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Italian Alps- On the roads of Tour de France
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A ROAD CYCLING WEEK IN THE ALPS IN CONJUNCTION WITH GIRO D'ITALIA
What about a road cycling week in Bormio, in the hearth of the Italian Alps? It's a real paradise for us road riders and a week there sounds amazing, right? Bormio is ideal to ride some of the most iconic and sometimes intimidating climbs in the world, like the famous 48 hairpins up Stelvio, the wild and beautiful Gavia Pass as well as the famous Mortirolo Pass. As a living monument to cycling, the mountains around Bormio, pile up more names every season. Names of active cyclists are next to legendary ones. Names like - in the modern history of Tour and Giro - Fausto Coppi, Charly Gaul, Gino Bartali, Louison Bobet, Felice Gimondi, Raymond Poulidor, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, Greg LeMond, Miguel Indurain, Marco Pantani, Alberto Contador, Vincenzo Nibali, Chris Froome. Those climbs are in the legend of cycling and putting our flags on top of them sounds just great. What if we add to this already awesome plan the opportunity to watch the Giro action on top of Mortirolo? Could we ask more than this? Well, maybe a visit to a Pro-Tour - Canyon sponsored - team? Yes, this cycling week is not just a training camp, but a once in a lifetime cycling experience. Detailed briefings, constant contact with our skilled guides, planned food stops, perfect Canyon rental bikes make for a safe and enjoyable daily riding. Choice of hotel and stops is made with care and with deep knowledge of the places.
Ride Highlights:
Stelvio Pass
“i’m still that eight-year-old kid who rode up the stelvio. I’m still that kid in my legs, in my head and in my heart.”
114.5km | 3,245m | 3,245m | 5,30h
101km | 3,417m | 3,417m | 5,30h
Stelvio pass is in the cycling myth since 1953, after a 34 years old Fausto Coppi, was able to grab his last Giro d’Italia, dropping the GC leader, the Swiss Hugo Koblet, in a legendary day. Stelvio climb was on a dirt road at that time, and bikes were not as sophisticated and lightweight as now. Romantic - or heroic - cycling, as they call it.
There’s big debate among cyclists on which side of Stelvio is the nicest: Lombardy side, from Bormio or Trentino side, from Prato allo Stelvio. We don’t want to influence your opinion, so we give you the opportunity to make your own idea. We ride up from Bormio, go all the way down across Switzerland, and up again from Prato allo Stelvio, enjoying all the famous 48 hairpins up top.
This stage can be shortened by van up to Umbrail pass. That way it'd be 80km and 2200m elevation gain.
60km | 1,925m | 1,925m | 4,30h
A day dedicated to watch Giro from the sidelines of one of Europe's hardest climbs: Mortirolo pass. This must-do HC climb is world famous as is very challenging and steep. It’s been included in the Giro in 1990 and it became famous for the legendary stage of 1994 Giro when a very young Marco Pantani dropped his majesty Miguel Indurain, showing the world a new star was born. A monument to the famous Italian climber is at km 8. We get there after a long way down from Bormio to Tirano, then we climb up the Aprica pass so to face Mortirolo from the Monno side. Nearly on top of the climb, we take a break at the rifugio, then we select a good spot to watch the riders.
30km | 1,000m | 1,000m | 2,30h
We take a recovery day and do a shorter ride to explore the lovely mountains closer to Bormio. Why don’t going for a lovely ride up Cancano lakes? Short but gorgeous, it gives us the time to take an afternoon stroll in town and watch the end of Giro's stage.
108km | 3,100m | 3,100m | 5,30h
Can a climb up Stelvio propose three totally different and yet amazing routes? To discover it, we'll cross Foscagno Pass, west of Bormio, an reach the tallest Italian village, the lovely Livigno. From there, we coast the Livigno lake and change... Country. Yes, half of today's ride involve Switzerland. Right 76km after the start, we get to Mustair - or Santa Maria as we Italians call it - and start our third climb up Stelvio Pass. Normally the question among riders is 'which of the two Stelvio sides do you like best?'. Well you'll be one of the few cyclists that can choose among the three ways up. After a cappuccino and some local pies, we descend to Bormio and celebrate a glorious week of cycling in the Alps!
Travel arrangements
Best airport to land is Milano Malpensa (MXP): from there we arrange the group transfer. Other options are possible and we can help selecting the best one.
Food & Drinks during stages
During the rides we plan at least one longer food stops in the middle of the stage plus one or more coffee stops. In the assistence van we use to bring along bars, gels and water.
Necessary Gear
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We suggest renting a Canyon bike with us. But feel free to take your own bike. Just consider bringing along a selection of model specific spare parts.
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The hotel has got a bike room, workshop with tools and bike cleaning facilities.
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Bring along a wide selection of clothes, including some full arm jackets, rain coat, leg and arm warmers, overshoes: it's the Alps and the weather is never completely predictable.
