The Italian Road Bike Experience
The Very Best of Italian Cycling
Daily Guided Rides on a Classic Italian Road Bike
Pinarello does something profoundly Italian
Exciting cycling terrain to suit and challenge all abilities through a daily menu of ride options (distance/elevation/pace) each guided by a local cyclist. Experience the terrain of Italy’s original Granfondo, the Novi Colli, sections of the 2020 Giro d’Italia stages 11, 12 & 13 and the training rides of a cycling legend that is Marco Pantani.
🚴🏻♀️ 🇮🇹 Ride, Eat & Drink everything with classic Italian style and hospitality 🇮🇹 🚴♂️
Prices from $2,500 per person – View Prices
Summary
- ☀️8 DAYS | 7 NIGHTS
- Super Half Board: Breakfast; Post-ride Lunch & Dinner with Water & House Wine
- Daily Guiding
- Bike Hotel Accommodation with dedicated Bike Room & Facilities + Direct Beach access
- Choose from 5 Daily Group Rides with Graded Difficulty & Intensity
- Pool, Spa & Beach Access available for post-ride recovery
- Visit: Marco Pantani Museum, Statue & Marco’s sister Padineria
- Quiet Country Lanes; Cycle tracks; Coastal & Hilly terrain
- Private Transfer from Bologna airport
- BICYCLE & EQUIPMENT: Choice of Top Italian Brands including Pinarello
- Assistance in case of accidents or faults
- PEOPLE ALSO ASK FOR … Non Cycling Partner Package
Statistics
- CHOOSE YOUR ACTIVITY LEVEL ...
- 🥂 SPRITZ rides best suited to dedicated sports and trained cyclists.
- 🍷 RED WINE rides are suited to experienced cyclists with ‘full body’ and ‘good legs’!
- 🧋 FIZZY WATER rides are best suited to cyclists seeking to improve their abilities.
- ☕️ LATTE MACCHIATO rides are enjoyed by cyclists looking to enjoy the local landscape.
- DAILY RIDE DISTANCE: From 30km to 140km
- CYCLING SPEEDS: 21Km/h to 30Km/h on flat ground
- DAILY SADDLE TIME: 3h to 5h
- MAXIMUM CYCLE DAYS: 6
- REST DAYS: REST DAYS TO SUIT
- 100 CYCLE ROUTES: Never Ride the Same Route Twice
Itinerary
ITINERARY EXAMPLES
The Training Climb of Marco Pantani
This is the Pirate’s Mountain.
The beloved and unforgettable Marco Pantani chose Monte Carpegna as his personal ‘gym' and it is here that the greatest climber in the history of cycling prepared for his victories.
6 km from the town of Carpegna, the climb has an average gradient of 10% with the final two kicks at around 12% - Marco named these the ‘Cippo’.
🚴♂️ Marco Pantani, the ‘Pirate’: There are six, seven kilometres with an average gradient of 10%. The last two, below the summit at 1,360 meters above sea level, we call them the 'Cippo' and they are the steepest, at 12%. In that stretch, I use the 39 x 19/21. Of course, this is not a climb like those in the Alps that made me famous. But to train well Carpegna is enough for me."
🏴☠️
🟥 VIDEO: Cippo di Carpegna (Pantani's Climb) with Davide Cassani - Cycling Inspiration & Education
Highlights
An Epic Giro d’Italia Stage
Statistics
Length: 6 Km | Hill start altitude: 734m | End of climb altitude: 1.358 | Elevation: 624m | Average gradient: 10.2% | Max. Gradient: 15% | Recommended ratios: 34 x 28
"...the most challenging climb of the day. It is next. The one that climbs Mount Carpegna ... the Cippo and they are the steepest, at 12%. In that stretch, I use the 39 x 19/21. Of course, this is not a climb like those in the Alps that made me famous. But to train well Carpegna, is enough for me."
The Barbotto & The Mythical Granfondo Nove Colli
The Barbotto is the hardest challenge of the mythical Granfondo Nove Colli, the oldest Granfondo in the world and among the most popular in Italy.
The ascent in total is 5.5 km long and has an average gradient of 6.9%, with an elevation gain of 372 meters: the Barbotto challenges the best.
The climb starts with the first 300 meters on gradients between 9-10%. The road then starts to climb through uneven-gradients, from 6% to 10%. A 39 × 25 is recommended for the notorious and devastating last kilometre of the climb famously known as ‘spauracchio’, which translates as ‘bogeyman’. The first 400 meters has a gradient of 14% and 5 bends. Finally, you arrive at a real ‘wall', with a slope of 18%!
🟥 VIDEO: Nove Colli - Barbotto: THE FINAL KILOMETRE
Highlights
Beautiful Countryside | World’s First Granfondo route
Statistics
5.5 km clim | Average gradient: 6.9% | Elevation: 372m | Max. Gradient: 14% | Recommended ratios: 39 x 25
The first Nove Colli: It was 20th May 1971 at 5 o’clock in the morning and there were just 17 cycling pioneers. The start from Bar del Corso, in the harbour of Cesinatico. In 2015, the race hosted 12,000 riders.
Santarcangelo di Romagna: A Slow City with Real Style
Santarcangelo di Romagna is a wonderful medieval village, where a good Romagna lifestyle takes precedent.
Santarcangelo is a ‘Slow City’ and part of the international network of the Cities of Good Living. The typical taverns are very popular with the locals who speak in dialect and enjoy the slow life, surrounded by noble palaces, burgundy houses, alleys and small piazzas that give Santarcangelo di Romagna the title of the 'City of Art.'
Stop for a coffee in the beautiful Piazza Centrale Ganganelli. Don't forget to pass under the Arco Ganganelli, for some additional good fortune!!
Highlights
Santarcangelo di Romagna | Piazza Centrale Ganganelli | Emilia Romagna Countryside
Statistics
From Short & Very Easy to Moderate Routes available
The central Piazza of Santarcangelo di Romagna is breathtaking! It is so relaxing, it consumes you as you roll into the square, unclip and glide to a halt next to a cafe chair, prop-up the bike, pull off your gloves and sit - see the video below. The Giro came though here in 2020. To see the roads lined with pink decorations, was a sight to behold!
Area Map
A Pinarello Experience In Italy
We invited club cyclist and YouTuber, Leonard Lee, back to Italy to experience cycling in Emilia Romagna. Leonard was riding a Pinarello Prince.
We completed four rides during which we watched the Giro d'Italia, the GIRO'e d'Italia, the world's first grand tour for electric bikes, took in the local ambience, tasted the wine and sampled the food and enjoyed wonderful cycle routes.
🟥 Watch all the Leonard Lee Emilia Romagna vidoes
Throw your leg over a Pinarello
Riding in Small Guided Groups
Words by Tim Hudson, founder, director and principal ski & bike leader at Inspired ITALY: “I had always wanted to ride a Pinarello in Italy. It truly lived up to every possible expectation!” Tim recalls.
“Most of the time we rode with 8, 9 or 10 in the group including Leonard and I. The pace was good and on occasion, the guide allowed me to take the lead and adjust the pace. We rode to the salt plains and saw the flamingos wading in the lagoons, we found the best road-side vantage points to watch the passing Giro d’Italia on stage 12; we stood at the top of one of the toughest local climbs to watch the GIRO’e ride through on stage 13. We visited historic towns, ate endless amounts of really wonderful food and sipped on local wines at the hotel and on various lunchtime ride stop-overs. One of my best ever cycling experiences!”
Emilia Romagna | A Home for Italian Cycling
Giro Stages | Grandfondos | Marco Pantani | 2020 UCI World Championships
Emilia Romagna’s cycling pedigree is unquestionable.
There are few places on earth that offer such a blend of near-perfect cycling terrain – oodles of flat, fast and low-traffic roads or head south to the hills and some epic routes taking in the climbs of the iconic Apennine mountains including such names as San Marino.
This is why cycling is popular here and in 2020 is why the world turned to Emilia Romagna to rescue the professional cycling calendar. The Giro had three stages here and the UCI turned to Modena to host the delayed 2020 UCI World Championships. Did you see it on TV? If you did, you will remember those stunning images! If not, watch the video below…
🟥 VIDEO: Watch Men’s Elite Road Race Highlights | 2020 UCI World Championships from Modena, Emilia Romagna
Pinarello Does Something Profoundly Italian
What Makes a Pinarello so special?
Their tangible dedication to handling, ride feeling and liveliness.
Pinarello does something profoundly Italian, respecting the history of cycling as a sport through the creation of racing bicycles that are new and technologically advanced with the highest aesthetic values, whilst driving your riding pleasure.
🌑 BIKE MODELS | Pinarello Dogma F12 or Dogma F10 | Pinarello Prince | Pinarello Nytro | Pinarello Andromeda
All bikes are equipped with cyclometer, 1 bottle cage, tyres. All bikes are maintained to the highest possible standards, to ensure you enjoy the very best riding experience. And at the end of your stay, when you have fallen in love with the bike you have rented, you can buy it at a very competitive price and the rent is free!
“I thoroughly enjoyed my week and can highly recommend experiencing Italy to anyone looking for a cycling holiday, and I'm hoping to book another holiday with them next year.”
Other Inspired ITALY Guided Cycling Adventures
“I would definitely go for a guided option. Tim’s knowledge of the area is sublime and he always has a random fact or story about wherever you are. He just makes the whole trip even better Can’t wait to come back again.”
“We are reasonably keen, but ‘mature’ leisure cyclists and at first we were a little apprehensive about our abilities. Tim and Roberto gave us advice and encouragement so that we were able to pace ourselves and complete each of the daily rides with confidence.”
Graham Stanley
“This was my first cycle holiday and can’t be more positive about the equipment, route planning and guiding. Thank you Tim and Roberto for being wonderful hosts.”
Andrew Le Poidevin
“..my confidence grew; and, though I had been a bit worried about the longest ride, by the end of that day, I didn’t want the 100km ride to end.”
Barbara Stanley
“..definitely go for a guided option. Tim’s knowledge of the area is sublime and he always has a random fact or story about wherever you are. He just makes the whole trip even better. Can’t wait to come back again.”
Calvin Booker | Raleigh Bicycles, UK
“Tim [the guide] actually rode with us, pointing out lots of very interesting fact and figures along the way. All our luggage was transported between hotels so all we had to carry were the things we needed for the ride”
Leonard Lee | Club Cyclist & Youtuber
“... a wonderful experience and I would have no hesitation recommending Inspired Italy to anyone thinking of a cycling holiday in Italy.”
Leonard Lee | Club Cyclist & YouTuber
“I thoroughly enjoyed my week and can highly recommend experiencing Italy to anyone looking for a cycling holiday, and I'm hoping to book another holiday with them next year.”
Alan Parkinson, Road Cycling in Italy
“I am a fairly experienced cyclist but I've never ridden an e-bike so had no idea what to expect. My inner roadie wanted to do the climbs without assistance. But it was just easier to use the motor to push you up the many Tuscan hills and enjoy the views and the ride rather than push yourself to exhaustion. The routes varied from a relatively easy 45 km/700 metres vertical to a challenging 100km/1300 metres.”
My First Ever Ride on an Electric Bike by Leonard Lee
Price
$2,500 per person
Your adventure includes:
Your adventure includes:
- ☀️8 Day | 7 Nights
- Private Transfer From & To Bologna Airport
- ⛱ Beach-side Bike Hotel with Private Pool & Beach
- Super Half Board: including Breakfast & Post-Ride Lunch available until 16.30; Dinner including Water & House Wine
- 🚴♂️ Hotel Cycling Jersey
- 🚴♂️ 5x Guided daily excursions in different groups with different levels of difficulty and intensity
- 🚴♂️ TUESDAY EXCURSION: tasting of typical local food and wine products
- 🚴♂️ THURSDAY EXCURSION: with light lunch in the piazza of Longiano, a beautiful medieval fortified village
- 🚴♂️ Laundry for technical clothing (deliver the dirt, collect the clean)
- 🚴♂️ Water for Your Water Bottle
- 🚴♂️ Mineral Salts & Banana for excursions
- 🚴♂️ Pocket Maps
- 🚴♂️ Large Bike room (for over 130 bicycles), safe and video-monitored. The bike room is also equipped with a washing area, small repairs and a compressor
- Water & Soft Drinks in your Minibar
- Beach Towel & Bathrobe available
- Entrance to the HOTEL SPA for 2 hours per day
- Free access to the outdoor pool heated to 29 C° and salinized
- Free Wifi
- Panoramic fitness room with sea view & Techogym equipment
- Technical Assistance in case of accidents or faults
- Daytime & Evening Entertainment
- CHOICE OF BIKE: BIKE RENTAL IS NOT INCLUDED