Giro d'Italia "Ride Every Kilometre" Week 2 - Tuscany, Piedmont & Switzerland!

  • Location

    Tuscany, Piedmont & Switzerland

  • Duration

    8 Days | 7 Nights

  • Length

    176 - 216 km daily

  • Climb

    1,600 - 3,900 m daily

15 May 2023 - 22 May 2023

Giro d’Italia Week 2, Stages 10 to 15, from Tuscany, up into Piedmont, the hometowns of "il campionissimo" Fausto Coppi, through Aosta and into Switzerland including the 2023 Cima Coppi at the top of Grand St Bernard Pass before returning to northern Italy. Six days of riding, 1,148 Km kilometres and 16,800 metres ascent on the 105th edition of the Giro.

“There is nothing quite like riding on the full route of the Giro d'Italia, with thousands of supporters on the road cheering us on and the peloton only an hour or two behind us.” Keith Tuffley, Founder of Grand Tours Project and the mind behind the "Ride Every Kilometre" concept.

This week takes you from the warm dusty roads of beautiful Tuscany and Ligurian coast over Grand Saint-Bernard into green and white Switzerland. The week finishes in Bergamo at the foothills of the Dolomites.

If you are fit and feeling the need to test yourself against other similarly inclined riders, against the ferocious professionalism of the pro teams, this week offers hilly, some flat and big mountains. And what is a Ride Every Kilometre tour? It’s where you Ride. Every. Kilometre. of each stage in the morning ahead of the professional racers. Yes really. Grand Tours Project has successfully run these tours for several years and the 105th edition comprised 18 guests aiming to accept this challenge.

Week 2, a nice challenge to the Giro d’Italia Ride Every Kilometre tour.

If riding every kilometre of 6 stages sounds a bit much, or if you haven't the time for a full week off, then you may wish to join for just 3 stages in the mountains. Contact us if this interests you.

We are also offering a more relaxed option involving 60-100km of riding each day - our Giro "Experience" tours.

Total price: From €4,470

  • "Ride Every Kilometre" of 6 stages, on the race route, just hours before the pros
  • Enjoy the beauty of Tuscany, Piedmont and Switzerland as we cycle 176-216 km daily
  • Watch the Giro stars fight for the pink jersey
  • Expert planning and support from our team (guides, mechanics, drivers)
  • On every stage, enjoy the unique atmosphere of the Giro and the support of the public
  • Enjoy all the benefits of riding with a Giro "Official Tour Operator"
  • On at least one of the stages, cycle across the finish line, stand on the winners podium, and watch the race from the Giro VIP zone with a prosecco in hand
  • Premium rental bike available (Full carbon disc brake bike + Ultegra di2 electronic or equivalent)
  • Level of fitness: Advance - fit enough to ride 5 to 7 hrs or 130 to 200 km some days at a steady pace.
  • Day 1 - Monday 15 May

    Benvenuto in Italia

    We will collect you from Bologna airport and transfer you to our hotel. Our team will help you to check in and unpack your bike. After a light lunch or snack we’ll test ride the bikes and head into the countryside. Back at our hotel we can make final tweaks, and then meet up for apero and a briefing of the coming week’s tour before enjoying dinner together.

    Hotel near Sassuolo
  • Day 2 - Tuesday 16 May

    Stage 10 - SCANDIANO - VIAREGGIO

    190 km | 2400 m

    When one thinks of starting near Emilio Reggio or Bologna, one thinks flat. However, today is definitely not flat and entails rolling uphills until Passo delle Radici at 1,527 metres. Then you are in beautiful Tuscany and descending through forest and amazing vistas, past hillside villages, almost 30 kilometres before another couple of small climbs and onto the Tuscan coast lined with regimented lines of lidos.

    A good start for week 2 of the Giro. We’ll transfer you to your next hotel.

    Hotel in La Versilia
  • Day 3 - Wednesday 17 May

    Stage 11 - Camaiore - Tortona

    218 km | 2,500 m

    An early breakfast and then you are heading north along the Tuscan coast avoiding La Spezia and into the hills of the Liguria region. At Passo del Bracco at 610 metres, you’ll descend to Sestri Levante and ride briefly along the Ligurian coast before heading back up into the hills. Just after Passo della Castagnola you will enter the Piedmont region with forests giving way to flatter agricultural landscapes. The last 30 kilometres is a descending straight into Tortona.

    Tortona is home to all 3 types of truffles as well as Barbera, Dolcetto, Moscato and Timorasso wines.

    hotel near Fossano
  • Day 4 - Thursday 18 May Stage 12

    Stage 12 - BRA to RIVOLI

    179 km | 2,600 m

    A mixture of diverse terrain today - hills, plains and mountains. First up, La Morra to get the legs warmed up then onto Pedaggera. The views offered from the ridgeline riding towards Alba are extensive and impressive. From Alba, it's generally flat and home to intensive agriculture. You’ll ride through Rivoli and climb the steep side of Colle Braida before heading back to Rivoli and the finish.

    No hanging around as we need you at your hotel to prep and rest for tomorrow.

    hotel near romano canavese
  • Day 5 - Friday 19 May

    Stage 13 - IVREA to CRANS MONTANA

    208 km | 3,800 m

    Real mountains today and so a very early start. The first 60 kilometres are easy enough as you follow the Aosta Valley. Then it’s 36 kilometres of unforgiving climbing to Col du Grand Saint-Bernard at 2,469 metres. BUT the views on the upper part of the climb are stupendous. "Cima Coppi" is on the top of this climb. At the Col, you will find yourself next to the Grand Saint-Bernard Hospice, a famous monastery that also saved and protected pilgrims seeking to save their souls on their journeys to and from Rome. Now for the reward, an equally long descent into Switzerland and to Le Chable at the base of the Verbier Ski Resort. Next up, a steep climb to Croix de Coeur before descending to cross the Sion valley and up into the ski resort of Crans Montana. Epic.

    Hotel near Crans Montana
  • Day 6 - Saturday 20 May

    Stage 14 - SIERRE - CASSANO MAGNAGO

    194 km | 1,600 m

    After yesterday, today is very Simplon! A gentle flat to Brig is first up and then 20 kilometres of climbing to the Simplon Pass or Passo del Sempione at 2006 metres. And that's it. Now a long descent and 100 kilometres of flat, straight and fast roads. Simples. Today you have a little time to enjoy the views but be careful as the peloton will be close behind. Provided you have not been caught on the final 100 kilometres by the official caravan and peloton, you can watch the teams and individual riders sprint …or roll over the line.

    Then back in the van for a transfer to Seregno and your hotel.

    Hotel near Monza area
  • Day 7 - Sunday 21 May

    Stage 15 - SEREGNO to BERGAMO

    191 km | 3,900 m

    Seregno to Bergamo by bike directly is 53 kilometres and only about 150 metres of climbing. So we knew that the designers had put in place multiple detours to reach the target kilometres and some nearby climbs to ensure it was a mountain day! Essentially the climbs are in the mountains behind Bergamo and a badly drawn figure of eight has you passing through Bergamo as well as finishing there. There are steep bits, hairpins, urban environments and the route crossing over itself. It will be a fun day or a frustrating day. Fingers crossed, the former. To ensure access to the full route, we recommend a very early start.

    At our hotel, we’ll celebrate a week of riding and our dinner together.

    Hotel near Monza area
  • Day 8 - Monday 22 May

    Arrivederci

    The second week of the Giro d’Italia, done and dusted. Six stages, 1,148 kilometres and 16,800 metres of ascent plus the extra bits! Italy and Switzerland. Did you accomplish this tough challenge? If yes, kudos to you and if not, that’s ok as the Giro is the “Toughest race in the world´s most beautiful place”- come back next year and try again.

    We’ll help you check out and transfer you to Bergamo or Milan airport for your onward travels.

    Ride safe and see you on the roads soon.