We transfer to a hotel steps to the center of old town -- relax set up bikes & maybe ride the nearby foothills or along the river…
From the airport it’s a 20 minute transfer to our Hotel

You will have daily rides and be offered long and short options when the ride options can intersect with each for regrouping. Today we offer a long and short warm up loop; both local favorites that take in spectacualr scenry and little to no traffic. 

Our ride is a renowned ride into Italy over the renowned Brenner Pass. The Brenner has been one of the major alpine crossings for centuries. The Cimbri set out to attack the Roman Empire when they crossed the pass in the second century BC and later emperor Septimus Severus had a Roman road built that was called Via Raetia and was in use until the early modern era. For a long time, crossing the Brenner was arduous and dangerous, with barely existing roads often subject to avalanches, flooding and other natural hazards. Still, it was one of the most used Alpine crossings and used by such illustrious figures as Martin Luther or Johann Wolfgang von Goethe on their trips to Italy.  In 1867 was the opening of the Brenner Railway, one of the first railways crossing the Alps. Following World War I, the border between Austria and Italy came to lie on the Brenner Pass. The Brenner Autobahn was built in the 1950s and 1960s and has since been one of the most important crossings from Central Europe towards Italy and the scourge of numerous German holiday-makers who sat in congestion during the summer holidays. Today, the Brenner remains one of the most important and frequently congested freight and passenger routes across the Alps and Austria, Italy and the European Union are working on improving the railway connection by building a massive base tunnel, rivaling that dug under the Swiss Gotthard massive.

The pass is the easiest way to cross the Alps and often used by cyclist. The very easy gradient and low elevation make it suitable for all levels of cyclists. Due to the low elevation it is generally open throughout the year, in winter it’s sometimes the only option to pass the Alps by bike. To get to Merano we must next ride over the Jaufen Pass; a spectacular pass situated between Val Passiria/Passeiertal averaging ~ 7% over nearly 20 km. It leads along curved roads from S. Leonardo/St. Leonhard up to the Jaufenpass mountain pass – aka Passo Monte Giovo.

One of the longest and most challenging road bike rides in the Innsbruck area that can loop back at several junctures to allow for individual preferred ride length. In a single day you conquer the five picturesque tributary valleys that lead off the Wipp Valley. The route features quiet mountain roads and idyllic alpine guesthouses for possible stops along the way. 

Today you have 2 options to choose from to Bolzano and into S. Tyrol via the stunning Valley carved out by the Adige River that leads eventually into Verona. Your ride takes you as far as Bolzano. Both these routes offer continual spectacular views of the castle-laden mountains scenery. The destination for lunch will be a familiar town for most of you, Bolzano and then we return via the river bike path.

For those that would rather take the day easy we can explore an easier spin that loops around the more gradual valley floor.

The Timmelsjoch connects the Ötztal Valley in the Austrian state of Tyrol to the Passeier Valley in the Italian province of South Tyrol, as it bridges the saddle point between the Jochköpfl (3,141 meters (10,305 ft)) and Wurmkogl (3,082 meters (10,112’) peaks to its northeast and southwest, respectively. The pass is sometimes called the "secret passage" because it is little-used compared to the much easier and lower Brenner Pass some 25 kilometers (16 mi) to its east, and Reschen Pass some 60 kilometers (37 mi) to its west.

The Timmelsjoch was a particularly important route because it provided one of the most direct routes between the upper Inntal Valley and Meran, the regional capital at the time, as well as Tirol Castle and St. Leonhard in Passeier, where the road forks to the Jaufenpass, down to Sterzing, and on to the Brenner Pass road. During that time, cart tracks were relatively few, and travelers, peddlers, and people leading pack animals tended to choose this as the shortest route.

You have the option to do the 2 climbs mentioned in this route or drop down to the valley floor and ride along river pre climb. The Passo Palade (Gampenjoch) via Lana di Sopra was featured in the 2010 Giro stage 17 & is ranked number 78 of the Dolomites. This Passo Palade (aka Gampenjoch) climb is 17.4 km long and gains 1196 height meters, so the average gradient is 6.9 %. The climb is ranked 980 in the world. Looking at the data, this ride doesn’t seem too hurtful and combine this information with watching professional cyclist effortlessly flying up these passes on the TV and you’d never imagine how wrong these “facts” can be! The first 5km of Passo Palade are depressingly hard. The signs state 14%, but there are plenty of sharp spikes, the 4 switchbacks are nasty traitors that offer no respite and the traffic on these lower parts can be an issue. All is good until Nalles; whoever planned the mountain roads in South Tyrol must have decided that 7 – 8% is the right elevation gain, because almost all of the passes seem to follow this logic. However, the guys in Nalles obviously didn’t get the planning brief. The last 12km to the summit is the classic South Tyrolean climb. The roads are well kept, there’s plenty of space for cars and cyclists and the pitch never exceeds anything unreasonable. From here your ride takes you to a local favorite; Passo Mendola. Passo Mendola also has had its own Giro limelight. It was traversed in the 1937 Merano - Gardone Riviera stage won by Gino Bartali. Or more recently in 2004, the 35 year old Pavel Tonkov won the 17th Stage. Amazingly 8 years after winning the Giro, the Russian dedicated the victory "to those who did not have faith in me." The first few kilometers of Passo Mendola are mild and surprisingly gentle. The inclination is to fire up the rockets and take off, but it’s better to establish a nice, even pace. Why? The great thing about La Mendola is its elevation gain is pretty constant throughout. The road varies from 5.9 to 7.9% without any sharp spikes. Yet, it gets even better. The first 6 or so kilometers have 6 switchbacks to help one ease into a confident rhythm. The middle 4 km have slightly steeper gains with some long, sweeping straights, but pays the rider back with majestic open views across the valley. Then just around the time one starts to notice that they’ve been climbing awhile, the road offers up another 9 switchbacks to the top.

Today we loop from Montagna and for those willing you will have at least 2 formidable climbs. For those wishing to take it easier there are enough nearby options. The first challenge is the Passo Lavazze, at 12.2 km long, with its highest point at 1808 m and a total of 12.2 km climb, averaging 7.7%. As one of the most fascinating landscapes of Val di Fiemme, this huge expanse of meadows, framed by spruces, larches and Swiss pines, is dominated by the mount Pala di Santa (2.488 m.). From the pass you can stare at a whole panorama over Catinaccio and Latemar.  Your loop continues on to take on the Passo Manghen & if wanting for more can summit the Alpe di Pampeago before spinning home. A little history; The Manghen Pass was included for the first time in 1976 in the route of the Giro d’Italia; to be precise, in the Vigo di Fassa – Comano Terme stage, where Luciano Conati won the stage. That day the pink jersey was worn by John De Muynck and the final winner of the lap was our Felice Gimondi. This was the only time that the pass was climbed from Molina di Fiemme and, moreover, on a dirt road.

In 1996, twenty years later, on the Marostica-Passo Pordoi stage, the Manghen was climbed from Borgo Valsugana. The stage winner was Enrico Zaina (Carrera Jeans). At the end of the stage the pink jersey was worn by the Spaniard Abraham Olano and the final victory of the lap was Pavel Tonkov (Panaria). For the record, Mariano Piccoli, a cyclist from Trentino, was the first to pass the mountain grand prix and won, for the second year, the classification of climbers: the green jersey. Three years later, in 1999, the pink caravan inserted the Manghen Pass in the Castelfranco Veneto-Alpe di Pampeago. That day Marco Pantani (Mercatone Uno) was the first to pass the GPM and won the stage wearing the pink jersey; that year Ivan Gotti (Team Polti) won the 82nd Giro d’Italia.

The Manghen pass was later faced in 2008 in the Verona-Alpe di Pampeago, with stage victory to Emanuele Sella (CSF Group) and pink jersey to Gabriele Bosisio (LPR Brakes). Tour won by Alberto Contador (Astana).

The last passage of the pink caravan on the Manghen Pass was in 2012. That year Roman Kriuzigher (Astana) won the stage of Manghen (Treviso – Alpe di Pampeago) while the pink jersey was on the shoulders of Joaquim Rodríguez (Katusha). In the end, the Giro d’Italia saw the Canadian Ryder Heisedal (Garmin) as an unexpected winner.

Today we transfer from Montagna to Prato from where you get to climb the Stelvio one more time. We will start you wherever you prefer and end up in a tour favorite hotel the Genzianella; where we will reside for the following 3 nights. As one of the most fascinating landscapes of Val di Fiemme, this huge expanse of meadows, framed by spruces, larches and Swiss pines, is dominated by the mount Pala di Santa (2.488 m.). From the pass you can stare at a whole panorama over Catinaccio and Latemar.  

From Bormio you have the next 3 days to ride as you desire. You know it well and we can support 2 different groups per day. The following are for reference;

Bormio 2000 and or Lago di Cancano
Today one idea is to do one or both the Bormio 2000 (9.8k/8.3%), featured in the 2004 Giro and/or Lago di Cancano (11k/5%), a popular Alta Valtellina climb worth riding that leads up to the Cancano Lakes in Valdidentro then climbs by the Towers of Fraele.

Option: Passo di Gavia From Bormio, the road leads through several villages over a stretch of 13 km and 600m in altitude into Santa Caterina. This is where the Gavia begins with its first switchback mostly about 7 %, however, quite often it hits the 10% mark for short stretches. The Pass is the 10th highest paved road in the Alps. Your descent is truly memorable and leads into Ponte di Legno or you can return back to Bormio. If you are wanting more you can do it from each side or loop to do the Moritirolo. or some may wish to climb Stelvio from Bormio as profiled below.

Today’s loop to Livigno For those that want more climb and distance we ride via Tirano;

 Bormio - Tirano - Livigno –Bormio  120k/3000m; this route goes over the Passo Bernina ( 17.5k/7.5%) from Poschiavo and then return via the Foscagno and Eira passes described in the out and back route below. This easier ride is a nice route heading west from Bormio going to Livigno and back, and gives you a chance to climb both sides of the Foscagno and Eira Passes & skips the ride to Tirano. 70k/2000m Bormio – Valdidentro – Semogo – San Carlo – Sant’anna – Teola – Livigno – Bormio