Transalp stage 4: from Aprica to Pellizzano
This is a royal stage to make your tongue click. It goes to the highest point of this Transalpup to the Forcella di Montozzo at a dizzying 2613 metres above sea level. However, this highlight is still a long way off when you leave Aprica, situated on a pass at 1200 metres, and head into the wild hinterland. The route continues uphill to the forest and meadow hump that separates the Valtellina, with Tirano, from Edolo on the left.
However, you soon leave the small road that leads to the side of the famous Passo Mortirolo and make your way along rough paths across alpine meadows and through forests, and finally along a wild path to Monno, the village on the Mortirolo pass road on the edge of the Val Camonica. You soon reach the bottom of the valley and start the big climb, which has a banana-shaped elevation profile.
Initially, the valley cycle path is relatively flat as far as Ponte di Legno, the last village in Val Camonica. Now the gradient slowly increases until the asphalt is abandoned and an alpine path climbs up the steep meadow slope to the Rifugio Bozzi at an altitude of almost 2500 metres. You now have to push your bike up to the Forcella. Once you reach the top, you will be surprised, as the terrain is not rugged. Behind the saddle, a wide high valley opens up, through which the path initially leads out flat.
Only later, when the Lago di Pian Palu shines turquoise in the sun 500 metres further down, does the path twist and turn down a steep slope. Mostly easy to ride, there are now a few key sections on the path, rocks and stony sections that a mountain path at this altitude can just have. With a little foresight, however, these short passages, only a few metres long, can be mastered safely.
From the dam wall, an alpine path now leads up to Malga Giumella and a military path in the forest shakes you up once again on the way to Peio, the eponymous village in the Val di Peio. Finally, a flowing path in the forest concludes the adventure section of this stage in the village of Cogolo. Now it's just a case of rolling out onto the cycle path from the Val di Peio, the side valley, into the Val di Sole with the destination of Pellizzano.
You can stop off here
For the first 35 kilometres, you will have to look after yourself, but if you look into the village centre in Monno, you will already find a few places to eat. Further on, on the route through the Val Camonica, you won't go hungry in the villages of Vezza d'Oglio, Temù or Ponte di Legno. You just have to look a little and leave the route briefly. In Case di Viso, the last outpost of civilisation before the highest point of this Transalp, there is the Ristorante Ercavallo. A real tip is also the Rifugio Bozzi, which lies at almost 2500 metres just before the Forcella di Montozzo (2613 m).
Abbreviations/variants
Shortly before the Rifugio Bozzi, the Alta Via Camuna branches off to the right (signs: 102, 103 Ponte di Legno), a great high alpine mountain meadow path that leads to the Passo Tonale and has been part of the BIKE Transalp several times. This is a top variant that is somewhat shorter and less adventurous. From Passo Tonale, the trail leads to the left of the main road via Forte Strino, a fortress from the First World War, via Vermiglio to Ossana and Pellizzano.
The stage as a short trip
This stage and back in one day is basically only possible by taxi (e.g. Taxi Pianazzi). This also applies to all those who plan two days for this route. You would spend the night in Ponte di Legno.
Stage as part of a round trip (2-3 days)
After this stage, you first have to cycle from Val di Sole up to Passo Tonale and back to Ponte di Legno. There is a bike park on the Tonale where you can spend as much time as you like. There is also a freeride line (Pegrà Flowtrail) that leads straight down to Ponte di Legno. From Ponte di Legno you can climb up to the Gavia Pass. Now you have the option of descending to Santa Caterina Valfurva via extravagant trails, before reaching the start of stage 3 of the BIKE Transalp 2021 in Bormio shortly afterwards. If you take a shortcut on the Gavia, leave Bormio on the right and come out via the equally exciting Passo dell'Alpe further down in the Valtellina to pick up at Grosotto in the middle of the third stage (Bormio-Aprica).
If you head for the Passo Mortirolo from Ponte di Legno, continue climbing up to an altitude of 2400 metres and circle the "Tornantissima", the hairpin bend festival of the "5 Crazy Down", the five downhill trails in Valtellina. The "Tornantissima" spits you out in Grosio and you also pick up in the middle of the third stage.
Marc Schneider's tip
You should allow a little more time for the route from Ponte di Legno via Forcella di Montozzo. On the one hand, the high alpine route slows you down a little right from the start, on the other hand, the landscape is in a class of its own and you can take in the one or other spot and take souvenir photos. So, plan a buffer!
The 4th stage of the BIKE Transalp 2021 from Aprica to Pellizzano: 98.9 kilometres and 3267 metres in altitude.
Race details and registration: www.bike-transalp.de
