Our Trans-Lombardy Challenge features many of the top rides in Italy. The ride starts in the high mountains in the north-east of Lombardy with Giro d'Italia classics - the Passo Gavia and the Passo Mortirolo. From there we head south-west before finishing up on Italy's most beautiful lake, Lake Como!

Along the way we conquer a number of huge and spectacular climbs including the 13-mile Passo Croce Domini and the 12-mile Passo Vivione, one of the most impressive climbs in Italy.

Join us in the tyre tracks of so many famous Giro d'Italia and Tour of Lombardy routes. Finishing up with a visit to the cycling chapel and museum, the Madonna del Ghisallo, this is a cycling challenge that every serious cyclist should undertake at least once in a lifetime!

Trip Profile

 

Trip Highlights

• Ride one of the most famous loops in Italy over the Passo Gavia and the Passo Mortirolo!
• Ride the Passo Vivione - one of the most beautiful climbs in Italy!
• Visit Italy's most famous cycling chapel and musuem - the Madonna del Ghisallo
• Climb the infamous "WALL" - the Muro di Sormano
• Stay in Bellagio on Lake Como
• Over 50,000ft of climbing in 7 days!
• As always the top support in the industry!

Top Support in the Industry

Throughout the trip you can relax and enjoy the rides knowing that you have the best Support Team in the industry right behind you all the way!

1 Sag Van and 1 experienced TBT ride leader for every 10 clients. And the highest staff to client ratio....1 staff member per 4 clients!

 

Your daily rides at a glance

Day	Itinerary	Ride Distance	Elevation Gain
1	Ponte di Legno › Passo Tonale › Ponte di Legno	15 miles	2,100 ft
2	Ponte di Legno › Passo Gavia › Passo Mortirolo › Ponte di Legno	73 miles	10,250 ft
3	Ponte di Legno › Passo Vivione › Borno	53 miles	6,100 ft
4	Borno › Passo Croce Domini › Passo Maniva › Passo Tre Termini › Sale Marasino	76 miles	9,750 ft
5	Sale Marasino › Colle San Fermo › Colle Gallo › Passo di Ganda › San Pellegrino Terme	67 miles	9,150 ft
6	San Pellegrino Terme › Passo San Marco › Varenna › Bellagio	91 miles	11,150 ft
7	Bellagio › Passo Ghisallo › Muro di Sormano › Bellagio	35 miles	4,200 ft
TOTAL:		410 miles	52,700 ft
DAILY AVERAGE:		59 miles	7,529 ft

 

What's Included

• 8 days / 7 nights fully accompanied trip
  
• All breakfasts
• All but 1 dinner
  
• Lunch on the first day
• Pick-up at Milan Malpensa Airport
• Drop-off at Milan Malpensa Airport
• All ground transportation
• All luggage transfer
• Services of our expert guides
• Support vehicles
• Thomson Bike Tours maps, cue sheets and elevation profiles

What's Not Included

• Airfare
• Travel and personal insurance
• Additional hotel expenses i.e. phone charges, mini-bar, gratuities
• Lunches (except lunch on the first day which is included)

Climb these Famous Cols

In just 1 week climb many of the legendary cols in Lombardy! Here are some of the cols included in our itinerary (sorted by Difficulty Index):

Climb	Elevation Gain	Average Grade	Length	Profile (m/km)	Difficulty Index
Passo Mortirolo	4,275 ft	11.0%	7.3 miles		198
Passo Croce Domini	5,072 ft	7.5%	12.7 miles		155
Passo San Marco	4,688 ft	7.9%	11.3 miles		150
Passo Gavia	4,472 ft	7.9%	10.7 miles		147
Passo Vivione	4,357 ft	6.6%	12.4 miles		125
Passo Maniva	3,458 ft	6.9%	9.4 miles		116
Muri do Sormano	997 ft	15.2%	1.2 miles		115
Colle di San Fermo	2,759 ft	5.5%	9.4 miles		94
Passo del Ghisallo	1,811 ft	5.2%	6.6 miles		80
Passo di Ganda	2,215 ft	6.9%	6.9 miles		77
Passo Agueglio	2,274 ft	6.0%	7.2 miles		72
Passo Tonale	2,119 ft	5.9%	6.8 miles		65
Dossena	2,461 ft	4.4%	10.6 miles		57
Colle del Gallo	1,430 ft	5.7%	4.8 miles		52
Passo Tre Termini	1,273 ft	4.8%	5.1 miles		43

 

Bike Rental

The Bianchi Sempre Pro is available for rent on all our trips. Click here for full details of our rental bike program.

 

The Thomson Bike Tours Difference Your trip to Europe may be a once-in-a-lifetime experience and you deserve the best! Performance cyclists now rate Thomson Bike Tours as the premiere provider of performance trips to Europe. Here are a few details that set us aside from the rest: LESS VAN - MORE BIKE: NO Van Transfers between your hotels and the start/finish of the bike rides. Each day we ride from and to the hotel. Our local knowledge, extensive planning and vast experience mean that you spend less time in a van and more time on the bike! Best-in-class Support & ride leaders: another key to our success! Sag van and ride leader for every 10 riders. Highest Staff to Customer Ratio: 1 staff member per 4 customers! THE THOMSON RIDES: over the years we've also gained a reputation for providing the best (and most challenging!) rides. 25 years experience riding in Lombardy counts!