Colnago Cycling Festival

The Gran Fondo Colnago is the Sunday event of the Colnago Cycling Festival, 3 days dedicated to the bike passion.

The departure and arrival of all the three days courses are located in the center of Desenzano del Garda, on the Lake Garda (Brescia).

Leaving the center of Desenzano del Garda, 68 mt the first 15 kilometers, you will cross the hills of Lake Garda and the towns of Padenghe, Soiano, Polpenazze and Puegnago, overlooking entirely the lake and surrounded by olive trees and vineyards. These first kilometers are perfect to divide the throng, shaping it in little groups of riders.
 
Arrived in Puegnago del Garda after several ups and downs, at 238 mt starts the 3 kilometers descent, then you will face an apparently flat ground and another descent, Zette, very well known by prof and amateurs who train on the Garda. Zette, overlooking the Gulf of Salò, is characterized by twists and takes you up to kilometer 23, where you will arrive in the south area of Salò, on the shores of Garda. From here you have to cross the center to arrive in Gardone Riviera, where, at kilometer 27.6 you will find the first climb of the day: Passo San Michele.

San Michele: climb of 6 km that starts from 78 meters and reaches 380 meters with an average gradient of 6% and a maximum of 12.5%.
For the first kilometer of the climb it is really tough.
You cross one of the most beautiful places of our wonderful country, the Vittoriale. From that viewpoint you can admire such a stunning landscape.
The climb is overlooking Lake Garda and from there you can see the tip of Sirmione, Manerba and the entire Gulf of the Lower Lake Garda. Remind that this climb is present in all the three courses and on the top you will find the FIRST refreshment

From San Michele there are 7 km of descent to Serniga until the kilometer 41 and 80 meters, where, for the next five kilometers of apparently flat ground, we arrive in Tormini. Here you will find the crossroads of the short course to our left, the long and middle courses instead continue until the other climbs of the day.
 
At this point you enter the hinterland of Valsabbia, through the town of Vobarno riding another apparently flat ground, then you reach Sabbio Chiese at kilometer 59, where starts the second climb, COSTE, 11km with an average gradient of 4% and maximum of 8.5% in a completely different frame: mountains and rocks. At kilometer 70 we finally reach the Colle Sant’Eusebio, 568 meters, and the second refreshment.

The Coste Climb is the 17° Stage of the Giro d’Italia.

The 10 kilometers descent of Vallio Terme is characterized by several bends.
At the end of the descent, at kilometer 80, you can find Gavardo, where, for those who chose the middle course, the efforts are over. In fact, the last 30 km are made up of a succession of ups and downs between the towns of Bedizzole and Lonato, all immersed in the green hills of Garda, to arrive in Desenzano del Garda.

The long course goes to the kilomete113, crossing ups&downs to the last climb, Colle San Gallo, a 9 km long climb that crosses another unique scenery, the way of the white marble of Botticino.
The climb has a 12.8% gradient on the top, where you will also find the third and last refreshment.

We are  almost at the arrival, 9 km of descent and 21 kilometers of ups&downs immersed in the Garda hills until you reach the last seven kilometers, from the lakeside of Padenghe sul Garda up to 'arrival in the center of Desenzano del Garda, acclaimed by a large and warm audience.