OUR JOURNEY UNDER THE SCORCHING AUGUST SUN
7 August – Villacidro → Sant’Antioco
127.50 km · 1,483 m elevation gain
On Friday, August 7th, at 5:30 in the morning, while it is still dark outside, we set off from Villacidro.
This time, we want to experience SHARDANA differently. There hasn’t been much time for preparation, and our training hasn’t been what we would have liked either. With the temperatures this summer, riding has been anything but easy and, to be honest, we were a little worried about the days ahead.
But we decided not to overthink it. The idea was to experience a real journey, with a small tent strapped to the bikes, sleeping wherever we happened to find a place: on a beach, in a little patch of woodland, somewhere along the road. Without knowing exactly where we would spend the following night.
Setting off this early at least gives us a few hours of more manageable temperatures. We have breakfast at home and then we’re off, heading towards Domusnovas, where we stop for a second breakfast.
From there, we know what awaits us: the climb towards Terraseo. Before tackling it, we make our first water stop, because we know there won’t be anywhere to refill until Terraseo.
And we’re going to need it.
During the climb, the temperature reaches as high as 45°C. At that point, every hairpin bend seems a little longer than the one before it. Then, just when we are nearing the end, we come across something we know well from previous journeys: that little spring flowing out of the mountainside.
We don’t think twice.
We stop, cool ourselves down, and end up literally taking a shower. We’re standing there completely soaked, while cars drive past and people look at us as if we’ve completely lost our minds.
From the outside, they probably weren’t wrong.
We get back on the bikes and, shortly afterwards, reach Terraseo. The bar is open, so we’re more than happy to stop for an ice cream and a cold drink. The break also gives us the chance to exchange a few words with the barmaid and remember the riders who, during SHARDANA in May, had stopped there to warm up and dry their gear.
From Terraseo, we continue towards Tratalias and then join the cycle path towards Sant’Antioco.
After all the gravel we’ve ridden up to that point, it almost feels like we’re back on the roads we know at home. The cycle path is spectacular, smooth and incredibly enjoyable to ride.
We arrive in Sant’Antioco at around 1:30 p.m. We have lunch and, since it’s still early, decide to stop for a few hours. We settle down in one of the little gardens overlooking the waterfront and take some time to rest.
At 6:00 p.m., we’re still there, and we realise that, all things considered, we’re feeling good and still have the urge to keep riding.
The original plan was to stop in Sant’Antioco and ride around the island the following day.
But we look at each other and change our minds.
Why wait until tomorrow? Let’s do it today.
So we set off again and begin our ride around the island. We reach Calasetta, where we stop for dinner, and by the time we get back on the bikes, it’s already evening.
The light slowly fades and the road takes on a completely different character.
After a few kilometres, the first problem of the night arrives: Massy’s front light stops working.
We pull over and try to fix it. Luckily, we also have a spare light and, after almost an hour of checking, trying different things and a few well-placed swear words, we finally get going again.
By then, we are completely immersed in the night.
Riding in the dark is nothing new for us. In 2022, we rode the Randonnée d'Ogliastra, and in 2025 we took on our Graveldonnee at night. It’s something we actually enjoy quite a lot.
We look for a quiet, secluded little spot and settle in for the night. We take out the inflatable mattresses, get our sleeping bags ready and organise our things.
The tent is with us, but that night we can do without it.
It’s already 1 a.m.
We’re tired, but before going to sleep we look out at the sea and suddenly feel like taking a swim. We get undressed and dive into the water, with nothing but the moonlight around us.
We stay there for a few minutes, in silence.
After everything we’ve done that day, that swim feels like the perfect way to bring it to an end.
We head back to the beach and get ready to sleep. Genoveffa and Geltrude, our inseparable travel companions, are already there beside us.
We slip into our sleeping bags.
When we set off at 5:30 that morning, it was still dark.
Now it’s dark again, but we’re on the other side of the day, lying on a beach in Sant’Antioco, with our first stage behind us.
And to think… we’ve only just begun.
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