The Valchiavenna Gravel Escape, now in its third edition, is an event built on solid foundations: the local area and its promotion, as well as the people who live and breathe it. Events like this allow cyclists to pedal and be guided to discover new placesThis is the essence of cycle tourism, an activity that embodies a series of core values upon which the business is based.
The heart of Valchiavenna, with the city that gives the valley its name, Chiavenna, will also be the focus of the third edition of this event. A two-day event, scheduled for May 9th and 10th, where the focus is on gravel, but which also embraces the entire world of off-roading.
Two days of celebration
The goal is not only to place the bicycle at the center of local development, but also to use this vehicle as a tool for aggregation and unity.
"Piazza Bertacchi, in the heart of Chiavenna," Giulia Guanella of the Valchiavenna Tourist Consortium tells us, "remains the meeting point for these two days. The activities, like in previous years, will allow participants and the curious to get closer to the world of cycling . The guys from Basso Bikes will provide their bikes for bike tests, while the owner of the local shop, Rock Bike, who is part of the organizing committee, will be the village's contact, where various industry brands will be exhibiting."
Schools
It kicks off on Saturday, May 9th, with activities designed to bring the village to life and attract curious onlookers and enthusiasts. The first two events of the weekend, dedicated to children, will kick off in Piazza Bertacchi.
"There will be two planned rides," Giulia Guanella continues, "a kids ride and a junior ride. The first is open to children aged six to ten, while the second is open to children aged ten to eighteen. Both are free, and participants will be escorted by guides from the Chiavenna MTB Club . The younger ones will stay in the Chiavenna area, while for the junior ride, the route will be decided on the spot based on the average age and ability of the children."
"This year," he adds, "we've decided to invite students from the local middle school to participate on Saturday. It's a way to introduce kids to cycling, both as a way to explore the area and as a way to get around independently ."
Paths
There will always be three proposed itineraries: 50, 80, and 110 kilometers . The first one is designed to be accessible to most users and can represent a first approach to cycling.
«With the 50 kilometre route – Giulia Guanella explains to us – We want to give everyone the opportunity to come and try cycling, so it is a route with little difference in altitude where even beginners can have fun and approach the gravel or to the bicycle in general."
«In the 80 and 110 kilometre routes, however, we will still have the border crossing into Val BregagliaThe cross-border aspect is very important for us, but also for Switzerland, and remains a fundamental part of Valchiavenna. Gravel Escape».
The official tracks will then be released a few days before the event.
The response of the territory
Cycling in Valchiavenna represents a significant portion of tourism and local businesses. The numbers confirm that cycling remains a means of experiencing and enjoying a new way of traveling.
«The data we have collected on the various points of the Valchiavenna cycle path – analyses our interlocutor – shows a significant increase in bike passages, an aspect that concerns the whole territory and is not exclusively linked to the gravel. Compared to the previous year, in 2025 there was a 7,8 percent increase in passagesBut this is an aspect linked to three macro elements: infrastructure, events and communication/promotion."
«The answer – he concludes – also comes from the support that local businesses give us every year. Also for this edition of Valchiavenna Gravel Escape many farmhouses will provide their support for refreshments, which will feature local products: buckwheat flour, cold cuts, especially bresaola, cheeses and much more."
All that's left to do is mark the weekend of May 9th and 10th on your calendar. Registration is still open, and will be open on the morning of the event . Valchiavenna awaits you; all that's left to do is hop on your bike and go.
