INFINITOO, with a double ending, to recall Leopardi's verses and reproduce the mathematical symbol for infinity with letters of the alphabet. It's the name of an event bikepacking which will take place from May 29th to June 2nd among some of the most beautiful corners of the Marche region, created by a Belgian named Filip Lavrauw whose family fell in love with the region years ago and bought a house there. If you don't know them, even if you were born there, Marche they never cease to amaze.
The event, organized in partnership with the platform battiRoad.com (of which Lavrauw is the owner), Bioracer, Conti degli Azzoni Winery, Gravel Lahti, Astea and PM2 (a communications and marketing agency) was created to offer an experience. It won't be cycling for its own sake, but to discover the area and its cultural, geographical, food and wine, and artistic peculiaritiesThere is a path, but each person can travel it at their own pace, seeking the infinity of spaces and that within themselves.
A family from Flanders
"My family used to travel in the summer," says Filip Lavrauw, " sleeping in tents and spending most of our holidays in Italy . We come from a town called Oostrozebeke, near Oudenaarde, where the Tour of Flanders finishes. We changed regions at least every two years, and like many foreigners, we started with the more famous areas like Lake Garda, the Dolomites, and Tuscany. Then we ended up in Sirolo, on Mount Conero , and we were so struck by the beauty of the area that we decided to buy a house in 2006."
The story continues. After playing football, Filip discovered cycling around the age of 40. First the one on Road and then, attending the Marche, falls in love with mountain biking on Monti Sibillini, on Monte San Vicino and also the Conero. So first of all, organize a five-day trip from the Sibillini to Montefano. Trace every imaginable off-road route and now, gravel and bikepacking Growing rapidly, here's the idea of a multi-day self-supported event.
Three circular routes
INFINITOO the offer three circular routes with departure and arrival at Montefano, a small village in the province of Macerata, halfway between the sea and the mountains. The shortest is called Anello Mare, It's 150 kilometers long and has a 2.500-meter elevation gain. It follows the Conero Riviera, passing through Recanati, Loreto, Numana, and Sirolo, amidst hidden coves and panoramic views of the Adriatic.
The Anello Montagna It is 250 kilometres long with an altitude difference of 5.500 metres and faces the interior on dirt roads and irregular surfaces, reaching the medieval villages of tracks (Borgo dei Borghi 2026), Elcito and Treia.
The longest route is instead theAnello INFINITOO 400 kilometers and 8.000 meters of altitude difference that combines both itineraries in a single route between the coast, hills and Apennine ridge, including the most isolated and technical sections of the event.
The soul of the Marche
«I thought that Montefano was the ideal place to create an infinite path – explains Filip Lavrauw – and from there we will go to discover the most authentic soul of the MarcheMy goal is first and foremost to make this first event splendid and the path is obviously the first step.
"An event that will combine cycling with five of Italy's most beautiful villages , cycling through their historic centers. We'll tackle the toughest climbs, including those Michele Scarponi trained on , to give participants the experience of truly challenging climbs ."
The dress rehearsals
Discover the beauty from the saddle of your bicycle. The most beautiful villages and the historic theatres that they preserveThe Conero Riviera. The Rocca di Offagna and its museum of weapons and armor. The Cantina degli Azzoni, for tasting local wines. The registration fee, Philip explains, includes tastings at the Conti degli Azzoni Winery e Umani Ronchi, in addition to entrances to some of the cultural sites such as the CicloMuseo of Montefano, the Ghergo Museum, the Rondinella Theatre, the Offagna Fortress, the Osimo Caves and the Abbey of Sant'Urbano.
«The initial idea – continues Lavrauw – was to create an authentic experience, not just about riding a bikeWe want people to be able to experience the Marche, also in the discovery of traditions such as the Festa de'a Conca di Montefano with which we collaborate and which will be held on those same days.
"We hope to convince people to come on family vacations in the future too ; that's the goal. And I'm not just thinking about Belgians and foreigners, but about people in general. For this first edition, we may be a little late in announcing the programs, but for the first time, that won't be a problem. It'll be a dress rehearsal while we wait for bigger numbers in the coming years ."
INFINITOO It is a self-supported event: Each participant can decide independently when to leave (The scheduled departure dates are from May 29th to June 2nd and can be selected during registration), how much to pedal, and where to stop. The official track in .gpx format will be provided by the organizers shortly before departure. This format excludes rankings, time trials, and external assistance.
The inscriptions a INFINITOO 2026 are open until seats are filled on the platform BattiRoad.com of which Philip Lavrauw is the owner. And then all that remains is to discover the Marche, a magical and poignant land.
