Epic Cycling Climbs Route from Munich to Bergamo
Epic Cycling Climbs Route
Another nice bike packing adventure takes you north to south from Munich to Bergamo.
I put together a route suggestion, 590km in length and just over 12,000m climbing. This route includes dramatic passes with great cycling folklore as it traverses the Kühtai, Timmelsjoch, the Stelvio.
The northern run in through the Bavarian hills is more gentle which is great to get your riding legs going. I suggest 6 days riding and 1 rest day.
Stage 1: Munich to Seefeld, 113km, 1,310m elevation gain, Climbs: Kochelsee, Seefeld - Gentle way to get going through the rolling hills south of Munich, past Kochel and Walchensee and then into Austria to Seefeld. There is modest climbing and some very nice scenery but also some traffic to be expected on this road. If you want to shorten the first day a bit, take the S7 train from Munich to Wolfratshausen which takes around 30km and a lot of traffic off this stage. See route here
Stage 2: Seefeld to Sölden, 90km, 2,160m elevation gain, Climbs: Kühtai - Past Innsbruck, the Kühtai is the main climb on the programme today but the route also rides up the Ötztal to Sölden which is a 670m climb over 34km. The road in the Ötztal is busy and is probably more of a transitional stretch of road. Sölden is a busy resort town with all possible facilities required to recharge. See route here
Stage 3: Sölden to Merano, 75km, 1,510m elevation gain, Climbs: Timmelsjoch/Passo Rombo. Shorter route with one climb to enjoy. The Timmelsjoch is a great ride and with this being a shorter route can be enjoyed to the full. Stop at the Hochgurgl toll station for a coffee, a great view and maybe visit the motorbike museum! There is also a 50km long decent to Merano along the lovely Passeirer valley. If you don't want to stop in Merano for a rest day, you could carry on to Schlanders to even out stages 3 and 4. This will add 36km riding and 450m climbing to stage 3 and reduce stage 4 by the same amount. See route here
Rest day in Merano - Merano is a historic spa town and a great place for a rest day as the next three days will be challenging. Check out the Merano Thermal Bath for recovery and relaxation as the second half is of this route is getting tougher.
Stage 4: Merano to Bormio, 96km, 2,570m elevation gain, Climbs: Passo Stelvio - This is going to be a tough but memorable day riding your bike. The valley ride form Merano rises steadily for around 50km from 300 to 900 metres to Prato and has a relentlessness about it due to its length. At Prato, the ascent to the Stelvio starts. Iconic 48 hairpins later, the pass arrives at 2759 meters altitude. Riding the Stelvio pass is a unique experience and not to be rushed. The descent to Bormio cover the last 25km and is fast and furious on great roads. If you start this stage from Schlanders, the day will be 60km long and involves 2,120m climbing. See route here
Stage 5: Bormio to Sondrio, 109km, 2,230m elevation gain, Climbs: Passo Gavia, Passo Aprica - Passo Gavia and Aprica are on the menu on this stage. Passo Gavia is a wonderfully remote climb with exquisite views and a road that has been resurfaced around 2023/24. Once down again and past Ponte di Legno, the valley road goes to Mono and for those in the business for extra climbing, you can head up the very steep Passo Mortirolo. If that is too tough, you can stay on the road and ride over Passo Aprica to Sondrio. See route here
Stage 6: Sondrio to Bergamo, 117km, 2,240m elevation gain, Climbs: Passo San Marco - Last push and a lengthy stage but the last 50km after Passo San Marco are mainly down hill or flat along the Brembo river. The Passo San Marco is a great example of the dividing line between the high mountains and the run off towards the North Italien flat lands. In addition, the Bergamo alps are steeped in cycling history. See route here
