THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL MOUNTAIN BIKE STAGE RACE // ALTO RENO TERME 23-25 JULY 2019
Appenninica MTB Stage Race is set to become Italy’s first international MTB stage race crossing the Apennines – the mountain chain that is the watershed of the Italian peninsula – with a completely new course composed of seven stages plus a prologue, followed by an itinerant base camp (race village).
The race will have a total length of approximately 550km with around 20.000m of elevation gain, and will follow for the most part the beautiful Alta Via dei Parchi, a trail of unforeseen beauty and variety that zig-zags between the regions of Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany.
@ photo Edoardo Melchiori
THE STAGES
Stage 3 – Alta Via
Tuesday July 23rd 2019
Length 55 km – Elevation gain 2100 m
Start Monte Cimone – Arrival Porretta Terme
This is a shorter stage but don’t underestimate it. After an initial demanding climb the course becomes less steep as you gain elevation immersed in a forest. The second part of the stage will test the riders’ technical skills with a rocky and exposed section. These are high-mountain ridge trails with views that can span to both Italian coastlines. Some short downhill sections will again require skillful bike handling and only a few will be able to ride them. Once you enter the final wooded section, a long and pleasant descent will lead to the stage host town: the thermal village of Alto Reno Terme (Porretta).
Stage 4 – La Cronoscalata del Monte Piella (time trial) – Start Appenninica4
Wednesday July 24th 2019
Length 23 km – Elevation gain 830 m
Start Porretta Terme – Arrival Porretta Terme
After a quick climb on secondary roads and a nice stretch of paved panoramic road you will cross the ancient village of Castelluccio and its Castle Manservisi. You climb again on a beautiful forest road until you reach the summit of Mount Piella with views of the Reno Valley. The descent is technical but enjoyable, on a single track trail with a wooded pinewood and beech forest, then follows from the Marconiano path (Guglielmo Marconi had his father’s house in this town) which brings back to the center of Porretta Terme.
Stage 5 – La Linea Gotica
Thursday July 25th 2019
Length 90km – Elevation gain 2300 m
Start Porretta Terme – Arrival Castel del Rio
This is the stage of lakes, gods, and chestnut trees. The stage course loosely follows the Linea Gotica, the most important German line of defense in Italy during WWII. Some initial smooth climbs bordering the park’s lakes lead to a series of short climbs in bucolic farmland. The land is mostly a forest of chestnut and oak trees with, so watch out for the roots! We are now at a lower elevation with a hilly landscape and clay soil. For a short distance you’ll be riding on the famous Via degli Dei (path of gods) that connects Bologna and Florence. The course goes up again to reach Alpe di Monghidoro and from there a fast downhill among centuries-old chestnut trees takes you to the hamlet of Castle del Rio.
Registration is now open with a promo code available when registering on the event website.
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