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The Basilica of Superga, also known as Real Basilica of Superga is situated on the hill east of Turin. It was built by King Vittorio Amedeo II as a thanksgiving to the Virgin Mary, after defeating the French were besieging Turin in 1706. The project is the Sicilian Filippo Juvarra and dates back to 1715. The chapel, located at the top of the hill, you can only reach by road or using the Tramway Sassi-Superga.

The "apple" tire concept is one decade old, but with constantly increasing performance of the newest materials, large tires have become more and more fashionable due to the weight gain and increased resistance. Schwalbe Big Apple is, according to many, the most accomplished product in this familly, and is collapsing under an avalanche of slogans and titles. "Best tire of the year"... "Perfect commuting tire"...

What are the studded tires (tires ice) for a bicycle MTB? Many purists do not care, but who wants to have fun on the bike in the winter, two tires with nails, extending the possibility of fun...

One evening, Edward drop me a mail : "Eric, there is already 3950 subscriptions and the official limit is 4000 ! Hurry up if you want to do this Wroc?aw marathon". So I registered. No step back was possible from now ! Suspense grew as every day of the remaining month was counted down: my friends were taking this challenge very seriously, and hooked me into the game...

Now in my fiftieth birthday (it lacks only one more year) and after a life of debauchery (Bacchus, Tobacco and Venus), I came to an awareness, i have to face the mountain and biking, not only with due more than ever, but also with a renewed respect for my body, its limitations, its potential. Some small alarm bells, dizziness, muscle cramps and small (but many) pains, that occur the day after an excursion in the mountains, made me realize that my body is no longer that of a twenty year old and requires more care and attention.

Stage one put on some slicks!! Stage two get some Carbon Fibre Rigid Forks. Stage three get some new wheels. Stage four possibly a new chainset. Initially great with slicks. That is the cheapest option (£30) the rest is going to cost about £500. But thats a whole lot cheaper than a road bike!! I need to think whether its worth spending all this and whether I will use it!!!

From the second half of the nineteenth century and until the beginning of World War II, were built in Piedmont and Aosta Valley, close to the borders and for military purposes, a number of important works of road engineering. In the thirties, the then Minister of War, saw to improve and re-commission the system viable achieved in previous periods. It is a precious thing of the past for us Mountain Bikers...

Once by some kind of coincidence, on a gloomy January day, I had cycled to work with my old running Adidas. Time to get home, I sat on the bike and noticed the flat tire. I couldn't fix it and had to take the bus, to which I ran... and see it going without me for a story a couple of seconds too late. Next one in 40mn. What a day, everything had pissed me off. In a stroke of mood, I dropped everything I had near my office chair except keys, and ran home. It was (and still is) 10km far and I had not trained this distance since ages, but it felt so good.

After each Ironman race, a volunteer from the medical staff does a quick assessment and then sends the racers on their way to the food lines. In my rookie Ironman triathlon a year ago, I gorged on pizza and was eager to repeat the undertaking. In St George this year, I was greeted with a chocolate milk stand upon entering the complimentary concessions. One just did not seem suffice, so I politely asked for two half liter bottles of choco-moo. Next stop... the pizza tent.

I recently purchased the Cygolite HiFlux 100 light that I hoped would be sufficient for off-road trail riding over fairly challenging terrain. I have used the light for about 3 hours (2 rides) and am happy to report that I am very satisfied with the purchase.