A large part of the route lies above the tree line, passing through imposing national parks and over legendary (un)paved mountain passes such as the Colle delle Finestre and Col Agnel.
In total, you will climb nine hors-categorie cols, five of which are completely or largely unpaved. In between, you’ll ride along 19th-century military stradas and past the ruins of ancient forts.
The route consists of approximately 485 km of asphalt and 240 km of rocky, military gravel stradas along the France-Italy border, often at altitudes of 2,000m or more. It includes two Grand Tour cols, with the highest point being the 2,750m Col d’Agnel.
The breathtaking landscapes of the Queyras and Mercantour National Parks, as well as the Ligurian, Cottian, and Maritime Alps, will reward you every day.
SMART SHELTER FOUNDATION CHARITY PARTNER
Since 2015, ‘The Torino Nice Rally’ has been the imaginative bikepacking event that has now reached iconic proportions. You can ride the route independently or participate in the mass start, which offers 200 participants the opportunity to start every year on the first Friday of September.
But for many, completing this route with luggage and without support is just a step too far. That is why NL Tour Rides is organizing Gravelty Torino-Nice. We have entered into a partnership with the people behind the original Torino-Nice Rally, where all their experience is of great importance.
Just like Torino-Nice Rally, we support the Dutch charity – Smart Shelter Foundation. We donate € 100 from the registration fee of each participant. Of course, we also greatly appreciate it if participants also open a donation profile themselves and raise funds for SSF. In addition, we will donate € 1 per participant from each Gravelty Series event during 2025. Our goal is to contribute at least €7,500 to the good work of SSF by 2025.
You can open a personalized donation page on the donation platform of NL Tour Rides: www.donatie.cc
Our ‘Gravel-Meisters’ Jacco and Martin have already taken on the adventure. Both have ridden the routes and created a detailed roadbook.
With all their experience, we’ll provide you with solid preparation. Om April 24th, we’ll already inform you through a webinar.
And because anticipating all the beauty ahead is half the fun, we’re organizing a Gravel Ride over the Veluwe + an information session on May 10th.
Additionally, you’ll receive a free 6-month subscription to the training app JOIN, which will help us prepare you step by step to be in top shape for this summer.
The participation package includes:
Also included:
The cost of the participation package is €2,495.
Upgrade to a single room for an additional €500.
To register, make a down payment of €1,250. On April 15, 2025, we will send you a payment request for the remaining registration fees and any extras.
Participants will receive their package on May 10th during the preparation Gravel Ride. If you are unable to attend, we will send it to you.
The participation package excludes:
Day 1 – Wednesday, August 13:
The arrival day in Turin. Check-in at the hotel, followed by a final briefing for the upcoming days and a last inspection of your gear. Our mechanics will, of course, be available to assist you if needed. In the evening, we’ll kick off the trip in style with a Launch Party before dinner.
Day 2 – Thursday, August 14: Turin – Susa Dal
Let’s get started for real! The start is at Piazza Giambattista Bodoni. We’ll leave the city via the streets of Turin, situated along the Po River, before heading towards the foot of the only climb of the day, the Colle del Collombardo. We ride around the Parco Naturale Col del Lys, covering 60 km before reaching the base of the climb. The ascent from the northern side of the Colle del Collombardo is over 9 km. The 24 km descent with 1,500 meters of elevation loss takes us towards Condove. From Condove, we’ll continue on a gradual downhill through the Susa River valley, heading to the hotel for our first overnight stay.
Day 3 – Friday, August 15: Susa Dal – Briançon
Today marks the start of Stage 2. Soon after leaving the hotel, we begin the climb up Colle delle Finestre. This incredibly photogenic pass is a highlight of the ride. You’ll climb 1,700 meters over 18 km, with the last 8 km being gravel road. The views are expansive, and there’s just a few kilometers of asphalt between the pass and the famous Strada dell’Assietta, which is next on the menu.
The route along the Strada dell’Assietta is an incredible ride. This Italian military road, over 120 years old, spans approximately 33 km. From the start, the road climbs from 1,900 meters to 2,350 meters, then undulates between 2,300-2,400 meters before descending to 2,100 meters. Along the way, you’ll pass Colle dell’Assietta, Colle Louson, Colle Blegier, and Colle Basset, with expansive views throughout.
After the Strada, we’ll continue from Sestriere via Cesana Torinese to the Italy-France border, near the ski resort of Montgenèvre. Then, a descent will take us to today’s destination, the fortified town of Briançon.
Day 4 – Saturday, August 16: Briançon – Sampeyre
Stage 3 will be a relative rest day ;) No crisp gravel, just asphalt. After the high elevation and gravel from Day 2, this will feel quite nice. However, there are still two challenging classic passes to conquer: Col d’Izoard and Col Agnel. All together, this will add up to 2,450 meters of elevation gain. The Col Agnel, at 2,744 meters, is also the highest point of the entire journey.
Day 5 – Sunday, August 17: Sampeyre – Preit
Today, we start straight away with the climb to Col de Sampeyre. At 2,283 meters, we reach the summit and are rewarded with yet another stunning view.
Afterward, we continue on the gravel of the Strada dei Cannoni. You can probably guess why the road is named this way. This military route was built in 1744. The road follows the ridge from west to east, descending over 33 km from Colle di Sampeyre to an elevation of 900 meters.
The Strada dei Cannoni is rougher in some places compared to most of the other off-road sections of Gravelty Torino-Nice. The surface is loose and quite stony, especially in some downhill sections. About 39 km into the ride, we reach Colle della Ciabra, where we then descend into the Valle Maria. We’ll follow this valley for the remainder of the ride, heading towards Ponte Marmore, where we’ll climb 600 meters over the final 8 km.
Day 6 – Monday, August 18: Preit – Limone
Today, we have 2,700 meters of elevation to conquer. This stage also includes about 25 km of gravel, divided into two sections, which accounts for more than a quarter of the total distance. Starting at an elevation of 1,500 meters, we quickly enter treeless terrain, and the first part of the day will take us through a truly alpine landscape.
The area we pass through is often referred to as ‘Little Peru’, named after the striking rock formation of Rocca la Meja on the edge of the mountain basin. This could very well be the most spectacular part of the ride. It’s a military road at high altitude, and the landscape is vast and open, offering incredible panoramic views.
After Colle Margherina, we continue on gravel roads to Colle Valcavera, where we return to asphalt.
Next, we’ll ride a few kilometers through the valley before starting the final climb of the day at the village of Andonno. Just above Roachia, we’ll hit a gravel section of 6.7 km, with 150 meters of ascent and 350 meters of descent. The gravel continues through the descent, nearly all the way to Vernante, at the foot of the hill. After Vernante, it’s about 8 km to Limone Piemonte, where a refreshing shower awaits to wash off the salt and gravel dust.
Day 8 – Wednesday, August 20: La Brigue – Nice
Overall, today’s ride will descend about 700 meters, but there are still several climbs to tackle, including reaching 2,000 meters at Col de Turini.
Along the way, you’ll also encounter four gravel sections totaling approximately 37 km. And if you’re up for it, you’ll have the chance to conquer 8 more cols. In short, it’s a day packed with a bit of everything, making for a perfect finish to the journey. The final reward: a refreshing dip in the Mediterranean Sea at Café du Cycliste in Nice, where you can celebrate your success.
Day 9 – Thursday, August 21: Nice – Turin (by bus)
Last night, we concluded our dream journey with a shared dinner at the hotel. Today, for those who wish, we’ll travel by coach (including bikes) back to Turin. From there, we’ll wish everyone a safe and pleasant journey home.
On April 24th, there will be a webinar to get you warmed up and provide more details. On Saturday, May 10th, we will host a meeting, including a Gravel Ride, in the Veluwe (Netherlands). You’ll receive an invitation for this in April 2025.
This trip is ideally done on a gravel bike, but a mountain bike will also work.
Participants are responsible for arranging their own transportation to the start location in Turin. On August 21, we will provide a coach transfer from Nice to Turin.
Throughout the entire trip, our mechanics will provide technical support. During the stages, they will travel by motorbike, ensuring that small repairs can be made on the go.
However, it’s important to be largely self-sufficient. Make sure to carry your standard kit with you while cycling. We will provide detailed instructions on this in the webinar, during the pre-event, and in the roadbook.
There will also be a sag wagon in case a mechanical issue is serious enough that you can no longer continue cycling. In that case, you can call the emergency number, and you’ll be picked up.
Gravelty Torino-Nice may seem like an exhausting endurance challenge for fitness enthusiasts, but in reality, it is a beautiful journey that is quite doable. Climbing the major cols along the way is undoubtedly tough, but with the right gear, it’s a safe and exciting way to tackle such an adventure.
The Gravelty Torino-Nice is not a race. That’s simply not the purpose of the event. Ride as fast or as slow as you like, and take breaks whenever you need to.
This part of the package is for Dutch participants. Non-dutch participants can also have this test but have to arrange travel arrangements to Cyclinlab Amsterdam themselves.
Physically, a lot will be asked of your body. NL Tour Rides advises that you undergo a medical check-up before participating in this athletic challenge. In mid-July, we will invite you for an effort test at SEG-Cyclinglab in Amsterdam.
With an effort test at SEG-Cyclinglab, you will receive a comprehensive analysis to assess your current fitness level. Using lactate measurements, we determine your power and heart rate zones, which helps us understand your endurance capacity, where your lactate threshold lies, and how well-developed your anaerobic capacity is. We also use modern techniques, such as NIRS sensors from Train Red, to gain insight into your fitness at the muscle level. Additionally, the Core Temperature Sensor will help us pinpoint your zones, thresholds, and both strengths and weaknesses more precisely.
Finally, you will have an extensive debriefing, where everything is discussed with an experienced coach.
Improve your ride
JOIN Cycling is the app that allows you to create smart and flexible training schedules based on your goals, availability, and training history. Specifically for participants of Gravelty Torino – Nice, the JOIN Cycling app is available for 6 months free of charge, ensuring you are fully prepared for the journey ahead!
To register for the 2025 edition, you will first need to make a down payment of €1,250. On April 15, 2025, we will send you a payment request for the remaining balance of the registration fee, plus any additional costs.
If you have any questions, feel free to email us at info@nltourrides.nl.
There is space for 30 participants per edition.
Cancellation Policy:
Fiets mee met onze uitgepijlde Rides met een vol deelnamepakket en sfeervolle start/finish locatie.
4 mei | Amsterdam
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Gran Fondo Rosa18 mei | Oosterbeek
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IJsselmeer Challenge21 juni | Lelystad
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OFM. Ride Veluwe29 juni | Doesburg
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OFM. Ride Zeeland14 september | Sluis
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Oktoberfest Ride27 september | Eindhoven
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Oktoberfest Ride4 oktober | Borculo
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GPX wielertochten door heel Nederland inclusief verzorgingsposten
Fiets mee en ontvang een vol deelnamepakket, leuke start/finish locaties en de mooiste routes.
Gran Fondo Drenthe12 april | Assen
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Gran Fondo Hanze20 april | Zwolle
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Gran Fondo Brabant11 mei | Eindhoven
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Le Tour Ride6 juli | Rotterdam
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Gran Fondo Achterhoek13 juli | Winterswijk
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GF Fryslân20 juli | Leeuwarden
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Clasico Espana17 augustus | Utrecht
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Summer Ride23 augustus | Nijmegen
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Gran Fondo Kopje24 augustus | Bloemendaal
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Gran Fondo Veluwe31 augustus | Terlet
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GF Rotterdam7 september | Rotterdam
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Gelre’s Mooiste5 oktober | Ermelo
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Classico Lombardia11 oktober | Oosterbeek
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Victory Ride19 oktober | Soesterberg
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Meerdaagse tochten in binnen- en buitenland voor weg of gravel
Off the Beaten Road
Gravelty Summer23 augustus | Nijmegen
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Gravelty
Gravelty Achterhoek Summer13 juli | Winterswijk
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Gravelty Veluwe31 augustus | Terlet
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Gravelty Oktoberfest27 september | Eindhoven
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Gravelty Gelre5 oktober | Ermelo
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Gravelty Victory19 oktober | Soesterberg
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Gravelty Herfst16 november | Terlet
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Gravelty Achterhoek23 november | Borculo
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Gravelty Rudolph20/21 december | Terlet
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Fietsen vanuit een doosje. Steeds een nieuw thema. We sturen een vol deelnamepakket op plus unieke gpx routes en/of een virtuele uitdaging waarmee je op eigen gelegenheid en tijdstip de tocht kunt rijden.
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🌳 Wekelijks volop genieten van mooie routes met je fietsmaten.
🍺 Start & finish in de gezelligste wielercafés.
🚴 Racefiets & gravelbike.
