Info tecniche

Check the start

Check the start

The route sets off from Aprica and immediately takes in a fast-rolling descent on a busy road (trucks and busses) down to Corteno Golgi, where you leave the ss.39 and ride first toward Corteno and then, passing through Santicolo, you reach Edolo.
From Edolo to the junction for Monno you must ride along the ss.42 all the way to the junction, at the bottom of the climb.
The initial 9km ascent settle at an approx. 8% gradient, then a short false-flat leads to the last 2.5km winding through a succession of hairpin bends at gradients of up to 16-17% before clearing the summit.
Fast-rolling descent down to Grosio. As in summer the very narrow road is full of cyclists and following cars climbing from Mazzo, caution is required.
Past Grosio, the route leads to Tirano along the old road in Valtellina (as far as possible).
At Bianzone the route negotiates the Teglio climb on a steep and narrow road, similar to the road heading to Mortirolo.
Fast-rolling descent all the way down to Tresenda (mind the level crossing that sometimes causes a traffic jam), where the final ascent starts. The road (with two short tunnels in the initial part) is wide and winding up to the junction for Santa Cristina, where it becomes considerably steeper and narrower. The route climbs through hairpin bends in the woods and reaches the top just before the Trivigno/Aprica junction. A narrow, steep, testing descent leads to 1,500m remaining to the start point. This final section runs on a slight incline.

NOTES:
Teglio, home of the pizzocchero, is the town that gives its name to the entire valley (Val Teglina, which later became Valtellina).
In Tirano, just before the Sanctuary, you cross the Bernina railway. Mind the traffic lights there, as there are no barriers

ROUTE CHANGES DURING YOUR RIDE:
If you have some difficulty, you can ride from Tirano directly to Stazzona and climb up all the way to Aprica along the ordinary road, cutting out the steep Santa Cristina slopes.
Past Monno, you can pick a gruelling variant, the so-called Recta Contador (since the Spanish champion inaugurated it). You take the old road/mule track (2.9km / 13.2% average gradient) that cuts across the route to the base of the final hairpin bends. Bear in mind that this is a very narrow road where it is difficult for a car to pass even a bicycle, with some undulations that bring the average gradient up to 15% for much of the route and the max. gradient very close to 30%.