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Gran Fondo · Race Guide

La Stelvio Santini

A Bormio-based Alpine gran fondo combining the Mortirolo and Passo dello Stelvio, with road and gravel route options.

Register early, use very low gearing for the Mortirolo, and carry summit layers for the Stelvio descent.

Best for

  • ✓Strong climbers wanting Mortirolo and Stelvio in one ride
  • ✓Riders comfortable with sustained high-mountain efforts
  • ✓Riders wanting road or gravel options
  • ✓Experienced sportive riders seeking prestige without a ballot

Watch out for

  • !Capacity cap fills
  • !Remote Bormio location
  • !Cold wind or snow at the summit
  • !Long technical descent
  • !Published details vary by year

D-Score™

D4

Epic

Entry

Open first-come online entry with capped field

or Road Short and Medium routes

Route

130 km

4,270 m climbing

Terrain

Mountain

Smooth mountain tarmac on road routes; paved and unpaved Alpine roads on gravel routes

Month

June

Annual event

Temperature

Approximately 0-19 °C

Valley to summit

Roads / Format

Closed mountain roads during the event

Mass start in Bormio with route options

Participants

Cap reported around 3,000-3,500; needs verification

Per edition

GPX

Download

Route files

View Italian Lakes tours
Official race website Bormio Tourism

Derailleur verdict

A prestigious climbing event with no lottery but real altitude, weather and logistics demands.

Best for

  • •Strong climbers wanting Mortirolo and Stelvio in one ride
  • •Riders comfortable with sustained high-mountain efforts
  • •Riders wanting road or gravel options
  • •Experienced sportive riders seeking prestige without a ballot

Not ideal for

  • •First-time mountain riders
  • •Riders uncomfortable with remote travel logistics
  • •Anyone unprepared for near-freezing summit weather

Entry

Entry options

Main MethodOpen first-come online entry with capped field
Lottery oddsNone
Entry difficultyModerate
AlternativesRoad Short and Medium routes · Gravel Short and Long routes
Guaranteed entryNo confirmed guaranteed package route
RegistrationOnline via Njuko with medical certificate validation through DataHealth

Register early for price and capacity, and validate the medical certificate before the deadline.

Tours and packages

No La Stelvio Santini-specific tours listed yet

Explore Italian Lakes cycling tours and providers, or get notified when race packages are added.

View Italian Lakes tours

View providers (Coming soon)

Get notified (Coming soon)

Route difficulty and ride feel

Route options

RouteDistanceClimbingD-Score
Road — Short64 km2,280 mD2
Road — Medium108 km3,050 mD3
Road — Long130 km4,270 mD4
Gravel — Short44 km1,400 mD1
Gravel — Long70 km2,000 mD2

Key demands

SurfaceSmooth mountain tarmac on road routes; paved and unpaved Alpine roads on gravel routes
Road tatusClosed mountain roads during the event
Main challengeBack-to-back Mortirolo and Stelvio climbing plus altitude
Descending riskMedium-high — long descent from 2,758 m
Traffic exposureNone during the event
Bunch densityHigh early, spreading out on the Mortirolo

Every route is climbing-dense. The Long route combines the steep Mortirolo with the much longer Stelvio, so pacing and weather management are as important as power.

Route, climbs and pro-race roads

Several climbs on this route appear in Giro d'Italia history. The full route includes seven major passes.

ClimbLengthAvg gradientWhy it matters
Passo del Mortirolo from Mazzo di Valtellina12.4 km10.5 %Brutally steep Giro climb with ramps around 18%.
Passo dello Stelvio from Bormio21.5 km7.1 %Long high-altitude finish climb to 2,758 m.

Gearing & fuelling tools

Every rider has unique gearing and nutrition needs. Below are tools we find useful for working these out before race day.

Planning and logistics

Best base

Bormio

Nearest airports

Bolzano · Bergamo · Innsbruck · Zurich · Milan Malpensa

Car hire

Often useful because Bormio is remote

Book ahead

Book early because race-week accommodation is limited

Bormio is the only confirmed base; rail to Tirano plus bus is an alternative to driving.

Weather and mountain conditions

The Stelvio summit can turn near-freezing, wet or snowy even in June.

Valley temperature7-19 °C
Summit temperatureNear-freezing possible
Rain / stormsRain or snow showers possible at altitude
Weather changesFast between Bormio and the Stelvio summit
Surface conditionsSmooth tarmac; loose mixed surface on gravel routes
Main riskCold exposure on the Stelvio descent

What to consider packing

  • Bag-drop summit layer
  • Rain jacket
  • Gloves
  • Arm and knee warmers
  • Sun protection

Event feel

Event size

Mid-size capped international event

Field level

Climbing-focused and experienced

Atmosphere

Serious Giro-heritage mountain event

International mix

High international share

Bunch intensity

High in the valley, low on climbs

First-timer

Begin with Road Short or Gravel Short rather than the Long Mortirolo–Stelvio combination.

Training profile

You should be comfortable with

  • Comfortable with steep double-digit gradients
  • Confident on long descents
  • Prepared for altitude and cold
  • Able to manage remote travel

Preparation priorities

1

Steep-gradient strength

Train for the Mortirolo’s sustained double-digit gradients.

2

Altitude and cold preparation

Prepare for near-freezing conditions at the Stelvio summit.

3

Descending confidence

Practise long, technical mountain descents.

4

Endurance base

Build toward six or more hours for the Long route.

5

Gearing choices

Test the lowest planned gear on genuine double-digit gradients.