The cycling season in Italy kicks off with Strade Bianche, Tirreno-Adriatico and La Primavera (for non-experts Milan - San Remo) and ends with Il Lombardia, the Tour of Lombardy. Funny similarity between the two races: they are usually decided on the final climb, although the Tour of Lombardy has a course that is more distinctive. Cycling in northern Italy is cycling around the lakes of Como, Lago Maggiore and Lago di Varese. Very beautiful! We set out along (part of) the route of this autumn race and there are a lot of beautiful gems to discover there.
Como
The town of Como is located in the western part of Lombardy. The neighbouring (and named after the town) lake is a popular holiday destination for cycling enthusiasts, as well as for 'the happy few'. It is said you can see George Clooney sipping an espresso there. Lombardy itself is vast. The eastern side borders Lake Garda, while on the northern side are the famous cycling areas around the Stelvio and Livigno and in the south it runs past Milan to Piacenza. Big, in other words. The Tour of Lombardy finishes one year in fashionable Comi, while the other year the finish is in Bergamo. The two cities change this start and finish location every few years.
Iconic
One of the certainties in the Tour of Lombardy is the passage of the Madonna del Ghisallo, a climb that can be tackled from two directions, located just south of Bellagio. Why this Madonna is so iconic? It is the patron saint of all cyclists. In the race, riders ride up from the north side. This is also the toughest variant. During the climb, they ring the bells of the little chapel that stands on top. If you ride this climb yourself, stopping at the chapel is a no-brainer. The little chapel alone is holy ground. Pictures and relics of Coppi, Bartali, Casartelli and more hang there. The chapel was once consecrated and you can ask for Madonna's blessing here (should you wish).
Next to the little chapel you will find the figureheads of Italian cycling. Coppi, Bartali and Binda. A little further on is the cycling museum. Also worth seeing, but a paid entrance fee. Here, among other things, you can see many old pink jerseys (Breukink's is among them) and more.
Climbing
The climb, which ends at 758m, can thus be climbed from Bellagio and from Canzo. From Bellagio the climb is steep right away, sections of 10% with an outlier to 14.5%! After a few kilometres, it flattens out completely for a while but the last 3 kilometres are still quite steep. So once at the top, victory(s) await. From the other side, from Canzo it's actually more of a training climb going up 10km at 3.8% average. That's just to warm up. If you are then warmed up and you descend towards Canzo, you should turn right after a few kilometres, towards Sormano.
Madonna del Ghisallo, Bellagio, Italy
- Distance: 8.6 km, Elevation gain: 506 m, Average grade: 7.1 %
The real wall
Il Muro di Sormano is, in my opinion, 'the real wall'. It is two kilometres of raking uphill as it is steep, steeper, steepest. 14% average and an outlier to almost 18%. There is no rest and no escape. This hurts. Even the pros struggle with this. In the race, this calf biter usually causes initial separation in the peloton. For cycling geeks like us, it's just the bragging rights you have once you get to the top. This makes cycling in northern Italy extra beautiful.
Civiglio
Vincenzo Nibali, on his way to winning Il Lombardia. Those who have seen the footage can remember it like yesterday. This was an advanced descending course. The Shark of Messina dives down without awe. If you have ever ridden the Civiglio you will know how insanely clever Nibali's descent was and is. The climb is steep and narrow, the turns are tight and you literally cannot see what is coming your way. As an amateur, it is therefore not recommended to try to follow in Vincenzo's footsteps. There is a lot of traffic on this little climb and if you don't pay attention you can easily crash into a granny in a Fiat Panda.
For climbing, it is more fun to ride the long route uphill. (which is descended in the final part of the course). Here you go up a total of four kilometres at almost 10%. This is solid fare, though. Because you climb (and not descend) here, it's all a bit more manageable and you can get a better view of the Civiglio. Once at the top, it quickly flattens out and you can ride a loop back towards Como.
The most beautiful balcony
Just a tip from the experts. Although this climb will never feature in the Tour of Lombardy because a dead-end and very narrow, the climb of Monte Sighignola is one to write home about. The climb itself is worthy of note. 15.5 kilometres, more than 1000 altimeters and a percentage of 6.6% will eventually bring you to an altitude of 1298m. In itself not exceptionally high, were it not for the fact that here you arrive at the 'Balcone d'Italia', perhaps the most beautiful balcony in the world. You have breathtaking views over Lake Lugano and on a good day you can really see for miles. This is the icing on the cake when you go cycling in northern Italy.
Cycling route Cycling in northern Italy
With this route that starts and finishes in Como, you ride all the highlights of 'Il Lombardia' and you also catch the Sighignola. It's a real treat.
