Bingen Fernandez’s Giro d’italia Journal: Stage 2
The day the Giro began, "With my jersey open I heard my director in my earpiece telling me from his air conditioned car that it was 32 degrees."

Stage 2: Tempio Pausania - Bosa 205 km
Today the real Giro began 205 kilometers with considerable heat.
Not long after we started a group escaped off the front after just one attack. There were five riders in the group, one of which was from Cofidis. It was not a bad start for our team. Liquigas put 3 men at the front to work, and in 5 minutes they had that fire under control.

The peloton felt the stress disappear and knew it would come down to the sprint. I decided to make my way to the back of the group where I found Horrach who I chatted with for many kilometers when the velocity permitted. At the 150 kilometers the 18km climb started so I decided to make my way back to the front...things would be getting a bit more serious.

Bingen  Fernandez             Photo c. Bart Hazen

There was not the slightest bit of wind and the sun was hitting us hard. With my jersey open I heard my director in my earpiece telling me from his air conditioned car that it was 32 degrees. Throughout much of the climb it was everyone’s goal to be in good position and since not everyone can have ‘good’ positions there was a tons of braking, sprints, tension … I decided that I would ease off toward the back a bit and at least no one would be fighting me for a wheel. So for the rest of the climb I stayed in the back and forgot about the stress at the front of the pack.

From this first climb came two more climbs that were not quite as difficult, one which was 7kms from the finish and there would be attacks to break up the group, and the sprinters wanting to control to keep the sprinters at the front…. We had reached this point and we all gripped the handlebars tightly and held the line. Everyone was attacking and it had done some damage—we had a group of 80 at the front now.

More attacks then I hear someone shout ¨trass¨ and the sound of a crash…but there was not time to look back to see who it was. The final minutes of a race are surreal and I do not known who has won until I have seen McEwen with a pile of journalists on top of him.

We head to the bus directly--with 130 km until the hotel on small secondary roads it is the second beating of the day, although less hard.

90th Giro d'Italia Stage 2 Live

Bingen Fernandez  is a member of the Cofidis Team riding in the Giro d'Italia currently in 41st after 5 stages.
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