Description

The highlight of the second day is the Strada Militare Colle Finestre – Gran Serin.

An abandoned military road closed to traffic, this 15km section goes above the Strada dell’Assietta and reaches 2,800m straight out from the start at 1,900m.

It is steep right from the start… and stays steep.

You may have to walk a short section, and you'll struggle to stay upright more than once.

But you’ll love the huge views and the remoteness of the Strada Militare. After a break at the Forte Gran Serin, a fortification built at the end of the 19th century, make your way down to the Colle dell’Assietta and the Rifugio Assietta, the only place serving food and drink on the Strada.

The building does not look very promising from the outside but you can have a full three course meal and a great espresso.

This is Italy after all. The final section of the Strada goes over a succession of small passes: Colle Lauson (2,490m), Colle Blegier (2,381 m), Colle Costa Piana (2,313 m), Colle Bourget (2,299 m) and Colle Basset (2,424 m).

20km of pure gravel bliss to Sestrières, a ski resort built in the 1930s by the powerful Agnelli family, owner of Fiat.

From there, you are back on tarmac to ride down the Chisone Valley and back up to the starting point via the southern side of the Colle delle Finestre.

65kmfor day two, 40km on gravel and 1,950m of climbing: you earned your big Italian dinner. https://switchback.alpsinsight.com