Ligur ia & Piem ont e

BikePlusToursSt age 4: Colle Lom barda

The stunning beauty of the French and Italian

Riviera has attracted travelers for centuries. This is

where the Alps meet the Mediterranean Sea

creating a dramatic backdrop and rugged coastline.

Starting in Nice (France), a pleasant city on the

beach, our itinerary starts off relatively easy along

this coast. We then cross the Liguriuan Alps and

the Po plain to head into some of the most remote

areas of the Alps. Midway through our trip, we'll

have a rest day in the small provincial town of

Cuneo to indulge, relax and recover. We'll be

surrounded by natural beauty on very quiet roads,

crossing the Alps again on our way back to Nice.

For those looking for a somewhat easier trip, we

offer shorter rides on some of the toughest days.

Non-riding partners are welcome to join. In this

brochure you'll find information on a full program of

activities that we offer for non-riders.

At a glance

Trip dates: September 12-20, 2020

Cycling distance: from 382 miles up to 406 miles

Total vertical: from 41,800 ft up to 46,700 ft

Small group: maximum 15 guests

Supported rides: staff in support vehicle and on bikes

Hotels and meals: comfortable hotels with all breakfasts and dinners included

Price: $3,495 per person, single room surcharge: $795

St age 1: Ligur ian Coast al Bike Pat h

St age 4: Col de la Lom barde Descent

St ages 1 and 6: Beachfront in Nice

Itinerary and Elevation Profiles

Friday September 11th: Departure from the US on an overnight flight to Nice, France.

Saturday September 12th: Arrival at Nice airport and transfer to hotel (15 minutes).

In the afternoon you can put your bike together (we'll help you if needed) and go for a quick test ride.

Sunday September 13th: Nice to Pieve di Teco (distance: 74 mi, vertical: 5,600 ft)

We'll ride out of town on a beautiful stretch along the Mediterranean coast passing Monaco and San Remo. Part of it is on a 15 miles long bike path created from a former railway. Then heading into the Ligurian Alps, where almost all of the vertical of the day is. Stay in a quaint mountain town in a small inn.

Monday September 14th: Pieve di Teco to Cuneo (72 mi / 8,400 ft)

A nice stage with some smaller climbs and the first category Colle di Cassotto. Then onto the Po plains for a short flat run in to Cuneo. It is a cool historic town of a decent size. We'll be staying there for three nights.

Tuesday September 15th: Colle di Fauniera Loop (68 or 62 mi / 8,800 or 7,200 ft)

Today we'll climb the enormous Colle di Fauniera. It is a 'beyond category' beast with 6,000ft of vertical and topping out at just over 8,000ft altitude. The descent is spectacular and just as long. The optional longer route includes the climb up the tight switchbacks of the Madonna del Colletto (2nd cat) for dessert.

Rest Day: Cuneo

St age 3: Colle Fauniera Descent

Itinerary and Elevation Profiles (Continued)

Shorter option:

Wednesday September 16th: Rest Day

Today you'll have time for yourself. You can explore the town and visit its monuments, cafes and shops. Don't forget to stop for a cappuccino and get some great gelato!

Thursday September 17th: Cuneo to St Martin Vesubie (76 mi / 10,400 ft)

Our queen stage with one 'beyond category' and one first category climb. The Colle Lombarde is one of the most beautiful climbs in the Alps. It is very remote and quiet with a good chance of seeing some marmots on the higher slopes. We'll cross the border into France at the top before we descend over 50 switchbacks into the Tinee valley. The Col St Martin is much easier but still 11 miles long. Then it is all down to the pretty mountain town of St Martin (elevation 3,200 ft) for the night.

Friday September 18th: St Martin to Nice (70 or 59 mi / 9,500 or 6,400 ft)

We'll take the hard way back to Nice. The first climb is the north side of Col de Turini, another 'beyond category' climb. Then you can choose: the long route has an incredibly long descent to the village of Sospel before the 2nd cat ascent of Col de Braus from the east side. The shorter route takes a shortcut descending all the way until the routes come together at the foot of the first category climb of Peille. We then drop down to the spectacular cliffside road along the coast and make our way downhill to Nice.

St age 4: Col de la Lom barde Sum m it

Itinerary and Elevation Profiles (Continued)

Shorter option:

Saturday September 19th: Nice Hinterland Loop (46 or 39 mi / 5,600 or 4,400 ft)

A great loop to end the week with scenic roads all the way to the first category Mont Chauve, the last climb of the week with awesome views over Nice and the coast. The steep upper section is an out an back climb so you can skip it if you like.

Tonight we'll have a celebratory dinner on the beach to mark the end of our trip.

Shorter option:

Sunday September 20th: Flight home

You'll be taken to Nice airport by private transfer for the flight home.

St age 1: Ligur ian Coast al Bike Pat h

St age 5: Saint Mar t in de Vesubie

Partner Program

We have a great offering of activities for non-riding partners. After all why should the cyclists have all

the fun? Below is a non-exhaustive list of examples of possible activities. Let us know if you'd like to

do something that is not on the list and we'll do our best to make it possible. The program will be

tailor-made to the wishes of the partners by choosing from the different alternatives. You can choose

to take part in all or just some of the chosen activities as you please. All costs of the activities as well

as transport are included in the price of the trip!

- Guided city tour of Monaco

- Scenic coastal drive over the famous Grande Corniche cliffside road along the sea

- Visit of picturesque towns of Eze and Menton and the Jean Cocteau museum

- Hike the Nietzsche trail or the coastal paths around Cap Ferrat

- Wine tasting in the Barolo wine region

- E-bike tour of the Langhe hills

- Traditional Piemonte cuisine cooking class

- Via Ferrata rock climbing adventure trail (guided)

- Guided walk of the historic center of Cuneo

- Gorgeous drive through the mountains over Colle Lombarda and Col St Martin

- Explore the impressive fortress in Vinadio

- Visit the thermal baths in Vinadio Terme

- Hiking or e-mtb cycling in the Mercantour national park

- Canyoning in the Nice hinterland

- Guided walk or e-bike tour of Nice

- Scuba diving in the Mediterranean Sea

- Visit the Ephrussi de Rothschild villa with its opulent gardens

- Enjoy being pampered on a private beach in Nice

- Visit the Matisse and Chagall Museums

Mercant our Nat ional Park

Vil la Ephrussie de Rot hschild

Langhe Wine Region

Canyoning

Niet zsche Trail Viewpoint

Our package includes:

- Private transfers to and from Nice Airport for you, your luggage and your bike

- Eight nights of hotel accommodation

- All breakfasts and dinners

- Water, snacks and fruit on the rides

- Laminated stage sheets with ride details and altitude profiles

- Support vehicle during the rides with Carolyn and Pieter guiding on bike

- GPS files of all rides

- Partner program for non-riders

Excluded items:

- Flights to and from Nice- Travel and medical insurance- Lunches, drinks, gratuities and personal expenses

Price: $3,495 per person in a shared double or twin room

$4,290 per person in a single room

Please e-mail Carolyn and Pieter for more information and booking:

info@bikeplustours.com

Why BikePlusTours?

15+ Years of experience in organizing cycling trips in Europe

Routes that combine famous climbs with beautiful local byways

Owners Carolyn and Pieter guide every trip

Small group size

Great value

We reserve the r ight to change this it inerary due to availabilit y of guides, accommodat ion, act ivit ies, road closures, weather or other unexpected circumstances.

Our tr ips are catered to exper ienced cyclists with excellent b ike handling skills. We r ide rain or shine. You will be required to complete all r ides by b ike. Van transfer is not available except in case of an emergency. Please read the Terms and Condit ions on our website before signing up.

The full rout e of t he t r ip

St age 6: Dinner on t he Beach in Nice

About BikePlusTours

We are a small company owned and operated by Carolyn and Pieter Maessen. Our home base is Breckenridge, Colorado.

BikePlusTours was born out of a desire to share our love for cycling on the great mountain roads of Europe with our guests. We have been organizing group cycling trips since 2002 and we feel very lucky that our hobby has become our profession.

Pieter has been a cyclist all his life. He has competed in junior and elite races in his native Netherlands as well as in Belgium, Germany and the USA. Although more of a classics rider than a climber, Pieter has had a passion for cycling in the mountains ever since riding up Passo dello Stelvio at age 16.

Carolyn has had a lot of success as a triathlete. She was a sponsored athlete for seven years and has won races in every distance from sprint to Ironman. She has competed in World Championships in Ironman in Kona (Hawaii), Ironman 70.3 in Las Vegas (Nevada) and Sprint Triathlon in London (UK).

Please get in touch with us if you would like more information about our trips. Follow us on Facebook to stay up to date.

BikePlusTours LLC www.bikeplustours.com

PO Box 8131 BikePlusTours

Breckenridge, CO 80424 info@bikeplustours.com