Our attempt to make it to the parking lot of of the Giro presentation.

Lots of spectators turned out, but were they for the cyclist? Nope, Alpina (a group that celebrates the military veterans) just happened to be in town on the same weekend. Coincidence, or a clever ploy by the race organizers to guarantee hundreds of thousands of spectators?

The crowds were thick and full of highly intoxicated Italians.

Our parade lead by the military.

The Frecce Tricolore painting the sky in Italy's colors.

]]> http://www.craiglewis.us/2011/05/09/giro-presentation/feed/ 0 http://www.craiglewis.us/2011/04/22/leige-bastogne-liege/ http://www.craiglewis.us/2011/04/22/leige-bastogne-liege/#comments Fri, 22 Apr 2011 20:26:53 +0000 Craig Lewis http://www.craiglewis.us/?p=1028 Here’s a photo tour from today’s recon ride of Leige-Bastogne-Liege.

On stage and surrounded by thousands of fans, not a bad feeling!

Trying to get to the team presentation of the Amstel Gold Race is not an easy task.

After the race is finished, the stress continues with the drive home.

Our director Valerio Piva planning the day's training route.

The Hove Malpertuus, owned by the family of Valerio's wife, is our hotel for the week.

Some of the best racing food of the year is to be had at the Malpertuus. This is just a sampling of the starters.

Courtney and I stopping for a photo below our apartment in Girona.

Casa Moner, our bakery in town.

Quite farm roads outside of Bordils.

A farmhouse sundial near Bordils.

The cobbles of Ruiras.

Overlooking the rooftop of the hotel Auberge Du Pécheur.

The Auberge Du Pécheur in the region of Flanders, Belgium. The team's residence during the spring classics.

The Valira del Nord river flowing through the center of Andorra la Vella.

Even though it's the end of March and we are heading out for a bike race, there is sill plenty of snow to be enjoyed in Andorra.

Le Seu d'Urgell, the starting village for the 4th stage of the Volta Catalunya.

The GI-682, endless miles of coastline and mountains. Doesn't get much better than this.

The Catalans are proud people. Paint left over from the Tour de France back in 2009.

A typical group ride this past Thursday with some UHC boys, Dan Martin from Garmin and Pat McCarty from SpiderTech-C10.

Can Miquel.  I read about this bakery some time ago and I finally tracked it down in Palma.  On my first attempt they were closed for siesta.

I had much better luck on the 2nd attempt the following day and I was even allowed access to the kitchen.

This oven has been cranking out fresh pastries since the year 1560!!

The chef recommend his spinach puff pastry, a healthier breakfast I guess, but it tasted better knowing it just came out of a 500 year old oven…

My training partners for the day, Danny Pate and Caleb Fairly.  All ready for some racing in Mallorca!

Just a few kilometers from the Palma city limit and you are this road.  It’s easy to see why so many cyclist flock to this island.

]]> http://www.craiglewis.us/2011/02/08/in-and-around-palma/feed/ 0 http://www.craiglewis.us/2011/02/02/team-time-trial-video/ http://www.craiglewis.us/2011/02/02/team-time-trial-video/#comments Wed, 02 Feb 2011 22:13:57 +0000 Craig Lewis http://www.craiglewis.us/?p=901

It’s great to be back in Girona after a very successful training camp in Mallorca.

Torres Chocolate signs, for some reason, symbolize Catalunya for me.

Beautiful weather in Spain at the moment.

Had a few very nice rides with Robbie Ventura over the weekend.

Random hole-in-the-wall bar stop with RV and Joel turned into one of the best jamon sandwiches I’ve ever had.

Climbing Sa Calobra with Marco Pinotti and Peter Velits.  My favorite climb on the island.

Still working my way up the 10km Sa Calobra climb with Pino…

At the top of Mallorca highest mountain, Puig Major, the light at the end of the tunnel is pretty small.