Lombardy Gran Trail

An unsupported bikepacking loop out of Bergamo, run by EPICDAYS and open to every kind of bike, from gravel and mountain bikes to road bikes and e-bikes. Riders set off together on the Saturday and the finish is whenever they close the loop, with base camps along the way offering shelter, services and the company of other riders.

The full route reads like a tour of Lombardy: the cobbled Città Alta of Bergamo inside its Venetian walls, the Navigli and the Duomo in Milan, the Certosa di Pavia and the covered bridge at Pavia, Cremona's Torrazzo, the Franciacorta vineyards, Sirmione's castle on Lake Garda and the shores of Lake Como at Varenna and Lecco. The Mountain Pass option heads for the Alpine passes with far more climbing, while Short River is designed for first-time bikepackers.

The weekend opens with a village in Bergamo on the Friday, where riders collect their kit bag, meet the staff and spend a first evening together before the start ceremony.