Giro d’Italia Cycling Tour
Experience the most beautiful grand tour
Giro Cycling Tours Overview
The Alps, the Dolomites, the Apennines; they all define the Giro d’Italia and there can be nothing more rewarding than taking on the same challenge yourself, conquering the iconic climbs of Italy.
Expect amazing days on the bike with jaw dropping mountainous landscapes, thrilling free flowing descents and climbs where you’ll need every bit of your will to keep the pedals turning. Our Giro cycling tour ensures that your experience of the Giro traverses the same mountains and valleys as the pro’s and has you up close with the race at stage starts, finishes and over mountain passes, while also experiencing some time away from the race. It’s the perfect balance.
Join us for a 9-day adventure on our Giro Cycling Tour that will see you tackle many of the famous climbs of Italy by day, while relaxing into a wonderful food, wine and cultural journey that we’ll take you on each night.
Get ready for the adventure of a lifetime.
Giro d’Italia Ride Itinerary
Welcome to the Giro d’Italia and Italy’s Great Climbs
Our Giro route is designed to suit riders who want a comprehensive climbing challenge, taking on many of the greatest climbs in the Italian Alps and Dolomites, and getting a taste for what the peloton of the Giro experience. As part of this, you’ll also get to experience the Stelvio Pass cycling tour that we always include as part of our Giro tour. Our ride guides ensure the needs of different riders are supported on each climb.
Our Giro cycling tour route for 2020 will start in the Veneto, with three nights in the beautiful Prosecco wine region. We’ll then transfer to Bassano del Grappa and then onto Bormio, concluding with the iconic Passo dello Stelvio climb. We’ll see stage starts and finishes and experience the race fly over mountain passes, with some of the famous climbs of our tour including the Muro di Ca ‘del Poggio, Piancavallo, Monte Grappa, Mortirolo, Passo dello Stelvio and the beautiful Lago di Cancano,
We start this week with a light spin through the Prosecco vineyards around Conegliano as our first ride, and it’s the perfect introduction to Italy and the Veneto hills.
We make your way out of our quintessential Venetian villa and along some of the small roads that will be used in the TT the following day. With undulating terrain and the little pinch of the Muro di Ca ‘del Poggio along the way, this ride will blow the cobwebs out of your legs after your travels and also give you the chance to test your bike set-up and make any micro adjustments to the bike as you need.
Highlight: Muro di Ca ‘del Poggio
Distance: 37km
Elevation: 620m
It’s time for you to enjoy a full taste of the Giro today, with the TT traversing the Prosecco laden hills. We will start in Conegliano and then make our way across the undulating landscape, stopping at a few keys points to cheer on the riders as we head to Valdobbiadene for the Stage finish.
Highlight: Our first taste of the Giro.
Distance: 70km
Elevation: 1500m
Today you’ll see a mountain top finish and conquer the first of our many high mountain and hairpin laden climbs.
We’ll start by rolling along the flat land at the edge of the pre Alps, before going higher through the bosco (forest) until we reach the summit. We’ll regroup here before finding a spot in the sun to watch the race come flying over the top.
Highlight: Hairpin corners and a Mountain top finish
Distance: 103km
Elevation: 1800m
Today is our first transfer day which we’ll do on our bikes, taking on the challenge of the majestic Monte Grappa on the way.
We will roll out of our villa in the vines and take the meandering secondary roads towards the base of the climb, and where the fun begins. We will take in the early switchbacks before tracking our way through beautiful and peaceful forest with hooting owls. We keep rolling and the landscape changes once again to a sparse grass covered rolling landscape with the road narrowing even further as it clings to the edge; it is just pure magic.
Highlight: A serious 25km challenge with an ever changing landscape
Distance: 85km
Elevation: 2180m
Today you’ll conquer a favourite of the locals; the climb of Foza from the Valstagna side. We set off for the first 15km along the scenic secondary road that follows the river, before taking on the 14km to the top. We’ll roll along the undulating top of the ridge, stopping for a light lunch before the adrenalin filled descent.
Highlight: The early k’s along the river
Distance: 70km
Elevation: 1550m
The Giro today starts from Bassano del Grappa and we will be in the thick of the action. After seeing the riders sign on, we’ll have the opportunity to purchase our Giro souvenirs and watch the riders roll out, before making the transfer across to Lombardia.
We will stop in Tirano for a light lunch and then take on Passo Mortirolo, with its mercilessly steep gradients that hit 18% and average 10.4% for the duration. Once reaching the top, we will regroup and then descend and ride into Bormio and our home for the next three nights.
Highlight: The beautiful small roads leading up and down Mortirolo
Distance: 59km
Elevation: 2180m
We have a relaxed start today after yesterday’s big adventure and before riding through the low meadows and then up the many hairpins of what’s affectionately known as ‘mini Stelvio’. The road leads us to the gravel and the Lago di Cancano, where we will find a spot to wait for the riders as they fly past us on their way to the finish.
Highlight: A very dramatic landscape to climb and then wait, as you can see the race snake it’s way up the hairpins.
Distance: 40km or 60km
Elevation: 1080 or 1780m
It’s time for you to take on the iconic Passo dello Stelvio cycling tour, sitting at an imposing 2750m. This is a climb like no other with its 34 switchbacks, and at one point a 14% pinch, and will challenge the mind and the legs, and open the heart. Once you have conquered the challenge, get set to enjoy a long and technical descent.
Highlight: On a day that is our Stelvio Pass cycling tour, the open Valle de Braulio surrounded by two peaks after the hike up the preceding wall.
Distance: 46km
Elevation: 1590m
Pricing & Dates
$5,995.00 AUD per person twin share / Maximum 12 guests
2020
| 22nd – 30th May 2020 – 4 Spots Available | $1,995 AUD (deposit) |
2021
| 21st – 29th May 2021 | $1,995 AUD (deposit) |
Start Location & Details
City: Venice, Italy
Pick Up Location: Mestre Train Station
Pick Up Time: 11:00am
Finish Location & Details
City: Milan, Italy
Drop Off Location: Malpensa Airport
Drop Off Time: 12:00pm
Inclusions & Details
Accommodation & Meals
- 8 nights accommodation is included in our Giro cycling tours, twin share with your own private bathroom.
- Single occupancy available. Talk to us when booking.
All breakfasts and dinners at a range of our favourite restaurants, osteria’s and home cooked locations, including nightly aperitivo hour and local wines and beers at each dinner.
Ride Support
- Professional bilingual ride guides with extensive cycling experience, local knowledge and first aid experience, ensuring your riding experiences are truly local and take in many of the undiscovered back roads and rolling hills of this spectacular and diverse region.
- Unique routes, available on GPS provided as part of the tour.
- Support van on daily rides, with mechanical support and your safety as our priority.
- Nutritious energy snacks and hydration are provided
Transfers & Activities
- All transfers / transportation from pick up to drop off, including baggage and bike transportation.
- Wine tastings and activities as outlined in the detailed tour itinerary.
- Entrance fees to sites, museums and all other non riding activities.
Ride Kit
- 2 piece, Italian made A’QTO Cycling Kit including jersey and bib shorts.
- Laundry for your cycling clothing.
Not Included
- Airfare.
- Bike hire.
- Travel insurance.
Lunches on the road.
While airfare, bike hire and travel insurance are not included in the Tour cost, they can be fully arranged for you. Talk to us when booking.
Have More Questions About Our Giro Cycling Tour?
See our FAQs page for answers to common questions.
Bike Hire & Gear
Full Carbon Road Bikes
You can choose to hire a Pinarello, Bianchi or Formigli bike with either Campagnolo or Shimano groupsets.
Gravel Bikes
Going off road as well? Have the best of both worlds with a Bianchi or Cannondale gravel bike with disc brakes.
GPS
An easy to use GPS is provided for your use for the duration of the tour with our daily rides pre installed.
Non-Riding Partners
As part of our Giro cycling tour, non-riding partners enjoy a customised travel program, designed to meet their interests and the best experiences that the regions of Lombardia and the Veneto have to offer. Whether its guided walks and hikes through the Prosecco wine region and the Alps, visits to beautiful lakes and alpine towns for picturesque experiences, spa and wellness experiences or cooking classes with locals, Nancy personally hosts non-riding guests each day with a select range of activities to suit the group.
Accommodation
Enjoy our beautiful boutique hotel accommodation in 3 places over 8 nights – our focus is on authentic, family run boutique hotel experiences that will have you truly immersed in the regions we visit. Your nights will be supremely comfortable, with all the amenities and services you need for a great post-ride experience; including swimming pools, saunas, lounge areas and more.
Food & Wine
The alpine regions of Italy are truly diverse in culture and cuisine
We’ll be enjoying a range of dinner experiences throughout the course of our 9 day Giro cycling tour, celebrating all that the regions we visit have to offer. From true artisan, modern style dinners through to traditional home made food and wine specialities, to very special welcome and finale dinners with meals you will always remember, in incredible surrounds. Your Giro food and wine journey will be as much a part of your memorable experience as your riding will be.
Testimonials
I FEEL SO MUCH STRONGER & CONFIDENT TACKLING HARD CLIMBS
I really enjoyed the Giro and came back so much stronger and confident tackling hard climbs. I knew the climbs would be hard and they were. The choice of rides were all good. Mauro (van driver) was such a bonus, as was having an extra guide on wheels.
I WOULD LOVE TO DO IT AGAIN
Awesome riding and overall, a most enjoyable and fun experience that I would love to do again.
A MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE BOTH ON AND OFF THE BIKE!
We would like to thank Nancy & Damian for a wonderful locally focused Giro adventure. The accommodation was spectacular, the hospitality was awesome, the dining experiences were exquisite and the bike routes, as always were scenic and challenging.
UNEQUIVOCALLY RECOMMEND A’QTO
My husband Michael and I went on the A’qto Giro Tour. It was part of a five week holiday in Europe, and it was by far the best part of our trip. We had previously experienced Damian & Nancy’s excellent weekend tours in regional Victoria and the Giro100 tour was a further example of their attention to detail and organizational skills. We wanted for nothing, from the ride routes with knowledgeable local guides, quality accommodation, exceptional regional restaurants and wines and activities for non-riding partners. We would unequivocally recommend an A’qto tour to anyone.
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