Dolomiti & Emilia Romagna featuring the Sella Ronday day
June 26-July 6, 2011
This tour combines the Dolomites with Emilia Romagna, two totally different regions of Italy that offer an incredible variety of cycling terrain, landscapes, culture and food. Emilia Romagna is famous for its tortellini, "pasta fresca," vino Sangiovese and for the warm hospitality of its people. We start our tour in the rolling hills of Emilia Romagna, where our rides climb and descend through ancient towns and extended views of vineyards. We stay four nights in a beautiful, family-run agriturismo on top of a hill near Faenza, where you will be pampered while enjoying fresh and homegrown meals.
Next, we tour into the heart of the Dolomites, climbing the passes of Rolle and Valles enroute. The jagged and dramatic Dolomites are the dream of any serious cyclist for its challenging rides and astonishing surroundings. The icing on the cake will be riding the four passes of the Sella Ronda (Pordoi, Sella, Gardena and Campolongo) on the one day a year when they are closed to traffic and open only to cyclists. We also climb the famous Dolomites passes of Giau, Falzarego, Valparola, San Pellegrino and Marmolada. Each time you reach the top of these passes, you'll feel a great sense of achievement mixed with the joy of such breathtaking beauty. We leave the Dolomites, riding through Valle di Fassa and Fiemme, stopping for one night in the picturesque village of Molveno, and then rolling along Lake Garda where we will spend our last night before saying, "Arrivederci Italia."
Length: 12 days including 2 days flight, 10 nights, 9 days of cycling. Total Mileage: 600 km/375 miles Daily Avg. Mileage: 67 km/45 miles Terrain: From rolling to steep climbs (from 6% to 15% gradient, from 10 to 22 km distance) Difficulty: Intermediate Leave from USA: Saturday, June 25 Arrival: Verona airport Sunday, June 26 Return to USA: from Verona airport, Wednesday, July 6 Cost: U.S $4,190
Cost Includes:
Pick-up and drop-off, from Verona airport
10 nights of lodging
10 breakfasts
10 dinners, water & wine included (usually ¼ L per person)
9 post-rides snacks
Daily laundry for cycling clothing
Power bars, fruit & water during the rides
Fully supported rides with van and designated driver for the entire tour
Cycling guide
All the transportation during the tour
Davanti Bike jersey
Cost Does Not Include:
Bike rental (optional) = approximately Euro 30/day/bike
Option: We can pick up and drop off at a Milan airport (Malpensa or Linate) for an additional US $300 for the group
Daily Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive at Verona airport and van transfer to our agriturismo in Emilia Romagna, where we will spend four nights
Day 2-4: We will ride through the rolling hills surrounding Faenza to the east coast of the Adriatic Sea and the Brisighella loop, a section of the one of the 2009 Giro d'Italia stages. Dinners and overnights at our agriturismo.
Day 5-8: We leave Emilia Romagna and van transfer to the ski resort of Moena. From Moena, we climb the Passo Rolle and Valles and reach Arabba, in the heart of the Dolomites, where we spend four nights. From Arabba we will ride three spectacular loops that include the passes of Giau, Falzarego, Valparola and Marmolada. On Sunday, July 3, you will ride the famous four passes of the Sella Ronda accompanied by thousands of fellow cyclists on Sella Ronda day, when the route is closed to all traffic, open only to cyclists.
Day 9: From Arabba, we climb the Marmolada or San Pellegrino, then descend to Valle di Fiemme. From here we van transfer to Molveno, a beautifully picturesque village on a mountain lake in the Brenta Dolomites. Dinner and overnight in our romantic hotel in Molveno.
Day 10: We ride from Molveno to Bardolino along the Sarca Valley and Lake Garda. Pack the bikes or drop-off rental bikes. Last dinner and overnight at our hotel near Lake Garda.
Day 11: Drop-off at Verona airport and "Arrivederci Italia."
Note: Routes, riding options and daily itineraries will be based on the ability levels of the final group of participants.
