A short tour before the storm to test out the boy's new fully suspended MTB. All good although we didn't ride the staircase.

Got out of work at 12h40 and it was very warm so didn't fancy riding too fast. Not bad in the shade but the final climb to Revel was an inferno.

Just rolled around concentrating on technique - planting forwards, getting body stacked over skis, flexion/extension. All that jazz.

GPS didn't work for part of the trip so missed about 3km. Going quiet well and better style after a lesson with Valentin from the Ecole de Porte.

The route stars in Bellagio on the classic Ghisallo climb. The first few km are around 14% gradient. As the road flattens a bit (everything is relative) take a right turn to San Primo.

This must be close to my limit for sustained climbing.

I wanted to ride the H4 road from Brovello but it is unsurfaced just outside Brovello, I was suprised as people have a VAM of 1600 m/h on it, hard on a MTB or gravel bike.

Stresa to Alpino is around 10km with 600 meters of climbing. The section out of Stresa is somewhat steeper than the final ride along to Alpino with some hard ramps on the way.

My orginal plan had been to try and cycle up the quarry road from Candoglia but the road is guarded by a gate with security cameras.

Quick spin in the heat on arrival in Baveno. Climb is pretty stiff and the road uninteresting but rewarded with lake views at Someraro. Lost pump on the descent but went back to find it this evening.