Italy Bicycle

Italy is a land where a well trained ciclysts can put himself to the test.
There are many routes with different difficulty level:

[Mortirolo +16% Pendence - credit: renschmensch (no video)]

Mortirolo Mountain Pass (Passo Mortirolo)

It is a Valley at 1800 meters above sea level, famous because of the feats of cyclists of Giro d’Italia as Pantani. (link giro d’italia history)

Here german troops and partisan fought during World War II (April, 1945).

Travel services

How to arrive to Mortirolo:

1. Take the highway Milano-Venezia
2. Take west exit for Bergamo and go to Lovere direction
3. Take east exit for Brescia and go to Lago d’Iseo direction
4. Follow the direction for Passo del Tonale s.s. 42
5. 5 kilomtres after Edolo you will find a signal for Monno-Mortirolo

An example of a tour - Start from Edolo to arrive to Mortirolo

Characteristics

• 21 kilometers
• From 700 m sea level you will rise until 1850 m sea level
• Maximum slope is 20%, the medium around 13%
• Natural landscapes
• Difficulty level: high difficulty, better to be high well trained
• Along the route You’ll find a way in the wood
• Many cyclist say that it seems an endless rise, the hardest in Italy
• A particular attraction is the monument for Pantani, the famous italian cyclist dead prematurely

[Stelvio Mountain Pass - credit: * Click-Clack-Kodak ! *]

The Stelvio Mountain pass (Passo dello Stelvio)

It is one of the highest mountain pass in Italy

Weather

You could find a great climate difference betwen the start and the arrival, in fact you can start under sun and arrive on the top with cold temperature and rain.

Routes

• Start: Bormio (Sondrio province, in Lombardy), 1215 meters sea level
• Arrival: Stelvio pass, 2758 meters sea level

Characteristics

• 22 Km
• Slope: medium 7%, maximum 11%
• Difficulty level: high difficulty, better to be high well trained
• 36 hairpin turn
• Attractions: War Memorial, 6 km before the top; Braulio Fall

[Mt. Etna Cave, North Side - credit: pepsy+]

The Mount Etna Cave Tour

Best period: Spring-Summer

Landscape:

• Nebrodi Mounts
• Alcantara Valley
• Lunar landscape and little operant crater
• Lava Flowes of 1981 and 1614
• Caves: Palombelle cave, Lamponi cave, Female cave, Palombe cave

Suggestions:

• Expert guide required
• Water supplay

Characteristics:

• Height difference: 1100 mt
• Route: 50 km
• Sandy and rocky route
• To see Lamponi cave you must carry on by feet

Itinerary:

• Start from Randazzo going to “A” zone of Etna Park
• Keep going to Case Pirao Refuge, at 1050 meters sea level
• Arrive to Spagnolo mount, at 1400 m sea level: here is Palombelle cave
• Keep going to 1981 and 1614 Lava Flowes
• Continue to Timpa Rossa (1750 m sea level): from here start your trek to arrive to Lamponi cave.
• Other caves on way back: Female cave, Palombe cave.

[Ice Cave on the Northern Side of the Volcano - credit: pepsy+]

Difficulty level: High - You will find difficult because the nature of the road: lava, rock, black sand

Weather: Cold on the top if the route

Safety:

• Be careful when you enter the caves
• Be careful: when you’ll near the little craters don’t exhale their gases

PAY ATTENTION:
THESE ARE ONLY EXAMPLES OF BIKING TOURS: DON’T GO THERE IF YOU ARE NOT WELL TRAINED OR IF YOU HAVE HEALTH PROBLEMS.