Valle del Chiese – Valle di Ledro
From wild, unknown paths to the hotspot of the mountain bike movement. Hardly anyone knows the Bocca Giumella or the Passo Giovo, but everyone knows the Tremalzo. And we have already been able to ride these narrow paths along the ridge between the Chiese valley and Ledro valley a few times with the Transalp. Word is slowly getting around about the Valle del Chiese. Nevertheless, the trails are still far from the Tremalzo hype. Perhaps because they are so wild, hidden and pristine. And because they require just as much energy as they are fun. The way up to Malga Ringia on an asphalt road may still pass for banter. But the following 10 kilometres definitely do not. After the alpine pasture, the first thing you have to do is push! Even the best climbers can't manage the bumpy path of about 150 m uphill with ramps well over 25% in the saddle. But there is no time to catch your breath at the top. The natural, untreated paths along the ridge over the Bocca Giumella and the Passo Giovo to the Passo Rango demand your full concentration. And short ramps strain your muscles. But don't let them take away the joy of an exciting, wild section that celebrates its worthy conclusion with the towel-width "Sentiero dei Funamboli", the "tightrope walker trail". A gravel path and a small road now lie between Passo Rango and Tiarno di Sopra down in Valle di Ledro. But this is not the end, because from Lago d'Ampola the road leads up to Passo Tremalzo. Now you have to find the right rhythm and climb, climb, climb. But when the forest line is broken, the Garda mountains show their most beautiful side and the landscape draws you further up. At the latest at the exit of the tunnel at the very top of the pass, all doubts about the radiance of the Tremalzo myth evaporate and all thoughts that there could be even more formidable places on Lake Garda are gone. The cover of the very first BIKE magazine was taken on the old military road to Passo Nota. If you're not fighting for every second, you can't avoid a souvenir photo in this extravagant setting. The route continues to follow the classic descent mastered by thousands of bikers. Only at the Bocca Fortini is a variant adopted. On the winding gravel roads down to the left, the view now does not fall to Lake Garda but to Lago di Ledro, the finish of stage 6. The big lake will have to wait another day. But its smaller neighbour also has the potential to enchant the finishers with its bathing beach amidst the mountains.
