Alessandro Forni is the young Italian cyclist who climbed 16,036 metres on November 3-4, 2000, and one year later cycled 767 km in 24 hours, setting an Italian record in the process. He's only 21 years old and lives in Trento, near the Dolomites. He describes his exploits in the following edition of Tales from the Peloton.
By Alessandro Forni
Last year I started from Trento (230 m) and climbed to Candriai (960m) 21 times. The last time I reached Candriai, I went on to the top of Bondone (Vason, 1655m). It was more than 420 km by the end of the ride. I never used a car for the descents, even though it was very cold (3-5°C) and it rained all the time. I stopped three times, because I had to change my wet clothes and had to keep warm. This cost me more than two hours and there was no chance to sleep.
Next year I think I can reach 18,000 m [note: the total climbing metres is 18,200 in the 2002 Giro d'Italia], if I am OK and the weather is fine. This is the record I prefer, because I love climbing mountains, it's my life! Last October I was in the French Alps, in September 2000 in the Rocky Mountains (bike and tent), and in October 1999 I was in the Pyrenees.
This year I had no mountains to climb and it was worse for me, because I think flat roads are very boring, and even more boring after 20 hours! At 7:15am on Saturday, November 3, I started from Ora (Auer), near Bolzano. Then I reached Verona and rode three times around a long circuit. In the afternoon I returned to Ora (Auer).
My first 13 hours were very fast, in fact my average speed was more than 37 km/h. But when I stopped to change my clothing it was too late: it has been too cold for two hours (it was 8.45 p.m. and it had been dark since 5.30 p.m.) and I still wore shorts! The temperature was about 0°C! I had to stay one hour in a van, but I couldn't eat or sleep, I was trembling and my teeth were beating...
At 9.45 p.m. I felt just a little better and I started riding again. I didn't stop after that until the finish, but from 0.00 a.m to 6.00 a.m. it was difficult: I wanted to sleep and I had a terrible stomach ache. I have to say thanks to my staff, who helped me finish.
The final hours were a lot easier because, as you know, when you see the end it's so beautiful! These feelings, these emotions, are the engine of my long cycling records and of every long cycling tour in the mountains. I can't live without them. Discovering new places, new famous or savage ascents is what I love. Discovering till where I can finish is what I like.
Records are just a consequence. Numbers aren't too important: I knew that Danny Chew, an American ultra-long distance cyclist, rode 819 km in 24 hours, another one 803 km. Well, I'm sure I can do it, even if it's very hard. I need good temperatures and I have to have more psychological strength.
I prepared for all my records in a very short time: 3 weeks, more or less, but since March 1996 I cycled 150,000 km including many climbs. For example 2 weeks before this last record I had already finished my tour on the French Alps: 1600 km in 8 days with 31 cols and over 37,000 metres climbed, sleeping in my car as in the Pyrenees...
I enjoyed it a lot and I realised I had good legs, so when I came back home I decided to try to cycle on a time trial bike. I also realised I was going fast. So I decided to beat the record of Michele Astegiano (759 km) that I found on the Italian edition of The Guinness Book of Records. And I did it.
Until next time,
Alessandro Forni