Tour Type
Explorer
Riding Level
Active
Location
France & Italy - Alpe d'Huez to Piemonte, Como, Stelvio & Milan
Duration
8 days | 7 nights
Length
30 up to 140 km daily (shorter option available)
Climb
930 up to 3,500 m daily (shorter option available)
Grand Tours Project and Bianchi have partnered to offer our guests the best possible high-performance cycle tour that celebrates the life of one of the greatest cyclists of all time - Fausto Coppi.
Born on 15 September 1919, Fausto Coppi won his first Giro d’Italia at the tender age of 20 – still the youngest winner of the race. He went on to win the Giro four more times and the Tour de France twice. In 1949, he became the first rider to win both the Tour and Giro in the same year, a feat he repeated in 1952. Nearly all of his victories were achieved on Bianchi bikes, as part of the Bianchi team.
The Grand Tours Project: Alpe d’Huez to Stelvio is more than a ride; it’s a magnificent, 6 days cycling pilgrimage tracing the unparalleled legacy of Il Campionissimo across the most monumental passes of the French and Italian Alps. This journey is a direct challenge to test your limits on the same hallowed ground where Coppi achieved his greatest triumphs. Our tour will take you to where Coppi is best remembered for his greatest victories and legendary moments: his Stage 10 victory on Alpe d’Huez in the 1952 Tour de France; the Stage 11 victory on Col du Galibier the following day; and his Stage 20 win on Passo dello Stelvio in the 1953 Giro, which secured his fifth Giro title.
Starting with the iconic 21 hairpins of Alpe d’Huez and the majestic Col du Galibier, you will immediately follow in the tyre tracks of cycling giants. The route then leads from France into Italy to conquer mountains tied directly to Coppi’s history, including the Col d’Izoard and Colle delle Sestriere, and the sacred climbs of the Giro di Lombardia (Ghisallo and the Muro di Sormano). The unique gravel of Colle delle Finestre added to give you a taste of the old roads.
The tour culminates in a powerful finale: a double ascent of the legendary Passo dello Stelvio, honouring Coppi’s race-winning attack in 1953. The trip concludes with an exclusive visit to the new, state-of-the-art Casa Bianchi facility in Milan before your departure, giving you a comprehensive experience steeped in history, monumental challenge, and the finest Italian cycling heritage.
Prepare for a magnificent challenge and a collection of personal victories to last a lifetime in memory of Fausto Coppi.
Your Grand Tours Project journey begins. We will meet you at Geneva Airport and provide transport to Bourg-Saint-Maurice, situated in the heart of the French Alps. After checking into the hotel, you will be introduced to your Bianchi road bike. The first priority is to finesse the bike fitting before a short welcome ride. This is a crucial spin designed to test the bike, confirm the setup, and ensure your comfort before the major stages. The day concludes with a tour briefing on the itinerary and logistics of the tour, the distribution of your cycling kit, and followed by dinner.
Starting from the hotel in Le Bourg d’Oisans, your morning challenge is the iconic Alpe d’Huez, with its famous 21 hairpin bends. This climb is steeped in legend, having first featured in the Tour de France in 1952 when Fausto Coppi won the stage and took the Yellow Jersey – a moment that solidified the mountain’s status. After summiting Alpe d’Huez, the route continues across the lesser-known, stunning Col du Sarenne, before the day’s journey shifts to Col du Lautaret, which serves as the approach to the second monumental challenge: the Col du Galibier.
The Galibier is a true Tour de France legend. It was on this mountain, after Coppi’s Stage 10 Alpe d’Huez victory, that Coppi, riding in the Yellow Jersey, was famously photographed handing a water bottle to his rival, Gino Bartali and won Stage 11. The moment perfectly captures the spirit of the era and cemented Galibier’s immortal status. You will conquer this summit before enjoying the long, sweeping descent to your hotel in Le Monêtier-les-Bains. This is a day where you truly follow in the tire tracks of cycling giants.
After breakfast, descend to the historic fortress city of Briançon before beginning the ascent of the magnificent Col d’Izoard. This mountain pass is famous for its pivotal role in Coppi’s legacy. This climb was key to his legendary 1949 Giro d’Italia victory, where he broke away early and soloed 192 km over five passes, including the Izoard and Sestriere, finishing an astonishing twelve minutes ahead of his rival, Gino Bartali. The moment was immortalized by the commentator Mario Ferretti, who famously declared: “A lonely man in command, his shirt is blue and white, his name is Fausto Coppi.” From the summit, after a quick visit to the Coppi Memorial on the other side of the summit, you’ll enjoy a stunning descent back towards Briançon, before crossing the border into Italy. The final major ascent of the day is the Colle delle Sestriere, a high-altitude climb that completes your historical ride. You will then enjoy the final descent down to the town of Susa and your hotel for the night…or opt for a transfer.
Today, you leave the history briefly behind to tackle a climb unique to the modern Giro d’Italia – the formidable Colle delle Finestre. The Finestre is instantly recognizable by its profile and its surface: the final 8 kilometres of the climb are unpaved (sterrato) gravel road, carving through the dense forest. You will navigate 44 numbered hairpins on the 19 km route to the summit, requiring careful bike handling and total concentration. From the summit, you will enjoy a thrilling descent to the plains, arriving at the historic town of Pinerolo. From Pinerolo, you have two excellent options for the final leg of the day: either enjoy a relatively flat, 40 km spin to the hotel near Turin, or opt for a relaxing transfer to conserve energy.
Today offers a scenic and enjoyable shift in rhythm after the enormous climbs of the Alps. Following breakfast, you will enjoy a short, strategic transfer from the Turin area to Cossato, located near the foothills of the Biellese Alps. The day’s route is a beautiful, constantly undulating journey that skirts the edges of the magnificent Italian Lake District. You will cycle past the shores of Lake Maggiore and the smaller, picturesque surrounding lakes, including the cycling-rich area around the “Garden City”, Varese.
The final leg of the day turns east, guiding you over moderately hilly terrain and through dense, green valleys before you are rewarded with the stunning descent to the shores of Lake Como.
The day honours Fausto Coppi, who won the Giro di Lombardia an astonishing five times – a record only recently equalled by Tadej Pogačar in 2025. Today gives you a chance to ride in the tracks of these two greats.
The route first takes you towards Magreglio, home to the sacred Madonna del Ghisallo chapel. This site is universally revered as the patron saint of cycling and offers spectacular views over the lake. Adjacent to the chapel is the Museo del Ghisallo, which holds a priceless collection of memorabilia, including bikes and personal items from legendary cyclists, with a special place reserved for Fausto Coppi. Nearby lies the infamous Muro di Sormano. This climb was originally part of the Monument when Coppi himself raced, before being deemed too steep and removed from the route. It was boldly reintroduced in 2010. For those wishing to test their limits, the Muro offers a chance to experience one of cycling’s steepest ascents, with pitches reaching an eye-watering 27%. The team will collect you at the base of the climb and transfer you to Bormio.
Today is the monumental finale of our tour: conquering the legendary Passo dello Stelvio not once, but twice, to honor the achievements of Fausto Coppi. We set out from Bormio for the first ascent of the Stelvio. From the summit (2,758m), we make a brief, high-altitude descent before turning onto the beautiful Umbrail Pass and into Switzerland. The route is a stunning, winding descent through the ancient village of Mustair, leading us back across the border into Italy at Prato allo Stelvio. Or ride directly to Prato before returning the same way. Here, the true historical connection and challenge begins: the second ascent of the Stelvio via the classic eastern side, a visual and physical masterpiece featuring the iconic 48 numbered hairpins. This entire mountain was the site of one of Coppi’s most famous victories: Stage 20 of the 1953 Giro d’Italia. Coppi launched a decisive, race-winning attack here to beat his rival, Hugo Koblet, claiming the stage, the pink jersey, and his record fifth Giro title.
There is truly no better way to pay tribute to Il Campionissimo than by ascending the epic Stelvio, the second-highest paved pass in Europe, and riding in his tracks, twice!
After a memorable final stage conquering the Stelvio, today marks the end of your Grand Tours Project journey. Following a final breakfast with the team, the GTP crew will provide an early morning transfer to Treviglio near Milan for an exclusive visit to the new Casa Bianchi. This recently completed facility is a state-of-the-art tribute to the brand that powered your tour, featuring cutting-edge design and sustainable solutions. The visit includes time in the stunning new showroom, which displays the latest models as well as iconic and historic Bianchi models. Also a chance to realise your dream bike and place an order to your specifications. After the visit, the GTP team will transfer you directly to Milan Malpensa Airport for your onward journey.
We will bid you farewell as you travel home, armed with incredible memories, stories of your mountain triumphs, stunning photos, new friends, and a collection of personal victories against the legendary Cima Coppi climbs that will last a lifetime.
(Note: Should you require travel back toward the Alps, a transfer back to Geneva, Switzerland, can also be arranged upon request.)
What’s not included?
This Active tour will give you the opportunity to challenge yourself with your friends. You and your companions will need to be active and strong cyclists to achieve this challenge, but you don’t need to be a pro athlete … ours is a journey, not a race, and we’ll leave enough time on each day to enjoy our lunch breaks and photo stops.
For our Active tours:
