ST - looking for ride suggestions in Northern Italy. Can be anywhere between Bormio and Florence: Milan, Verona, Bologna, etc (riding in the Dolomites before and Tuscany after, have ridden in Como already).
Any suggestion or routes and great small towns? How about bike shops or group rides to jump in? Even better, any races or fondos Aug 27 or 28.
Cheers
Anywhere is great if you avoid Po valley (for this and other reasons I wouldn’t ride in and around Milan but worth a daytrip for sure). Bologna is a great starting point. Actually, pic ANY of the towns off the Autostrada A14 along the Apennines and take the small roads into the hills. Get lost there.
If you seek a challenge, ride the course of a Granfondo. dieci colli is a good one in Bologna. More famous and tougher is the nove colli starting in Cesenatico, a little further SE from the road you will take to end up in Firenze.
List of GF:
http://www.dalzero.it/gran_fondo_ciclismo.htm
Monte Abetone is a nice climb from Modena if that’s what you seek.
This is a GF in Bologna on 8/28:
http://www.cicloclubestense.it/
At 165k/1.650m (100m/5,000ft) rather tame but any GF in Italy is awesome, trust me.
A good base could be http://www.bikemarche.it/
(They are going to be a partner of Gran Fondo New York.)
Let me know if you need more info, I lived for a short time in Ferrara and raced Gran Fondo for an Italian squad.
cheers
uli
Uli:
Living there you would know better than I would, but what is wrong with the Po Valley for riding. I have spent many weeks in Cremona and always wanted to have my bike with me. Just curious. Thanks.
I find riding flat boring pretty quickly but maybe that’s just me. As a matter of fact, in the early 90s suddenly all the pro teams started having training camps in and around Ferrara (closest hill 30 miles), home town of Signor Ferrari.
Guess I didn’t realize the hills were that far away. It is flat.
Uli,
This is great, thanks for all the info. Three questions:
Is this the gran fondo you mentioned, but on the 29th instead of 28th?
http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=it&u=http://www.cicloclubestense.it/&ei=gs5mTKL8OIz2tgPisPnJDQ&sa=X&oi=translate&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBkQ7gEwAA&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dhttp://www.cicloclubestense.it/%26num%3D100%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26hs%3D1I0%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official
Also, how does the entry work - -by age? I’m a cat 1 and have an international license. 41 yrs old
If I ride the nove colli, is Cesenatico a good place to stay? I’d rather do a smaller, quiet town as opposed to bigger one like Bologna
Thanks again!
Carl, all I can say, is have fun. The only two times I have ridden in Italy is bike touring in the 80’s. First time from Venice passed Cortina d’Ampezzo to Innsbruck. Second time, Milan, via Como via Domodosola (sp?) over the Simplon Pass (Passo di Sempione) to Brig in Switzerland. On both those tours I also rode the coast between Nice, San Remo and Genoa and then Genoa to Milan. I really liked the terrain near the coast.
I’m waiting to hear about a epic climbs on Mortirola, Gavia and Stelvio. I am sure Uli can post some pictures!
Yes, that’s the GF I’m talking about, sorry about the wrong date.
I’d just show up and sign-in on the day. If it’s a small enough GF you might be competitive to actually race it. At the bigger ones you’re just pack fodder as Cat 1. 
Cesenatico is a great place to stay. It has plenty of hotels as it is a beach vacation town. But most of the hotels are used to cyclists to who they cater Feb-May. Cesenatico is one of the big Euro training hubs for cyclists and triathletes. Some of the cheaper hotels are a bit run down depending on what kind of standard you are used to. They’re cheap though and food is usually fantastic.
Riding is ridiculous. Just roll out of town and hit the hills. Hotels will have maps for suggested routes if you need it.
I’m waiting to hear about a epic climbs on Mortirola, Gavia and Stelvio. I am sure Uli can post some pictures!
Gavia is on my Top3 of the best ever passes. Beautiful and challenging. Not to be missed.
Stelvio is pretty nice of course.
Mortirolo is just a fucking pain in the ass.
29th won’t work so luckily I won’t have to worry about being competitive. Parking it in Cesenatico for a few days sounds like more fun anyway.
Thanks again for the info.
If Gavia is in the top 3 which ones are the other two in your top 3. Would love to know, because like a conaisseur of fine while, Uli knows his climbs, and I’ll certainly want to do the other 2 in his top 10.
Mt. Fuji in Japan just made my top 3 list a few weeks ago. It was the toughest single climb I have ever done and the road ends at 2000m (started around 800m). I think the other two in my top 3 are Galibier North Side and Sustenpass Switzerland from Meringen side. Ventoux and Alpe d’Huez round out the top 5 due to pedigree, but I suspect they’ll be bumped out of the top 5 once I get a chance to do Gavia and Stelvio…the question is “when”?
Come on, man up and stick around to ride the Gavia and the Mortirolo with us on the 27th! It’s only 110km. How hard could it be?
not to hijack the thread, but is anyone going to be in the florence/siena area sept 11-15?
suggestions for renting a nice road bike over there? i have a buddy getting married on the 14th just north of siena. i want to ride at least one day if not 2 while there. 15-17th we’re going to rome so riding is not going to be possible. thanks
If Gavia is in the top 3 which ones are the other two in your top 3. Would love to know, because like a conaisseur of fine while, Uli knows his climbs, and I’ll certainly want to do the other 2 in his top 10.
Mt. Fuji in Japan just made my top 3 list a few weeks ago. It was the toughest single climb I have ever done and the road ends at 2000m (started around 800m). I think the other two in my top 3 are Galibier North Side and Sustenpass Switzerland from Meringen side. Ventoux and Alpe d’Huez round out the top 5 due to pedigree, but I suspect they’ll be bumped out of the top 5 once I get a chance to do Gavia and Stelvio…the question is “when”?
I thought about it for a while. Tough one!
Galibier N and Susten W are definitely candidates. Another one of my favs is Albula W. And the triple of Cayolle/Champs/Allos is stunning. Nufenen is also just beautiful. The Sella Ronda, Dammastock (Susten-Grimsel-Furka).
Let’s just say Gavia is Top 3 and the other two I can’t decide.
Damn I get homesick just thinking of it. Good thing is that I will ride Tour Transalp with my girl next year and will spend 8-12 weeks in Ticino June-August. Time to get sick of passes again. 
@Carl: pics please and a detailed report first week of September!
@ Kevin - the last thing I want to be is the 5th wheel, but you make a compelling argument
@Uli - pics? Deal.
Come on, man up and stick around to ride the Gavia and the Mortirolo with us on the 27th! It’s only 110km. How hard could it be? :-)ij
Not to hijack Carl’s thread, but please post pictures after you do Gavia+Mortirola please! The only good reason for the existence of asphalt is for riding bikes and more specifically over mountains like that!