Located in Northern Italy, between Lake Como and Switzerland, the alpine valley of VALTELLINA offers more than great alpine road-bike passes and mountain bike single-trails leading to the wilder sceneries.
This summer in Valtellina is all about gravel cycling events as its heritage of roads related to agriculture and trading are connected into itineraries suitable for any kind of cyclist.
Going from the bottom to top, the main element is water: Sentiero Valtellina follows the Adda river, running along the whole valley from the alpine resort of Bormio to Lake Como (114 kilometres). Ciclabile Valchiavenna runs by the Mera river for 40 kilometres from Colico to Val Bregaglia (CH).
Climbing upwards, the routes meet local history and culture through ancient villages nestled among the vineyards (Valtellina is home of world-famous wine labels) or the buckwheat fields (buckwheat pasta called Pizzoccheri is one of the typical dishes of Valtellina).
The main element here is stone, that of the walls supporting the vineyards for miles, drawing picturesque lines on the hills. But also, that of the monumental churches, towers and castles encountered.
The highest zone is the forest and the main element is wood. Here routes run between the trees and reach beautiful meadows where the highest quality cheeses are made (Bitto is the most famous). The routes are on high-altitude unpaved paths, such as those in the Stelvio National Park, characterised by outstanding scenery, inhabited by rare wildlife.
The ‘Magnificent Land’ of Bormio and Alta Valtellina is the location of UNPAVED ROADS (6-7 July), which offers two tours on the dirt roads of the Stelvio National Park.
The picturesque vineyards are the background of GRAVELLINA (21-22 September), exploring historic villages, rural roads and suspended bridges. The three tours are an up-and-down between the valley floor and the mid-coast.
Traynor On The Trail 