The cycling season in Italy starts with Strade Bianche, Tirreno-Adriatico and La Primavera (for the non-experts Milan – San Remo) and ends with Il Lombardia, The Tour of Lombardy. Funny coincidence 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 went along (part of) the route of this autumn race and there are a lot of beautiful gems to discover.
Como
The town of Como is located in the western part of Lombardy. The adjacent (and named after the town) lake is a popular holiday destination for cycling enthusiasts, but also for the ’happy few’. It is said that George Clooney can be seen sipping an espresso there. Lombardy itself is extremely vast. The eastern side borders Lake Garda, and on the north side are the well-known cycling areas around the Stelvio And Livigno and in the south it runs past Milan to Piacenza. So big! The Lombardy race finishes one year in the fashionable Comi, the other year the finish is in Bergamo. The two cities alternate the starting and finishing point every few years.
Iconic
One of the highlights of the Lombardy Tour is the climb of the Madonna del Ghisallo. This climb, which you can start from two sides, is located just south of Bellagio. Why is this Madonna so iconic? She is the patron saint of all cyclists. During the race, the riders ride up from the north side. This is also the most difficult part of the climb. During the climb, bells are rung from the chapel that stands atop the hill. If you are riding this climb yourself, stopping at the chapel is a no-brainer. The chapel alone is sacred ground. There are photos and relics of Coppi, Bartali, Casartelli and more. The chapel was once consecrated and you can ask for the blessing of Madonna here (if you wish).
Next to the chapel you’ll find the statues of the Italian cycling greats: Coppi, Bartali and Binda. A little further on is the cycling museum. It’s also worth a visit, but it does require a fee. Here you can see, among other things, many old pink jerseys (Breukink’s is one of them) and more.
Climbing
The climb, which reaches an altitude of 758m, can be climbed from Bellagio and from Canzo. From Bellagio it goes straight up, with sections of 10% with an incline of 14.5%! After a few kilometers it flattens out a bit, but the last 3 kilometers are still quite steep. Once up, the victory awaits then. On the other hand, from Canzo it is actually more of a training climb that goes up 10km at an average of 3.8%. That’s just enough time to warm up. Once you’ve warmed up and descend towards Canzo, you have to turn right after a few kilometers, 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’s a two-kilometer climb up, because it’s steep, steeper, steepest. Average 14% and a peak of almost 18%. There’s no rest and no escape. This is painful. Even the pros have a hard time with it. In the race, this uphill battle usually leads to a first split in the peloton. For cycling geeks like us, it’s just the bragging rights you have once you’re up there. This makes cycling in Northern Italy extra beautiful.
Civiglio
Vincenzo Nibali, on his way to winning Il Lombardia. Anyone who saw the footage can still remember it as yesterday. This was a steep descent for advanced riders. The shark of Messina dives headfirst into life. If you have ever ridden the Civiglio, you know how insanely beautiful the descent of Nibali was. The climb is steep and narrow, the turns are tight and you literally can't see what's coming your way. As an amateur, it is therefore advisable not to want to follow in Vincenzo's footsteps. There is a lot of traffic on this climb and if you're not paying close attention, you could easily hit an old lady in a Fiat Panda.
Climbing is more fun to ride the long route up (which is descended in the final of the race). Here you will climb a total of four kilometers, almost 10% of which are uphill. That’s quite a lot of effort. Because you climb here (and not descend), it’s all a bit more manageable and you can get a better overview of the Civiglio. Once you’re up there, things quickly level off and you can continue on to Como via a loop.
The most beautiful balcony
A little tip from the experts. Although this climb will never be included in the Lombardy Tour, because a ‘dead end’ and it’s very narrow, the climb up Monte Sighignola is one to write home about. The climb itself is fine to have. 15.5 kilometers, more than 1000 meters of elevation gain and a percentage of 6.6% will eventually bring you to an altitude of 1298m. Not exceptionally high in itself, were it not for the fact that you arrive here 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 kilometers away. 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’ll experience all the highlights of ‘Il Lombardia’ and you’ll also ride the Sighignola. That’s truly a treat.
Questions & tips
Do you have any questions about this route, or have you been there yourself? Share them here. We read everything and usually respond within a few days.