Stelvio Pass
The Stelvio Pass has played a decisive role in many editions of the Giro d’Italia and is often the stage targeted by the race’s very best climbers.
Stelvio Pass is the Queen Stage in every appearance in the Giro d’Italia, and we will give you your chance to stand on our podium at the summit.
From our base in the medieval town of Bormio, we tackle on of the mightiest climbs in cycling. Bormio is a beautiful little town situated in the Upper Valtellina valley. During winter Bormio is a popular skiing region, then in summer it becomes a cycling mecca.
21kms to Legend status
We roll out of Bormio on the SS38 road, on the long trek to the summit. The climb starts in earnest with some challenging gradients straight out of town. There will be some opportunities to catch your breath, so take your time and look forward to easier load on the legs. After approximately 4kms the first of 7 tunnels, and signifies we are heading out of Bormio. The road maintains a consistent gradient (approx. 7%), as we reach our first set of the 21 hairpins that are dotted on road to the top. From here we continue and pass through the remaining tunnels that break up the next 4-5kms.
We hit halfway and some of the most amazing section of road awaits you. We start a series of 14 hairpins that break up the next 3kms, climbing a 250m wall in the valley. Take the chance to look back and view where you have come from – it looks like a ribbon draped down the valley.
We can see the top.
The loftier regions of the Upper Valtellina valley will be different to the road you have covered so far. The Valley opens out quite wide and often is blanketed in snow. Keep an eye out in the snow for families of marmots frolicking and calling to each other as they go about their day. We wind around the valley, passing a WW1 war memorial, before another short set of hairpins that bring us up to the turn off to the turn off to Switzerland, via the Umbrial pass.
We are not stopping here, as the summit is almost in sight. We are just 3kms from our goal, as we pass the 2500m altitude point. While its only a short distance to the finish, the road gets a little tougher and the air just a little bit thinner. This can be tough going, but you are so close you can almost reach out and touch it. Often by now the snow can be between 1m – 3m high on the roadside. Cycling fans will often spray paint messages of support for their heroes on the snow walls. In the last couple of kilometres there are markers on the road that count down to the summit.
At the summit grab a hot coffee, something to eat, a souvenir and of course a photo on the Stelvio podium.
