How Delicious is Italian Bike Riding?

Patria Lanfranchi reflects on two of her great passions: Cycling and food.

When you're riding your bike in the rolling Italian landscape, mangia and bevi: eat and drink! For this reason, the bigger, more challenging hills have been nicknamed "mangia-bevi" by the Italians. So what do you eat and drink while pedaling on your Italian dream vacation (without ruining your appetite for dinner)?

It might not come as a surprise that the rich Italian culture which is largely defined in the kitchen also extends to the cycling community. The Italian cycling experience wouldn't be the same without it.

I had to change my eating habits on the bike when I started training with an Italian cycling team. Showing up to a ride with large water bottles of sports drink wasn't cool. Most of the guys ride with one little bottle of plain water. There are many public fountains from which flow fresh, clean water, so it's not difficult to get a refill... they stop for cafè (espresso), but rarely a water refill.

On one occasion when we did pull over for water, an elderly man stepped out of his home to offer us his homemade wine. We went into his home and he poured a generous glass for each of us. We paid him with compliments; it was all he wanted as his smile gave away the pride he felt to support cyclists.

What does one eat during a long ride? Other than a bike shop, the best place to find sports nutrition products is at the pharmacy. American energy bars are tough to come by, and can be very expensive. The easiest way to answer this question: I went riding with the team and mentioned that “ho fame.” I'm hungry. As though we were at the dinner table, from all directions I was offered food: packets of jam, cute prosciutto sandwiches, and granola bars. Nutella also makes a great mid-ride pick-me-up. Nutella, made from hazelnuts and chocolate, is sold everywhere (good luck finding peanut butter).

There are a few things I believe the cyclists in the U.S. have in common with cyclists in Italy. One is that after a good ride or when the team meets up for dinner, it's not uncommon for everyone to enjoy a good, cold beer and a pizza.

I often get the question of how Italian bike racing differs from racing in the U.S. Racing there is defined by so much history and the culture. The most significant difference is relevant here: at the end of almost every race, there is a pasta party for everyone. The pasta party is always something I anxiously anticipate. There are large tables in a courtyard or gymnasium to accommodate everyone. The pasta, though served up cafeteria style, is always tasty. It's not just pasta. The meal includes a cooked vegetable or salad, meat and wine. Friends sit together and rehash the events of the race over this wonderful meal. Thank goodness the races are long and hard for the calorie-burning aspect alone. Lest I forget to mention the prizes at races: prosciutto goes to first place, capocollo (neck of pig) goes to second, and salami to third. These are often supplemented with bags of pasta, bottles of wine and medals.

I wonder how I could survive the Italian life if it weren't for the bike simply because it allows me to eat all of the food that finds its way on my plate and in my jersey pockets. But I also know that it is the bike that has allowed me to discover so much of the Italian culture. Mangia e bevi la vita Italiana...Buon appetito!