“Talking about bike riding in Valtellina isn’t just a way to promote the area,” says Ivan Basso, the legendary Italian road bicycle racer, “it’s a way to inspire dreams in young people and bike lovers who’ll come here and fall further in love with the sport. The perfect place to explore on two wheels, Valtellina is well suited for getting acquainted with bikes. You can start on the valley floor, following the Sentiero Valtellina or Ciclabile Valchiavenna, then work up to the high mountains. These days, I manage a road cycling team but always find time to ride, albeit more leisurely! Case in point: I’ll eat a delicious sandwich with bresaola and enjoy a glass of wine at the top of the Mortirolo and will make sure my post-ride dinner is a plateful of local delicacies.”
Ivan should know. He won the Giro d’Italia, Italy’s top cycling race, not once but twice! One of the legs of the tour runs through Valtellina in northern Lombardy.
As part of our Every Day in Lombardy campaign, a partnership with the Regione Lombardia, we reached out to the Valtellina tourist board for information on the area’s famed cycling routes.
Not only did they provide us with this brochure detailing where to cycle and resources, including rentals, for Alpine cyclists. They also shared this map of all of Valtellina’s major cycling routes.
When it comes to off-the-beaten-track Alpine cycling routes, Valtellina is the place to be! Take it from Ivan!
