The Tour of the Alps, a professional race taking place in the Euroregion, between Italy and Austria, kicked off today from Innsbruck . The short but beautiful and intense stages span Tyrol, South Tyrol, and Trentino. A significant portion of this stage race, which runs until Friday the 24th, will therefore take place in Italy (see Tour of the Alps photo above).
So why not take this opportunity to discover the iconic climbs of the stages taking place in Italy? Perhaps those who can will even follow the race. But for the coming weeks or months, here's a rough outline, a suggestion of what your Tour of the Alps could be.
Val Martello, in the shadow of Cevedale
As we were saying, aside from the first stage, Innsbruck-Innsbruck, the Tour of the Alps arrives in Italy and does so with a bang. The 147-kilometer Telfs-Val Martello stage could almost be the decisive one. But what matters most in our eyes is the final climb.
Val Martello is a side valley of the larger Val Venosta. It's one of those lesser-known valleys. There's no Alpine skiing here, and somehow it remains less frequented by large tourist flows, which also helps it maintain a more authentic appearance (including its landscape). There's no Alpine skiing, but there is Nordic skiing, somewhere between classic cross-country skiing and biathlon. And the village ends right in the shooting range area. We're about halfway through this valley.
The climb begins among the apple orchards below and then into the fir forest higher up. The climb begins in Coldrano and is 7 kilometers long with an average gradient of 8 percent. If you wish, you can climb all the way to the head of the Val Martello, where the Road ends at 2.070 meters. In that case, the climb is 22,6 kilometers long with an average gradient of 6,5 percent. The finish line is beneath one of the most iconic peaks in the entire Alpine range: Monte Cevedale (3.769 meters), a true bastion of the Rhaetian Alps along with the nearby Ortles. Not far from here is the Stelvio, for those who want to dare a double-header.
On the Castrin… Paris's house
The third stage takes the group from Laces to Arco after a ride of over 174 kilometers. It's the stage that leaves Alto Adige or South Tyrol and enters Trentino. And for this very reason, while perhaps the most famous climb is the Andalo one, we're focusing on the Castrin Pass.
One side is South Tyrolean, the other Trentino. It's also the Cima Coppi of this edition of the Tour of the Alps. Naturally, following the race's direction, we climb the Castrin from the Bolzano side. In fact, the Castrin follows the Val d'Ultimo. Once again, we enter a wild, almost remote valley. The road is incredibly winding, a constant drag by car, a joy to ride on. Every turn offers a different scene: woods, clearings, mountain pastures... and very uneven slopes.
The Castrin data? It starts in Lana and leads to an altitude of 1.586 meters after 22,2 kilometers at an average gradient of 5,7 percent. The first and last six kilometers are actually steep, while the middle 10 kilometers are practically a slight slope. Fun fact: along this road, you'll find Santa Valburga, home to Dominik Paris, our downhill ace!
A possible connection with another pass is that with Tonale, once you have descended to the Trentino side of the Val di Non.
Redebus Pass, between dwarves and mines
The most authentic and wild Trentino-Alto Adige still dominates the routes of the 2026 Tour of the Alps. The routes, mind you, because the stage locations are all renowned. The fourth stage, in fact, runs from Arco to Trento after almost 168 kilometers.
It's a very tough stage with two truly ferocious climbs: the Bordala Pass at the start and the Redebus Pass about halfway through. And the race could be followed right up the Redebus Pass. It's a 12,9-kilometer climb at 6,8 percent, with peaks reaching 11 percent. It therefore goes from the Valsugana to the Valle dei Mocheni. Once again, it's a solitary and silent climb through fir forests, though the lower ones are coppices. That part of the Valsugana is, in fact, tempered by Lake Caldonazzo.
Redebus isn't just about cycling. It's important to note that mining has a strong tradition here. There's even an archaeological site worth visiting: Acqua Fredda , located at 1.440 meters above sea level , one of the most important prehistoric foundries from the Late Bronze Age. This is also why the Mocheni are among the oldest civilizations in the Alps. Because of these mines, there are many legends surrounding dwarves and forest elves.
San Genesio, the climb of the people of Bolzano
The final stage of the Tour of the Alps is Trento-Bolzano . This route returns to Alto Adige after 128 kilometers. The stage looks easy on paper, but in reality, the finale is arduous, thanks to the double climb to San Genesio. And it's precisely here that we recommend you wait to watch the champions, if you so desire... if only because you'll see them pass by twice!
This is a natural training ground for Bolzano's cycling enthusiasts. A very tough climb: about 8 kilometers at an average gradient of 13,2 percent, with peaks approaching 20 percent. So be careful, because while until now the Tour of the Alps has featured easily rideable climbs, aside from a few short sections in the Val Martello, it now features walls worthy of the Mortirolo or Zoncolan.
San Genesio is a former mule track: the city below, the mountain pastures and farms above. Today, there's even a cable car that takes you directly from Bolzano. The scenery, however, is breathtaking: you pedal along the northern slopes of the mountains surrounding Bolzano itself, among terraced vineyards, farms, and typical South Tyrolean bell towers.
