Main Information
WELCOME TO THIN AIR TERRITORY.
We have done it…again! we can offer our clients another challenging trip with some of the most amazing riding you can do between the Italian and French border on this side of the Alps.
We will start our trip in Piemonte in Italy, but our trip will take us through the Italian/French border no less than six times, obviously every time via a climb. This way, we won’t be too long without good coffee…
The list of climbs is long…and high, we will be over 2,000m eleven times!
Some of the most known climbs on this trip are Fauniera, Lombarda, Bonette, Agnello, Izoard, and Iseran.
Other climbs that are amazing are Sampeyre, Esischie/Fauniera, Mont-Cenis/Moncenisio, and Petit Saint Bernard.
This is a bucket list trip, a tough but very rewarding one.
SFIDA Cycling only provides first-class support, so you just need to train and join us, we take care of all the details to make sure any trip with us is an unforgettable experience.
| Destination | Italy |
| Duration | 9 days |
| Dates 2025 | 28 June – 7 Jul |
| Hotels | 3-4 Stars |
| Meals | All meals included |
| Arrival | Milano (MXP) |
| Departure | Milano (MXP) |
| Non-Rider | 20% discount |
| Rental Bike | Available |
| Rental E-Bike | Available |
| Price | €4,650.00 |
Total Distance: 863km
Daily average distance: 96km
Total Climbing: 22,865m
Daily average climbing: 2,540m
MORE INFORMATION
PRICES:
TWIN room: 4,650 Euros pp
SINGLE Supplement: 950 Euros
Rental bike: 750 Euros
Rental e-bike: 800 Euros
Bike bag/box transport charge: 200 Euros.
PAYMENT TERMS:
800 Euros when making the booking. The balance is to be paid 120 days before the trip starts.
INCLUDED:
9 nights accommodation between 3 – 4 Stars
ALL MEALS INCLUDED.
9 breakfasts.
9 lunches, picnic-style on longer days.
9 dinners, including wine.
NOT INCLUDED:
International flights.
Travel insurance.
Hotel extras: mini-bar, spa, massage.
Tips for the staff.
SUPPORT:
We will have ride leaders and at least one mechanic on our trip.
Our staff/client ratio is 1:4 staff.
Our passenger vans come fully equipped with all necessary to give the best support during the rides.
We carry gels, energy bars, powder mix, water, fruit, riding food, tools, pumps, spare tubes and tyres to make sure our first-class support helps you through the trip.
Professional first aid kit.
CANCELLATION POLICY:
Adapting to the changes in international travel after the COVID-19 pandemic, we are adjusting our cancellation policy accordingly as follows:
120 days before the trip starts – the return of your deposit minus any expenses that we may not be able to get reimbursed.
90 days before the trip starts – partial refund of the amount of the trip less the 400 Euros cancellation fee, plus any amount that we can’t recover from hotels and other costs that we may have already incurred in the trip preparation.
Less than 60 days before the trip starts – no amount will be refunded. We will, however, try to credit as much as possible towards a future trip. This depends on the amount that we can get back from the hotels and other costs that we have already incurred in the trip preparation.
We highly recommend to contract travel insurance as soon you pay the deposit and buy your international flights.
Make sure your travel insurance covers:
- Refund of the amounts paid in case you need to cancel for any reason.
- Covers the cost of possible damages to your rental bike. Check our T&C for this.
For these reasons, we won’t be holding any spots until the full deposit has been paid.
Hotels are now more strict with how many rooms they are willing to have on hold for groups, so until deposit payments are made we won’t be able to confirm your spot.
Itinerary
After meeting the SFIDA Cycling team at Milano Malpensa Airport (MXP), we will transfer by van to Saluzzo.
Upon arrival at our hotel, we will check in, have lunch and have a trip orientation meeting.
In the afternoon we will prepare our bikes and go for a ride to check our legs and bikes.
We have chosen the climb up Pian Mune for our first ride on this trip.
70km/1,375m.
Climb: Pian Mune.
Hotel: Antico Podere Propano.
We will leave Saluzzo and head towards Colleta d'Isasca, a beautiful climb to take us to Sampeyre.
From Sampeyre we will climb the Colle the same name as the town.
Colle di Sampeyre is a nice way to start our big climbs challenge.
82km/2,950m.
Climbs: Colleta d'Isasca, Colle di Sampeyre.
Hotel: Marmora.
Today we are taking on a couple of giant climbs.
Colle della Fauniera is one of those little-known climbs, but it is one of the nicest and highest. It has three different sides, today we will climb via Colle Esischie.
After conquering this giant, we will descend to Demante and continue towards Vinadio.
Vinadio is the start of the climb up Colle de Lombarda, at the top is the border with France.
We will stay in the French ski station of Isola 2000 for the night.
78km/2,900m.
Climbs: Colle della Fauniera (via Esischie), Colle de Lombarda.
Hotel: Isola 2000.
After descending from Isola 2000, we will start the long ride to the top of the Col de la Bonette.
The Bonette is the highest motorable road in Europe, just above 2,800m.
This is a great climb, often used in the Tour de France.
From the top, it is an amazing descent to Jausiers, where we will stay for the night.
81km/2,200m.
Climb: Col de la Bonette.
Hotel: Villa Morelia.
From Jausiers we will head back to Italy via Col de Larche.
From the top, it is a long descent to Demonte where we will start climbing the Colle della Fauniera from this side.
After the summit, it is a great descent to Costigliole Saluzzo.
143km/2,925m.
Climbs: Col de Larche, Colle della Fauniera.
Hotel: Castello Rosso.
Today's first part of the route is simple, since the moment we leave our hotel, it is a 60km ride to the top of the Colle dell'Agnello, one of the highest climbs in the Alps.
After reaching the top, we will descend to Queyras and continue towards our next climb: Col d'Izoard.
The Izoard is a classic Alpine TDF climb, it has a lot of history, and the landscapes on the last kilometres before the top are incredibly scenic.
After reaching the top, time to descend to Briancon, another city with a lot to see.
118km/3.700m.
Climbs: Colle dell'Agnello, Col d'Izoard.
Hotel: Hotel Edelweiss Briancon
Today, after we leave Briancon, we will ride towards the Col de l'Echelle and cross into Italy.
The it is a long, mostly descending, ride to Susa.
Our last climb is the Col du Mont-Cenis, a beautiful climb that is even nicer riding via the narrow Moncenisio old road.
We will end our ride in Lanslebourg.
116km/2,775m.
Climbs: Col de l'Echelle, Col du Mont-Cenis (via Moncenisio).
Hotel: Hotel Saint Charles.
Another "simple" ride...up the Col d'Iseran from Lanslebourg is quite straightforward.
Col d'Iseran is another high climb, above 2,700m.
This is a beautiful climb with great views from the top.
After reaching the top, we will have another long descent to Bourg Saint Maurice.
82km/1,820m.
Climb: Col d'Iseran.
Hotel: Hotel in Bourg Saint Maurice.
For the last ride of this trip, we have more great climbs on our way to Aosta.
First, we will climb up the Col du Petit Saint Bernard, here we will cross into Italy for the last time.
Next will be the Colle San Carlo, from there it is mostly downhill to Aosta.
This will be a beautiful ride, a way to end this challenging trip between the Piemonte and the French Alp's big climbs.
91km/2,165m.
Climbs: Col du Petit Saint Bernard, Colle San Carlo.
Hotel: Hotel Milleluci.
After breakfast, we will travel to Milano Malpensa Airport (MXP).
We plan to arrive there before noon, so plan your onward travels accordingly.
