Hidden behind the screens of our phones, we become increasingly detached from reality. Sometimes we forget what it is really like. Life sometimes seems to take place online. My trip to Bormio made me experience again what we really get on that bike for. The feeling of camaraderie, a shared passion and beautiful mountain passes and all that on a road bike. This is my experience of Bormio, at the foot of the Stelvio. But Bormio is more than the Stelvio! It is also the gateway to the Mortirolo, Gavia and Torre di Fraele
Text and photos: Dennis Knuist – (Text continues below photos)
Stelvio's birthday
The Stelvio Pass is 200 years old. The mythical mountain pass was originally created for economic reasons - to connect neighbouring provinces. Today, it is a ride of the region's South Tyrol to the Lombardy region, both in Italy. It was different then - on one side was Austria, the other Italy. Front lines ran right through the mountains. Everything changed after World War I, except the mountains themselves. Today, the Stelvio may have less economic value, but it is certainly a goal and a dream for many - like me - who love cycling, but also like to cheer and be fans. The Giro d'Italia made this mountain pass iconic.
These 200 years represent for the local tourist office Bormio Tourism a great occasion to invite a group of journalists and content creators from various countries. The group includes Andreas, a Swiss who loves the mountains, Adam an American who still publishes a paper magazine. Oscar a Spaniard with a golden heart, Jamie a Brit with sprinters' qualities, Grzegory a Pole, who has lost his heart mainly to gravel and myself.
To mark its 200th anniversary, Bormio decides to further promote the region by jointly conquering the Stelvio again. This is how the idea for the Stelvio Epic Rides - because there are more mountain passes in the region. If you are at all interested in cycling, you have probably heard of the Gavia and the Mortirolo.
Stelvio Epic Rides - a new cycling project from Bormio starts in the 2025 season
Stelvio Epic Rides, Bormio, Wellness Mountain | Official Website
The programme is simple: one mountain pass each day, one climb from the Stelvio Epic Rides list. You have to conquer nine to earn the trophy. I'll make it to six this week. Oscar, probably achieves eight maybe even all of them - though he also stays a day longer. After the well-known iconic passes, I also climb Torri di Fraele, Bormio 2000 and Monte.
While climbing all these mountains, I feel genuine admiration for the cyclists who normally only cheer on TV - because I am now experiencing something myself that is hard to put into words. If a rider in the peloton, in a race like the Giro d'Italia - which often comes to the Bormio region - takes 55 minutes to do a climb, and a very good amateur takes an hour and a half, how can that be compared? It becomes clear that they, the professional cyclists, really do something exceptional. I, as an amateur, do the same climb in one hour and 40 minutes... and I'm certainly not the last one at the top.
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You suddenly feel smaller as everything around you gets bigger. Beautiful mountains tower high above you. Climbs no longer take five minutes, but an hour, two or even three. Descents are also tough - 20 km downhill can be as tough as uphill. If there is anywhere you can feel how insignificant you are in the face of nature, it is on a road bike in the mountains. Although it remains truly enjoyable.
But there is a reward. The views. The immense mountains. The landscapes that will stay with you for a long time. And the satisfaction of reaching the top under your own power. Basically, you don't need a Strava or a powermeter for that. Conquering that climb under your own power and hearing your heavy breathing is rhythm enough to get to the top.
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Bormio itself is a charming town with an authentic atmosphere and a lively centre. You will find nice shops, hotels, restaurants and bars, and there is also a beautiful old town area with cobbled streets. In addition, Bormio is known for its thermal baths, which are a wonderful way to relax after a day cycling through the mountains. All these facets I had the opportunity to experience are a wonderful addition to your stay here.
Spas and hotels in Bormio | QC Terme Bagni di Bormio
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The Stelvio climb literally starts in the town of Bormio itself. You can start it either from Bormio or from Prato dello Stelvio/Prad am Stilfersjoch. The climb from Prad/Prato will also be called the classic named
Passo dello Stelvio, Prato allo Stelvio, Italy
- Distance: 24.5 km, Elevation difference: 1824 m, Average gradient: 7.5 %
Passo dello Stelvio, Bormio, Italy
- Distance: 20.8 km, Elevation difference: 1524 m, Average gradient: 7.3 %
A top for your stay: hotel Nevada: Hotel Nevada Bormio. This really is a very good hotel. The hotel is located on the slopes of Bormio 2000, where in 2026 parts of the Winter Olympic Games 2026 of Milan will be finished as the downhill for the men and the new part Ski-mountaineering. The hotel has a restaurant serving Italian cuisine, a fine diverse breakfast and a bike-room where you can park your bike stables, maintained and even wash. => Nevada Bormio
So, I would have Bormio, the Stelvio, Mortirolo or Gavia recommend as a destination? Yes, absolutely. If you want to feel for yourself what makes the mountains mythical then it is really worth trying it for yourself. Or maybe just to rediscover what cycling means to you - in a place just a little less obvious. What I'm really saying is, this place with these mountains should be on your list for cycling destinations.
PS: Thanks to the team of stelvioexperience.it and for their care and hospitality
