Deiva AM + FR @ Deiva Marina (SP)

Compound tour with Metato's tour of Groppi peak -more AM part- with some of the top FR descents in the area.

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING INFO WELL

- very hard ride both physically and technically, not for everyone.

- The meanest descent is the very last one (Ciaparok), so watch out and manage your strength well or consider modifications.

- Exclude the summer season both for parking (lots and free in winter, the opposite in summer) and for the mess: it is a seaside resort, in fact excellent winter location for mtb

- In my experience it is always windy, so a good windbreaker is a must.

Departure from Deiva (mind you I started logging 1km after departure, see arrival for exact parking spot),ss nice asphalt climb up to the antennas of Monte San Nicolao and obligatory photo with sea view, then beautiful traverse single track up to below Cima Stronzi, unfortunately I was in a hurry and didn't go up, but definitely worth a punt.

From the junction it's natural to go straight for Valico di Mola, but I followed Metato's directions and pushed 10min for Cima Groppi ridge, with views right to hinterland and left to sea, and descent on grass and mixed singletrack at times technical, very nice, sometimes the track is not very evident, follow red dots. We rejoin with descent Mola CAI trail 620 that alternates trial passages to singletrack to gullies, very very nice in beautiful environment.

When you get to a house you jump on asphalt and this is the somewhat ugly part of the ride because you lose altitude difference alas first on asphalt and then left cart track, then from forestry suddenly becomes a nice singletrack up and down with even pushing passages, to then become mostly uphill, partly rideable with e-bikes, little-nothing without, nice strenuous but for lovers of the genre for once it's worth doing the Cima Groppi ride.

For that matter if you want to avoid this ride take a trail that comes down from the antennas like Baracchini Nuovo or Carbonaie, which take up precisely the climb of the tour but avoiding climbs in between.

I continue on comfortable asphalt towards Incisa, and from the crossroads a dirt road comes off with 30 meters push climb and then singletrack "Tagliamento Deiva", beautiful up and down but without stops or hard relaunches, then it becomes beautiful technical descent on mix earth rock roots with a lot of final towards Deiva super technical with last meters super technical heart-pounding.

Arrived in the village we climb again by asphalt this time to change for Mazzema passing under the highway pylons, impressive, until we get to the beginning of the Dele trail, of which I was a bit skeptical, in fact at the beginning it is impassable because of big rocks, then dirt road, then it becomes singletrack nice in places and technical but dirty by leaves. Small ascent and descent on FumaRupe, the most beautiful trail in the area in my opinion: mostly firm rock, technical, natural and artificial ledges where needed, rock splitter.

Back up by asphalt and once you get to the village of Cadelazzino you pass under the houses and then after a moment downhill on nice singletrack: you enter a cemented trail in the woods, then dirt road and finally real trail to end with Ciaparock, super technical trail sloping on rock that never lets up, show! Return to the parking lot in the village.

55 km x 2300 D+ approx. - 6h by e-bike with stops only to eat

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