L'Oltrepò è una terra di confine (una volta parte del antico Piemonte), così vicina al Piemonte che il tortonese è dietro l'angolo. Si parte con agevoli salite in ghiaia e terra sino al belvedere "panchinato" di Pozzol Groppo e poi i percorsi si dividono, quello tranquillo sale a Montemarzino col suo balcone panoramico, quello agitato sfonda l'antico confine del feudo Doria arrivando a San Sebastiano Curone, borgo di tartufi e natura che ricorda lo stile della riviera con le sue vie strette e case colorate.
Ora ci si diverte con salite toste ma pedalabili e ombreggiate, con l'allungo al carino paesello di Dernice (consiglio di salire sulla torre) ed un crinale di saliscendi croccanti verso Casasco ed un'ennesima bigbench, prima di arrivare a Montemarzino sempre su strade secondarie o sterrate (si trova un breve tratto a spinta, 100m scarsi).
Non finisce qui, Monleale alto presenta un'altra seduta per giganti, e per finire ci si addentra in Volpedo di Pellizza, tra mura spagnole, pieve e piazza in cui è ambientato il celebre "quarto stato". Dolci colline riportano a Salice, per una traccia quasi interamente piemontese
61km, 1400d+ (breve: 48, 650d+)
La valle Staffora è la protagonista di questa valle creata dal torrente che unisce Varzi a Voghera attraverso borghi pittoreschi tutti da scoprire. L'inizio è su strade secondarie con tratti off-road, si passa attraverso Cecima e San Ponzo e si sale zampettando su una carrozzabile impegnativa, alle celebri grotte di S.Ponzo raggiunte da una piccola devazione. Varzi arriva più avanti attraverso la Greenway, qui è obbligatoria una sosta per un tagliere di affettatti accompagnato da un calice di Bonarda ed un giro tra i suoi portici e chiese. Il percorso più facile rientra sulla comoda Greenway (all'incorcio di Cecima lasciare la greenway, attraversare il ponte e continuate il ritorno seguendo le indicazione per Biagasco), i ciclisti tosti avranno una bella salita da vera gravel sino a Pietragavina ed il suo castello e le vie dei boschi che portano all'eremo di S.Alberto di Buttrio, altra perla nascosta in cui fermarsi per due passi al suo interno, prima dell'agevole rientro lontano dal traffico sulla ciclabile
Questi tre giri gravel rappresentano il meglio per scoprire interamente il territorio dell'oltrepo pavese , una zona di grande varietà e cultura sia artistica che enogastronomica. Ogni traccia si concentra principalmente in una zona specifica cercando di toccare i punti più caratteristici o panoramici, affinché a fine giro potrai dire "ho conosciuto il territorio".
I percorsi sono a portata di persone con un discreto allenamento e qualche ora a disposizione, ma c'è anche la versione breve più agevole, la superfice e pendenze sono pressoché sempre pedalabili anche con una bici gravel e la traccia predilige discese su asfalto o tratti lontani dal traffico.
Si consiglia vivamente di percorrerle nel senso indicato, con le salite offroad e le discese veloci su bitume, considerate anche le brevi soste nei vari paesi per toccare con mano e magari con il gusto ciò che questa terra di confine ha da offrire al turista curioso e con la voglia di imparare
Reach Chiavari (possibly also Portofino) passing through the Brallo pass and the Aveto valley. Finally, this proposal, however, should be organized with fish eaten at the sea and return to the bus ... (we do it a couple of times a year, recommended at the beginning of June and September) It consists in reaching Chiavari (possibly also PortoFino) passing through the Brallo pass and the Aveto valley. Let me tell you a surprise, if you can organize lunch and get back to the bus it is the best.
Like all the tours proposed here, this one can also be covered in both directions. Specifically, this includes the first flat stretch along the Via Emilia, up to the town of Cardazzo a few kilometers after Stradella, be careful because if you overdo it, maintaining a high speed in this stretch, you will then pay the duty in the next part of the route. Length about 125 km, altitude difference about 1000 meters. Estimated time 4/4 and a half hours. After traveling along Via Emila, leave it in the locality of Cardazzo and start walking along roads immersed in the famous vineyards of the Olprepo Pavese, with continuous ups and downs.
You reach Borgonovo Val Tidone and from here you go through the entire valley of the same name passing by Pianello, Trevozzo and then you reach Nibbiano, here the some tears that lead to the Molato dam begin, needless to say that the landscapes are very beautiful and attractive. Once you reach the dam, go along Lake Trebecco, for a few kilometers flat and catch your breath, then in Moline the ascent to Zavattarello begins, a regular and not very long climb which however begins to be felt at this point of the route.
Leaving Zavattarello and its symbol, the Castello del Verme, after a few kilometers of up and down the longest climb of the day begins, which will take us to the top of the hill in Pietragavina. Here the fatigue will certainly be felt, the climb does not have hard slopes but it is constant. From Pietragavina take the descent that will lead to Varzi and from here return to the hotel. Places of interest: The Molato dam and its lake, Zavattarello the historic center, Varzi.
Up to the top! This itinerary takes us to the summit of Monte Lesima, at an altitude of 1724 m a.s.l. Once at the Prodongo plains, along the climb, partly dirt and partly asphalt, which starts from the Brallo Pass, we head towards the characteristic radar, which dominates the Staffora and Trebbia Valleys. Along the state road that leads to the Giovà Pass, between Lombardy and Emilia Romagna, you can admire the rocky layers of the geological formation called "Limestone of Monte Antola". below and on the rest of the track we are going to face.
We take the way back to descend until we reach Passo della Ritorta and Monte Terme (1489 m a.s.l.) along a wonderful path that between meadows and shady woods will take us to the foot of the Cima della Colletta (1490 m a.s.l.) to take the CAI 109, a singletrack with sometimes exposed sections, which will accompany us to the locality of Bocco. From here on it will be a transfer until departure.
Beautiful itinerary immersed in the green of the beech trees and almost entirely in dirt, which alternates stretches of forest roads and singletrack, through an articulated series of soft climbs and pleasant descents. Due to this feature, the route is suitable for everyone and offers the opportunity to enjoy unexpected views and surprising "historical-cultural" corners a stone's throw from the Brallo Pass.
Ring tour practicable in both directions, it can be considered a “four seasons” route precisely because it is possible to do it in all seasons, including the winter one. Length of about 60 km for a difference in height of about 500 meters. Estimated time just over 2 hours. The route does not present major difficulties, you need to go up the Staffora Valley up to Verzi, if you go clockwise, or go up the Curone Valley in the other direction. In common there is the Pareto ascent from the two sides, which are equal in difficulty, here you cross fascinating gullies that touch the asphalt. Places of interest: visit the ancient village of Varzi, and in Volpedo, the birthplace of the painter Giuseppe Pellizza, author of many famous paintings including the Quarto Stato.
Tour that we can define as mountain, since it includes two climbs each more than 15 km long. Length about 120 km, difference in height about 1800 meters, estimated time over 5 hours. It runs through the entire Staffora Valley up to Varzi where the first bump of the day begins, the climb to Passo Penice. This climb is one of the real ones, on this side of Varzi, if desired there are some variations that always lead to the summit, but we take into consideration the classic route that follows the Statale del Penice. This climb can be divided into 2 sectors: The first from Varzi to the crossroads for Menconico, difficult at the beginning but which flattens out after a few km; the second reaches the Penice pass, more difficult than the previous one but with a slight slope at the end.
The climb begins on a very wide state road with good asphalt. The slopes are consistent and the road is always in the sun, but after a few km it begins to become less steep and when the various hamlets begin it is slightly flat. After the crossroads with Menconico, the road begins to climb sharply again, but the carriageway narrows a little and from this point there will be numerous sections in the shade of a luxuriant forest. The asphalt is good and regular, even if a little rough, which doesn't help. Extreme slopes are not seen, but it is quite regular and it is better not to overdo it. Reached the Pass, we are in the Emilia-Romagna province of Piacenza, a long descent awaits us to Bobbio, a pleasant town in the Piacenza area.
From here we go up the beautiful Trebbia Valley up to Ponte Organasco. It is almost impossible to describe the beauty of this valley and the Trebbia river that runs through it. It is necessary to visit it. From Ponte Organasco we take the direction towards the Brallo Pass. Another climb of about 15 km, not with prohibitive slopes. At the Brallo pass you go off and along a pleasant descent you return to Varzi and then go through the initial part of our tour in the opposite direction. Points of Interest, Varzi, Passo del Penice and its Sanctuary, Bobbio, Corte Brugnatella, Passo del Brallo.
Route that winds through the Tortona hills overlooking the Scrivia Valley, a very interesting route along the roads of the legend of Italian cycling: Fausto Coppi. Length of about 80 Km with a difference in height of about 800mt. Estimated time 3 hours. We will pass to Carbonara Scrivia, on the first hilly offshoots of the valley, to climb to Castellania from the Spineto-Paderna route, an easy climb with some steeper sections. Here we cannot fail to visit Castellania and the funeral monument to the Coppi brothers where the spirit of one of the strongest cyclists of all time manages to break through when you admire his jerseys and those that many champions have given him to remember him.
