«It all started with an initiative we have been supporting since 2022, the ”Dead Ends e Dolci", a project by bikepacking which has developed far beyond our expectations considering that we have over 500 requests for participation every year compared to only 120 places available".
These are the words of Stefano Bergamaschi , co-founder of the bike rental and much more company BikePort, who with this initiative has given a strong boost to cycling tourism in the Canton of Ticino. Indeed, we could say it has literally changed its face, because the growing success of the ride has led to the decision to make it a permanent route, presented and launched during the last Cycling Tourism Fair. The aim is to strongly encourage enthusiasts to visit the Italian part of Switzerland by presenting it in a different way.
Five truly… sweet refreshment points
This annual initiative has very unique characteristics: "Participants will encounter five checkpoints along the route, scattered throughout the Canton. At each checkpoint, they'll receive a traditional dessert prepared by a local artisan pastry chef. "Dead Ends" is the English expression for dead-end streets; the connection with "Sweets" is to convey that succulent treats await at the end of those roads. The road to these checkpoints is unpaved; you can reach that mountain on a slightly longer paved road, on a slightly tougher trail, perhaps carrying your bike, to make it all very adventurous. The important thing is that you can choose the order of the checkpoints and the road to reach them."
How did the idea for the permanent route come about? "Since so many people, most of them, were staying away from the bike ride, we thought the route, called Ticino Traverso , could be used outside of our idea. It's true that the format is completely different, but the area where you cycle is the same , so we said to ourselves: 'Let's create a permanent route that allows you to cross it from south to north.' As the crow flies, it's 90 kilometers, but here it's 330, so it's a real journey."
A path open to all
The length of the bike packing route should not scare you, on the contrary it is an invitation to tackle the route without worrying about time: «Technically it is the simplest route possible, suitable for both front and rear mountain bikes gravel, but also to the person of a certain age who prefers the electric trekking bike and with the bags attached to the rack. You can do it in one day, two, ten; let's say the goal is to do it as slowly as possible. It's 99 percent cyclable, with an elevation gain of 7.000 meters, but it's absolutely within everyone's reach.
The route is not without its 25 landmarks, adequately marked on the website. They range from the marble quarries of Arzo to the Merlot vineyards leading to Lake Lugano ; from the museum dedicated to the writer Hermann Hesse in Montagnola to the descent of the "penudria" along multiple hairpin bends; from the lakeside promenade of Ascona with views of the Brissago Islands to the stone houses of Moghegno, and much more.
Available (almost) all year round
The route is doable almost year-round, especially if you choose individual sections: "It's actually available most of the time, considering that you start from Chiasso, in southern Ticino, have a typically Mediterranean climate, even palm trees and botanical gardens with exotic species, and arrive at the Gotthard Pass where you're surrounded by glaciers. Let's say that in winter you mostly have snow, but many roads are treated, cleared of the white blanket . The most limited section is the last climb of the Gotthard, which officially opens at the end of May and then closes with the first snowfalls, so it's available from March to November."
An idea that unifies the territory
There's no doubt that the initiative has given a different image to the entire Ticino region from a cycling perspective: "This is the real innovation of this route. In Ticino, there are four tourism boards, and in the cycling field, each of them promoted only the routes within their own narrow territory . Now, however, Ticino Turismo , which is sort of in charge of everything, has taken care of the marketing and promotion of the entire product, because it is truly a trans-regional product. And this is absolutely new."
Ticino Traverso was recently launched, capitalizing on the buzz of the Cycling Tourism Fair, but the response, including attention, has been truly impressive. Bergamaschi attributes this to the area's tradition, not to mention its place in the history of cycling itself.
An ideal environment for bikes
"The Canton of Ticino is the only Swiss region south of the Alps. It's seen by other Swiss cantons, as well as by Germany and Northern Europe, as the first Mediterranean region you encounter when heading south. Unlike other Swiss regions where you still have to ski, here you can already afford to cycle in a safe, protected, and well-maintained environment ."
