Rob and Elise's dream

THE DREAM OF ROB AND ELISE

Just before the world plunged into the corona crisis, I was approached by Rob and Elise with CYCLOsportive. Two cyclists who wanted to travel around Piedmont. Inspired by the book 'Mountain High', Rob and Elise wanted to celebrate their 50s^ste have conquered all 50 cols in the book. The trip was supposed to take no less than three weeks. This way, many cols could be ticked off their bucket list. Could CYCLOsportive put together a trip for them? I didn't know much about the region at that time. Northern Italy and Turin, much more did not come to mind.

Aosta - Gran San Bernardo

The journey through Piedmont starts in Aosta. Aosta is a great starting point for the trip. As a cyclist you can easily spend a few days cycling here. Plenty of routes, they mainly go up. Officially the Aosta region is not part of Piedmont, but hey, if you are in the area. On the border with Switzerland you will find the Colle del San Bernardo. A mountain pass between the Swiss Val d'Entremont and the Valle d'Aosta in Italy. From Martigny (Switzerland) the pass takes you to an altitude of 2,469 meters.

Stay: Hotel Milleluci

Routes: Colle del Gran San Bernardo, Place Moulin Dam, Gran Paradiso

Featured: Colle del Gran San Bernardo

From Aosta, the col is 33 km long, you cover 1,874 vertical meters at an average gradient of 5.7% (maximum 8.1%). So much for the numbers. What makes this turtleneck so special? There are only two higher passes in Switzerland to name just a few. A hospice was opened here by monks in 1049. These monks helped travelers in need by picking them up with their dogs. The world famous St Bernard dogs.

Long before the monks settled on the Gran San Bernardo, Julius Caesar already passed through the Alps with his army here in 57 BC. And Napoleon also crossed the border between Switzerland and Italy here in 1800 with 46,000 soldiers.

Long after the clash of arms it was the cyclists' turn. The Tour de France and the Giro visited Colle del Gran San Bernardo several times.

Ceresole Reale – Nivolet

Once the Gran Dan Bernardo has been ticked off, the journey continues to the next highlight: Colle del Nivolet. Now you really enter the Piedmont region. CYCLOsportive chose Rob and Elise to stay at B&B Blanchetti in Ceresole Reale on the beautiful Lago di Ceresole. Literally at the foot of the 16 km climb to the top. If you have a gravel bike, you can still enjoy the rugged landscape after the summit. A dirt road continues for several kilometers after the summit. Motorized traffic prohibited. Delicious!

Accommodation: B&B Blanchetti

Routes: Colle del Nivolet, Piamprato, Traversella

Featured: Colle del Nivolet

At an altitude of 2,632 meters, Colle del Nivolet is one of the highest asphalted mountain passes in Europe. From Ceresole, the col is 16 km long, you cover 1,200 meters of altitude at an average gradient of 4.7% (maximum 8.7%). Do you really want to challenge yourself? Then start your ride in Locana. From this Italian village the climb is no less than 40 km! The Giro visited Colle del Nivolet for the first time in history in 2019. Thanks to the Giro, cyclists no longer have to go through a long tunnel. An unpaved road along the tunnel is now asphalted and easily accessible.

On cycloworld.cc I found the following description. “From Ceresole it is another 15 kilometers to the top. Toiling at variable percentages, the nature reserve around the Gran Paradiso offers an environment that is unparalleled. Here there is nothing more than rocks, waterfalls and views of eternal snow. After the two lakes, Lago Serrù and Lago Agnel, you cover the last 4 kilometers in endless solitude. The Nivolet is probably not a climb that you will do more than once. Make the most of it, you simply have to do this pearl once in your life.”

Rob and Elise would have been on the road for about eight days now. During their three-week tour of Piedmont, they would cross the northern Italian region from north to south. With a pearl of a col waiting for them at every spot. After the pearls of San Bernardo and Nivolet, the couple would have traveled on to the Colle delle Finestre!

Exilles – Finestre

After eight days of cycling and enjoying Italy, Rob and Elise would have settled down in agriturismo An Seaux without the corona crisis. This agriturismo is located in an old characteristic farm. Guests can enjoy traditional cuisine here. After cycling you can enjoy it here! An Seaux is located in the town of Exilles. From this hamlet you can reach the top of the Colle delle Finestre in 31 km.

Accommodation: Agriturismo An Seaux

Routes: Colle delle Finestre, Colle dell'Assietta, Lac du Mont-Cenis, Col de Sommeiler

Featured: Colle delle Finestre

At 2,176 meters, Colle delle Finestre is not the highest point in Rob and Elise's dream trip. The 18.45 km climb starts from Susa. 1,694 elevation meters are conquered at an average gradient of 9.2%! The steepest parts of the Colle delle Finestra are at the foot of the climb, 14%. In 2005, Colle delle Finestre appeared for the first time in the Giro. In 2018, Chris Froome embarked on a heroic solo at the Finestre, which would ultimately bring him the overall victory. Halfway up the climb, just before the asphalt road turned to gravel, he accelerated and rode the last 80 kilometers solo. He finished more than 3 minutes ahead of the first pursuers, including Tom Dumoulin, while he spent more than half an hour ahead of pink jersey wearer Simon Yates.

The fact that the asphalt road turns into a gravel/gravel road (8 km long) is perhaps the most beautiful thing about the Finestre. During the Giro, it produced heroic images of riders working their way up on unpaved paths. If you like counting down turns towards the top. There are only 55 :-).

Celle – Agnello

After all the cols in the Finestre area, Rob and Elis travel to Celle (Cuneo). Osteria l'Iero d'Eima is the next location. In Celle you imagine yourself 100 years back in time. You can completely relax here in the middle of the alpine meadows. If you are traveling for three weeks, the need to cycle every day may not be present. The B&B is fully equipped and you can enjoy delicious food. La vita e bella!

Resting in Cella is relative, after all, the Colle dell Agnello is just around the corner.

Accommodation: B&B Osteria l'Iero d'Eima

Routes: Colle dell Agnello, Colle di Sampeyre, Colle Valcavera

Featured: Colle dell Agnello

At an altitude of 2,744 metres, Colle dell Agnello is one of the highest asphalted mountain passes in Europe. From Sampeyre, the col is 32 km long and covers an altitude of 1,802 metres. At an average gradient of 5.6% (maximum 15%). It is perhaps the most extinct mountain pass in the Alps. The first long stretch is on a typical Italian narrow road through an extinct valley. Lots of false flats with the occasional steep section. Here you have a breathtaking view of the increasingly rugged mountains. After Cianale there is another 9 kilometer climb. Merciless kilometers, because it is an average of 10% to the top. With still a few kilometers to go, you see the road lying eerily against the mountain wall. It is hardly possible to cycle against it, but the dazzling view makes up for a lot. At the top you catch your breath and realize how great this climb is. (source: cycloworld.cc).

Whether cycling history has been written here? Google it yourself, I don't want to talk about it. Is the route to Colle die Sampeyre on the program and do you own a gravel bike or MTB? Then you MUST not turn left at the top to start the descent. Cycle straight ahead on a gravel path towards Colle Biocca and you will arrive in truly fabulous surroundings! After a few kilometers you really cycle over the upper edge of the mountain range. With mountain peaks left and right as far as you can see. The feeling 'on top of the world' is an understatement here.

Montforte d'Alba

After all the violence of all those mountains above 2,000 meters, it is time to find an area where the last days of the three-week tour can be spent in peace and quiet. The area around Montforte d'Alba is ideal for this.

Lodging: Villa Biccaris

Routes: Alba

Featured: the wines of Cuneo

Rob and Elise's dream trip would end in Cuneo in the south of Piedmont. The sea is within easy reach here, Dolce Vita was invented here. Cities such as Alba, Cuneo, Asti and Acqui Terme can be visited. But above all, you can enjoy the delicious wines that are produced here.

Thanks to Cavour and the royal Savoia family, Piedmont is the cradle of La Repubblica italiana and also the cradle of Italian quality wine. It has been (somewhat) French for quite a long time in terms of the wines, but also in terms of appearance it is the Burgundy of Italy. It is hilly and often quite foggy between October and April. That is why the grape variety of the region is called Nebbiolo, literally translated: the 'misty'.

The Nebbiolo grape makes fantastic DOCG wines, the most famous of which are Barolo (King of Wines and Wine of Kings), and Barbaresco. The villages of Barolo and Barbaresco are close to each other in the Alba area and it was until the mid-1950s that the two wines could hardly be distinguished in terms of origin. Barolo is a real great; heavy, 'brown' and can be kept for years. In any case, it has been in oak barrels for 3 to 5 years before the wine is sold. (source: italie.nl)

And if you really still wanted to cycle after 2.5 weeks? Which can. There are several beautiful routes through the hilly landscape available from Alba. Maybe you can even enjoy a glass of wine at one of the numerous wineries along the way!

Do you also want such a trip to be arranged for you from A to Z? That all you have to do is jump in the car and go cycling in Italy? Think about one tailor-made trip. CYCLOsportive-travel is happy to make your dream come true! For more information, email to: gv@cyclosportive.nl