Italy Road Cycling Holiday
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE DOLOMITES AND GIRO D’ITALIA
ITALY ROAD CYCLING HOLIDAY – 8 DAYS
European Lifestyle Tour
8 Days Innsbruck to Innsbruck (Austria)
Best Travel Times: June – August
Price Range: Starting from $3019 NZD
Feel the adrenaline and take up the challenge of this classic road cycling tour of the majestic Italian Alps. You will experience mountain climbs International cyclists live to ride — the world famous Passo della Stelvio, Passo di Tonale, and the Timmelsjoch.
You will visit the Dolomites, Corvara and Sella Massif, and with some luck we could meet Reinhold Messner in his Mountain Museum. We will also pass through the towns of Bolzano and Solden, with their breathtaking art galleries, museums, and architecture. There will also be time to enjoy local wines and cuisine, pizza and gelato on this popular 8 day Italy Road Cycling Tour.
Our Itlay road cycling holiday starts from Innsbruck in Austria, giving you the option to visiting the nearby famous cities of the Northern Alps: Munich, Augsburg and Salzburg. It is only a short detour to the famous castles on the Romantic Road, including Neuschwanstein, which are en route from Munich to Innsbruck. On our way into the mountains of the Dolomites we will ride the famous Giro d’Italia climbs, visit Corvara and the Sella Massif, and finally attack the famous climbs up the Passo della Stelvio and the Timmelsjoch to finish in the famous Austrian resort town of Sölden.
Participants should have good levels of fitness and a sense of adventure. The tour caters for anyone who enjoys road cycling and travelling. Our supported bike tours are ideal for groups of riders with different abilities who want to travel and bike together. While each day offers long climbs, the support vehicle is always there for those not wishing to take part. However, if you choose to go hard, some climbs are among the hardest possible. The altitudes are high, the adrenaline extreme, and the rewards out of this world.
FITNESS AND PREPARATION
GRADE 4 – HARD TOURS
Hard tours are designed for the more experienced participants who wish to push themselves and experience new challenges. Routes will include longer climbs and will require technical skills.
FITNESS REQUIRED
A high level of fitness is required and you will need to exercise four or five times a week during the build up to the tour.
THE TOUR INCLUDES:
7 Nights in a 2 / 4 Star Hotels
Meals as indicated in the itinerary
Support vehicles and luggage transport, according to the group size
Two experienced guides: one driver guide and one cycling tour guide
Arrival and departure transfers from / to Innsbruck Airport / train station (Days 1 & 8)
THE TOUR EXCLUDES:
International and domestic flights or airport taxes
Passport and travel visa (if required)
Bike Rental is not available for this tour
Personal expenses and drinks
Travel Insurance
TOUR ITINERARY
DAY 1 – Arrival Day: Innsbruck – No cycling
Our tour starts in Innsbruck, the capital city of the federal state of Tyrol in western Austria. This is an internationally renowned winter sports center, which hosted the 1964 and 1976 Winter Games.
DAY 2 – Innsbruck -Toblach – Colfosco di Corvara – Cycling: 80 km (4-5 hrs riding), Elevation 1900 m
We begin with a transfer across the border and the Alp’s main divide into Italy and then cycle into Sella Massif. Today’s passes have been ridden many times in the famous Giro d’Italia. We climb over Passo Tre Croci (1809 m), Passo Falzarego (2105 m) and Passo Campolongo (1675 m) before rolling into Corvara. We finish the day with a short climb from Corvara to Kolfuschg/Colfosco.
DAY 3 – Colfosco di Corvara – Cycling: 80-110 km (4-6 hrs riding), Elevation 2900 m
Today’s riding highlight is the ‘Sella Ronda’ – a tour over many famous passes through the beautiful landscape of the Sella Mountains. We’ll do this in two stages, climbing the ‘Passo Erbe’ (or the ‘Würzjoch’) and the ‘Passo Gardena’.
DAY 4 – Colfosco di Corvara to Bolzano – Cycling: 80-110 km, (4-6 hrs riding), Elevation 1860 m
We tackle the second half of the Sella Ronde starting with the Passo Campolongo, followed by the Passo Prdoi and finishing with the Passo di Costalunga (1742 m). We bike through forests and along the Adidge River to the historic center of Bolzano.
DAY 5 – Bolzano to Ponte di Legno – Cycling: 80-120 km (4-8 hrs riding), Elevation 2700 or 3600 m
We climb through the vineyards above Bolzano to the top of Passo di Mendolo (1363 m). We follow with another famous Giro d’Italia climb – the Passo di Tonale. Tonight we stay on the edge of the Stelvio National Park in Ponte di Legno.
DAY 6 Ponte di Legno to Naturns Cycling: 80-125 km (4-7 hrs riding), Elevation 3000 m
We ride the Gavia pass into the ski resort town of Bormio. In the afternoon we conquer the legendary Passo dello Stelvio at 2760 m.
DAY 7 –Naturns to Innsbruck Cycling: 100 km (6 hours riding), Elevation 2475 km
Today we ride the Timmelsjoch, up from the Italian side and down into the famous Austrian ski town of Sölden. We descend down the ‘Ötztalstrasse’ for 22km which is the reverse of the final climb of the famous ‘Ötztal Radmarathon’ – one of Europe’s premium hill climb bike races. We load up the bikes in Sölden and drive down the valley to Innsbruck.
DAY 8 – Departure Day: Innsbruck No cycling
Your tour ends today. Congratulations! You have climbed many amazing and famous mountain passes! We will offer you a transfer to Innsbruck’s airport or train station.
If you would like to know more about our Italy Cycling Tour, contact us and we will answer any questions that you might have.
