Why YOU MUST Ride Italy's Oldest Cycling Classic - Gran Fondo Tre Valli Varesine

With my fitness coming back 'on stream' after the Haute Route Dolomites and the Porlock Hill Climbs, late on I decided for a final hit out in Italy - taking on the UCI Granfondo Tre Valli Varesine, one of the oldest classics in Europe, with an enticing looking Goldilocks course, not too long and not too short - comprising 125km and 2200m of elevation... on closed roads an in a truly sublime part of Italy (just north of Milan).
The objective was simple - pace it intelligently and give it my max!! Fast & Furious ensued !!
To translate the subtitles to your preferred language, please go to the settings cog on the video, and make sure subtitles are turned on. Then select auto-translate, and then select the language you prefer.
Please leave those comments and hit that subscribe
Thanks ever so much for all of your support! And whoever you are, what ever your do, please remember to LIVE THRIVE AND STAY HEALTHY !
Follow my journey
Instagram: / bikeracingwithoutmercy
Strava: / strava
00:00 Introduction
02:05 CHAOS at the Start
06:30 First Climb - FULL GAS
08:58 Losing Places on the Descent
10:02 Steeling WATTS in the Draft
10:59 Taking Places back on 2nd climb
13:14 Flat, Fast & Beautiful
14:10 Racing by the Lake
16:05 STEEP STEEP CLIMB ! Max Effort
18:03 Cobbled Climb
18:54 Fast to the Final Climb
20:56 CHAOS REIGNS SUPREME !!

[@AtakanCOBAN54]

Congratulations Philip. You competed excellently in the Italian granfondo. It was an incredibly steep road. But you passed many racers on the way. this is great. Also, you explained the race very well. I watched it twice. You are still very strong. Greetings to London. See you mate. #bikeracingwithoutmercy

[@BikeRacingWithoutMercy]

Thanks ever so much Atakan 🙏🙏 as always you are extremely kind and generous - and your support is very motivating 💪💯. In this race I had my best fitness since my accident in May 2022 - so I was super happy!! I lost a lot of the fitness as a result of illness in late October - and am now building back. Hope you are good - and Jayne say Ciao !!

[@nickbrownbill3413]

Great effort Phill, so nice to see your confidence returning in a group and fitness on point in the tail end of summer (aka Autumn). Hope for more this year!

[@BikeRacingWithoutMercy]

Cheers Nick 🙏🙏 - absolutely this was my best since May ‘22 ….. took a long time to find any form 😅. You would love this kind of thrash - blending Zwift with a tour of the lakes - with the gas set to full! Looking forward to riding with you in Wales this year !

[@BPM2001]

Great video and story telling. Looking forward to more!

[@BikeRacingWithoutMercy]

Thanks ever so much BPM 🙏🙏- I hugely appreciate your encouragement and support - and for sure will look to produce more !

[@yosoypatrick]

Well done Phill, great effort! Super support too Jayne!

[@BikeRacingWithoutMercy]

Cheers, Patrick 🙏 - that’s hugely appreciated Sir !! And for sure - Jayne is basically my real life Zwift Power Up !!

[@christopherwatts1742]

Kudos sir, kudos…. Another super watchable video Phil…

[@BikeRacingWithoutMercy]

That’s massively appreciated, Chris 🙏🙏🙏 - am ever so pleased you enjoyed this vid. I’ll be looking to make a few more like it this year. Hope all is good !

[@WesNG]

Superb vid and effort! Loved the tongue in cheek commentary.

[@BikeRacingWithoutMercy]

Huge thanks, Wes 🙏 - that’s massively appreciated. And cheers also on the commentary - looking to do more like this 👍

[@paulmorrison30]

A truly exceptional video Phil ✊🏾And I’m really pleased to see you’re getting back to your best 👌🏾💪🏾👊🏾

[@BikeRacingWithoutMercy]

Thanks ever so much Paul 🙏🙏 In this race I certainly had my best fitness since the accident 💯. I got ill in late October and lost a lot of it - but as you see on the live streams and now building back . Hope your week is not too stressful 👍

[@domiken8097]

beautiful video man, really enjoyed this one💯😀

[@BikeRacingWithoutMercy]

Thanks ever so much Domiken 🙏🙏 - that’s hugely appreciated, Sir !! So pleased the quality and thrill of the event came across !

[@mickboekhoff]

Great effort and fantastic scenery Phil. Great speed on the course. Would love to do these kind of events in the future.

[@BikeRacingWithoutMercy]

Thanks ever so much Mick 🙏 Really pleased you enjoyed this ! And for sure it’s been my favourite event yet - I think because it’s not too long and has just the right amount of elevation and no long long climbs. And with the closed roads and all the bikes it’s pretty much a Zwift Race in real life ! Get yourself signed up 💯

[@foundfoundfound1]

italy is the best-looking shambles in the world. no one does decline and fall in such style.

[@BikeRacingWithoutMercy]

💯 FFF - beauty, style, crumbing towns, jaw dropping scenery, colour … and CHAOS ! Italian perfection 🇮🇹🤩

[@n22pdf]

Wow great ride Phil.. what an awesome place I love Italy.. 😊 ❤ honeymooned in Rome, Venice, capri, Florence etc 😊 so beautiful. Pete 😃🚴🏻🚴🏻🚴🏻👍 would love to ride there one day

[@BikeRacingWithoutMercy]

Hi Pete - I hope you are getting stronger again🤞. And thanks ever so much your you lovely and personal comment - what an amazing honeymoon that must have been 💯🤩. And certainly I would recommend cycling in Tre Valli Varesine or indeed Lake Garda or Sienna for the white roads - all beautiful and all have so many incredible and charming little villages, towns and vinyards to explore 💯👍 .

[@n22pdf]

@@BikeRacingWithoutMercy Its a shame we only speak on KZbin vids Phil as I think we'd be good mates :) thanks for you great content and comments to.. Pete

[@jaynes6813]

Came for the scenery & racing. Stayed for the “impressive sprint finish” apparently “beloved by the crowd” (which I think was just me shouting). 😂❤

[@PierreAlainMaire]

Looks like you mean the world to him 😉 Last time I saw you, the weather was a bit different 😆

[@jaynes6813]

@@PierreAlainMaire it sure was!!! I was practically washed away 🤣

[@BikeRacingWithoutMercy]

@@PierreAlainMaire she does indeed PAM - Jayne does indeed 💯🥰

[@nerocoaching]

The whole ride looks like a buzz, thanks for the vid Phil

[@ChrisMillerCycling]

I’m keen if you are

[@BikeRacingWithoutMercy]

Pleasure to ride and a pleasure to post Jesse - beautiful Italian Chaos 🇮🇹

[@BikeRacingWithoutMercy]

@@ChrisMillerCycling I reckon you’d both be very competitive at the sharp end Chris - would be lovely to see the Aussie’s put down the gauntlet in Europe’s finest cycling heartland 💯

[@iannelson6242]

Ottimo Lavoro Phil, absolutley glorious vid and amazing effort. You better check out the real meaning of dai for the next Italian jaunt!!

[@BikeRacingWithoutMercy]

Too too kind Ian 🙏🙏 ! (I had to get that translated 😁) - I really appreciate the encouragement - it’s hugely motivating. And now you have spelt it Dia as opposed to me thinking Die ….i see that I’m ….errr… a little….. off with my translation 🤣🤣. Come on Come on Phillip … you really must do better 🤣🤣

[@IanB17]

Great video Phill of what looked like a fabulous day out. What a fabulous place to ride your bike. Truly stunning 👌🏻

[@BikeRacingWithoutMercy]

Thanks ever so much Ian 🙏 - that’s massively appreciated Sir ! And for sure I recommend this 100% !! It’s a lovely part of the world and a really superb course - Italian perfection 🇮🇹🤩

[@mattjohn7700]

Wow ,fantastic race. few close calls as well thought I heard the F word haha

[@BikeRacingWithoutMercy]

🤣🤣 Matt ! Yep it was deployed ! And thanks ever so much - an amazing event. And to your point fast + lots of riders means there are times when riders get a little close without intending to !!

[@NielsHeldens]

That's one for the swear jar at 9:49 😂 Brilliant video as ever, Phill. Great effort too!

[@BikeRacingWithoutMercy]

🤣🤣Neil’s ! He cut me up bad !! But a Euro has been added to the swear jar …… this is basically a Zwift race IRL - massively recommend ! Cheers as always for your incredible support 🙏

[@NielsHeldens]

@@BikeRacingWithoutMercy tbh your reaction is a lot calmer than mine would have been. So maybe make it 50 cents instead of 1 euro 😅😂

[@BikeRacingWithoutMercy]

Done !!

[@zaahierstanley955]

Gosh! If you started in the front bunch it would have been a very different ride. The amount of riders you had to pass just making up time was incredible! I think you really enjoyed that ride

[@BikeRacingWithoutMercy]

Thanks ever so much Zaahier !! 🙏🙏. That’s massively appreciated, Sir ! Definitely starting at the back meant a lot of riders to pass - albeit not all from my pen (45-49ers old) - many were from the earlier pens . And likely if I’d started at the front of my own age group I’d have lost a lot of places on the descents . But massively enjoyable 💯

[@MayhemZwifting]

Awesome video! You are a climbing machine! Good job!

[@BikeRacingWithoutMercy]

Cheers Mayhem of the paradigm known as Zwift !🙏🙏. Too too kind !

[@glynnmorris2117]

Nice video. I enjoyed the telemetry on the screen.

[@BikeRacingWithoutMercy]

Cheers Glynn 🙏 - really appreciate your support

[@salsalawyer]

Nice going PHil!

[@BikeRacingWithoutMercy]

Cheers Reggie 🙏🙏 - hope all good for you, Sir !

[@theademerckxfiles9967]

Wow Phil - you smashed it. Thanks for sharing such an epic ride I'm very tempted to get out there in 2024 . So glad you reeled in Mr Blue 5195 ;)

[@BikeRacingWithoutMercy]

Hi Toks ! Great to hear from you ! Am at the Lee Valley this weekend for a Masters Crit if you are up for that ? Thanks for your great energy and kind support 🙏 - and for sure this is the kind of event you would do very well in. I’d massively recommend it - and I may well do it this year 👍

[@theademerckxfiles9967]

Shame!!! most of us ‘masters race guys’ finished our seasons in October.… So won’t put a number on my back until April, I’m afraid! Hopefully catch you at a few races later on this year! meanwhile the grind to pull up the FTP - of this 58-year-old duffer, continue via the VO2 Max diet! 🤪🤪

[@BikeRacingWithoutMercy]

Perfect - see you in April ! And will try to stay on your wheel 💪🚀

[@b2theb]

Woah Phil, I'm supposed to be working mate!!!!!

[@BikeRacingWithoutMercy]

B to the B 💪!! Cheers 🙏🙏🙏 - I’m sure your work won’t mind your little indulgence of the media they call social !

[@noni1532]

Nice Video! "Daje" does not mean "perish" but rather "go on"

[@BikeRacingWithoutMercy]

Grazie, Noni 🙏 and much appreciated - I learned not long after posting the video it means come on / go on 🤣. But love hearing it shouted during events in beautiful Italy 🇮🇹

[@GiorgioCoppolaCycling]

Strong ride Phil! You picked off a lot of riders on the climbs, it would of been great to see how you got on if you had a good start position. Looks like an amazing event!

[@BikeRacingWithoutMercy]

Cheers Giorgio 🙏🙏. I do love riding up through the different packs ! If I’d been at the front I may have hung with a good group in my age group (not the first group) until the top of the first climb - but a CHOPPER like me would have got soundly dropped on the first descent !! Incredible event - fast - furious - beautiful - thrilling - are you interested ??

[@carloschiesaro3265]

Great video Phil! Dai dai!! 😂

[@BikeRacingWithoutMercy]

As always thanks ever so much Carlo 🙏 - I massively appreciate your support - and yes….. Dia Dia Dia ….. NOT Die Die Die …… Come On Come On Phillip - you must do better in your translation efforts 🤣🤣🤣

[@theolewis1699]

Really love your videos mate, keep it up!

[@BikeRacingWithoutMercy]

Cheers Theo !! 🙏🙏. I hugely appreciate your support and positive energy !! And for sure - now need to get out and film some more !

[@ColinSmith2001]

Great video Phil - perfect for some turbo entertainment.

[@BikeRacingWithoutMercy]

Cheers Colin 🙏 - massively appreciated Sir 🙏🙏. I was thinking of putting out a much longer raw edit of the bike footage - purely for Turbo viewing - would that be interesting ?

[@ColinSmith2001]

@@BikeRacingWithoutMercy 60-90 minute raw edits are much appreciated at this time of year, if you can do it without too much extra work. Straight 1 camera pov, without really anything else is fine for me on that stuff.

[@BikeRacingWithoutMercy]

Cheers Colin - will do . Likely in a week

[@timfulford6104]

Great video Phill - I need to do one of these with you soon, you can drop me on the climbs, I'll catch up on the downhill and drag you on the flats haha.

[@BikeRacingWithoutMercy]

Cheers Tim - and congratulations to you & Innes on your early and beautiful baby daughter 🎉 Absolutely - would love to race one of these with you. I’ll be there again this year - will you ?

[@nicksidell4797]

Not been about for a while and seen your video Phillip didn’t have a very good 23 who won reason or another and now I’m having to start all over again, will give it another go again nonetheless. I have missed watching your videos as you’re running commentary always makes me smile and so glad you are back to your good self all of the best to you and Jayne.

[@BikeRacingWithoutMercy]

Hi Nick - I’m really sorry to hear that ‘23 was a tough year for you - I too have struggled the last couple of years. Are you now fully recovered and able to start building back ? Because if so - take your pleasure from the little steps of progress each week - they all add up . And thanks ever so much for checking back in 🙏💯

[@nicksidell4797]

@@BikeRacingWithoutMercy at this present moment I am making a little progress just trying to keep head in the right place and the rest will follow fingers crossed. 👍

[@BikeRacingWithoutMercy]

I wish you continued progression and very much better times in ‘24 Nick . It can be hard to stay positive and in a good headspace - I too have struggled with this the last 2 years. But trust in the process and keep making those sometimes tiny steps in the right direction - hang tight 💪

[@RideWithGerben]

You had me at "succulent" The rest is a bonus.

[@BikeRacingWithoutMercy]

🤣🤣 Gerben ! Those tomatoes in the focaccia were juicy and succulent to THE MAX! This is basically a Zwift Race, IRL - chaos , beauty and perfection !

[@DavidS358]

Cracking day out and cracking video. Looking forward to seeing more for 2024😃

[@BikeRacingWithoutMercy]

Thanks ever so much David 🙏 I really appreciate your support 💯. And for sure a diamond legs day in a sensational part of the world - and hopefully a few more one day events as good as this to come in ‘24 🤞… likely this again I loved it so much !

[@PierreAlainMaire]

What a lovely day outside ! Good numbers (we won't talk about power balance) and a good fitness that allows you to enjoy the ride. Good thing that was not sparkling water at the end 😅

[@BikeRacingWithoutMercy]

Italian perfection 🤩🇮🇹 Pierre Alain 💯. And once again thanks massively for all your amazing positive energy and support ! 🙏. I reckon I’d have downed a San Pelligrino - bubbles and all - I was properly parched !

[@ubernard3000]

Fantastic effort Phil. I thoroughly enjoyed that. Glad to see all that dedicated training paying off!

[@BikeRacingWithoutMercy]

Thanks ever so much Ubernard 🙏🙏 I massively appreciate your very kind support 💯. And for sure it felt lovely to feel the fitness coming back on stream. Truly uplifting event 🇮🇹🤩

[@grahamparker9096]

Wow! Thanks for the ride Phil! Great effort. And no need to apologise for the body cam...definitely the most exciting perspective! 🎩

[@BikeRacingWithoutMercy]

Cheers Graham 🙏🙏 I hugely appreciate your very kind encouragement ! And also really pleased you liked the one camera angle and the edit ! I’ll try a few more

[@anthonywalsh1564]

Another brilliant video Phil really enjoyed it well rode you were climbing fantastic

[@BikeRacingWithoutMercy]

Thanks ever so much Anthony 🙏 - I massively appreciate your very generous and kind support 💯 Was a diamond legs day in a beautiful but mad event - highly recommended !

[@fastbreakmarketing7788]

Hey Phil, this is awesome! 😍😀🚴 That pink fashion bike the style statement on wheels you showed off looks fantastic! 😍🤩 It's funny to hear the 'die die die' chants, sounds like a haunted cycling tour 😱 probably its translated to 'hurry up, the Spaghetti Carbonara is getting cold😀What specific strength training exercises do you find most beneficial for improving your cycling performance? How do you balance on-bike training with off-bike workouts to achieve optimal results without overtraining? What's the one piece of advice you'd give to someone entering their first Grand Fondo?

[@BikeRacingWithoutMercy]

Sorry for my slow reply ! Your intuition is correct - the chant is in fact Dia Dia Dia - which means ‘Come On ‘ !!! The pasta is indeed getting cold 🤣. I think an all body gym workout with including Bench Press, Squat and Deadlift is optimal - especially the Deadlift. But it is important to learn the movements well with a PT - because you don’t want to get injured as a result of using bad form and technique. Once the movements are learned I keep the weight a little higher and the reps low (sub 5 for the squat and deadlift) because this builds strength and power and reduces muscle soreness . I also avoid failure . If not wanting to use bar bells - and only wanting to use dumbbells - I would suggest the Single Leg Romanian Deadlift, Single Leg Split Squat or Goblet Squat - plus press up or dumbbell bench press . 👍

[@fastbreakmarketing7788]

@@BikeRacingWithoutMercy No worries at all! Thanks for sharing your fitness insights! 💪👍

[@cfau6290]

Awesome video and great commentary! Congrats! I love the way you look at such events ...the attitude, the positivity, serenity and calmness is something to be proud of. Did the race too...i was in the front group of the 30y age group, it was nice (very hard tho)..a lot of fighting and almost a kind of militancy... honestly your video made me realize i may need to rethink my attitude towards such events in order to enjoy it even more! Thanks

[@BikeRacingWithoutMercy]

Thanks ever so much cfau 🙏🙏- that’s hugely appreciated coming from someone as experienced as you and who knows the event well 💯. It’s really interesting to hear your perspective from the sharp end of the race - and I can imagine there is a lot of testosterone flying around - and you have to stay very sharp to remain in the group. So massive respect to you for doing so ✊ I very much agree, finding the way to have fun on the bike and a nice does of challenge and endorphins is definitely the most important thing regarding what is at the day a hobby for most of us - but one that can become all consuming and a little serious . I myself have decided to focus on the things that bring me a bit of joy - I prefer the 1 day events, and preferably sub 160km (albeit I am doing the Fred again). So will do a few I’ve done before and a couple of new rather than only searching for new challenges . And I’m crit racing (badly) again - and not filming - just for the satisfaction and being a part of something. So I very much hope you find your own perfect balance - and stay safe 💯👍

[@LaDeigo]

Another brilliant video Phil. How does this Grand Fondo compare to others you have done majorca, UK etc. organisation, feeding stations, rider discipline etc.

[@BikeRacingWithoutMercy]

Thanks Kevin - that’s massively appreciated 🙏🙏. My favourites have been this, GF Strade Bianche and Fred Whitton . I really like the shorter distance of this one - I personally like to open up the taps and be done over the course of 4-5 hours. The organisation and feed stops are not the best in Italy - but the closed roads, scenery and passion more than make up. I also loved the organisation for the Fred (most of its not closed road though ) and it’s a long course at 184km. The Majorca 312 is closed road and has excellent - really excellent support and catering. I would only ever do the short version again - the 162km, because that’s the beautiful mountain and coast section and the ‘final’ 170km is very boring . Marmotte is excellent - closed road and excellent catering etc - but you have to love long long climbs - the final climb up Alpe D’Huez is proper hard 👍

[@marcus_velo_9970]

top effort Phil - fantastic coverage of your experience, maybe you need to eat more you keep yelling chow chow, CHOW 🤣 ... the event reminded me of the fondos I've done, always good to have some power for the climbs overall its just great riding and the training brings in the event fitness dividends. Descending, in my experience [diesel descender] its best to follow the wheels of someone who looks confident that way they do the speed/lines for you, otherwise you were in the bail out line a no man's land of descending, and riders will take risks to get past non-confident descenders as they know they're a hazard. so by not following wheels the risk becomes an unknown from approaching riders on the rear, where descending in a group the risk stays in front of you. crashing at 40, 50, 60k similar outcome but much lower risk if you got flow on the descent. love your work.

[@BikeRacingWithoutMercy]

Thanks ever so much for your really incredible encouragement and support, Marcus 🙏🙏. And agreed the training and the volume of riding for the Haute Route paid off - was my best little run of form for 2 years. And I really appreciate your insight and explanation for the descending - it resonates - because the rider who cut across me on the hairpin was likely frustrated - and following a good wheel is something I’ll try to work on 👍. Them Italians - they love to CHOW down 🤣

[@marcus_velo_9970]

@@BikeRacingWithoutMercy I was thinking about this on my ride home yesterday, its simply that you ride so fast up a climb, you're with the super mamils [and they see you passing them, the target is on your back lol], so the expectation is that your descending is the same level. You probably are a normal rider - descending smart, cautious etc, but with these guys its tipped over to the next level I guess. its all fun either-way. great experience.

[@BikeRacingWithoutMercy]

@@marcus_velo_9970 that’s a great point, Marcus - it’s the natural instinct - indeed I talked of plenty of carrots to aim for on the ascent . Something to work on for sure - and most importantly something to be cognisant of on the descent . Cheers 🙏

[@carloschiesaro3265]

Hey Phil. Sorry for the off topic question I hope you can help me. Do you have issues removing the handlebar when travelling with the Wilier 0 SLR? Can you fit it in standard bike box?

[@BikeRacingWithoutMercy]

Hi Carlo - I don’t have to remove the handlebars, because I use a Bike Box Allan Triathlon Aero Easyfit - expensive but an excellent product. The issue with the integrated handlebars and cabling is that they are very tough to remove and put back.

[@carloschiesaro3265]

Thanks Phil. I imagined that. Technically if the cables are not routed too tightly I think you can remove it but I guess the aero box is the easiest solution. Thank you 🙏

[@leedixon2113]

Hi Phil, can I ask which mount you use for your GoPro on the bike? does it fasten to your stem or handlebars? many thanks, Lee

[@BikeRacingWithoutMercy]

Hi Lee - I use GoPro’s handlebar bike mount - it’s pretty good, and has a range of different rubber inserts to ensure a good fit with the handlebar. I prefer to have the camera on top of the handlebar - because I can quickly and easily check that it’s running . Plus I think it’s a better perspective than slung under the bike computer mount

[@ds6914]

How much do you weigh? Sorry! I just like to put the watts in context

[@BikeRacingWithoutMercy]

Hi DS - cheers for checking out the vid🙏. No problem - I was 64.5kg at the time - bike weighted 6.9kg (with pedals & bottle cages) 👍

[@ds6914]

@@BikeRacingWithoutMercy cheers, much appreciated