Loop Route: Bormio – Umbrail Pass – Santa Maria Prato allo Stelvio – Stelvio Pass – Bormio

A true classic for road cycling enthusiasts, connecting three Alpine regions and some of the most iconic roads in the Alps.

From Bormio, the route climbs along the Stelvio Road to the IV Cantoniera, where you leave the road leading directly to the pass and enter Swiss territory, reaching the Umbrail Pass at an elevation of 2,501 meters. From here, a long, scenic descent begins through the Val Müstair to Santa Maria Val Müstair.

You then continue toward the valley floor, re-entering Italy and crossing the Val Venosta to Prato allo Stelvio. This is where the most challenging and spectacular part of the route begins: the climb up the Stelvio Pass from the South Tyrolean side, famous for its 48 hairpin turns and the long sequence of curves that, especially above Trafoi, wind along the mountainside.

Once you reach the Stelvio Pass at 2,758 meters, the long descent to Bormio along the Valtellina side awaits, featuring another 40 hairpin turns. In total, the tour takes you through 88 hairpin turns on the Stelvio, covering both of its main slopes.

This is a highly rewarding route, but also very demanding in terms of distance, elevation gain, altitude, and duration; it should be tackled with adequate physical conditioning and under favorable weather conditions. The climb from Bormio to the Stelvio is approximately 21.5 km long, with an elevation gain of over 1,500 meters, while the route from Prato to the Stelvio is one of the longest and most famous climbs in the Alps.