One of the most ferocious bike climbs in Italy
Davide Fambri
Mountain bike, ski touring and paragliding
A mountain and road bike route which takes you from the shores of Lake Garda to Prada, through Val Trovai and all along the tarmac road “Punta Veleno”.
One of the most ferocious bike climbs in Italy! A thousand metres climb over 10km and nowhere to stop and draw breath!
Twenty hairpin bends (all numbered) on a tarmac road.
Maps and GPS Track
Details
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Technical characteristics
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Starting point
Assenza di Brenzone
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Endpoint
Assenza di Brenzone
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Route
Assenza di Brenzone – Castello – Punta Veleno – Prada – San Zeno di Montagna – Castelletto di Brenzone – Assenza di Brenzone
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Starting height
90m
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Highest point
1081m
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Altitude – ascent/descent
1220m/1287m
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Distance
36,5 km
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Duration
2 hrs
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Starting point
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Difficulty
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Difficulty
difficult
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Technical difficulty (1 to 5)
3
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Technical difficulty (1 to 5)
5
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Difficulty
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Scenic appeal
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Experience (da 1 a 5)
3
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Landscape (da 1 a 5)
4
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Experience (da 1 a 5)
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Type of route
- Round tour
- Insider tip
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Best time of year
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All year round
without snow
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All year round
Partner
Points of interest along this bike trail
Or should I say: why do it?!
Hard, certainly, but not impossible!
It is a great challenge for sure.
It is a huge satisfaction to get to the top especially if you do so without having set your feet on the ground on the way up and to be able to say that you have done it, the famously difficult Punta Veleno!
This ascent was declared “one of the most ferocious climbs in Italy” in the ’70s by Giro d’Italia legend Vincenzo Torriani. On the 19th April 2012, Punta Veleno was included in the professional circuit as the third stage of the Giro del Trentino. Racers such as Basso, Cunnego, Kreuziger, Di Luca, Pozzovivo, Scarponi, Rujano, Rolland and Gadret have defined Punta Veleno as “really hard”, “poisonous”,”the hardest climb I have ever attempted” putting it on a par with Zoncolan.
Punta Veleno description
From Assenza di Brenzone, at the roundabout you go uphill on the tarmac road until you get to Castello. At the start of the village you take the first road on your left uphill where the Punta Veleno starts – 20 hairpin bends all on tarmac road that will eventually bring you to Prada.
From the 2nd to the 8th kilometre, the ascent has an average gradient of 14.6% with some parts being steeper than 20%.
When you get to the top of Punta Veleno, carry on to Prada and come down by way of San Zeno di Montagna towards Castelletto di Brenzone. The descent is fun and has beautiful views over Lake Garda.
Along the descent you will also pass through some classic old villages from the Brenzone region. When you get to the Gardesana Road at Castelletto di Brenzone, carry on towards north and you will get to Assenza di Brenzone where the climb starts. It is not recommended to try this ascent in the summer or in the hottest hours of the day.
Extreme Race Punta Veleno
Brenzone Town Council organise the Extreme Race Punta Veleno every September. This race is open to road bikes and mountain bikes and even amateurs are welcome to challenge themsleves with this climb. Keep your eyes on the website and the Facebook page for Punta Veleno to keep updated on the next race. See you there!
Variant
There is no variant
Our suggestions
- It is not recommended to try this ascent in the summer or in the hottest hours of the day.
- Even if you are exhausted, you must keep an eye on the breath taking views over Lake Garda.
The tour during the winter
This route can be done all year round including winter as long as it hasn’t snowed. Be careful in very cold weather as it gets icy. The Maximum height is 100 m.a.s.l.
Shelters, huts or bivouacs along the trail
None
Partner
How to reach the starting point of the trail
Assenza is a village to the south of Malcesine, between Cassone and Brenzone
Parking
In Sommavilla
Public transport
- From Torbole or Riva del Garda take a bus travelling south in the direction of Peschiera/Verona.
- From Peschiera or Verona take a bus travelling north in the direction of Riva del Garda.
Safety information
It is better not to descend directly from Punta Veleno. When you get to Prada, we suggest that you come back via San Zeno di Montagna and do the descent that brings you out at Castelletto di Brenzone.
