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Back to Travel BCYCLET Gravel Week Torino – San Remo
France, The Alps
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€ 1,890/person (including taxes)
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8 Days
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Endurance Ride
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3 Pro level
September 3 – 11, 2022
Join us for a whole week through the alps on remote passes, gravel paths, and old military roads! The Strada dell’Assietta, the Strada dei Cannoni, and the Via del Sale, passes like the Col Agnel, the Colle delle Finestre, and the Col de Péas, stunning landscapes, remote climbs, pittoresque mountain villages – all this is on the route for this cycling adventure in the Italian and French alps. This is a fully supported adventure – we will transfer your luggage from accommodation to accommodation, often in alpine huts or mountain lodges, and a guide will accompany you on the bike.
The number of riders is limited. Early registration is therefore recommended.
Registrations will close latest on August 10, 2022.
The route is at this point preliminary. Slight changes might occur due to availability of accommodations or road closures. The final route will be confirmed in August.
Photos (c) Robert Krügel
September 3
Torino – Cirié
After loading the van and enjoying an Italian caffè in Torino, we have a short ride to Cirié – ideal for a bike check and to get accustomed to the group! Don’t skimp at the briefing dinner, you will need all those carbs in the next days.
25km/120m+
09h00 depart of the transfer from Geneva (optional)
14h00 meeting at the piazza Bodoni in Torino
15h00 departure from Torino
between 16h30 and 18h30 airport pick up (optional)
19h00 dinner & ride briefing
September 4
Cirié – Val di Susa
The first stage proper begins with a paved climb high above the Valli di Lanzo, passing old monasteries. The Colle della Dieta is also paved, but has partly fallen into disrepair, and leads through a quite lonely part of the greater Torino region.
The feed station for the day will be set up in Viù, just after the downhill. For the afternoon, we have “just” the Colle del Colombardo on the programme – the first proper gravel pass of the week! After ~1300m of climbing and an even longer descent, we will spend the night in the Val di Susa
97km/2550m+
September 5
Val di Susa – Sestriere
After 25 kilometres along the Sal di Susa, we have an absolute highlight on the route today: the Colle delle Finestre with the Strada dell’Assietta! 1500m of climbing, lunch on the Colle, and then the rolling Strada, almost always above 2000m, in the afternoon. Then it is all downhill towards our next overnight stay near Sestriere.
83km/2750m+
September 6
Sestriere – Molines-en-Queyras
Today is an adventure day! We might have to push or carry our bikes, as we venture deep into the mountains, crossing into France over the Col de Bousson, and climb the remote Col de Péas. For the night, we will stay above Molines-en-Queyras at 2000m altitude.
54km/1950m+
September 7
Molines-en-Queyras – Sampeyre
Stage four marks the halfway point of our trip – so we will take it easy. Only two climbs will almost make it feel like a rest day. First up is the Col Agnel, one of the highest paved passes in the alps. Back in Italy, a 22km descent is waiting. For the night, we will stay on the slopes of the Colle di Sampeyre.
54km/1400m+
September 8
Sampeyre – Altopiano della Gardetta
First order of business after breakfast is the remaining part of the Colle di Sampeyre, where we will take a left turn onto the Strada dei Cannoni. Almost 30km of gravel riding wait for us on this old military road.
The feed station for lunch will be set up in the Valle Macra. In the afternoon, we climb again, first gently along the Maira river, then steeper towards the Colle del Preit. Beyond the Colle, we reach the Altopiano della Gardetta, also sometimes called “Little Peru”, where we will spend the night.
89km/2240m+
September 9
Altopiano della Gardetta – Via del Sale
Our penultimate day is also the Queen stage. After a loop through “Little Peru” and a long descent, we have two intermediate climbs – with the feed station in-between, before we start the long climb towards the Col de Tende. At the top, we turn left onto the Via del Sale, a spectacular unpaved road straddling the French-Italian border. We will sleep in a mountain hut directly on the Via del Sale (to be confirmed).
112km/2850m+
September 10
Via del Sale – San Remo
The last day starts as the previous stage ended – with more than 40km on the stunning Via del Sale! Then we descend gradually towards San Remo, sleeping high has the perk that we have more than 3000m of descent while only climbing 1300m today.
In San Remo, you will have time to dip your feet into the Mediterranean, or enjoy a well deserved ice cream, before our farewell dinner.
90km/1330m+
September 11
San Remo
After a relaxed breakfast, there is time for a little stroll through San Remo, before the (optional) transfer back to Torino or Geneva will leave.
12h00 depart of the transfer to Torino or Geneva (optional)
Mandatory Equipment
- Fully functional gravel bike with two independent brakes (we recommend at least 40mm wide tires).
- Helmet
- Two water bottles
- Puncture repair kit suitable for the bike (inner tube & patches or tubeless sealant and tire plugs, pump or CO2-capsule, tire lever)
- Appropriate clothes for riding in the high mountains in all conditions
- GPS with the track preloaded
- Mobile phone working in France and Italy
- Front and rear light attached to the bike
- Personal nutrition
