Starting from the Piazzale in Bielmonte, the trail follows the Panoramica Zegna road, crossing the picturesque Rhododendron Bowl and on towards Valle Sessera via Crocemosso and Pray.

Alpe Noveis (1,099 m)

On reaching Crevacuore, the trail takes the road to the village of Ailoche and the forbidding Alpe Noveis. Included in the 2014 Giro d’Italia (Agliè-Oropa leg), this climb is not very well known but is one of the most demanding challenges in the area.

The steep and narrow road winds up through the woods in tight hairpins. After the relatively accessible first three kilometers comes a brutal and seemingly never-ending section of around 5 kilometers with an average gradient of over 11%, with peaks of 16%. Only near the top does the road leave the woods and offer a little respite.

Mind the descent: the other side also requires prudence, the road being narrow and very torturous and technical, a real test of cycling skills.

Back to Bielmonte

On reaching the valley bottom at Coggiola, there’s a long climb back up to Bielmonte. This is long and with a fair elevation but the gradients are kinder than on the previous one.

The road offers little shade but cycling is safe even when there’s traffic, which is never excessive. From Trivero to the top, the route follows the Panoramica Zegna. Whereas the first section to Trivero is comfortably accessible, the more demanding part comes after Casa Zegna and the Wool Mill (built in 1919).

A series of hairpins (with gradients never exceeding 9%) leads up through the choreographic Conca dei Rododendri to Bocchetta di Stavello, where the climb eases off for a bit before Bocchetto di Luvera. The last section has gradients of around 7% up to the end point in Bielmonte.