First stage in a big three-part epic ride round one of the most scenic parks in Sicily. This stage starts on the edge of the busy coastal town of Cefalu on the northern side of Sicily. The main climb of this stage called Gibilmanna starts after about 3km of smaller hills to warm up. The climb is very steady with quite a number of places to recover, especially nearer to the top. The second climb comes after a very nice and fast descent with some amazing views of the incredibly scenic mountaintop village of Isnello. This 2km long climb has some quite steep but short sections. If you have a Tacx NEO smart trainer you may feel the light cobbles as you climb up through the center of the old town. After Isnello you are onto the Madonie National Park ring road and can expect more very steady climbing.This ride can be extended with two more stages. The second stage takes you up the main climb of the Parco delle Madonie, called the Piano Battaglia 1600m. The final stage takes you back down to Cefalu and has only some mild climbs.