The Traverse

The East/West route is a challenging ride that should not be underestimated. Its elevation profile looks like the electrocardiogram of a wild heart—indeed, it’s exactly the kind of route that Marino Bitossi, nicknamed Cuore Matto, one of the most electrifying cyclists of the 1970s, would have loved.

We start from the center of Bergamo and head east toward the Val Seriana. The first 10 km, needed to leave the city behind, can be a bit busy with traffic, but we want to get out of town as quickly and efficiently as possible: a day of over 100 km with more than 2,000 meters of climbing awaits us, so better not waste time.

Up to the town of Nembro the terrain is flat. That’s where the climb to Selvino begins—one of the most iconic ascents in our region. The climb is famous for its magical switchbacks: wide, scenic, and gentle on the legs, while offering wonderful views over the valley. Technically the climb ends in the center of Selvino, but there’s a spicy extra section with gradients of 12–14% to exit the town and continue toward Aviatico. This stretch is perhaps the most spectacular: the valley opens up on the left, and on clear days you can even see the peaks of the Swiss Alps in the distance.

From Aviatico begins a winding, mostly downhill section that leads to Serina—a perfect spot for a coffee break and a snack. From Serina, we climb again toward Dossena: 5 km of steady ascent to the Santa Croce pass, with gradients around 6–7%. It’s a secondary climb, passing through wooded sections and arriving in Dossena, a town known since Roman times for its iron mines.

From Dossena we take the beautiful, fast descent toward San Giovanni Bianco: 8–9 km of technical downhill with enchanting views of the massive rocky wall of Mount Cancervo. At its base winds the narrow, dramatic road of Val Taleggio, carved between cliffs and gorges. From San Giovanni Bianco, we turn into this green oasis and follow the road as it gently climbs along the turquoise, crystalline waters of the stream—8 km of steady ascent through spectacular rocky gorges, bringing us to Sottochiesa. At the end of the climb there’s a small bar with a food counter, and a sandwich with Taleggio—the famous local cheese—is a well-deserved treat.

The road continues through Olda, then drops quickly down to the valley floor at the Lavina bridge. From here begins the climb up the opposite side: mostly gentle climbing through the woods up to Peghera, and then the final 2 km of easy gradient leading to the Bura Pass. From the pass, a 25 km mostly-downhill run takes us back to Bergamo.

The first few kilometers are a spectacular descent with wide switchbacks and long straights down to Brembilla. From there the road flows quickly to Sedrina, where we take the spectacular cycle path built on an old railway line. It’s a continuous sequence of original 1920s tunnels—illuminated—and simply amazing. At the end of the cycle path, in Villa d’Almè, we have the final 10 flat kilometers, with a few stretches of trafficked road to link back toward Bergamo. The last small obstacle is the short climb up the “Pascolo dei Tedeschi,” which brings us into the Upper Town, the historic heart of old Bergamo.