious time. The ride distance is on the shorter side as this is only the first day of riding. Those who are eager to add a few miles, will be able to do so however. Once the stage is over there will be a 40 mile drive to get to our second hotel which will be home for the next 3 nights of the trip!
		Alpe di Pampeago

- May 25th -
Hotel location: Corvara
Giro Stage 15 / Arabba - Passo Fedaia (Marmolada) / 153km (96 miles)
	The second day in the Dolomites is going to be grueling. Because the stage is a bit "short", there could be an early attack. Will this be enough to see the Maglia Rosa change hands? We will find out today. Once again the stage ends on an uphill climb. While not nearly as famous, the 14.5km at 7.5% of the Passo Fedaia compare in length and average to Alpe d'Huez (different setup though!) Our hotel is ideally located to offer a variety of rides directly from the hotel! Can't get enough cycling in? Our hotel is located only 25km from the base of the final climb... but does include a climb!	Passo Fedaia

- May 26th -
Hotel location: Corvara
Giro Stage 16 / San Vigilio di Marebe - Plan de Corones / 13.8km (8.5 miles)
	The previous couple of days featured of mountain top finish and this 3rd stage in the Dolomites is no different. Or rather... it also features a mountain top finish; the grueling Plan de Corones. If the climb itself was not indicative enough of an important stage; this climb will be featured as an individual Time Trial!!! The domestics and sprinters are not very likely to put in a huge effort, however, for the GC contenders, these this stage could make all the difference. Needless to say that we will be in the climb itself! Once again; our perfect hotel location will enable us to ride to the climb from the hotel. An early start will be required however. What a day this promises to be!!!	Plan de Corones

- May 27th -
Hotel location: Bormio
Giro Stage - REST DAY
	As the pro peloton enjoys it's final rest day, we will tackle yet another legend of Italian cycling; the Passo dello Stelvio! The pass reaches 2757m (9050') at its summit which must be reached on the North side by riding the 48 hair-pin bends. A great challenge and one of the greatest climbs. This will undoubtedly make it in your top 10! The 21.5km downhill on the south side will take us directly to our hotel in Bormio where we will spend the next couple of evenings. Bormio is a thermal spa town and after the past few days in the Dolomites, a nice spa and massage might be just the ticket! We'll be spending the next 2 nights in Bormio
		Passo Stelvio

- May 28th -
Hotel location: Bormio
Giro Stage 17 / Sondrio - Loarno / 192km (119 miles)
	The Giro heads out of Italy today for a short stop in Switzerland. The start is approximately 60km from the hotel, but we'll want to get there early enough to have some time to mingle with the crowd, so we will drive over. Starts offer great opportunities for pictures and to mingle with the teams and racers warming up (autographs as well?) We will then ride back to the hotel going over the famous Passo Gavia which will be the main climb in stage #20 of this year's Giro!
		Passo Gavia

- May 29th -
Hotel location: Lago Iseo
Giro Stage 18 / Mendrisio - Varese / 182km (113 miles)
Passo Mortirolo	While the race goes over a flat stage - heading back into Italy, we'll take a day off of the race. Those who wish to ride the most will be able to ride from hotel to hotel. The total ride distance is 115km. The first 30km will act as a warm up for the only climb of the ride; the Passo del Mortirolo (another great classic!). in 2004 while training, Lance Armstrong called this the hardest climb he had ever ridden! Its 12.4km at an average of 10.5% (!!!) will be a real test. The nice thing is that the rest rest of the ride will be nearly all downhill to our next hotel in Lovere (flattening a the end). This climb will be featured on stage #20 as well! Once in Lovere, we'll be able to settle down we'll be staying at our lakefront property for 3 nights, and enjoy a glass of wine/beer or three!

- May 30th -
Hotel location: Lago Iseo
Giro Stage 19 / Legnano - Presolana (Monte Pora) / 228km (141.5 miles)
	This long stage will feature the Passo del Vivione around km #174 followed by a series of shorter climbs and the uphill finish at Monte Pora. Once again; our hotel is ideally located; just 23km from the arrival. The race will actually be going through the town we are staying in and loop around, so those who wish to ride the most could ride from the hotel over the final 110km or so of today's stage!!! Of course, we will have shorter option including a 45km and 65km loop which will ride over parts of the stage itinerary. Everyone will be more than welcome to ride the short distance to the hotel of course!

- May 31st -
Hotel location: Lago Iseo
Giro Stage 20 / Rovetta - Tirano / 224km (139 miles)
	Although this is the second to last stage; there is no letting up in this year's Giro. The final week to 10 days have been grueling and this stage is no exception. As mentioned previously, both the Mortirolo and Gavia climbs are featured, and from having had a chance to ride both of these climbs you will have first hand knowledge or what that means! The race will be going by Edolo twice and this is where we will be planning our viewing from. Depending on the road closures, we will actually try to see the race a first time toward the base of the Passo del Gavia, then again on the uphill to Aprica. The pure climbers such as Simoni who might be vying for the Maglia Rossa will need to do well today as an epic final time trial during which they could loose precious time looms for tomorrow.
Passo Gavia lake

- June 1st -
Hotel location: Milan
Giro Stage 21 / Cesano Maderno - Milano / 23.5km (14.6 miles)
	How will this exciting final stage play out? Will a true climber be in the lead and have to ride the time-trial of his life to hang on to the coveted Jersey? Will several riders be within a couple of minutes of one another and have to battle for precious seconds? The past few days (week) in the mountains will have probably sorted a few things out, but anything can happen today in the streets of Milan! Before we head to Milan, we will stop by the start of the stage in nearby Cesano to see the first riders warm up. Last year we managed to get a few of our guests in team cars to follow a rider on the time trial. This is quite a privilege and we cannot guarantee we can make it happen again in 2008, but if we do not get to the start, it certainly won't happen. Once the stage is over and the ceremony finished, we'll have some time in our hotel to relax a bit before heading out for a farewell dinner together this evening.