Giro del Malinvern

Pure cyclo-mountaineering tour with long stretches with backpacking bikes and descents of all kinds also very technical and always on rocks of all sizes. You can read the account complete with photos and video in the article published in the Mag in 2015 as Tour of the Malinvern.

The trail traces the tour that had the transfer by car from Pratolongo to the junction for the Sanctuary of S.Anna di Valdieri, thus avoiding 900 meters of elevation gain that eventually can be pedaled either on asphalt or in part with the Pilgrim's Path. From Colle della Lombarda one climbs with a bike on one's back a hard stretch to the Cima della Lombarda of the same name.

Qa here we begin a long traverse at altitude with several ups and downs in a really wild environment and rather technical descents to Passo del Lupo.

At Passo del Lupo we have to pass through French territory, which is forbidden to bicycles in this section despite the havoc a few kilometers away at the Isola 2000 ski resort. At the Bassa del Drus we are again in Italian territory and a descent in a very beautiful environment awaits us, technically easy on a wide path that runs along the incredible network of military roads, works that should become national heritage.

Having reached the shores of the beautiful Lower Lake of Valscusa, we climb with bikes on our shoulders, but also with some pedal strokes, to the Valscura Pass. Now begins a truly challenging but spectacular descent, immediately on hairpin bends, then very rocky mule track, careful not to disappear into any holes.

From the idyllic Malinvern Lake again nice rocky path all hairpin bends until the Malinven Refuge where a beer is a must. The rest is dirt and asphalt with some cutting from the final hairpin bends.

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