Living like a pro is easy in October

The professional road racing season is all over now. Riders have either gone home, gone cross-racing, or moved indoor to the track. The next time we will see them will be down under in Australia. Those who have gone home, I like to think, have made the right choice. They get to be normal for a month, eat what they want, enjoy a drink, and be a little lazy. In other words the gap between me and them narrows.

Of course, those who have stayed on their bikes deserve credit to. They continue to entertain. In London last week there was the six day race featuring Mark Cavendish and Bradley Wiggins. They didn't win it, but the crowd went wild anyway. So much for the TUE scandal having an affect on Wiggins' popularity. The media are not amused.

And the cross-season is upon us too. It always makes for great television. I always watch at least a few races and say, one day I must go to Belgium to watch this in person. I say that about a lot of things though and can only add it to my lengthy bucket list.

Beyond the actions of the actual cyclist's themselves, this is route unveiling season. We had the tour a few weeks ago and last week it was the turn of the Giro. It's the 100th edition of the race so they've gone with a good one.

Heavy on culture and steeped in history, the route will pay tribute to Italian cycling heroes. It also covers many famous Italian cycling roads and some epic climbs. The climbing is long, but not brutal and there's a good mixture of stage lengths.

Given it's the centennial edition, both Vincenzo Nibali and Fabio Aru should show up. Which would be fitting. The race starts on the island of Sardinia, home to Aru, before moving to Sicily, home of Nibali. Once on the mainland the route works north towards the high mountains, the best of which arrive in the final week. On stage 10 there is a 39km time trial and on the final day into Milan, another 28km race of truth. It looks made for someone like Chris Froome, though it's unlikely he will attempt it. If ever there was a year in which the Giro and Tour look like they could suit a rider to achieve the double, 2017 might be it. Still, the task of achieving it seems mighty. Froome's ultimate goal is winning another Tour and so the Giro might be too much of a risk. I hope he changes his mind.

Either way we're in for a treat. The next route release will be the Vuelta. Sometime after that the riders will begin the early stages of winter training. Team camps will meet in early December and again in early January. Then, before you know it...before January is out, a new season will begin. It will be as though they were never away. From the hot climates of Australia or the middle east the peloton will reach Europe by spring for the classics season. Until all that though, it's only Halloween and we can live knowing the pros aren't to unlike us right now. For a few weeks.