Crossed the Italian border and the roads dried out and the temperature shot up to 26 degrees C! Down to Tirano and a lethal road S38 westwards upon which Tizz managed to go past me while I waited to show her the way. I thought she was behind, so started cycling back till I met the van – they’d not seen her! When I finally got in touch she didn’t know which road she was on but said that there was “a slight dip in the mountains ahead”!! She added that the road was too busy (I knew that!), that it was a crap surface (I knew that too!) and that her phone was about to run out of charge! Brilliant! Eventually persuaded her to (reluctantly!) turn round and I eventually found her at the turn-off to Aprica. By now the temperature was 36 degrees (!!) and we faced a 10-mile climb to Aprica. Beautiful scenery as thecroad wound up, but hellish hot. Tizz stated that she needed a drink but couldn’t because she can’t drink on the move and can’t get started again if she stops on a hill! Eventually reached the top to find the support crew in a lovely little cafe and Mum saying “Grassy” to everything the waitress brought out!
Then a long, scenic downhill to Edolo, which the riders in this year’s Giro d’Italia went up twice in one stage, having already done tomorrows entire leg from Brescia uphill first! Amazing! Drinking coffee and have just been in contact with Fluffy (Bernard) whom we’re meeting tomorrow in Isio.