Viù - Colle del Nivolet   

The "Viù - Colle del Nivolet" is a 123 km Italian cycling race that begins in the quaint town of Viù, nestled in the picturesque valleys of the Piedmont region. Known for its serene surroundings, Viù offers an idyllic backdrop for the race's start.

The race is most known for its legendary final climb to the Colle del Nivolet, one of the highest mountains in Europe accessible on paved roads, at an incredible height...

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The "Viù - Colle del Nivolet" is a 123 km Italian cycling race that begins in the quaint town of Viù, nestled in the picturesque valleys of the Piedmont region. Known for its serene surroundings, Viù offers an idyllic backdrop for the race's start.

The race is most known for its legendary final climb to the Colle del Nivolet, one of the highest mountains in Europe accessible on paved roads, at an incredible height of 2641 meters. However, before the riders can start this incredibly tough climb, they must first survive two other climbs on the way to the Colle del Nivolet.

The first one, La Cialma (2193m) isn’t as long as the final climb, but it has some incredibly steep sections where even the best riders will suffer, it is followed by a quick and easy descent, after which the riders will start the second climb of the day, La Merola (2257m), at this ascent, every rider who doesn’t have extremely good legs will be dropped from the peloton, and only the strongest riders will remain once they start finally start climbing the Colle del Nivolet.

This ascent is a true beast, pushing the cyclists to their limits. The road winds upwards, seemingly endlessly, with the gradient increasing cruelly as the riders approach the summit. But the Colle del Nivolet also rewards the cyclists with breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains and lakes, motivating them to keep going.

Those who still have the legs to attack at this point will often achieve a solo victory because due to the steep slopes in the final kilometers, this race is seldomly decided with a sprint. Those strong enough to be victorious at the summit of the Colle del Nivolet often look back at the race very proudly, remembering the suffering they went through to achieve victory at this incredibly hard race.