Giro d'Italia "Ride Every Kilometre" Week 3 - STELVIO, DOLOMITES & ROME 2024

We will meet you at Milan or Bergamo Airport and transfer you to your hotel near Livigno. Our team will help you to check in and unpack your bike or set up your rental bike. After a light lunch or snack, we’ll test ride the bikes on the long straight valley road and return. Back at our hotel, we can adjust the bikes, and then explore Livigno before dinner and the tour briefing.

Baptism by fire today, probably a pre-dawn start in order to stay ahead of the road closures. Ride out of Livigno to Passo dell’Eira before reaching Passo Foscagno (2,291 m). A 15 km descent and some flat towards Bormio. Now for a classic bucket list climb, Passo Stelvio - 20 km up with straights, tunnelsand hairpins. After about 1,550 m of climbing you will reach the snowy Passo Stelvio (2,758 m). The support vehicle will be there or has dropped off warm kit for your descent. Descend down the 48 hairpins to Prato Allo Stelvio. After some refreshments, ride the flattish route to Bolzano and at St Oswald start the climb to the finish at Monte Pana at Santa Cristina Valgardena.

No rest for the wicked, another big riding day and another early start. A climb to Passo Sella (2,240 m) and then 20 km climbing from Predazzo to Passo Rolle (1,984 m), down to Fiera di Primiero to Imer and the final climbs to Gobbera (988 m) and Passo del Brocon (1,815 m), descending to Castello Tesino and returning to Brocon. If there is time you can watch the riders come in over the finish or ride down to the van waiting to transfer you to your hotel.

A welcome descending flat and fast ride today. Starting in Fiera di Primiero you will descend into Prosecco countryside and ride past the vineyards. Nearly reaching the Venetian Lagoon, you will head back inland to Padova (Padua) the oldest city in northern Italy, older than Rome, beautiful and home to famous changemakers, artists and influential historical people. Art museums, markets, cafes and a walled center make this a popular destination. If there is time, you can wander the streets. There is a 1.5 - 2 hour transfer to your hotel near the start of Stage 19.

After an early breakfast you will ride back from Mortegliano (40 m)towards the mountains albeit flattish, until the river Tagliamento. Then the climbing restarts, reaching Paularo at 650 m. A small descent through spring greenery and past quaint villages, crossing Torrente But for another climb on perfect riding roads to Ravascletto (luckily/unluckily the route does not go over Zoncolan!) and then onward to Cime Sappada (1,295 m) and the Sappada Stage 19 finish. The team will transfer you to your hotel near Alpago.

One last mountain stage and if the Giro d’Italia winner has not been identified yet, this is the day. A very early breakfast and start in order to reach the finish and then take a train to Rome. The first half of the route appears easy enough…it is the final part that will test the pros and teams AND you. Firstly, a wall, specifically Muro Ca del Poggio with an average of 12% and a max of 19%. Only 1 km of lung-busting effort required! Then the final climbs - two climbs of Monte Grappa! Immediately after, the GTP team will transfer you to either Venice Mestre or Padua train stations for a fast train to Rome. In Rome you will be taken to your hotel and the van and bikes will arrive later that night.

After your final early breakfast, we will find our way to the start and ride the 126 km race circuit. Very similar to the route in 2023, it will take us to the coast and return to Rome passing some of the major Roman landmarks before finishing near the Colosseum. To complete the REK you will cross the official Giro d’Italia Stage 21 Finish and then mount the official Winner’s Podium for photos and to celebrate your amazing achievement. At the hotel to refresh and change, before returning to the VIP Lounge right at the start/finish and to watch the race conclude. GTP has also arranged access to the Giro Awards Ceremony and the Italian organisers know how to throw a ceremony party. Something else to experience and never forget! At the conclusion of the ceremony, we will meet up for the final dinner and celebrate the end of our journey together.

Do not book an early flight! Sleep in and enjoy a leisurely breakfast. The third week of the Giro is tough.

The 107th Giro d’Italia is completed but in about a month’s time the Grand Tour of France will start - will you join us there? If not, drag up the armchair and turn on the tele for another 3 weeks of intense racing…and remember your week in the Dolomites.

We will help with checking out and transfer you to Roma Fiumicino Airport for your return home or onward journey elsewhere.

Stay safe on the roads and hopefully see you soon.