Bingen Fernandez’s Giro d’italia: Stage 1
Bingen is back with his journals from the Giro d'Italia...today he gains another bus license.

Today was my first day at driving school for my bus license. In pro cycling races we have four types of licenses, and the Giro happens to be the bus license because normally of the grandest tours it has the least amount of attacks and the peloton usually stays together until the end of the race. The Tour de France is the Trailer License because you are always at your physical limit hanging on the wheel ahead of you as best as you can. There is also the 4x4 License which you get at the Tour de Portugal because of all the rough roads and cobblestones. Lastly, the Vuelta a España has the Ambulance License because at the end of the season most of the riders are physically beat and there is often a large gruppetto off the back with the ambulance.

Bingen the day before 93rd Liège-Bastogne-Liège Photo c. Bart Hazen

Iñigo Cuesta has always told me that even with 13 years of pro racing in my legs I can not claim myself as a true cyclist until I have all of my licenses. At the beginning of the season I spoke with the team director and requested that have the Giro on my calendar. So here I am in Italy working for my last cycling license.

Today is Day 1 and it has been very, very long. We left at 9 this morning to do a 40km spin in the country with the goats. We were back at the hotel at 10:30, which was too early for me. The French are used to training much earlier in the day than us Spanish riders. We had lunch at noon and then got on the team bus to Cerdeña and made the transfer by ferry to another small island where the team trial was to start.

The circuit was great, a lot of wind however the roads were in great condition and we could move fast. We have begun the Giro….and I am sure there will be many stories to tell.

Bingen at Amstel Gold.     Photo c. Bart Hazen

Bingen Fernandez  is a member of the Cofidis Team riding in the Giro d'Italia.
Co-owner & Guide of Gruppetto Tours
Bingen is co-owner and president of Gruppetto Tours. Bingen has been a professional cyclist since 1996. Bingen guides and helps coordinate every trip ensuring that each guest has the pro-like experience. He will be riding his 12th season for the French team Cofidis.

Gruppetto Tours can boast the same care in their tours and training camps that professional riders experience complete with current and former professional riders as the guides; Jo Planckaert, Igor Flores, and current pro rider Nikane Xuen Mallea - Co-owner, Coordinator & Guide. The soigneur and mechanic have equal professional team backgrounds and palmares.
More information: Gruppetto Tours

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