Giro d'Italia 2024 - Plus

After a morning pick-up in Verona, a one-hour transfer has you saddling up in the Garda lakeside town of Salò. For those eager to catch the time trial arrivals in Desenzano del Garda, a one-hour mostly flat ride puts you on the scene. If you’re looking for a bit more riding, a loop up above Salò first offers great views of the lake on quiet roads before joining the Giro time trial action.

With your initial Giro fix satisfied, continue riding along the Garda lakeshore to Malcesine, a beautiful port town that is often referred to as one of the prettiest in the region. Positioned midway up the East coast of Garda Lake, Malcesine is the ideal base for exploring the Lake Garda Region as it has a much more intimate feeling than some of the more commercial towns at the northern and southern ends of the lake.

There is great riding to be had heading both north and south from Malcesine. The northern coastal route passes through the towns of Torbole and Riva del Garda before climbing up to the Lago di Tenno. For an extra little push, continue up to the Passo Bellino before returning through Arco, the northernmost town on Lake Garda, and back along the lakeshore.

The southern route hugs the lakeshore to the town of Garda before turning east to climb a beautiful switchbacking road and continuing through Prada and San Zeno then descending back to the lakeside a short distance from Malcesine. The ambitious can take on the Monte Baldo loop, which tackles this formidable mountain in three uphill segments to reach the Rifugio Graziani before descending back to lake Garda via Torbole for a last flat push back to where you started in Malcesine.

The rest of the day can be spent exploring the charming village of Malcesine or taking a trip on the cableway to the summit of Monte Baldo for a birdseye view of the routes you pedalled over the last couple of days.

After getting your legs warmed up along the Garda lakeside route through Torbole, the short but challenging ascent of Via Europa provides one last vista over the lake before heading toward the Adige River Valley.

If you’re up for more climbing, an alternative is the appropriately named Monte Velo, which also rewards with spectacular views of Garda Lake. After a flatter stretch along the Adige River, there is one final push up the Salita di Martarello then it's mostly downhill to the shores of the Lago di Caldonazzo and the spa town of Levico Terme, your base for the next three nights.

The principal challenge of the day is a loop ride that includes the mighty Passo Manghen. Although infrequently included in the Giro in comparison with other climbs in the Dolomites, the Passo Manghen ranks up there among the greatest climbs of Northern Italy, both for its spectacular scenery and its 23 km length. 

From the Manghen summit, a long descent and quiet undulating roads bring you back for a well-earned spa treatment at the hotel or a visit to the thermal baths that are a few minutes walk from the hotel.

For the slightly less ambitious, there is also some very interesting riding on the opposite side of the Valsugana Valley. The Strada Montador loop options that climb toward the Asiago Plateau take in some equally spectacular scenery and also qualify for a post-ride spa treatment!

For this rendezvous day with the Giro, your cycling route heads east to the Passo Brocon, the final climb on a very hard stage of the Giro that includes both the Passo Sella and the Passo Rolle. The pros actually climb the Brocon from two sides; you will catch them on their second ascent directly before the summit finish.

Giro finish viewing accomplished, follow the actual Giro route back down to the Valsugana Valley for a mostly flat run home. An optional return route follows the switchback descent to the town of Grigno before returning along the Valsugana. 

The destination for the day is the historic Renaissance city of Bassano del Grappa. With several excellent ride options available, you can opt for a challenging or easier approach to your day. The easier route follows the Brenta River and is both spectacular and mostly downhill.

A mid-range alternative is to climb to the Asiago Plateau and continue through the town of Asiago before descending back down to the Brenta River at Valstagna to join the easier route for the final cruise into Bassano.

The most challenging option follows the Brenta River route to Valstagna, then climbs UP this switchback dream to the Asiago Plateau before descending directly into beautiful Bassano.

Bassano is a great base for cycling, as it offers a lot of riding options. A wonderful loop that takes in Marostica and the climbs of San Luca and La Rosina can be done on its own or combined with another loop ride that passes through picturesque Asolo and Possagno.

Make sure to leave enough time and energy to explore Bassano with its multitude of bars, restaurants, and boutique shops.

This is likely to be THE big day of the Giro as the race climbs the Monte Grappa not once but twice. It is also a big day to test yourself on the Monte Grappa, a deceptively challenging climb, even when only tackled once. 

If you didn't get to ride the Possagno loop the prior day, you can either combine your Grappa ascent with this ride or simply head straight for the Monte Grappa, as the ride out of Bassano provides adequate warm-up before the ascent begins. Choose your Giro viewing point on the mountain itself or climb it first then head for the finish to watch on the big screen and see the finish live. Either way, it's going to be meravigliosa!

After a last breakfast, it’s time for the transfer back to Venice for your trip home or further explorations in the area.