Rides & Events
Rides
Here are the proposed routes for the 2012 EMM. These road books are subject to modification depending on weather, events on the day and most importantly how hard the majority want to ride. We will set a mid day meeting point every day, provide GPS coordinates for those who want them and offer a short route option for those who do not want to do the whole ride on the day and would rather get back early for a dip in the Jacuzzi.
Ride 1- A Pass for Everyone!
This is a great ride with some of the finest roads in the world. This ride is about 275k of riding, about 4-5 hours in the saddle
View Livigno- Bormio- Stelvio- Austria- Ofenpass- Umbrailpass- 275 km, 4 hours 49 mins in a larger map
OK, we start with the trip down the hill to Bormio. If we leave at a reasonable time we should have great run down the mountain and then be set for the Passo del Stelvio before all the caravans get there - the Passo del Stelvio one of the most famous biking passes in the Alps- and the 2nd or 3rd highest, depending on who you believe.
Winding up from Bormio, the western ramp has very nice surface, great corners, and stunning scenery. If it is clear, a stop at the top is almost mandatory, you can even do some summer skiing if you want. The east ramp is hairpin city, but again, stunning scenery.
When we hit the bottom we carry on north to Austria though a high mountain valley with several beautiful lakes. There are a couple of minor passes here, and what is suppose to be a great road. We carry on to Naunders, and then turn left up and over a small pass back to Switzerland. We run down another high valley until we hit Susch and follow the river south.
We then turn up the Ofenpass, one of the great riding passes in Switzerland. Mostly sweepers and some fast straights you can keep a reasonably high average speed. There are a few tighter bits but nothing compared to the Stelvio. Mostly woodland scenery and the road is good shape, well, this is Switzerland, isn't it!
For those who want a short day, they can turn off before the pass and go back directly to Livigno. For the masochists, we carry on over the pass until we get to the Pass Umbrail. This is more of a goat track than a road, but we have been there before! the Umbrail has the distinction of being the highest pass in Switzerland at 2503m and it is meant to have absolutely stunning scenery.
This pass drops down onto the west ramp of the Stelvio, and yes, we are back in Italy for those who have been paying attention. So from here it is and hour or so running up the road we started on in the morning. All most time for a cool one!
Ride 2- The Italian Job
Now for something completely different!
We leave Livigno on the side of Lago di Gallo and a national park- the scenery, well I guess you can call it absolutely fantastic. There is a one way tunnel going down into the valley- yes a bit slow, but drops us out onto a fantastic road to the bottom of the valley
View Livigno- Davos-splugen-malo- berninia-livigno- 267 km, 4 hours in a larger map
Next up, we have the Fruelapass. A stunning pass especially if your on a Ducati! Excellent surface, nice corners, reasonable overtaking opportunities, scenery to die for- what’s not to like? At the bottom of the Fruelapass we enter Davos, home to the January meeting for “great and the good” of the world to pontificate about just how screwed up the world actually is!
From Davos we run down to the bottom of one of the main valleys in Switzerland. We use the valley for 20 km of transit down to the Splugen pass, then it is back over the top to Italy. This pass is very tight and twisty, but it was rated the best road in the world by Top Gear, but what do they know?
A spot of lunch, then up to the Malojapass. Apparently, this is the only pass in the Alps with only one ramp. The western side is nice, reminiscent of the Dolomites in it's tree-lined landscape. The eastern side descends gently into Silvaplana,, home to the best kite and wind surfing in Switzerland. Then it’s St Moritz, one of the swankiest ski resorts in the world and no, we won’t be stopping for coffee here.
OK, were on our way home- up the Passo del Bernina. Good surface, open corners, hopefully we get it nice and clear at the end of the day. This road runs up through the St Moritz Ski Domain- which just seems for go for ever. Up, just over the top of the pass- we turn left into Italy with the bar and Jacuzzi just 48km down the road.
Ride 3- Sunday- a short one
OK, this is what I propose on Sunday for anyone that wants to join. We leave Livigno at a leisurely time, picking up the Passo del Bernina where we left it the day before. We ride down the south side of the to Triano and then over a nice little pass to Edolo, which is somewhere I have spent some time- but not by choice, and yes- it did have something to do with motor vehicle- ask me later.
View Livigno- Passo del Bernina south- Triano Edolo, 82.4 km, 1 hour 35 in a larger map
Edolo has attractive little square and would probably be a good lunch stop. One we are done- Edolo sits at a crossroad- you can head south, west, or there is another great pass going north to Bormio.
Just for Fun- 7 borders!
I have had a rethink on this. I think this one is just too much of a mission. I have left it in to see if we have any appetite for this much of a ride on the day.
5 boarders, 4 counties, 6 passes- OK- this is a long one at about 360km- but there are some fast bits so we should be able to make reasonable time! It is only going to work if we are motivated, willing to endure some transit roads and the weather is perfect. But what a day!
View
We Ride the Reschen pass into Austria and then do some transit to theThe Bielerhöhe(2036m) which is one of the most sought after routes in the Alps. It is a toll road (€10.50 - including return trip on same day - per bike), and crosses for the Tyrol into the Vorarlberg.
For more info: http://www.alpentourer.com/alpine_passes/tyrol/bielerhoehe/bielerhoehe.html
We then rid on to Liechtenstein, so you can say you have been there, and then we are back into Switzerland for the run home. We ride the 28 up to Dorf, a nice fast road with sweeping corners and good scenery. Then we have the Fruelapass, one of my favourites. Excellent surface, nice corners, reasonable overtaking opportunities.
We are almost home now, just need to ride the one way road up to Lago di Gallo.
Events