Granfondo Livigno Alè: Course, Elevation & Route Profile

Course & Elevation

The start is at the Aquagranda sports centre in Livigno, at just over 1,800 metres. After the run through the village the route climbs to the Forcola di Livigno, crosses into Switzerland and switchbacks up to the Bernina Pass. A long descent through the Upper Engadine follows to Zernez, at around 1,470 metres one of the lowest points of the first half. From there the road climbs past Ova Spin and through the Swiss National Park to the Ofenpass and drops into Val Müstair.

The heart of the race is the Umbrail from Santa Maria: almost 13 kilometres and roughly 1,100 metres of climbing to about 2,500 metres, the highest point of the course, just below the Stelvio. A long descent to Bormio follows, the lowest point of the day at just under 1,300 metres. The Foscagno is the longest climb of the day, and with the Eira straight after it you roll back into the Livigno valley.

The Mottolino is still to come, the summit finish of the 2024 Giro d'Italia stage. At the request of the Swiss authorities only the summed times on the timed climbs count; on the link roads between them normal traffic rules apply. Above 2,000 metres the weather at the end of June can be cold and changeable even when the valley is sunny.

Pacing Strategy

Because only the times on the designated climbs count, this race is a string of hill climbs with neutral riding in between. That tempts you to go all in on every climb. Don't: the Forcola and the Bernina come in the first 25 kilometres and feel easy on fresh legs, but the big blocks, the Umbrail and the Foscagno, only start after kilometre 100 and 140.

The day is decided on the Umbrail and the Foscagno. Ride the Umbrail at a pace you could hold for an hour, and use the descent to Bormio to eat and drink rather than just to recover. The Foscagno is where earlier misjudgements show.

The biggest trap is the feeling after the Eira that the job is done. The Mottolino is short but steep and comes at the end of more than 160 kilometres. Keep a deliberate reserve for it, because those minutes count in full.

Training plan for Granfondo Livigno Alè: 12-week build

Expect seven to ten hours in the saddle as a well-prepared amateur. The effort is mostly aerobic, but broken into long threshold blocks on the climbs and long descents in which your heart rate drops and your legs cool down.

Build the preparation around long rides with two or three climbs of 45 to 75 minutes each, with the hardest climb at the end. Practise getting back into rhythm after a long descent, and do low-cadence strength-endurance work for the steep ramps on the Mottolino.

The start and finish sit above 1,800 metres and the high point at about 2,500. If you can, arrive a few days early to adapt to the altitude, and expect slightly less power on the climbs than at home.

The descents from the Umbrail and the Bernina are long and technical. Practise hairpins and pack for cold and rain at the top of the passes even when Livigno is sunny in the morning. At this duration fuelling is part of the training: use the long rides to test what you can take in over seven hours.