Gavia Pass (58 km)
Bormio to Ponte di Legno
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Why this ride
58 km one way from Bormio - plan on about 1 h of riding. It goes by way of Santa Caterina Valfurva and Gavia Pass. The highest point is about 2,600 m. Gavia Pass is open in summer only - check it is open before you set off. A steady touring day rather than a sprint.
Roadbook
- Bormio
start
Bormio lies in a high valley of Lombardy, a town of narrow lanes, stone arches and church bells at around 1,200 metres, with mountains rising steeply on every side. It has been a spa since Roman times, and the warm springs that bubble up from deep in the rock still feed thermal baths where you can soak after a long day. In winter it is a ski resort with a long tradition, and the famously steep Stelvio downhill run, used for World Cup races, starts above the town.
The history of the place runs deep. Bormio sat on a trade route linking northern Italy with the Alpine passes and Switzerland, and Venetian and Milanese merchants passed through. The Valtellina, the valley below, is known for its wines, made from the nebbiolo grape grown on steep terraces, and for bresaola, the air-dried beef. Local dishes in Bormio include pizzoccheri, buckwheat pasta cooked with cabbage, potatoes and melted cheese, and the town's winter carnival and old stone fountains give it character.
The Stelvio Pass is the reason many riders come. At about 2,758 metres it is the second highest paved pass in the Alps, and the road from Bormio climbs through galleries and tunnels, then flings itself up in dozens of hairpins to a crest of snow, cafes and souvenir stalls. The Bormio side is generally smoother and wider than the famous series of hairpins on the Prato allo Stelvio side. Traffic is heavy in summer, especially at weekends, so go early. The pass is typically closed from late autumn to late spring, and the weather can turn cold and foggy even in July.
Bormio has fuel stations, supermarkets and lodging at all levels, and San Nicolò, a short ride down the road, also has services. Fill the tank before the climb, since the top has none. Dress in layers, because the temperature drops sharply with altitude, and enjoy a cup of hot chocolate at the summit.
- Santa Caterina Valfurva
scenic
Santa Caterina Valfurva is a small ski village at about 1,700 metres in the Lombard Alps, at the head of a valley that ends against the glaciers of the Ortler-Cevedale range. It lies inside the Stelvio National Park, and the air has that thin, clean mountain bite, with larch and spruce on the slopes and the peaks of the Gran Zebrù and the Cevedale shining white in the distance. In winter it is a quiet, serious skiing resort. In summer it belongs to walkers, climbers and the riders who come to tackle the road above it, the Gavia Pass.
The Gavia is one of the toughest and most atmospheric paved passes in the Alps. Rising to 2,621 metres, it begins just above the village and climbs in a narrow ribbon, with sections barely wider than a car, steep gradients and stretches without guard rails. The surface is mostly paved and decent but has patches that are rough or broken after winter, and the road is single-lane in places, with passing bays. The descent on the Ponte di Legno side is a long, bumpy, exposed run. The pass is only open from about June to October, and snow can fall in any month, so check conditions before you go. Fog, rain and sudden cold are common, and the temperature at the summit can be a shock after the valley.
The Gavia has a place in cycling history. In 1988, a blizzard struck the riders of the Giro d'Italia on the climb, and the stage became a legend of cold, suffering and heroism. Even in summer, standing at the top and looking at the grey lakes and rock, you can imagine how brutal it must have been. Near the summit, a mountain refuge serves hot food and drinks, and walkers use it as a base for high routes.
In the village, you will find a few hotels, restaurants and shops, with hearty mountain food such as pizzoccheri, buckwheat pasta with cheese, cabbage and potatoes, and bresaola, the air-dried beef of the Valtellina. A warm meal here is a good idea before the climb. As for fuel, the village is small, so it is best to fill in the larger centres down the valley, such as Bormio, before heading up. Tirano, about thirty-four kilometres away, is the bigger town on the way out of the valley.
This is a place for early starts. Ride in the morning, when the air is clear and the road is quiet, and keep a layer in the top box for the summit.
- Gavia Pass
scenic · 2621 m
The Gavia is one of those passes that people talk about in lowered voices. At 2,621 metres it is among the highest paved roads in the Italian Alps, linking Bormio in the Valtellina with Ponte di Legno in the Val Camonica, and it crosses the rugged, rocky heart of the Stelvio National Park. The summit is bare and wild, with snow patches into July, two small lakes, the dark Lago Nero and the pale Lago Bianco, and a stone refuge, Rifugio Berni, with a restaurant and a view across the glaciers of the Ortler-Cevedale group.
The road is narrow, steep and rough. The western side, climbing from Santa Caterina Valfurva, has gradients up to eighteen percent, lots of blind hairpins and almost no barriers over the drop, and the surface patches and potholes are the norm. On the eastern side, from Ponte di Legno, the climb is a little more forgiving, but still narrow, with passing places that the bus drivers and campers use with practiced calm. Meeting a coach on a hairpin can require reversing. Weather changes quickly at this altitude, and the pass is closed by snow from late autumn until early summer, usually reopening in June.
The Gavia has a famous history in cycling: in the 1988 Giro d'Italia, a blizzard struck as the riders crossed the pass, and Andy Hampsten of the United States attacked in the snow, took the leader's pink jersey that day and went on to win the race (the stage itself went to Erik Breukink). It also has a darker history: the area was a front line in the First World War, when Italian and Austro-Hungarian troops fought at extraordinary altitudes, and the remains of trenches and barracks can still be found on the surrounding peaks.
The nearest petrol is at Bormio or in the valley towns, and Ponte di Legno, with about thirteen hundred residents, may have it, but fill up before the climb and do not trust the gauge. Food is simple and hearty, with polenta, venison stew and pizzoccheri, buckwheat pasta from the Valtellina, served at the refuge.
Go early to avoid traffic and afternoon thunderstorms. Bring a warm layer even in August, because the temperature at the top can be close to freezing, and wear gloves. Take your time, ride within your limits, and the Gavia will reward you with one of the best days in the Alps.
- Ponte di Legno
finish
Ponte di Legno takes its name from the wooden bridge that once crossed the Oglio river here, and it is the last proper village before the road leaves the Val Camonica and heads up into the high mountains. It sits at about 1,260 metres, and it is surrounded by the peaks of the Adamello and Ortles-Cevedale groups, with the Tonale Pass just to the east and the Gavia pass to the north. The village is a ski and walking resort, and it keeps a handsome old centre of stone houses beside a modern strip of hotels and cafes. The nearby hamlets of Temù and Vezza d'Oglio are smaller still.
For a rider, this is where preparation counts. The Gavia Pass, at 2,621 metres, is one of the highest paved roads in Italy, and it has a reputation. The road from the Ponte di Legno side is narrow, with steep gradients, tight hairpins, little or no barrier in places and sections of rough surface. It is closed in winter, usually opening in late spring or early summer after snow clearing, and it can close again at the first autumn snowfall. Check conditions before you go. The Giro d'Italia has crossed it, famously in 1988 in a blizzard.
Ponte di Legno has fuel stations and shops, and since the pass has no supplies at the top, fill up and take some water. The village is also a convenient place for a hot lunch before or after the climb, and local cooking features polenta, cured meats, cheese and berries from the woods. The nearby Stelvio National Park, one of Italy's largest, protects chamois, ibex and golden eagles, and in the early morning you may see wildlife on the road verges.
Weather is the constant theme. Mornings tend to be clearest, and afternoon cloud and thunder build over the mountains in summer, so start early. Even in July, it can be near freezing at the top, so carry layers. The ride finishes here with the sort of tiredness that comes from concentration and altitude, and a quiet evening in the village feels earned.