Bormio 3000 MTB Route
Italian mountain bike adventure
The Bormio 3000 is not a formal trail centre, rather its a series of trails linked in and around this mountain town, taking you to the top of the mountain slopes and offering you an epic descent back to the valley. From Bormio, you can take the Gondola up to to… or if using an e-bike, enjoy the ascent.
The descent to Santa Caterina is an epic one, for experts only. However, if you have the fitness and skills, then this is ride to savour.
Route Information
Stats: 33 km with an ascent of 2,008 metres
Refreshments & Where to Stay: Bormio is a well practised place for cycling tourists to stay, and has everything. At the top of the pass, you’ll find places to eat, drink and rest before descending
Character: Tough and steep, with technical descents and tricky ascents. We have two options: Santa Caterina start, using the Gondola ascent at Bormio; or a ride from Bormio, climbing the slopes – suitable for e-bikes. The Bormio start is actually longer, and does have the climb as an option.
Do not tackle if your actual fitness and skill level is not up to this. However, if you’re ready for the adventure, it is an epic ride! This is a mountain ride for expert level mountain bikers only.
Route
This is an expert only route from Bormio,as you ascend the steep and technical trails from the town – or choose the Gondola, wisely. Once at the summit, the track weaves around the rocky landscape, and there is a choice of descents at the 37 km point of the ride. Either descend to Santa Caterina on the more popular route, or take the track to the left and descent to Capella del Sant in the valley, and miss out Santa Caterina.
Once you have descended at speed through the the trees to Capella del Sant, simply follow the road back to Bormio via Sant Antonio and the small villages.
Alternative start
The Bormio 3000 can be started from Santa Caterina, allowing you a a warm up ride, as you take to the road and tracks through the century old conifer trees, on a forest road immersed in the woods, and ride to Bormio itself. However, once you reach Bormio, this second part of the route is technical and tricky, and should only be ridden by expert and experienced riders.
On reaching Bormio, the ski lifts can be taken to get you up the mountain. Yes, there are tracks that e-bikes can utilise. However,a gondola ascent will save time and energy for the epic descent.
Reaching the top of Cima Bianca at a height of 3,000m nothing is predictable – save for an epic technical descent back down to Santa Caterina! Simply follow the GPX track and stay on course, as the rough and technical trail weaves itself down the mountain.
For more useful information about where to stay and what to do locally, visit the Bormio website
Click below for GPX files
Download GPX
Bormio 3000 – Santa Caterina
Download GPX
Bormio non-Gondola Route
