0438 755 180 connect@velobiketours.com Giro d Italia Tour Dates: 18th May to 27th May 2018 (9-nights) Group size: 8 Price: $6,200 per person twin share ($AUD) Deposit: $1,000 per person twin share ($AUD) Single Supplement: $850 ($AUD) The Giro d Italia is often rated the most exciting grand tour of the season, it certainly was last year as we witnessed Tom Dumoulin s dramatic breakthrough win; Chris Froome is now a confirmed starter so he and his Sky armada will electrify the race. So, watching the race live in action, riding the race parcours and the Giro classic climbs in the final week of the race, is a cycling holiday made in heaven! velobiketours provide a truly boutique experience, limited to 8 riders, with a VIP wrap to ensure your every need is catered for. We always aim to stay in premium accommodation, immersing ourselves in the cultural, gastronomic and aesthetic delights, while covering the Giro as it crosses northern Italy. The Giro course is now out and so too is our daily itinerary. We will see the Giro on 6 days on our 2018 tour, this includes 2 race starts, 2 finishes including a mountain top finish and on 2 other mountain throughout the tour. We will be riding on the race parcours and climbing many of the climbs that the Peloton will attack later in the day. These include the Colle delle Finestre with its dirt road finish, Colle Sestriere, Passo Duron and the Sella Valcalda, Sappada amongst many others. Throw in Italian and Giro classics such as the Passo Gaui, Sella Ronda Passes, the mighty Stelvio and majestic Gavia and this really will be a cycling tour and a Giro d Italia to remember. Spectacular Venice will be our gather and kick off point on Friday 18 th May, drop off at the finish of the tour will be in Turin on 27 th May, or transfer options to Rome are available on both the 26 th and 27 th of May. Every day we can tailor the distance and amount of climbing to ensure each person truly enjoys the experience and excitement of our Giro tour as it crosses northern Italy velobiketours only run boutique tours with groups of up to 8 riders, therefore places are limited. Book early to confirm your place for the cycling trip of a lifetime! Chris Froome is in are you? Giro d'italia Tour Itinerary 2018 - velobiketours 2019 Tours velobiketours Page 1 of 6
DAILY ITINERARY Day 1 Giro Stage 13 Ferrara to Nervesa della Battaglia, 180km OUR RIDE: 30km, flat Venice, what a spectacular place to meet and greet for the start of our 2018 Giro d Italia tour! Our tour gather and pickup point is Venice Mestre train station at 11:00am on the 18 May 2018. From here the group will transfer to our 4-star hotel right into the heart of the awesome Dolomites which will be our home for the next three nights. You can settle in and check that your Storck hire bike is set up to your requirements, or we can assist you to set up your own bike. We ll then go for a short roll to get our legs moving and ready for the week ahead (time permitting). Tonight, is our welcome dinner, with gourmet local cuisine and a selection of wines to enjoy. It s a great chance to relax, get to know each other and chat about the race so far and the exciting week that lays ahead. Meals included: Dinner Day 2 Giro Stage 14 - San Vito al Tagliamento to Monte Zoncolan, 181km OUR RIDE: Ovaro to Ovaro 60-80km, 1000-2000m climbing We will leave our hotel early and transfer onto today s Giro stage route. Once on the bikes our challenges will be the Passo Duron and the Sella Valcalda as we make our way around a loop from and back to Ovaro. Ovara is at the base of infamous Monte Zoncolan which will offer us a perfect vantage point to soak up the atmosphere and watch peloton come through. Monte Zoncolan was last used as a finish in the Giro in 2014 when our own Michael Rogers won the stage from the early morning break. Group dinner tonight in the La Torre Restaurant, where the chef creates delicious homemade delicacies using the superb local fresh produce of mother earth. Giro d'italia Tour Itinerary 2018 - velobiketours 2019 Tours velobiketours Page 2 of 6
Day 3 Giro Stage 15 - Tolmezzo to Sappada, 176km OUR RIDE: Padola to Sappada 60-80km, 1000-2000m climbing Today the Giro passes right by our front door! We will ride the finale over the Passo di Sant'Antonio, the Costalissoio and watch the summit finish in Sappada. This particular Giro finish is famous, in 1987 it was the battleground for a Carrera internal team feud as Stephen Roche stole the pink jersey from his Italian team mate Roberto Visentini. Stephen went on to win the Giro while Roberto crashed out in the final week. Dine together tonight in Padola. Day 4 Giro - Rest Day OUR RIDE: Passo Giau & Sella Passes, 60-80km, 1000-2000m climbing Today is the Giro s final rest day and so after two amazing days experiencing Giro fever the roads are ours to enjoy some of the most beautiful riding scenery and villages in Europe - the Dolomites at their majestic best! We will start with the Passa Giau, it has a serene beauty with captivating views all around; it is a Giro d Italia favourite and at 10km long with a 9% average you will see why. Once over the summit we head to lunch at Arabba, entering the famous loop or Ronda around the Sella massif. This spectacular and amazing geology lies between the four Ladin valleys of Badia, Gherdëina, Fascia, and Fodom. A circuit around the Sella initially started with skiing but also became synonymous with cycling. It s ridden by crossing the famous Gardena, Sella, Pordoi and Campolongo passes, which of course are also often featured in the Giro d Italia. From Arabba we will ride the Campolongo and Gardena passes, it s going to be a challenging but also extremely rewarding day in the saddle. As always, with support vehicles close by, you can choose which or how many passes you want to ride today. Selva di Val Gardena will delight you with its local specialties. Explore the village and dine at your leisure tonight. Giro d'italia Tour Itinerary 2018 - velobiketours 2019 Tours velobiketours Page 3 of 6
Day 5 Giro Stage 16 Trento to Rovereto ITT 34.5km OUR RIDE: Passo dello Stelvio - 48km, 1900m climbing Today the Passo dello Stelvio takes centre stage! This climb is one of major highlights of our tour; it s the most famous and highest paved pass in Italy at 2760m. It s every climbing cyclists dream to conquer it, and today you will! The climb of Stelvio today is from the Prato allo Stelvio side, which is the classic way and includes those 48 famous tornantes, or switchbacks. Once we pass through Prato we have 25km to the summit of the Stelvio. The gradient will start to increase after the village of Trafoi, but with 48 tornantes and remarkable views of the surrounding mountains and glaciers to occupy your mind, not to mention a brilliant piece of 18th century engineering, the summit will come quickly enough. The top is known as the Cima Coppi par excellence the highest pass ever used in the Giro d Italia. At the top take some time to reflect on your magnificent accomplishment! We then descend to Bormio, our home for the night; it s a beautiful Alpine town synonymous with cycling and cycling culture. The old town dates back to the 16th century and the Roman baths are still fully operational today and well worth a relaxing and revitalising visit. Our hotel tonight was originally the beautiful Church of San Lorenzo, prior to its transformation to a hotel in 1924. Group dinner tonight from the excellent gastronomy of the mountains and valleys of Valtellina. Accommodation: Bormio Day 6 Giro Stage 17 - Riva del Garda to Iseo OUR RIDE: Passo Gavia and Lake Iseo - 60-80km, up to 2000m climbing We leave Bormio today over another Giro favourite the Passo Gavia, at 2610m it has been included in the Giro d Italia ten times now since 1960. It starts in Bormio but the climbing only really commences in earnest once we pass through the small town of Sant'Antonio. There's a natural beauty and wilderness associated with the Gavia; it feels isolated and peaceful as you climb. The narrow tight twisting and undulating road is usually devoid of cars. It's a long climb at 24km with a steady and healthy gradient slightly over 8%. At the summit you are surrounded by snow-capped peaks and glaciers in every direction, it is simply stunning! Giro d'italia Tour Itinerary 2018 - velobiketours 2019 Tours velobiketours Page 4 of 6
After a coffee and refuel we will regroup for the technical descent down to the ski town of Ponte di Legno. After lunch at Edolo and a short transfer we will ride along the shores of Lake Iseo, passing the vines and many wineries as we make our way into the town of Iseo in time to witness live the exciting finish of Stage 17. Dine at your leisure tonight and delight in the views of Lake Iseo with its water shimmering; as well as the cobbled streets, stone gateways and iron balconies in Sarnico. Accommodation: Lake Iseo Day 7 Giro Stage 18 - Abbiategrasso to Prato Nervoso OUR RIDE: Rest Day Today is our official rest day, a time to relax and have a day off the bike. We will go to the race start in Abbiategrasso and watch the action as it builds up around the village. This is always a great opportunity to see your favourite riders up close and personal. For those not looking for a ride option today, rest, relax and enjoy the Lago Grande, the scenic lake in Avigliana that our hotel looks upon while watching the mountain top stage finish in Prato Nervoso with a beer, wine or Prosecco in hand! For those who are still keen to ride an afternoon loop through the Piemonte countryside passing through the lovely area around Giaveno and Avigliana is highly recommended. Dinner is at your leisure tonight. Accommodation: Avigliana Day 8 Giro Stage 19 - Venaria Reale to Bardonecchia (Jafferau), 181km OUR RIDE: Susa to Sestriere, 60-80km, 1000-2000m of climbing This is a stage we will have been looking forward to, with three major mountains to climb, not to mention a gravel summit to contend with, it s likely to decide the overall Giro winner. We will also test ourselves on the dirt road to the top of the Colle delle Finestre before tackling the gentler slopes to the Olympia village of Sestriere. Lunch at the top will see us get a great vantage point to watch the peloton come by on their way to their summit finish at Jafferau which is above the border town of Bardonecchia. Dine at your leisure tonight. Accommodation: Avigliana Giro d'italia Tour Itinerary 2018 - velobiketours 2019 Tours velobiketours Page 5 of 6
Day 9 Giro Stage 20 Susa to Cervinia 214km OUR RIDE: Brione loop 60-80km, up to 1000m climbing Today is our grand finale, from our base in Avigliana we make our way to the ancient town of Susa to see today s Giro stage start. Once the Peloton is getting ready to roll we will quickly hit the vans and transfer up toward Saint-Vincent near Aosta to watch the action unfold on the last three mountains in this year s Giro d Italia. For the people who want to see the race finish live in Rome, we can transport you to the railway station in Turin early on Sunday morning to catch a train to the capitol*. Tonight, we will enjoy a group farewell dinner, we can reminisce on the epic journey and heroic feats we have achieved together, not to mention the magnificent race we have embraced for the last 10 days. * Train fare not included Accommodation: Avigliana Day 10 Giro Stage 21 Rome circuit race Transfers today: to Rome for those wanting to see the final stage live; or to Turin. After a leisurely final breakfast together, it s time to say our fond farewells as you start to dream and plan for next time. We hope you have had a magnificent and rewarding experience. We look forward to seeing you again in the not too distant future. Arrivederci & grazie! Transfers available to Turin airport or railway station for onward flight and train journeys, Turin is a wonderful city in which to relax and explore for a few more days. Meals included: Breakfast Questions? Or would like more information? Send us an email at connect@velobiketours.com Tour web link http://www.velobiketours.com/cycling-tours/2018-giro-ditalia Bike hire details http://www.velobiketours.com/essentials/bike-hire Giro d'italia Tour Itinerary 2018 - velobiketours 2019 Tours velobiketours Page 6 of 6