Gran Fondo San Gottardo

Route Details

# In a few words
* **Extension**			: 99 km (ca.)
* **Elevation gain**	: 3000 m (ca.)
* **Climbs**			: 3 peaks
* **Hors catégorie**	: HC (all of them)
* **Wheels type**		: road cycling
* **Legs required**		: tough 
* **Start**				: Airolo train station
* **Finish**			: Airolo train station

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# Overview
The Gran Fondo San Gottardo is a classic race in Switzerland. 113 km and 3200 m of ascent in its longest version of pure road cycling. It is massive. It includes @poi[Gotthard](7919643), @poi[Furka](7926505) and @poi[Nufenen](7926506) pass. Three climbs of the highest category that will take you through 3 different cantons: Ticino, Uri, and Valais. However, as this race normally starts and ends at Ambri's Airport, I have moved the start and finish line to Airolo's train station for a matter of convenience. The road is paved and the best seasons to ride are spring and summer. It could be possible in autumn but already a bit cold. Winter, no way as the passes are closed.

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# Route

Starting in @point[Airolo](d,18.53) you will not have too much time to warm up your legs because almost immediately you will see yourself attacking the road of @slice[Tremola](d,2233.16,13300.16): a 12 km @photo[cobbles](4027685) path with an average gradient of 7% that goes directly to the top of Gotthard.

On top of the first climb, you will find the @poi[Albergo San Gottardo](7898894), in which restaurant you could enjoy your first coffee break, refill your bottles and energy. If you want to increase your knowledge of the pass just crossing the street you have the National St. Gotthard-Museum. After this first climb, you start your downhill in the direction of @point[Realp](d,27990.54), a small little town where you will also find a couple of restaurants.

The @slice[road to Furka](d,28554.09,39675.48) has a gradient of 8% (ca.) and almost 12 km in length. It is a beautiful ride as you will find an amazing view of the valley and a couple of waterfalls. Once that you have reached the top, I would recommend you to continue right away down the mountain just 3 km until you arrive to the @point[Hotel Belvedere](d,43031.6).

In case you wonder why is so cold going down from Furka, beyond the fact that you are at 2400 of altitude, it is because at this point you will find a beautiful spectacle to the eyes: the @poi[Rhone Glacier](7929014). Spend a moment here, take a coffee and a nice piece of cake and enjoy the magnificence of a glacier. You will also need all the energy that you can get back to your legs to attack the last and probably toughest climb.

The last ascent of the route, @slice[Nufenen pass](d,62758.1,75667.11), is quite a monster. Almost 13 km with an average gradient of 9%. You will not find too many flats roads here. Most of the time you will look at your watch or GPS and you will just see a big 10 next to the gradient. And by this time you have already cycled more than 60 km with two HC climbs, so it is only natural at this point to feel the pain of your legs together with your will to battle for this climb. It is a relentless challenge but the joy of reaching the last summit is priceless. You just feel so good after all the effort.

Here you can decide either to stay on top and take a break in the @poi[Nufenen Passhöhe Restaurant](7929066) or just going downhill all the way back to Airolo. I guess that by this time you have spent something between 4 to 6 hours on your bike. It is a bit difficult to say but keep an eye on the daylight because you still have 23 km back to the train station. This should take you more or less 45 minutes full speed non-stop.

Finally, if you check the map you will see three blue sections that coincide with the three climbs of this route. However, they specifically depict the timing sections of the Gran Fondo San Gottardo, along with the cues that go from "Start timing" to "Stop timing, summit". This is according to the 2018 version of the race but I would tend to guess that the difference with other versions is minimum. If you want to time yourself, take into account that you have a time limit of 2 hours for Gotthard, 1.5 hours for Furka and 2 hours for Nufenen.

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# Picture time
**There are plenty of places to take beautiful pictures but keep an eye on these:**
1. Top of each of the climbs (duh 😉).
2. At @point[this point](d,35526.94), you will see two small waterfalls to the side but the good one is @poi[this one](7991381) going up to Furka.
3. Impossible to miss the @poi[Rhone Glacier](7929014) and the @photo[Hotel Belvedere](4057597), a classic place of old times (both are at the same point going down Furka).
4. Arriving at @point[Gletsch](d,50595.64), crossing the river on this @point[bridge](d,50588.4) you will find a beautiful view of Furka, the river and the mountains. If you are lucky enough you may cross the train arriving at the station. Quite a beautiful spectacle.
5. More or less at @point[this point](d,69869.27), you will have a nice view of the bends of Nufenen. At this point it is also possible that, like me, you hear a voice deep inside of you screaming: "No way we are finishing this". Do not worry, just ignore it. You will continue hearing it anyway along this climb, like a non-stop loop. 
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# Caution zones
1. You have 48 km of downhill where you can easily go over 70 km/h. Many curves as well. So just stay focused and keep control of your bike.
2. Be aware that in spring you could find plenty of water on the path coming from the thaw.
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# Cycling path
You will always be sharing the way with cars. You do not really have an exclusive path but it is not so stressful. The road is paved 100%.
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# Cycling cap tips
1. Check your bike, your replacements, shoes and cleats. I had to cycle the last 30 km with only one cleat locked to the pedal because one of them was absolutely worn out. It was not so bad at the end but far from safe and ideal. 
2. Once again, big climbs, big downhills so keep an eye on those curves.
3. Take more than enough water and food with you. You will find restaurants and some little villages where to buy something but be sure that you are not in the middle of the climb starving and craving for something to refill your energies. 
4. If you go by car from the German speaking part of Switzerland and want to avoid the traffic jam of the Gotthard tunnel, you can also start this route from @poi[Andermatt](7991660). In this way, you start with Furka, continue with Nufenen and finish with Gotthard.
5. Before your departure, check this [website](http://bit.ly/2AJtWMv) where you could find if the pass is open or not.  
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