Hey - I was out there in a pink jersey as well - though not part of your group. Actually I knew that the 2nd Cat 1 climb would be a bit much, so I opted for the metric. Mt. Vesuvius (Cat 2) was one hell of a climb as well - I made it through but was thankful I didn't try the full century. Next year I'll try - I will be geared better, I'm going to a compact crank!
Got to say - it was one well supported ride - probably the best I've been on. Plenty of rest stops, good food before and after and showers! That made the trip back home much more pleasant.