OVERVIEW
HIGHLIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION
GETTING THERE
PACKING LIST
FAQs
OVERVIEW
Take on the Secret Stelvio Gravel Climb!
High in the Italian Alps, the Stelvio is legendary, but few riders ever see it this way. From Bormio, a hidden gravel trail winds its way up the mountain taking you to the summit over 2,500m up, demanding steady legs, focus, and determination.
It’s a serious challenge, yes – over four hours of climbing, technical sections, and altitude – however the rewards are immense. Think sweeping alpine views, quiet gravel trails far from the crowds and the camaraderie of tackling something epic together.
At the summit, the sense of achievement is like nothing else. You’ll have conquered one of cycling’s most iconic climbs in its rawest form, with a crew that shares your passion for adventure.
Included in Ride Package
Accommodation
3 nights at a mountain hotel. Choose private single, shared twin (2 beds) or shared double (1 bed) rooms.
Airport Transfers
Fly to Milan (LIN) where our team will be on hand to greet you.
2 Epic Stages
Fully supported rides with guides leading small groups, van support & regular feed stops with a warm up ride on arrival day.
Meals
Bring some money for drinks but our package includes 3 dinners, 2 lunches & 3 breakfasts.
Regular Stops
Regular feed stops with lunch stops in beautiful locations.
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED: Flights, Insurance (mandatory), Bike rental, Drinks with lunch & evening meals
REAL RIDER REVIEWS
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ITINERARY
DAY 1
Arrival in Milan, transfer to Bormio (transfer takes approx. 1h10 min). Warm up evening ride of 9km to make sure legs & bike are in good condition for bigger rides to come.
DAY 2
Stage One: 80km, 1295m elevation, 60% off road
DAY 3
Stage Two: 54km, 2270m elevation, 60% off road
DAY 4
Departure day. It's time to pack the bikes and head to the airport.
RIDE HIGHLIGHTS
Bucket list climb
Tackling Stelvio by the lesser know gravel ascent and descending on the road is cycling adventure at its finest. A demanding climb through untamed alpine beauty gives way to a thrilling, silky-smooth downhill. It’s a bucket-list ride that blends grit, grandeur, and pure exhilaration.
Flavours of italy
In the Dolomites, Italian and alpine traditions come together at the table. Local favourites like speck, dumplings, cheese, and strudel offer hearty, comforting flavours — the perfect reward after a day in the saddle.
Cancano Lakes
Ride around the lakes at Cancano, one of the most spectacular locations in the Stelvio National Park. A series of reservoirs in Valle di Fraele surrounded by breathtaking alpine scenery and smooth gravel tracks that contrast with some of the more challenging terrain later in the trip.
5 UNMISSABLE HIGHLIGHTS
NUMBER One
Cancano Road Climb
aka the mini Stelvio with sweeping switchbacks, rock tunnels and view across the valley.
NUMBER TWO
Fraele Towers
Built in the 1300's as observation and signally towers, all that remains of what was once a much larger fortification and a chance to admire the view from the top of the climb.
number three
Cancano Lakes
Ride around the edge of the vibrant turquoise waters of the Cancano Lakes and marvel at the engineering feat of the massive hydroelectric dam.
Number Four
Stelvio
High mountain trails to the top of the Stelvio take you through forests, mountain meadows and rocky mountain side switchbacks
Stelvio road descent for what must be some of the most picturesque switchbacks of any alpine climb.
Number five
Bormio
A charming alpine town at the foot of the Stelvio Pass, Bormio is famed for its legendary climbs, natural hot springs, and hearty Valtellina cuisine — the perfect mix of cycling heritage and mountain culture.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
Accommodation
We’ll stay in a typical Italin mountain hotel. You can choose between a private single room (limited availablity), shared twin (2 beds) or shared double (1 bed) room.
Bike & Tyre Choice
We recommend running tubeless tyres of at least 45mm (wider if your bike will accommodate) with an intermediate tread pattern. A key consideration is gearing for the longer and steeper climbs. With gradients regularly in double digits and up to 20% in places you may want to run easier gearing than in the UK either with a wider range cassette or smaller chainrings. (For reference, on our trip reccon our guides ran 40 x 44 as the lowest gear and was low cadence grinding up a number of the climbs)
Food
The Dolomites and Bormio are as rich in flavour as they are in scenery. In the Dolomites, Italian and Austrian traditions meet in hearty alpine dishes: smoky speck, canederli dumplings, tangy mountain cheeses. In Bormio, specialties are rustic and comforting — pizzoccheri, a buckwheat pasta baked with potatoes, cabbage, and cheese; golden fried cheese bites known as sciatt; and the region’s prized bresaola. All best enjoyed with a glass of bold local Nebbiolo after a day on the bike.
weather
Early July is one of the best times to ride in the Dolomites. Days are warm but not overly hot, with average highs around 20–25°C in the valleys, while the mountain passes stay cooler and fresher. Mornings are usually clear, with the chance of afternoon showers or thunderstorms, typical of the high Alps. Perfect conditions for long climbs, big views, and rewarding descents.
Terrain
Terrain - The Italian Alps has very few flat areas and this trip features a lot of challenging climbing at higher altitudes. The offroad sections vary from wide and smooth gravel roads to narrow, loose and rocky mountain trails with some technical features. On at least some short sections of the ride it will be necessary to push/carry your bike. The higher mountain trails do give the sense of height exposure with little between the edge of the trail and the view back down the mountain.
STAGE DETAILS
Route Summary:
For our welcome ride we follow the Sentiero Frodolfo along the Adda river to Sant Antonio. Before returning back via a section of gravel tracks on the other side of the river that bring us into Bormio Old Town and a chance to enjoy a drink in one of the cafes overlooking the town square.
Ride Distance: 9km Ride Elevation: 158m % Off Road: 51% Difficulty: 3/5
Route Summary:
A chance to warm up on the cycle route out of Bormio before we start to climb. We follow the Cancano road climb (9km at an average gradient of 7%) up to the Fraele Towers and a chance to look back down on the switchbacks you’ve just ridden up. From here we are onto gravel roads around the edge of two large lakes, Lago di Cancano and Lago di San Giacomo, which are today used for electricity production and separated by a large dam. A short road descent from the lake we then pick up sections of the Bormio 360 Adventure Trail following gravel and dirt roads throigh forests back down to the valley floor and return to Bormio
Ride Distance: 80km Ride Elevation: 1295m % Off Road: 60% Difficulty: 3/5
Route Summary:
Our queen stage from the valley floor to the top of the Stelvio Pass via the less ridden off road path. A short warm up on the road before we head into the forests to begin our ascent. Some of the steepest gradients featuring in the earlier sections of the climb before we’re above the tree line then riding through high mountain meadows and past alpine rivers before the final push into the open rocky landscape of the upper slopes past the old World War 1 fortifications before some singletrack descending to join the final few kilometres of the Stelvio road climb to reach the top of the pass and a well earned cafe stop. Our return back to Bormio is via the road and the stunning Stelvio switchbacks.
Ride Distance: 54km Ride Elevation: 2270m % Off Road: 60% Difficulty: 5/5
Your Guides
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Rental Bikes
getting to Stelvio
Fly Into: Milan Linate Airport (LIN)
Flights From: There are regular direct flights operated by British Airways, Ryanair and Easyjet to Milan.
Transfer Times:
On arrival day, we will have a transfer departing Milan Linate airport at 13:00.
On departure day, we will have a transfer departing the hotel at 10.30, in time for flights after 15.00. Transfers will take approx. 3h.
Note: transfer times are subject to change should flight times change. Final times will be confirmed and sent to you a month before your trip.Milan
Accommodation & Meals
Accommodation: We’ll stay in a mixture of hotels. You can choose between a private single room (limited availablity), shared twin (2 beds) or shared double (1 bed) room. All of our accommodation is hand picked and we have selected some really special places.
We stay at:
Granada – Boutique Hotel Cerro del Sol
Guadix – YIT Abentofail (2 nights)
Granada – Boutique Hotel Cerro del Sol
Meals – 4 breakfasts, 3 lunches on the road, 4 dinners are included in the package. Drinks with lunch & dinner are excluded.
packing list
Cycling Kit
Bibs/shorts | Jerseys/tops (consider LS t-shirts for cooler temperatures)
Gilet | Waterproof jacket | Arm and leg warmers
Cycling shoes | Socks | Mitts Helmet | Sunglasses
2 bottles
GPS device with handle bar mount
Bike Spares
2 x inner tubes suitable for the size of your tyre
Spare tyre | Tyre levers | Small pump | Multitool
1 x puncture repair kit (if running a tubeless set up, have a tubeless repair kit including plugs and spare sealant)
Chain link specific for your bike chain | Lube | Brake pads | Spare rear mech hanger for your bike
Rear light | 2 Bottle cages
Spare batteries/charging cables for lights
Personal Medical Kit
1 x crepe roll bandage | Gauze or similar absorbent dressing Assorted plasters | Rubber gloves | Steri-Strips | Antiseptic (spray, cream or wipes)
Small set of scissors | Tweezers | Pain Killers (paracetamol) | Prescribed medication
Must Pack Items
Power bank | Flip flops | Swimming kit | Shower gel | Hydration & Personal energy bars | Chamois cream | Sun cream
Hotel & Meals
Accommodation: We’ll stay at the Hotel Nevada throughout the trip, a lovely Italian mountain hotel. You can choose between a private single room (limited availablity), shared twin (2 beds) or shared double (1 bed) room. All of our accommodation is hand picked and we have selected a really special place.
Meals – 3 breakfasts, 2 lunches on the road, 3 dinners are included in the package. Drinks with lunch & dinner are excluded.
DATES & PRICES
START
FINISH
SINGLE ROOM
TWIN/
DOUBLE ROOM
DEPOSIT
DATES & PRICES
FAQs
This ride feature sustained climbing, high altitudes and technical riding that would be suitable for experienced riders only. Due to the sense of exposure on some of the higher trails it may not be suitable for anyone with a fear of heights.
Fly in/out of Milan. There are regular direct flights operated by British Airways, Ryanair and Easyjet, just to name a few.
On arrival day, we will have a transfer departing Milan Linate airport at 13:00.
On departure day, we will have a transfer departing the hotel at 10.30, in time for flights after 15.00. Transfers will take approx. 3h.
Note: transfer times are subject to change should flight times change. Final times will be confirmed and sent to you a month before your trip.
We collaborate with a local partner to provide bike rental. Contact us for more information.
Days are warm but not overly hot, with average highs around 20–25°C in the valleys, while the mountain passes stay cooler and fresher. The weather can change quickly in the mountains and there is often a big temperature difference from the valley to the mountain tops. You should pack arm warmers, leg warmers, packable waterproof jacket and gloves even in the summer months.
British citizens do not require a visa to enter Italy.
Travel insurance is compulsory for our trips, and you are required to provide us with your policy information before departing.
Your insurance should include adequate cover for cycling abroad, any emergency medical treatment, evacuation/repatriation, your baggage and your bike. We also recommend it includes cancellation insurance, should you be unable to join the trip for specific reasons such as illness.