Crowds, rattling, stench - the number plates of the cars and motorbikes are as colourful as the jerseys of the racing cyclists queuing for the hero shot at the Stelvio Pass sign. Unbelievably, just a few metres further on, the entire contrasting programme opens up - and on a massive scale. It's huge, it's wide, it's wild. It is criss-crossed by sensational trails, characterised by unspoilt nature and marked by history. The Parco Nazionale dello Stelvio around the Ortler group is one of the largest nature reserves in Europe, covering an area of 1,350 square kilometres and extending across four Italian provinces and as far as the Swiss National Park in the Engadine.
Alberto Pedranzini, our guide, grew up in it. For him, it is the "Stelvio Natural Trail Park". Over the next few days, the local will open our eyes and hearts to his homeland. And close our stomachs, because with Alberto you always end up where it tastes good. We start at the pretty Garibaldi hut on the Dreisprachenspitze. Situated just 90 metres above the Stelvio Pass, it marks the Italian-German-Rhaeto-Romanic border. Before South Tyrol became part of Italy in 1919, the three countries met here. People traded, smuggled - and waged war. The battles fought today are thankfully of a different nature. Cyclists from all over the world are torturing themselves up the legendary 48 hairpin bends from South Tyrol to the pass. The mighty Ortler doesn't seem to care what people are doing at its feet. But that is deceptive. Here in particular, you can see how vulnerable nature is. Monte Braulio opposite had to give up a lot of rock during the explosive war years. Today, climate change is having a massive impact on the Stelvio Glacier. We turn our gaze in the other direction, descend the old path switchbacks to the Swiss customs house at the Umbrail Pass and then climb up to the Bocchetta di Forcola. At the summit, we try to take in the scenery. Trenches from the First World War to the right and left, ibexes at the top of the ridge, the lonely mountain world in front of us. On the slope, we make out a thin thread in the mighty scree: our trail. Sensational. This landscape goes deep, whether in your head or your bones.
The Stelvio National Park challenges us, it wears us out, it knocks us out and it surprises us. After the Bocchetta di Pendelo, we suddenly shoot across a flowing meadow path before extremely steep hairpin bends in the next bend give us a deep look. Despite my concentration, I ponder the words: downhill, fighting - how lucky we are to be able to use this vocabulary so harmlessly. Alberto, who is also fighting for a cause, agrees. The man - half hipster, half hippie - has founded Ride Clean, a project that aims to sensitise bikers to nature reserves. He grins into his jet-black curly beard: "But that doesn't mean that we clean the paths to make them flow. Quite the opposite," he says.
He also emphasises this the next day in Sunny Valley, above his home village of Santa Caterina: "These are old trails, and they should stay old." The gondola lifted us from 1738 metres in the valley almost 1000 metres up and emptied us directly onto a trail. A nature trail, emphasises Alberto. His initiative aims to make bikers aware of this. "The trails are the way they are and we're not going to make them any easier. We want people to understand where we are travelling and to appreciate and respect nature accordingly."
Bike ballers won't be spreading out their shredding towel here. But anyone who thinks that Alberto is trundling through the countryside with the brakes on is mistaken. The 36-year-old kicks off and pulls away on the Dynamite Trail - another old military track once used by the troops to cart up ammunition supplies. We, on the other hand, are greeted behind the bend by a peacefully mowing flock of sheep with donkeys and a shepherd dog. The trail on the other side of the Gavia Pass is just as varied: smooth rides interspersed with bumps, tricky corners and sloping edges. Rushing through quickly is not an option. And that's a good thing. This is not a bike park, we are in a nature park. "You shouldn't take risks here," says Alberto. "If something happens, it's not so easy to get you out of here."
We end up sitting in Santa Caterina over an espresso, shaken up but safe and damn happy, and our hippie hipster becomes a historian. Alberto tells us how the region once benefited from its strategic location. Important trade routes ran through the Valtellina, bringing prosperous business to the inhabitants of the barren mountain landscape. But the soil also served as a source of money - in the truest sense of the word. The healing effects of the thermal water at the foot of the Rhaetian Alps were already appreciated by the Romans, and so Bormio became a spa town thousands of years ago. To this day, Italians combine their summer holidays in the mountains with hot spa visits - just like the shaken bikers and pass-tested racing cyclists.
Ferrous springs were also discovered in Santa Caterina in 1698. Tourism boomed, the healing water was bottled and good money was made. Then came the war years, and around 1950 the springs also dried up. Today, Santa Caterina lives from sports and nature tourism, from mountaineers and butterfly collectors. And, of course, cyclists.
Alberto and his friends have transformed the former Acqua Teca in the village centre into a bike shop with a children's training area. What the ski school was in winter, the bike school is now in summer. The next day, we roll right past it and have a relaxed chat about the new generation of cyclists, who will probably make us look old in a few years' time - until the ascent to the Rifugio Pizzini begins. A short walk instead of small talk and a bit of pushing on the ramps. We could have been shuttled. But as soon as we look up in the flatter sections, we have no regrets. The park panorama in all its vastness, the glacier arena above, the pasture landscape below, all of this deserves to be experienced under your own steam.
After almost 1000 metres in altitude, we sit shovelling polenta at the Pizzini hut. Il Gran Zebrù, the Königsspitze, towers above us. At 3854 metres, it is just 51 metres short of the Ortler. We are still 300 metres short of the Passo Zebrù - and it's a tough climb. Our legs are tired, the air is thin, the polenta is heavy and the road is unrideable. We push, shoulder and puff our way up. Then we reach the saddle at 3005 metres - and nothing matters. Everything. Everything. The scenery is incredible. The valley that we look down on cuts spectacularly through the Ortler main ridge. Grey rock, white patches of snow, shimmering green - and to the right, another thin line on the slope: our trail.
The first few metres are an announcement. But then follows a sensational descent, which is only slowed down by a few key sections and moments of breathlessness and amazement. Our bodies release bursts of happiness hormones and at the end we just shake our heads. We look back - without words. We know what the other person is trying to say.
People are cranking up the 48 hairpin bends to the Stelvio Pass, but hardly anyone is covering the 90 metres of altitude difference to the sweet Garibaldi hut on the Trilingual Peak. Half an hour later, not a soul was to be seen on the Bocchetta di Forcola - but four ibex up on the ridge. - Sissi Pärsch, BIKE tour author
District highlights
Hot springs and bitter waters. Saddled bar stools and special wines. After the almost endless trail rides in the Stelvio National Park, bikers can really enjoy themselves in Bormio and Santa Caterina.
The precinct
Bormio (1225 m) and Santa Caterina (1734 m) are located in the Italian province of Sondrio in Lombardy in the Parco Nazionale dello Stelvio. The region is surrounded by mountain pass roads - the Stelvio, Umbrail and Gavia Passes - and is therefore a popular destination for racing cyclists. More and more mountain bikers are also discovering the nature park for themselves - but are losing themselves again in the vastness of the area. The Stelvio National Park is therefore perfect for anyone who likes natural trails and wild landscapes, who enjoys riding at altitude and is not afraid of pushing or carrying sections.
Journey
It takes quite a few twists and turns to get to Bormio and Santa Caterina. The shortest route from Germany leads over the Reschen Pass into the Vinschgau Valley. In Taufers, the route leads into the Swiss Münstertal valley and over the Umbrail Pass up to the saddle. If you want to tackle the legendary 48 bends of the Stelvio Pass, head via Prad. 34 hairpin bends and 22 kilometres later you are in Bormio, with Santa Caterina a further 13 kilometres away.
Best touring time
The touring area leads up to 3000 metres. You should therefore keep an eye on the weather. The region is usually snow-free from June to the end of September. However, a thunderstorm can spoil a high-altitude tour at any time, and shelter is rare up there. You should check the opening times of the lifts online in advance!
Accommodation
Hotel Vedig: Ride-Clean initiator Alberto and his family run this great, modern hotel with excellent cuisine in Santa Caterina. Via Vedich 14, Santa Caterina, tel. 0039/0342/935305, albergovedig.it
Hotel Funivia: Owner Daniele has orientated his Hotel Funivia in Bormio primarily towards racing cyclists - but of course bikers can also enjoy the 1A bike service. Via Funivia 34, 23032 Bormio, tel. 0039/0342/903242, hotelfunivia.it
Shuttle
Simone from Bike-Shuttle Alpin Taxi Cola transports bikers to the Rifugio Pizzini or to the Stilfser Joch. Tel. 0039/333/4706865, alpintaxi.it
Guides and maps
Tour guides as well as information, tips and suitable maps can be found on the Ride Clean website of Alberto and his team: rideclean.it
Bike shops
Bormio Ski & Bike: Via Battaglion Morbegno 7 and Via Stelvio, 19 in Bormio. Tel. 0039/0342/911142.
Focus Bike Centre: Via Magliaga, Loc. La Fonte C/O Acqua Teca, Santa Caterina Valfurva, tel. 0039/347/4875041, rideclean.it
Bike park
The bike park in Bormio offers seven trails between the summit station at 3,000 metres and the Bormio 2000 middle station. The highlight is the 13-kilometre trail that leads to Santa Caterina. Otherwise, the park is manageable, but is constantly growing. The day ticket has dynamic prices. The earlier you book your ticket online, the better the bargain. However, the range is roughly between 21.50 and 24 euros. Info: bormiobike.eu
General information
Santa Caterina Valfurva: Piazza Magliavaca, 23030 Valfurva, Tel. 0039/0342/935544, santacaterina.it
Bormio: Via Roma 131 B, 23032 Bormio, Tel. 0039/0342/903300, bormio.eu
The 3 tours
- Bocchetta di Forcola (28.8 km, 674 m elevation gain, 2139 tm, 4:30 h)
- Passo Zebru (31.4 km, 1370 m ascent 1852 tm, 6 h)
- Santa Caterina Dynamite (20.7 km, 519 m elevation gain, 1464 tm 3 h)
Scene specials
- Bormio has been known for its healing qualities for thousands of years. The mineral-rich Alpine thermal water, which is around 37 degrees, feeds various pools in the indoor and outdoor areas of the Bormio Terme in Bormio. Via Stelvio 14 in Bormio, tel. 0039/0342/901325, bormioterme.it
- Therapeutic water also flows in the Roman baths, grottos and panoramic pools of the Terme Bagni Vecchi. By appointment only! Località Bagni Vecchi in Valdidentro, tel. 0039/0342/910131, qcterme.com
Food & Drink
A little water for which Bormio is famous: Amaro Braulio. This is a bitter liqueur made from 23 herbal extracts and aged for two years in old oak barrels. It was developed in 1875 by the pharmacist Francesco Peloni (named after the almost 3000 metre high Monte Braulio). Peloni's descendants are still carrying on his legacy today in the centre of Bormio's historic old town. Beer is now also brewed here and liqueurs and grappa are distilled. There is also food. Peloni, Via Roma 27 in Bormio, tel. 0039/0342/904785, amarobraulio.it
Where do the locals eat their pizza?
Here: Bistro Umami, Via Stelvio 23 in Bormio, tel. 0039/0342/911734, umamibistrot.it
- Roll out for an après-bike espresso and gelato on the piazza in Bormio at Dolce Ozio: Piazza Cavour 3/4.
- The Café Stelvio Experience celebrates road bike culture to the full. Here you can enjoy your coffee or Bormio beer on saddled stools in the morning before and from 3 pm after your ride and admire the cycling memorabilia from decades ago. Via Funivia 34, stelvioexperience.it
- At Agriturismo Rini you can sleep well, eat excellently and stock up on specialities from the farm in the La Butiga shop: Via Cavalier Pietro Rini 2 in Bormio, agriturismobormio.it
- You pass the Azienda Agricola Fiore di Zagara on the outskirts of Santa Caterina directly on the way to the Rifugio Pizzini and Passo Zebrù. There is honey and herbal tea, soap and syrup, cold cuts and cheese. Via Forni 29, Santa Caterina
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