Cycling at Lake Garda – The Italian Lakes & Mountains
The Route: Fast Flats and Sharp Turns
The 2026 Lake Garda Gran Fondo course was a beautiful loop totalling 140 km with 2,010 m of climbing. Despite the chilly start to the day —a crisp morning that had us all shivering in our gilets — the pace was scorching from the start. People were ready to race, and the riders were taking no prisoners – this was a race, and I needed to be ready and focused.
The First 40 km: This section was almost entirely flat and fast. We flew along the lake front in a massive peloton, tucked in to save every possible watt for the vertical work ahead. It worked as it should, with people moving to take turns and keeping the pace. It was an electric feeling, with the sublime scenery of the lake and mountains all around me. Cycling adventures are days like these and I loved it. Italy is always a special place to ride. However, it’s not a flat country, and there were climbs lying ahead!
The Climbs: Breaking the Spirit
This area of Italy is known as the Lakes and Mountains region for a reason –it has climbs and some of them are tough, yet magnificent. AS cyclists we seek these challenges, and we relish in the pain and suffering and emotions of succeeding. Lake Garda is like this, sitting in a basin of peaks, surrounded by epic scenery and with ribbons of roads that weave their way up and down, twisting into corners and shapes that keep you thinking all day long.
Riding at home, close to Barcelona I am used to climbs, but these add that little Italian magic, and you have to be ready. I knew that I had trained and I was fit. However, the pace of the day adds something, and the mental challenge is equal to the physical.
The course featured four distinct ascents that defined the day’s difficulty:
1. Ascent of Navazzo
The wake-up call came at km 40 in Gargnano. At 7.16 km long with a 6.4% mean slope, it immediately shattered the peloton. Rising to an altitude of 471 m, it provided the first real test for my heavy legs.
2. Ascent of Capovalle
Just as the recovery from Navazzo began, we hit Capovalle at km 56. This 5.8 km climb took us up to the highest point of the day at 900 m altitude. While the average gradient remained a steady 6.4%, the fatigue from my 400 km training week started to settle in deep here.
3. Ascent of Preseglie
A shorter, punchier effort at km 89. Stretching over 2.15 km with a 4.7% slope, it served as a brutal “stinger” to keep the heart rate pinned before the final major push.
4. Ascent of Coste (S. Eusebio)
The final hurdle arrived at km 93. This 6.62 km climb, averaging 4.1%, was a battle of attrition. By this point, the views of the valley were spectacular, but my focus was entirely on the wheel in front of me.
Pure Italian Magic
Despite starting the day deep in a recovery hole, the sheer quality of the organization and the safety measures on the course allowed me to just race. Yes, I was exhausted, but it had been exhilerating and filled with life and passion and emotions. One of those days cycling that we want to remember always. Swooping into corners, the pain of the climbs and the thrill of the descents. Everything had come together and my bike had stayed the course, carrying me through.
I crossed the line exhausted, but thrilled to have managed 10th place in the Female overall and 7th in the 18–39 age group. Finishing in the top ten after such a massive volume of training is a testament to what the body can do when fuelled by Italian passion and world-class scenery.
If you’re looking for a race that combines professional-level organization with some of the most beautiful views in the world, put the Lake Garda Gran Fondo on your 2027 bucket list. Just maybe take a rest day before the start! Will I be back to ride in Italy again, soon? Absolutely I will – and maybe I will see you out on your bike among these sublime mountains and lakes!
