Our hotel in Charmey |
Day 1
SATURDAY › Bienvenue en Suisse!
Our
trip starts at Geneva airport where our staff will be there
to welcome you before the transfer to our hotel in Charmey on the eastern side of Lake Geneva.
After lunch and our orientation meeting we'll get the bikes ready for our first warm-up ride. From the hotel in Charmey we head up the valley towards the Jaunpass. Before reaching the pass we turn off the main road onto a small, single-track road which leads us up through Ablandschen to the summit of the Mittelberg climb.
|
|
30 miles
|
2,500 ft elev. gain |
|
Today's Major Climbs |
|
Climb
|
|
Profile |
Length |
Average
Grade |
Difficulty
Level |
Mittelberg |
1,926 ft |
|
6.9 miles |
5.3% |
68 |
|
| |
"En route" to the Gurnigel |
Day 2
SUNDAY › The Pre-Alps and the Gurnigel!
Today's ride takes us through the incredibly scenic pre-Alps region that lies to the north of Interlaken. The ride starts out with a series of rolling hills through the farming communities of the Fribourg Burgerwald region. After 40km the road steepens as we start the 10-mile climb to the Gurnigel.
From the top of the Gurnigel there are some fantastic views of high snow-covered peaks to our north. Take a good look - we'll be climbing those very same peaks later in the week!
RIDE SUMMARY:
|
78 miles
|
6,600 ft elev. gain |
|
Today's Major Climbs |
|
Climb
|
|
Profile |
Length |
Average
Grade |
Difficulty
Level |
Gurnigel |
2,428 ft |
|
10.2 miles |
4.5% |
76 |
Schallenberg |
853 ft |
|
2.8 miles |
5.7% |
43 |
|
| |
Climbing the Glaubenbielenpass |
Day 3
MONDAY › The Grimselpass!
Today we leave behind the rolling green pastures and the cow bells and head for the big mountains. Our main challenge is the mighty Grimselpass, one of the longest and most challenging climbs in Switzerland and a favorite in the Tour de Suisse.
On our way to the Grimselpass we'll climb up the very scenic Glaubenbielenpass then over the Brunigpass and down to Innertkirtchen where we start the 16 mile climb to the Grimselpass.
RIDE SUMMARY:
|
82 miles
|
10,500 ft elev. gain |
|
Today's Major Climbs |
|
Climb
|
|
Profile |
Length |
Average
Grade |
Difficulty
Level |
Glaubenbielenpass |
2,388 ft |
|
9.7 miles |
4.7% |
75 |
Brunigpass |
1,667 ft |
|
7.8 miles |
4.1% |
59 |
Grimselpass |
5,052 ft |
|
16.1 miles |
5.9% |
142 |
|
| |
The cobbled switchbacks on the St Gotthardpass
|
Day 4
TUESDAY › The High Alps
A spectacular ride today over the highest climbs in the Swiss Alps. First on the agenda is the 8-mile Nufenenpass which climbs to over 8,000 ft.
After a long descent to Airolo we start the climb to the spectacular and unique St Gotthardpass. The cobbled St Gotthard is a huge favourite with our riders and offers a rare opportunity to climb a major Alpine pass on cobbles!
The descent of the St Gotthard takes us into the quaint village of Andermatt where we start the climb to the Oberalppass - our final climb of the day.
RIDE SUMMARY:
|
58 miles
|
8,750 ft elev. gain |
|
Today's Major Climbs |
|
Climb
|
|
Profile |
Length |
Average
Grade |
Difficulty
Level |
Nufenenpass |
3,714 ft |
|
8.3 miles |
8.5% |
133 |
St Gotthardpass |
3,058 ft |
|
7.9 miles |
7.3% |
104 |
Oberalppass |
1,982 ft |
|
6.6 miles |
5.7% |
72 |
|
| |
Typical Swiss landscape in Obersaxen |
Day 5
WEDNESDAY › Lenzerheide
After our big day in the mountains yesterday we can enjoy the first part of our ride which descends through the Upper Rhine valley towards Llanz.
After 12 miles of descending it's time for a bit of climbing as we leave the main road and head up through numerous switchbacks to Obersaxen.
You'll enjoy the road down from Obersaxen as it winds it's way through stunning gorges and canyons carved out by the river Rhine.
RIDE SUMMARY:
|
53 miles
|
6,300 ft elev. gain |
|
Today's Major Climbs |
|
Climb
|
|
Profile |
Length |
Average
Grade |
Difficulty
Level |
Obersaxen |
2,001 ft |
|
5.1 miles |
7.4% |
80 |
Lenzerheidepass |
2,890 ft |
|
10.9 miles |
5.0% |
111 |
|
| |
Today we cross over the Passo Bernina into Italy |
Day 6
THURSDAY › Into Italy...
Today we reach the eastern edge of Switzerland and actually head just over the border into Italy which sets us up nicely for our ride over the Stelvio the next day.
Our first climb is one of the toughest of the trip, the 19-mile Albulapass! From the Albulapass we head down towards San Moritz then over the Passo Bernina and Forcola di Livigno into Italy. From the Forcola di Livigno we follow the route of the penultimate stage of the 2010 Giro d'Italia over the Passo d'Eira and Passo Foscagno to our hotel in Bormio.
RIDE SUMMARY:
|
81 miles
|
8,950 ft elev. gain |
|
Today's Major Climbs |
|
Climb
|
|
Profile |
Length |
Average
Grade |
Difficulty
Level |
Albulapass |
4,793 ft |
|
19.1 miles |
4.7% |
130 |
Passo Bernina |
1,991 ft |
|
12.7 miles |
3.0% |
46 |
Forcola di Livigno |
863 ft |
|
2.5 miles |
6.7% |
57 |
Passo d'Eira |
1,293 ft |
|
4.2 miles |
5.9% |
51 |
Passo Foscagno |
886 ft |
|
2.9 miles |
5.9% |
44 |
|
| |
The final switchbacks on the Stelvio |
Day 7
FRIDAY › The Stelvio!
A classic loop ride to end our trip! From Bormio we head up the southern approach to the Passo Umbrail (from the Passo Umbrail we can ride the extra 3km to the top of the Passo Stelvio - just so we can say we did the Stelvio from both sides!).
At the Passo Umbrail we cross back into Switzerland and descend through the beautiful Val Mustair. The road eventually leads back into Italy and along the valley to Prato allo Stelvio where the climb to the Stelvio begins.
RIDE SUMMARY:
|
61 miles
|
10,200 ft elev. gain |
|
Today's Major Climbs |
|
Climb
|
|
Profile |
Length |
Average Grade |
Difficulty
Level |
Passo Stelvio (south) |
5,030 ft |
|
13.4 miles |
7.1% |
144 |
Passo Stelvio (north) |
5,932 ft |
|
15.1 miles |
7.4% |
172 |
|
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Day 8
SATURDAY › Arrivederci
End of our trip and final transfer to Milan Malpensa
airport. |
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