Tag: Levanto

The bicycle was introduced in the 19th century in Europe by German Inventor Karl von Drais. He is credited with developing the first bicycle. He introduced it to the people in Paris in 1818. It is supposed to originate from the human-powered vehicle called Draisines. Drais invented a walking machine that would help him get around the royal gardens faster. It was known by many names, including the “velocipede,” “dandy horse,” “hobby-horse,” “draisine” and “running machine. It had no pedals and its frame was a wooden beam. It had two same-size in-line wheels with the front one steerable and mounted in a frame which was straddled. In 1839, Kirkpatrick MacMillan, a Scottish blacksmith, allegedly completed construction of a pedal driven…

The Ligurian Coast from Genao to Lucca is one of my favorite regions of la bel’Italia. I’ve spent some quality time here and can attest the area is filled with excellent rides along the coast and into the mountains that define it. This ride from Levanto to Sestri Levante is a classic, and takes in the Passo del Bracco on the stage route.The Ligurian Coast is a well visited region for the Giro, with a wonderful mix of uneven climbs, small twisting roads, and spectacular scenery – excellent for riding and training. This also means riders will need to be focused on the job at hand, (so don’t expect any sleepy sprinters’ stages here) but the roads can be dangerous…