BIKE Transalp 2023: Stage 3 of the anniversary route to follow
Nobody will forget this stage across the Upper Valtellina in a hurry. Whether you are a race participant or a Transalp connoisseur: From the start in Livigno, the first 56 kilometres run above the 1800 metre mark. Of course, this means that the air is thinner and the cranking is more strenuous. On the other hand, there are hardly any trees in sight in the high mountains and the paths become narrower. 36 per cent of the third stage runs along the finest panoramic trails!
However, some of the climbs will burn themselves into your memory and thighs. Right at the start, the route begins below the Carosello 3000 cable car with a steep 500 metre ascent. On the panoramic plateau, you get a quick breath of oxygen, then the "Hairy Cattle" leads you into the fun of the bends on the "Rollercoaster" trail. Once you reach the shores of Lago di Livigno, the trail threads its way back into Val Torto. The trail, which was a lot of fun on the previous stage downhill, also works really well in the other direction thanks to the flat gradients. Only from Trepalle, where the course sets its sights on the Passo di Foscagno (2291 m), does the cranking rhythm falter due to a few short ramps. But even this effort should not go unrewarded: With the panoramic view you have gained, you soon turn off onto the next super trail, which runs down the eastern flank of the pass.
Civilisation finally returns in the mountain village of Arnoga, where a forest path leads into Val Viola. Here, the route changes to the other side of the valley and wraps around the mountain flanks of the 3439 metre-high Cima de Piazzi like a garland at half altitude with great views. For the legs, this means constant ups and downs on changing surfaces. There is also a stretch that should not be underestimated, which helps you gain another 1000 metres in altitude over the next 15 kilometres. Shortly after Alpe Pone, however, the uphill section is as good as done for today. Behind this, 900 metres of descent to Bormio await, with only small climbs that don't hurt too much. The whole thing is crowned with a sensational singletrail that winds its way down from the Forte di Oga at the very end with a view of the main town of Valtellina.
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BIKE Transalp stage 3: Bormio info
The toughest part of this stage piles up right at the start above Livigno. If you want to avoid the cold start on this 500 metre altitude ramp, buy a ticket for the Carosello 3000 cable car and start the stage from the very top. There are then several options for rejoining the original Transalp route: You can roll downhill along the gravel bends to the left-hand branch of the Hairy Cattle Trail.
Much more exciting, however, are the various Trail variants from the summit station. The most scenic is the one down into the Federia Valley. At the end of the descent, all options come together again on the shores of Lago di Livigno and the route continues towards Passo di Foscagno. There is another shortcut option on the other side of the pass: where the ingenious downhill trail joins the gravel road, you could also cycle directly along the valley road to Bormio (approx. 10 km). However, this would deprive you of the trail fun that the last 35 kilometres and 1000 metres of altitude difference of the original route still have up their sleeve.
These are the variants for stage 3 of the BIKE Transalp:
The first section in the Carossello 3000 bike park can be skipped or extended with a lift, depending on your mood. There are many variants from Livigno to Bormio. The first intermediate destination is the "Decauville", a flat gravel track of an old factory railway for several kilometres. It runs between Arnoga on the road from Livigno to Bormio to the Torri di Fraele on the small road that leads from Bormio via Premadio up to the reservoirs (Lago di Cancano and Lago San Giacomo di Fraele). The Decauville is a distributor in both directions - directly and without diversions to Bormio or first from Bormio into Val Viola on a loop. From Trepalle you can also reach Decauville via the Passo Trela, the Alpe Trela and the Bocchetta di Trela. This is a little more strenuous but very attractive. Another route leads from Alpe Trela down to Lago San Giacomo di Fraele and on via Lago di Cancano and the Torri di Fraele to the Decauville junction. Once you have reached this old railway line, you can take a shortcut via the road to Premadio, the neighbouring village of Bormio.
The stage is also possible as a short trip:
There is a regular bus service from Bormio to Livigno, which transports bicycles on request. The timetable can be found at livigno.eu. Taxi addresses are listed on the website of the Associazione Promozione Turistica Bormio Marketing
You can also cycle this stage as part of a circular tour:
The region offers many opportunities to let off steam for several days. Here is an idea for a 2-day trip, in two variations. Day 2 looks like this: From Bormio via Premadio and the Torri di Fraele to the reservoirs (Lago di Cancano and Lago San Giacomo di Fraele) then over the Passo Alpisella to Livigno and enjoy the trails in the bike park with a lift ticket. Or from the reservoirs via Passo Trela (route of the first stage) to Trepalle, but now not directly to Livigno, but from Trepalle to Passo d'Eira. Leave the pass road on the left and cross the slope past the mountain station of the Mottolino bike park to the epic path into the side valley, the Valle delle Mine. When you reach the gravel path after the trail, it is worth taking the short detour to Alpe Mine a little further into the valley. Now take the gravel path down to Livigno or the path variant on the other side of the valley, which you can see clearly from the terrace of the Alpe Mine.
Cable car
Livigno: Carosello 3000, open from the end of June to mid-September. On the flanks of the Cima de Piazzi, there is also a cross-entry back onto the original route: with the gondola just after Isolaccia.
Refreshment tips
There is a restaurant at Passo di Foscagno, as well as in Arnoga. However, the huts on the other side of the Valdidentro valley are more rustic. The route passes the Baita di Cardone, the Alpe Boron (just before the carrying passage) and the Rifugio Conca Bianca.
Bormio stage finish of the BIKE Transalp
The main town of the Upper Valtellina has already hosted three stages of the BIKE Transalp. Here you will find accommodation of all categories, bike shops, thermal baths for relaxation and every opportunity to recharge your batteries. The Bagni Vecchi and Bagni Nuovi, the Old and New Baths, are located on the road to the Stelvio Pass. So why not plan a more exclusive stay in Bormio with a full wellness programme.
Cycling and events:
Bormio is a sports town with a packed calendar of events. The Alta Valtellina Bike Marathon will start on 29 July 2023 and will also cover parts of the 3rd Transalp stage. Around Bormio there are some of the most famous mountain pass roads in cycling and a whole series of car-free days in summer 2023 on which these roads are reserved for cyclists. On 9 July, the Re Stelvio Mapei will take place for the 38th time, allowing cyclists to climb the Stelvio Pass against the clock. The Granfondo Stelvio Santini, a road cycling race over passes in the category of honour, starts on 4 June. The Unpaved Roads Bormio gravel event takes place on 1 July.
If you are still thinking about switching from Touri to Race mode, you can find all the details about the race at bike-transalp.de
Marc Schneider, route manager of the BIKE Transalp:
36 per cent! This stage will go down in the history of the BIKE Transalp for its trail content alone. Of course, the Upper Valtellina also has a lot to offer in terms of scenery. At the end, we follow the sophisticated route of the Alta Valtellina Bike Marathon.
BIKE Transalp 2023: Registration
Are you still thinking about switching from tour to race mode? The 25th BIKE Transalp takes place from 9 - 15 July 2023 and costs from 1299 euros per person (U23 riders 1099 euros) for the basic package including race organisation, luggage and bike service, stage catering, medical care and much more. All details about the race, information and registration: bike-transalp.de
Download GPS data
For all those who would like to ride the 25th BIKE Transalp as a tour, we offer the GPS data for download. Now here the GPX tracks the entire BIKE Transalp 2023 (stage 1-7) download free of charge >>
Gitta Beimfohr
Editor
