“Rides to Fit YOU, Picked Fresh Daily”
Weekly tours: Introduction Our Format Dates & Prices
Special tours: Fully-Custom Giro d’Italia Granfondi
What’s a granfondo? It’s a 1-day event ride analogous to what we call a “century” ride in N. America, although the bigger ones may also be timed races. All typically have feed stops, course marshals and a “pasta party” at the finish. Some have roving mechanical support. Larger ones may have cops holding up motor traffic to let cyclists through intersections on the event route! Local folks come out to cheer on the cyclists. Participants are usually required to belong to a sanctioned cycling organization or else provide a certificate of medical fitness, and may include everyone from recreational riders (cicloturisti, cicloamatori) to racers amateur and pro (agonisti, dilettanti, professionisti). As guests of Agile Compass, you’ll qualify as members of our “cycling club”. In many granfondi, riders wear an electronic timing chip which is automatically detected by gates at the start, finish and rest stops, so that you can see your individual time in your category. Registration packets usually include some swag.
1-week itinerary Granfondi are almost always held on Sundays. We design the week so you start out easy to get over jet-lag, build up to longer, hillier rides, then have a rest day before the big day. We transport everyone to/from the start/finish on the day of the event. One more day afterwards allows you a chance to unwind and also prepare for your trip home without being rushed.
Custom granfondo tours Please see our custom tours page regarding the Granfondo Campagnolo (Sun Jun 15), Granfondo Pinarello (Sun Jul 20), or Granfondo del Monte Grappa (Sun Aug 31) in NE Italy.
2008 calendar Please contact us if you’d like us to host you for any of the granfondi below, which are near our home base in Piemonte.
Sun May 4, Bra–Bra: 99 km/62 mi or 141 km/88 mi loop through the spectacular rolling hills of the Langhe and Roero wine country dotted with hilltop castles.
Sun May 11, Granfondo della Valbormida, Cairo Montenotte (Liguria): 92 km/57 mi (1350 m/4429 ft) or 145 km/90 mi (1875 m/6152 ft) around the inland hills overlooking the Mediterranean sea of the Italian Riviera.
Sun Jun 29, La Fausto Coppi, Cuneo: The 21st! edition of this legendary event honors one of the all-time greats of cycling and native son of Piedmont, and features a grueling route over some of the toughest climbs in Cuneo province. The 200 km/124 mi course goes over Colle di Sampeyre and Colle di Fauniera, while the 120 km/75 mi course goes directly to Colle di Fauniera.
Sun Sep 14, Granfondo Carlo Dapporto, Pietra Ligure (Italian Rivieria): 2008 details not yet published. 2007 offered 147 km/91 mi (1847 m/6060 ft) and 97 km/60 mi (1337 m/4386 ft) courses.
Other granfondi The following links are to calendars in Italian for the 2008 granfondo season throughout Italy, as well as some events in other countries: BiciMilano Matteo Dalzero