Setting off from the athletics track, this undulating route winds around the sunny side of the valley with little lanes, cement tracks, cute villages and the footbridge that opened at the closing end of 2021. Low on traffic, high on views, expect your legs to burn a little after the first climb but you’ll find some pace for the rest, buoyed on by the excitement of the vines.
Sondrio | Road 50 km | The definitive Valtellina road ride – vineyards, orchards, tiny roads.
In winter it’s hard to know which roads are still passable by bike – is that stretch of tarmac getting any sunshine at all? A safe bet is to keep high on the south-facing slopes. That’s exactly what this sublime route does. A breath-taking excursion into Valtellina’s wine territory. We think it is unrivalled!
You’ll head eastwards up the valley along the main road for a short stretch – it’s very quiet though. After a few minutes of pedalling you’ll find yourself on back roads that careen along the bottom of the valley, taking you on a whistle-stop tour of the orchards to Chiuro. Once you reach Chiuro, there’s the beautiful Castionetto climb that takes you up to the Panoramica. That road, the Via Panoramica, is something else entirely. Unbeatable views, fairly quiet on the traffic front, it’s a real pleasure to cruise along. This route doesn’t follow it for long though; you’ll be spewed out onto back roads that bypass the bigger villages and go all-in for authenticity. Expect little archways, ancient buildings and a whole lot of character through the vineyards.
This route starts and finishes at Sondrio train station, which even in the winter should get a fair amount of sun.
Have a good one!
Chiuro | Road 58km | A for adventure, B for b-roads, C for Chiuro
Loose description of 'road', this one wouldn't be averse to somewhat extra grip on certain roads on the northside of the valley. The first half is almost totally traffic-free until you reach the main pass road down from Aprica. In summer this gets a little busy so just watch out for motorbikes careening their way up the pass, in a mad dash to overtake lorries. It's not great but it'll whizz by. Then you're back onto small roads. You have to rejoin the main road super briefly before you start the climb to Teglio, but it isn't a dealbreaker, we promise.
A hilly route, but unfortunately off the cards in winter. All of the climbs will be worthwhile.
