Detailed Itinerary There s No Place Like Home CLASSICO Celebrating 150 Tours with Enrico in Piedmont PEDAL YOUR PASSION Overview On this special edition tour, our local guide Enrico Pizzorni will introduce you to some of the hidden treasures of his land. You ll encounter new challenging routes riding with the Ruotequadre cycling team, meet with local Slow Food experts who will explain the unique qualities of the regional cuisine, enjoy a dinner paired with wines from the local wine producer Luca Abrate (a rising star of Piedmontese wine making), and be treated with a private visit to 2012 Best European Private Garden at Villa Ottolenghi. On this exclusive bicycling adventure, we ll cycle through Italy s greatest single wine region, renown for the famous vineyards of Gavi, Acqui Terme, Alba, and the lower Monferrato area. Delight in memorable wine tastings and visits to important enoteche (wine showrooms) housed in historic buildings. Revel in the unique cuisine of Piedmont - a blend of Northern Italian and French influences including specialties like tajarin (a kind of tiny noodles), bagna cauda (mild anchovy, olive oil and garlic hot sauce), risotto (Arborio rice cooked with different ingredients like vegetables, porcini mushrooms, cheese), and agnolotti (local ravioli stuffed with meat and vegetables). Challenge yourself on some great climbs in the Apennine hills and make the pilgrimage to Fausto Coppi's home village, Castellania, for a visit to his home and museum. Enrico has created this privileged journey for you showcasing his hometown of Piedmont to celebrate his 150th tour and share his passion with his favorite guests. tel 800-866-7314 fax 781-641-1512 30 Marathon Street Arlington, MA 02474 www.ciclismoclassico.com info@ciclismoclassico.com
Trip Snapshot u Secret hidden gem rides on gorgeous country roads u Sumptuous dinners at Enoclub in Alba and Schiavia in Acqui Terme u Festa with Enrico's Cycling Club and family at a private house u Pizza making school with master Marco Zanetta u Introduction to world famous and well kept secret local wines such as Barolo, Barbaresco, and Barbera with our local hosts and sommeliers u Meet with a truffle hunter and his dog for a lecture on truffles u Cycling through emerald valleys and vineyard-laden hillsides u Cooking demonstration with Roberto and Marco u at 4-star hotels What s Included u Use of our carbon Bianchi road bicycles u Special celebration cycling kits (Ciclismo jersey and shorts) u Wine kitty and celebratory drinks u Other surprise treats u All breakfasts, 6 dinners and all picnic lunches u 2 wine tastings u 3 cycling clinics u Truffle hunting demonstration u Shuttle at end of tour to Asti train station 2014 Date u August 22 August 30, 2014 Tour Length u 9 Days / 8 Nights Tour Level u Intermediate / Advanced Summary of Daily Distances u Day 1: 12 miles u Day 2: 40 / 60 miles u Day 3: 32 / 45 miles u Day 4: 35 / 53 miles u Day 5: 40 / 47 miles u Day 6: 32 / 42 miles u Day 7: 40 / 53 miles u Day 8: 43 / 58 miles u Price u $5,459 u Single Supplement: $900
Daily Itinerary Day 1 Monterotondo di Gavi Ride: 12 miles Elevation gain: 650ft Terrain: Rolling warm up We ll meet in the hotel lobby at 1:00 pm for lunch, introductions and an orientation to the trip. After a bike fitting, we ll head out for a short warm-up ride in the hills behind our lovely villa to the new Museo dei Campionissimi an amazing exhibit of cycling memorabilia, pictures, and movies. Today s ride will be approximately 12 miles. In the evening we enjoy a scrumptious dinner at the hotel restaurant, where we ll savor local delicacies: buon appetito! L Ostelliere Albergo (Monterotondo di Gavi) A beautifully refined farmhouse, dating back to the 17th century, set on the property of one of the finest vineyards in the region, Villa Sparina. It mirrors the surrounding countryside in both its simplicity and in its careful preservation of the original rural architectural features. http://www.ostelliere.it/en/index.html Arrival information: Getting to Monterotondo di Gavi - Fly to Milan or Genova or Turin: Milan: Take the frequent bus service Malpensa Shuttle from the airport to the Milano Centrale train station (45 min). Take a train to Novi Ligure (1.5 hrs) and a cab to the hotel (15 min). IMPORTANT: Taxis are not always available at the train station and then you are invited to call the first hotel to book the transfer. Additionally, if you know what time your train is arriving, you can call or write an email to the hotel and book the taxi in advance. Genova: Take the frequent bus service from the airport to the Genova Centrale train station (20 min). Take train to Novi Ligure (45 min) and cab to the hotel (15 min). Torino (Turin): Take the frequent bus service or a taxi from the airport to the Turin Porta Nuova train station. Take train to Novi Ligure (1.5hr) and cab to the hotel (15 min) Arriving early? If you plan to spend an additional night or two at the same hotel, let us make the reservation for you! Just give us a call (800-866-7314). Day 2 Gavi Loop Ride: 40 / 60 miles Elevation gain: 2,000-3,100ft Terrain: Hilly Today's ride is dedicated to Fausto Coppi, the greatest cycling champion Italy has ever seen! 65 years after his victories, his myth is still alive and thousands of people travel to his hilltop village of Castellania as a form of pilgrimage. Even if you re not a pro cycling fan, this ride is incredible - regardless of the inspiration! From here we ll head back to our wonderful hotel where we ll meet a Slow Food movement ambassador who will introduce us to the great local products of Piedmont. L Ostelliere Albergo (Monterotondo di Gavi) A beautifully refined farmhouse, dating back to the 17th century, set on the property of one of the finest vineyards in the region, Villa Sparina. It mirrors the surrounding countryside in both its simplicity and in its careful preservation of the original rural architectural features. http://www.ostelliere.it/en/index.html
Day 3 Gavi to Acqui Terme Ride: 32 / 45 miles Elevation gain: 1,900-3,300ft Terrain: Hilly Today, our scenic route takes us cycling from Gavi to Acqui Terme, passing the castles of Monferrato. This area is quite hilly and unique, as each village is protected by a castle. Pedaling along the vineyards of Dolcetto, Cortese, and Moscato is the highlight of this ride. The village of Acqui, according to a legend, was founded by Greek colonists and has been well-known for its geothermal hot waters since Roman times. During our stay, we ll have the chance to enjoy the thermal facilities of our hotel and to uncover the best-kept secrets of its local gastronomy. The extra loop climbs into the Apennine hills, where even the most skilled riders will find enough of a challenge for their ambitions. Grand Hotel Nuove Terme (Acqui Terme 2 nights) The Grand Hotel Nuove Terme was established in 1892 in Acqui Terme and quickly became one of the most frequented throughout Europe, in addition to one of the most famous hotels of the "Belle Epoque". http://www.grandhotelacquiterme.it/index.php?lang=en Day 4 Acqui Terme Ride: 35 / 53 miles Elevation gain: 2,700-4,400ft In the morning we ll ride across one of the best-kept secrets in the area the medieval village of Cassine. Continue on to discover the hypnotic landscape of Nizza Hills, famous for their Barbera wine. This stunning region features hills covered with vineyards and spectacular views of tiny villages. Terrain: Hilly with a few climbs in the morning Day 5 Acqui Terme to Alba Ride: 40 / 47 miles Elevation gain: 3,100-4,500ft Terrain: Rolling with a few climbs This morning we pedal to Alba crossing the Alte Langhe, the highest and wildest place in this territory. Cortemilia, the main town, is famous for its hazelnut cake. This area is also known for the Robiola di Roccaverano, a sheep and goat milk cheese. As we cycle along today, we ll have a majestic view of the Alps on our side for almost the entire ride a truly spectacular vista! Palazzo Finati (Alba 2 nights) Located in the historical heart of Alba close to the Piazza del Duomo, this early 19th century building has been recently renovated with special care taken to preserve the original architecture. http://www.palazzofinati.it/welcome_eng.lasso Day 6 Loop ride to Barolo Ride: 33 / 42 miles Elevation gain: 1,500-2,900ft Today we pedal through the vineyards of Barolo and Monforte passing by La Morra, famous for its belvedere, where you can enjoy a breathtaking view of the Langhe area. Along the way a local truffle hunter will give us a special demonstration with his loyal dog on the hunt for this prized local funghi. Terrain: Several 1-2 mile climbs
Day 7 Cioccaro di Penango Ride: 40 / 53 miles Elevation gain: 4,300ft (40 miles from shuttle from last regroup) On our ride this morning, we ll pass by Barbaresco, home to the other great red of Piedmont. As we descend, we ll view a varied landscape that features a patchwork series of vineyards as well as fruit and nut tree farms. We continue north, entering the round hill area of Monferrato, and finally soothe our tired legs at the pool at our hotel in the countrysid Terrain: Rolling hills Locanda del Santo Uffizio (Penango 2 night) The hotel has small garden complete with swimming pool and a beautiful panoramic view, all of which was designed by a prominent landscape architect. The environment reflects attention to detail so that the hotel can be a friendly, relaxing and a peaceful place for guests. http://www.relaissantuffizio.com/en/home.html Day 8 Monferrato Ride: 43 / 58 miles Elevation gain: 2,700-3,500ft Terrain: Hilly with a tough climb Today we visit the Monferrato area. The ride is a gentle up and down climb on ridges among Barbera, Grignolino and Ruchè vineyards. This humble area of Piedmont won't disappoint you. There is very little traffic along these roads, providing great cycling. In the afternoon, we arrive at Montemagno with great views of the surrounding countryside. Day 9 Arriverderci! After breakfast, around 9 AM, we will provide one shuttle to Asti train station where you can catch your next connections to Milan in about 1 hour or Genova in 2 hours. To reach Torino airport you can also catch a taxi or bus from the train staion (20min and 12\20 euros).