Tydfil Strollers: Orvieto

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Orvieto

When I checked the itinerary for this years Giro D'italia I was pleased to discover that the nearest stage to Rome would take place on one of the days that we were staying in the Italian capital city.

Purchasing the tickets and boarding the express train (from Naples to Milan) which left Rome at 12.30pm to cover the 60 miles to Umbria in an hour, was definitely an experience worth repeating!

Orvieto is situated on the flat summit of a large hill of volcanic ash. The site of the city is among the most dramatic in Europe, rising above the almost-vertical cliff faces that are completed by defensive walls built of the same stone. The white wine of the district, produced to the north-east of the city, is also highly prized

Leaving the station I took the funicular to the Piazza Cahen, where the fifth stage of the Giro would conclude later that afternoon at 5.15pm.

The 'circus' that accompanies the race was already in place as the excitable spectators started to arrive. But first there was an opportunity to explore the city with a visit to the Duomo (construction started in 1290), some ice-cream to consume and a browse around the local shops.

Only forty-eight hours earlier Belgian cyclist Wouter Weylandt had tragically lost his life during a descent of Passo Del Bacco, while yesterday in tribute his Leopard Trek team mates led the peloton home in a procession as a mark of respect. So it was a return to competitive racing today as Dutchman Pieter Weenings produced an outstanding solo performance to claim victory of the stage. The Rabobank rider timed his push for the victory with under 10 kilometres to go and despite struggling during the steep climb to the finish, led the field by 8 seconds and also secured the pink jersey as the leader of the general classification.