The Granfondo Stelvio Santini cycle marathon leads over Mortirolo and the Stelvio Pass, two of the most legendary Alpine passes
Two major goals are part of the life of every racing bike enthusiast: 1. Participation in a bike marathon and 2. Conquering a legendary climb that the pros also tackle on a large country tour.
The Granfondo Stelvio Santini cycling marathon in Italy offers both in one. The route from Bormio with 152 km and a total of 4058 meters in altitude leads over the Mortirolo Pass and ends on the Stilfser Joch (Italian: Passo di Stelvio). The Mortirolo with 1300 meters of altitude difference over 12,8 km was also part of the 16th and probably the toughest stage of the Giro d'Italia this year, which took place just 12 days before the Granfondo.
The special challenge of the Stelvio is not the gradients, mostly they are 5 to 9%, but the length of 22 km and the height of 2758 meters plus the fact that you already have the Mortirolo in your bones beforehand.
Mastering such a challenge is without a doubt one of the most beautiful experiences for a racing cyclist. When the weather is nice, like at this year's event, then all the more so. Proper preparation and equipment are essential to make it a really enjoyable experience
1. The training
3000, better 4000 annual kilometers before such an event are the minimum. Because the marathon goes through the mountains, the training lap should never be completely flat. If you don't have an Alpine pass nearby, you can ride your local mountain several times in a row and throw in a few intermediate sprints uphill. A distance of more than 150 km with a good amount of altitude difference should be covered several times before a granfondo. My insider tip: weight training. At the beginning of the year, I was 1,84 m tall and weighed 85 kg and rode a 10 kg steel bike. If you heave this mass up your local mountain a few times, you will lose weight very quickly. On the day of the marathon on June 7th, the scales showed 76 kg.
2. The racing bike
Speaking of weight, the bike must also be suitable for high mountains. Six weeks before the Granfondo, I replaced the steel wheel with a 6,7 kg Bianchi Infinito CV with a Campagnolo Super Record group. The seating position should not be too stretched out, a Granfondo/Touring geometry is clearly an advantage here. It is important that you feel comfortable on the bike and that you do not change anything in your comfortable position at least four weeks before the event. For me, feeling good is definitely based on the widest possible handlebars, which offer enough room to breathe, especially on steep and long mountains. That's why the Superleggero carbon handlebars from Deda with a width of 46 cm are mounted on my racing bike. Due to the width and the wide transition from the upper link to the front, it offers an additional grip position a little behind the brake lever, which is particularly comfortable on long climbing passages.
Of course, high mountain suitability also applies to the translation. For the Mortirolo I chose 36/29 as the lowest gear. In some passages, however, this is already close to the limit. While 34/29 is the limit for Campagnolo, Shimano and Sram riders are welcome to mount a cassette with up to 32 teeth. And nobody has to be ashamed to use their 32 lifebuoy on a mountain like Mortirolo. More on that in a moment:
3. Arrival and accommodation
Be sure to arrive in good time the day before so that you can pick up your starting documents and fully prepare yourself. Most people don't get much sleep anyway, because it starts early and you're quite nervous. Therefore, you should save yourself any unnecessary rush. This also includes a reasonable hotel. It's also a question of budget, but a decent bed and a good breakfast are definitely worth it. Our choice fell on the Hotel Rezia in Bormio, which also had the advantage that the start was directly behind the house. The short way meant another 10 minutes more sleep.
4. The race
A granfondo is a marathon, not a sprint. This is about getting there. So don't let your pace be forced on you, but rather ride your own rhythm, especially on the mountain.
First, the Granfondo Stelvio-Santini gives you enough time to curl up. The first 47 km after the start in Bormio is almost all downhill, so that you are traveling at an average speed of well over 40 km/h for the first hour. Then comes the first mountain test to Teglio, which is moderate at 5 km with an average gradient of 8% and a maximum of 15%. The first aid station is in Teglio, where it becomes clear that the Italians are really serious about good food. In addition to fruit and cake, there is also real food such as pizza and panini. While you tend to eat gels and bars on the bike, it is certainly helpful for your mental health to eat “real” food in between instead of just “astronaut food”. But: Eat slowly and not too much at once, because a full stomach doesn't like to climb.
After another 30 km follows the sporting highlight of the marathon, the Mortirolo Pass. During the ascent, however, the word "highlight" rarely comes to mind, rather the word "brutal", which pretty much describes this legendary climb. Perhaps it is no coincidence that just before the start of the climb you pass a cemetery.
The mountain starts with a moderate 9% with short peaks of 18%, which already demand almost everything from here. The middle 6km averages 12%, then it goes up to around 10%, making it almost impossible to recover. Already on the lower half I kept coming across participants with start numbers who gave up because it was just too hard for them. About three kilometers before the summit it becomes a little flatter. The last two kilometers are again almost 14% steep on average. In between there is even a section with 23%! Here, like most people, I had to dismount and push. The road here is so narrow that it is difficult to overtake slower drivers. In addition, the floor covering here is made of concrete, which is partly reminiscent of a trampled golf ball. Driving here is almost impossible even without obstacles. I was only able to get back on my bike about a kilometer before the summit, because there is a railing on the side of the path that I could hold on to and click both pedals again. Where there was no railing nearby, the organizers had posted helpers to support and push 'resumeers' - great idea!
It brings some relief that almost the entire route is in the forest, which provides shade. At the top of the Mortirolo there was another rendezvous. Everyone who got there and was still able to speak admitted that this mountain was the toughest thing he/she had ever climbed.
The reward for the torment is a descent that offers a magnificent Alpine panorama. At the end of the descent we headed back to Bormio in the midday heat, following most of the same route that we started down, so it was time to climb again. On the one hand, it was important to save energy for the subsequent 22 km climb up the Stelvio Pass, and on the other hand not to miss the checkpoint. Those who were not at the last control point by 14.15:XNUMX p.m. were no longer allowed to drive on the Stelvio.
After two days earlier, rain had been announced for the afternoon, nothing was farther away than the thought of bad weather. Cloudless, blue skies and temperatures of over 25°C certainly helped to lift the spirits, but drained the drink supplies. Here's a tip: Always drive with two bottles and fill them up at each rendezvous! I had figured it would be enough to have another drink at the bottom of the climb, then make do with a full bottle to save weight - a huge mistake with over two hours of riding left in the heat!
After my first thigh cramp I stopped in a tunnel at the bottom to fill up my bottles at one of the waterfalls that cascade down the outside of these tunnels. Despite the stretch, this ascent was also an experience. The panorama is breathtaking, not only because the air gets thinner with increasing altitude. The whole route is in front of you in 36 hairpin bends and you can estimate how far it is still.
With the view of the mountain station at 2758 meters there was hope again. The last few kilometers were still tough, but when I looked at the finish line I even plucked up the courage to sprint the last 200 meters - done!
There's no substitute for that feeling of satisfaction when you get your breath back, and that's exactly why it's worth taking on a challenge like this.
Have fun at your next bike marathon.